'Change things up': Burnley boss Scott Parker addresses talk of switch to a back three
Scott Parker has suggested Burnley will have to be a lot more adaptable in the Premier League this coming season.
The Clarets deployed a back four for the vast majority of their promotion-winning campaign in the Championship last season.
There was no real need to change approach from game-to-game, with Parker’s side controlling most matches on their way to their remarkable 100-point finish.
But back in the top flight, Parker knows it will be a different story, with the Clarets likely to be the side defending in the majority of games.
It’s been mooted for much of the summer that Burnley may look to switch to a back three (or five) this coming season in the top flight.
At Huddersfield Town on Saturday, however, Parker’s side lined up with a back four as part of their friendly double header. At Shrewsbury Town though it looked to be a back five of Oliver Sonne, Axel Tuanzebe, Joe Worrall, Hannes Delcroix and Lucas Pires.
After the Huddersfield game, the Burnley Express asked Parker whether a switch to three at the back was something he was considering for the coming season.
“We'll look to do this in pre-season, we'll look to try and bring many different scenarios where we can be really flexible in how we play this year,” he responded.
“Last year, we were predominantly one structure. I think probably this year, we'll look to try and change things up.
“It gives us plenty of options in a back four or a back three and how we go about that really. So pre-season is a good time for us to look at different things.”