Confident Gray targeting a goal a game with Clarets

Striker Andre Gray celebrated a first brace for Burnley, but admitted he should have had a hat-trick against Bolton.
Bolton Wanderers' David Wheater competes with Burnley's Andre Gray

Photographer Richard Martin-Roberts/CameraSport

Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Burnley v Bolton Wanderers - Saturday 17th October 2015 - Turf Moor

© CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.comBolton Wanderers' David Wheater competes with Burnley's Andre Gray

Photographer Richard Martin-Roberts/CameraSport

Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Burnley v Bolton Wanderers - Saturday 17th October 2015 - Turf Moor

© CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.com
Bolton Wanderers' David Wheater competes with Burnley's Andre Gray Photographer Richard Martin-Roberts/CameraSport Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Burnley v Bolton Wanderers - Saturday 17th October 2015 - Turf Moor © CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - [email protected] - www.camerasport.com

The record signing took his tally to four goals in five starts with a double against Wanderers at Turf Moor, and could have had more but for a combination of good goalkeeping and bad luck.

Gray has become an instant favourite with the supporters, and his confidence is sky high: “I should have (had a hat-trick).

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“I had a chance in the first half and then one in the second from Vokesy’s cross which ended up being a good save. I was stretching for it a bit, trying to get something on it.

“It wasn’t to be, but I’m sure it will come.”

He doesn’t set himself seasonal targets, but goes into every game feeling he will score: “I have a target. Score every game.

“That’s how I see it.

“Personally I don’t like to set a target of scoring 20-30 goals. I think you need to score in every game. That’s your job and what you try to do.

“If I can do that I’ll score 40-odd goals this season! That’s the target.”

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But as long as he is performing well for the team, he is happy, having also shown his ability to provide assists for his teammmates: “As long as I’m creating stuff and working hard - it’s not going to happen every time. I learnt that last season when I went nine games without scoring. That was difficult, but I came out the right side of that and ended up scoring 18 after not scoring in nine.

“That was a massive learning curve for me, as long as I’m doing the right things sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Whether the chances go in or not, manager Sean Dyche has hailed his “fearlessness” and Gray has learned not to hide in games if things aren’t going to plan: “I’ve learnt that now, to just get on with it. There are games where I’m not going to score and there’s nothing I can do, but if I keep working hard I’ll either create or score a goal. That’s the main thing.

“We need to win games and it’s going to be ugly sometimes. Sometimes me and Vokesy aren’t going to score and it might be Duffo or Keano, it’s going to come from somewhere else, but as long as you win games.”

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Gray has taken quickly to life at Turf Moor, and added: “I knew I could score goals but it was a case of how long it would take. I got off the mark at home so that obviously helped, and the belief that the boys have showed in me and the manager makes it even easier.

“It’s just keeping it simple really, knowing my role and what the manager expects of me makes it a lot easier.”

Sam Vokes didn’t score against Bolton, but their partnership is starting to flourish, and Gray noted: “I think it’s showing a lot more now. I think we know where we’re both going to be and we know what kind of balls we like. When I’m in those areas I know he’d prefer it to be more above his head and vice versa he knows I’m going to try to go in behind all the time so I think I’m creating spaces for him and he’s helping me.

“We’re clicking really well now and I think we’ll just get better as the games go on.

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“For the first goal he took the touch and turned. People probably wouldn’t expect that but we know he’s capable of that. The way he’s got in there and turned and put me in it just shows that we’re on the same wavelength.

“I’m helping him get into those areas and he’s helping me get into the areas I want to be in.”

And Gray felt the win was deserved: “I thought we dominated the majority of the game and their only chances really came from us giving silly fouls away and their set pieces. But especially in the second half we dominated. They sat quite deep and defended so there wasn’t really much space in behind. It was just a case of being patient and we did that. We knew as soon as we got the goal it would open up for us and we could take control even more.”