Dyche getting the balance right!

As Sean Dyche often says, football is about putting the ball in one end and stopping it going in the other.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche is joined by assistant manger Ian Woan and first team coach Tony Laughlan in shouting instructions to his team from the technical area

Photographer Alex Dodd/CameraSport

The Premier League - Burnley v Stoke City - Tuesday 12th December 2017 - Turf Moor - Burnley

World Copyright © 2017 CameraSport. All rights reserved. 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.comBurnley manager Sean Dyche is joined by assistant manger Ian Woan and first team coach Tony Laughlan in shouting instructions to his team from the technical area

Photographer Alex Dodd/CameraSport

The Premier League - Burnley v Stoke City - Tuesday 12th December 2017 - Turf Moor - Burnley

World Copyright © 2017 CameraSport. All rights reserved. 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.com
Burnley manager Sean Dyche is joined by assistant manger Ian Woan and first team coach Tony Laughlan in shouting instructions to his team from the technical area Photographer Alex Dodd/CameraSport The Premier League - Burnley v Stoke City - Tuesday 12th December 2017 - Turf Moor - Burnley World Copyright © 2017 CameraSport. All rights reserved. 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - [email protected] - www.camerasport.com

And his players have managed to find that ideal balance that all managers crave so far this season.

They have conceded only 12 goals in 18 games – a joint Premier League best, along with leaders Manchester City and second place Manchester United.

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And only United, with 10, can top Burnley and Arsenal’s nine clean sheets.

They have only scored 16 goals, but six of their nine wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline, and Dyche said, ahead of Saturday night’s visit of Spurs to Turf Moor: “Still some work in the scoring market, but we’ve spoken many times down the years about that balance between strong enough not to open the gates to the opposition, and being strong enough at the other end to go and score goals.

“It’s the hardest balance in football, and it’s what every manager wants. I can assure you, a lot is made of Man City’s prowess going forward, but they’re still going ‘look how many clean sheets we’ve had, and how few goals we’ve let in’.

“That’s how managers, staff and players think.

“We’ve found the right side of that balance and it must continue.

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“We are going into a real tough run, but I say it all the time, the Premier League is tough no matter who you’re playing, there’s no gimmies so we look forward to every game as it comes.”

Burnley take on Spurs a place and a point better off in sixth place.

But while being above Spurs after 18 games is a real barometer of the Clarets’ success so far this season, Dyche won’t be measuring his side against Mauricio Pochettino’s.

His gauge is whether he can continue to improve on and off the pitch, having finished 16th last season with 40 points: “I think that’s a great message (that we’re above Spurs).

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“But I think the main thing I’m pleased with is that we continue to move forward, that’s a really big thing.

“When you find that healthy balance to be moving things forward on the pitch visually, and the background of the club, that’s something I’m really proud of.

“And there’s other people involved.

“It’s not just me and the players, the staff, the board, other parts of the club, and the clear mindedness of everyone at the club helps bring it all together and that feel good factor of what we’re trying to achieve.

“That, of course, often starts with results.

“Results have been good, performances have been good, so it glues all that good stuff together.”