Joe Worrall outlines how a true 'Burnley-esque' display was required to stop the rot
A dogged, ugly and “Burnley-esque” performance was exactly what was required to stop the rot at Bournemouth.
That’s according to Joe Worrall, who came in to make his first league start of the season as the Clarets ended their seven-game losing run with a gutsy 1-1 draw.
It was far from pretty from Scott Parker’s side, who saw little of the ball and struggled to create much – but Armando Broja’s late header salvaged them a point, their first since October 26.
“I’m very pleased we’ve stopped the rot first and foremost,” Worrall told Burnley’s YouTube channel.
“I think it was important that, as a team, we owed it to ourselves and the fans who have travelled all this way and have constantly supported us over this tough time…
“We’re under no illusions that this season was going to be difficult for us and we’ve gone through that period of seven on the bounce, which is heartbreaking for us given all of the effort and all of the things we do in training and in games, so to come away from those games with nothing is really frustrating.
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“But to come down here against a really good side, they’ve got some top players and to put in a performance – it was far from pretty, it was a typical Burnley-esque performance away from home but it’s just what we needed.
“Hopefully the away fans and the Burnley faithful can understand the situation we’re in and that’s what the game dictated.
“It needed a clean sheet which we couldn’t manage, but we were relying on players coming off the bench to come and get an equaliser for us which made for a good result for us.”
While many will look at the league table and continue to write Burnley off, Worrall is only interested in what happens inside the Clarets bubble.
“I’m not really bothered about what anyone from the outside says, it’s more about what we understand as a team and the fans and us as a collective,” the defender added.
“That’s what has made this club so successful over the past 10 to 15 years in the Premier League, that togetherness and community of a squad and a team that’s been built. That’s what we’ve got.
“Last year was great, but this year was always going to be turbulent. But to come to Bournemouth who are putting four past Man Utd and hold them to a draw at home, we’re doing something right.”
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