Michael Duff – You need to be clinical at this level

Defeat at Southampton was another lesson learned according to Clarets stalwart Michael Duff.
Clarets defender Michael DuffClarets defender Michael Duff
Clarets defender Michael Duff

Burnley were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as missed chances came back to haunt them at St Mary’s.

The Premier League is a ruthless, cut-throat existence – as Hull City found out on Sunday when Chelsea had three shots on target and won 3-2.

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Duff looked back on the 2-0 reverse on the south coast: “I’ve not seen the penalty back, but I’ve been told it was, and we created a lot of chances.

Sam Vokes was guilty of missing two gilt-edged chancesSam Vokes was guilty of missing two gilt-edged chances
Sam Vokes was guilty of missing two gilt-edged chances

“Goals change games, and if you break it down clinically, the two goals they’ve scored came from two ricochets. The first has gone through five bodies and dropped to the lad, and the second cannoned off Shackell, which is an occupational hazard when you’re stood in the middle of the goal and balls keep flying across.

“Every now and again one is going to fly in your own net.

“So it’s just unfortunate, but if you take the goals out of it and break down the chances, we had as many, if not more, especially first half.

“But that’s what we’ve learned about the league, you need to be clinical.

Michael Duff leads the applause to the travelling Clarets faithful at full-timeMichael Duff leads the applause to the travelling Clarets faithful at full-time
Michael Duff leads the applause to the travelling Clarets faithful at full-time
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“You can’t have six, seven, eight, nine chances to score, because teams don’t give those up, so when they do give chances up, you need to take them.

“That’s the most disappointing thing, we didn’t get battered and had opportunities to win the game.”

Kelvin Davis was outstanding as substitute keeper, replacing England international Fraser Forster, and Duff added: “They lose an England goalkeeper and bring someone on who’s even older than me, and he made some good saves, but I think the lads are disappointed they gave him the opportunity to make saves, because they were clear-cut, gilt-edged chances.”