Burnley play struggling Huddersfield at Turf Moor on Tuesday night and they will be desperate to win their first match in six games.
The Pre-amble:
Games are coming thick-and-fast now for the Clarets. Next up this Tuesday night is the rearranged game against Huddersfield Town at Turf Moor. The fixture was originally intended to be played on Saturday 16th February but was postponed due to the Terriers success in the FA Cup after beating Leicester 2-1 away in the fourth round. Town are now out of the FA Cup having gone down 4-1 at home to Wigan that same weekend in the fifth round and are now back to reality struggling in the Championship. Mark Robins` men are in 20th spot and have slumped badly over recent games. They are now looking over their shoulder at relegation back down to League 1in only their first season back in the Championship following League One plays-offs success last season. However with just 38 points from 33 games they are just three points clear of third-from-bottom club, Wolves and will be keen to pull clear of the danger zone.
Burnley in contrast have had a better season despite being beaten 2-0 by the Terriers in the reverse fixture in the John Smiths Stadium last August. The Clarets will not want to concede their second ‘double` on the trot though after losing to Brighton at the weekend. Sadly though their recent form has left a lot to be desired! Burnley have not won now in five games and the slump has badly affected our play-offs hopes. Although there is still a chance, the task is looking increasingly more difficult now with Burnley already eight points behind the sixth-placed club, Brighton thanks to the Seasgulls victory over the Clarets last Saturday. We certainly can`t afford to drop too many more points especially against struggling opposition at home with just twelve games remaining after the Huddersfield clash. It looks like we are once again destined to finish mid-table and at the moment we are currently in 12th spot with 44 points from 33 games. The Clarets though badly need a win to boost confidence and keep their season alive and if they can`t achieve that against Huddersfield they will only have themselves to blame. The Terriers away form leaves a lot to be desired. They have not won a point away from home this year so far having lost all their four games whilst at the same time leaking 22 goals. Huddersfield last enjoyed victory on the road back in November at Barnsley and their record at Turf Moor over the years has been poor. The Clarets have won four and drawn two of their last six home league games against the Terriers, and have not lost to the West Yorkshire club at home in any competition for 41 years! Oh no, I hear you all groan!
Burnley Team News:
Michael Duff is still recovering from a calf problem and fellow centre back, Ben Mee is also still on the treatment bench recovering from his medial ligament injury but he is thought t to be close to returning. Mee is back in training and Dyche looks set to play him in a practice match this week but the Terriers’ visit comes too soon for him. It looks likely that Kevin Long will continue to partner skipper, Jason Shackell in the centre of defence with the more experienced, David Edgar once again resigned to sitting on the bench. Ross Wallace looks set to again miss out with a knee injury.
Player to watch: Keith Treacy
Treacy still keeps getting his chance to shine and now with Wallace sidelined hopefully he can deliver this time. He made only his second start of the season last Saturday against Brighton and probably did enough to retain his starting eleven place. Burnley generally looked more effective from his corners last Saturday although perhaps he could have helped his full back out more.
Huddersfield Town Team News:
Huddersfield have no new injury concerns or suspension but are still without winger, Danny Ward (broken metatarsal),on-loan Leicester striker, Jermaine Beckford (hamstring) and midfielder, Keith Southern (Achilles). On-loan Rams striker Theo Robinson may start after making his debut on Saturday.
Player to watch: Theo Robinson
Jamaican international striker, Theo Robinson has always been a bit of a thorn in our side and now we might have to try and keep him at bay again after his recent loan move to Huddersfield. Robinson made his second debut for the Terriers as a substitute in their last game against Ipswich after arriving on loan until the end of the season from Derby earlier this month. He could now be given a start against the Clarets on Tuesday night. The 24 year old started his career with Watford before joining Huddersfield, the first time round on a permanent basis in July 2009. He fell out of favour though and finished up at Millwall initially on a loan basis before signing for Derby County in July 2011 following a successful loan spell.
Team & Tactics:
Duff. Wallace and Mee remain sidelined but Sean Dyche has no new injury problems to worry about and looks set to select from an unchanged squad. It will be interesting to see whether he is more attack-minded at home against struggling opposition. Will he opt for 4-4-2 or be more cautious and go for 4-1-4-1 with a holding midfielder? Brian Stock will obviously be hoping for the latter but I am not convinced that would be the right tactic. I am selecting a team based on 4-4-2 whilst hoping we can punish the Terriers early on and rock their confidence. This would be my selection :
Grant, Trippier, Shackell, Long, Lafferty, Stanislas, McCann, Marney, Treacy, Ings, Austin
Subs: Jensen, Edgar, O’Neill, Stock, Richards orBartley, Paterson, Vokes
Ref Watch:
Premier League experienced referee, Mark Halsey (Bolton) is in charge of this one as he would have been had the original fixture on Saturday 16th February gone ahead! Halsey has refereed primarily in the Premier League since 1999 and has been on the League’s list of Select Group Referees since its creation in 2001. In 22 games so far this season, he has only sent off three players with another 44 picking up yellow cards. The last time he featured in a game involving the Clarets was on that heartbreaking night at Turf Moor back in January 2009 when Spurs knocked Burnley out of the Carling Cup at the semi-final stage. Three yellow cards were shown that night.
Match Prediction:
Our season might be over considering we are already eight points adrift of the sixth placed club, Brighton. Lose at home against lowly Huddersfield and the dream will be almost certainly over! We can`t afford to drop any more points against a below average team on home soil. Nothing less than a win would keep our fading play-offs hopes alive. 3-1 Clarets!
Next Match:
Burnley travel to South London to play Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Saturday 2nd March (Kick-Off: 3pm)
