After a two week break with no matches, the games are now coming thick and fast again. The Clarets fresh from a well-earned 1-1 draw against high-flying Birmingham at Turf Moor on Saturday are now on the road again. On Saturday they face a tough game at The Valley against Charlton Athletic but first they have to stop off in the Midlands to play Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday night.
Following the Sheffield derby on Sunday the Clarets dropped one further place to 12th but on 16 points they are still just one point behind 6th placed Sheffield United and two behind their derby victors, Sheffield Wednesday in 5th. The Owls are also on the same number of points as Cardiff in 4th place so the Clarets have all to play for and will hoping for their second consecutive victory away to Coventry.
The Sky Blues are only one point behind the Clarets on 15 points but three places lower in 15th. They thumped Southampton 4-1 in their last home game but went down 2-1 away to current League leaders, Wolves on Saturday.
For the Clarets, there is no news of any further injury concerns after the Birmingham game and Jordan is back in contention after sitting out his one-match ban for a second-yellow sending off against Reading at the Madejski a few weeks ago.
Alan Mahon could still be sidelined after picking up an injury in a recent behind closed doors game against Blackpool at Gawthorpe and it will be interesting to see if Kevin McDonald is back in contention after recovering from an ankle injury.
Steve Jones is now on loan to Huddersfield; Berisha is still with Rosenberg on loan and Alex MacDonald is still in Hungary as part of the Scottish Under 19 squad for the European Championship Qualifying Round tournament. Other than that the Clarets appear to have a full squad to choose from.
This is an important game for the Clarets and once more we have to get something from this game with so many clubs in contention for a Top 6 slot.
Predicted Team Sheet
An interesting decision for Owen Coyle will be whether to replace Kalvenes at left back with Jordan waiting in the wings to claim his place back after a one-match ban. Kalvenes played well against Birmingham and it would be hard to drop him.
Picking up a suspension, as Eagles knows to his cost seems to make life difficult for players trying to get back their starting eleven place.
Chris Eagles since his red card at home to Plymouth and the three match ban just can`t seem to get in the starting eleven despite his obvious Premier League pedigree and influence when coming on from the bench.
Owen Coyle seems to stick rigidly to the players doing well in the team and it would not surprise me if Jordan would have to be content with a place on the bench against Coventry allowing Kalvenes another chance to shine. Van der Schaaf also made the sixteen on Saturday but didn`t get to come on. With doubts over Mahon, I expect him to retain his place on the bench unless Kevin McDonald has something to say about that!
I so wish that Owen Coyle could find a starting eleven place for Chris Eagles but I suspect it will be more of the same. Let`s face it Coyle has found a successful formula with only one defeat now in eleven games but it does beg the question could we be even more successful if Eagles started in the team?
Oh well here is my predicted sixteen for the Coventry match
Jensen, Duff, Carlisle, Caldwell, Kalvenes, Alexander, Elliott, Gudjonsson, McCann, Paterson, Thompson
Subs: Penny, Jordan, Blake, Van Der Schaaf (or McDonald), Eagles
Coventry Team News:
No news in yet. Watch this space!
Player to watch: Jay Tabb
He scored a brace against Southampton in their last home game and the versatile player can play in midfield, on the wing and even centre forward. Voted their Player of the Year last season
Burnley Team News:
Alan Mahon remains a doubt but other than that Owen Coyle appears to have a full squad to choose from apart from Jones and Berisha out on loan.
Player to watch: Steven Thompson
I will keep mentioning his name until he scores! Once he gets his debut goal for the Clarets, he could start scoring on a regular basis. We certainly missed his height and influence after he was substituted against Birmingham on Saturday and it is time he began to convert his physical presence and pressure into goals.
Last Time We Met
We got the double over Coventry last season. Back in January this year we beat Coventry in this fixture 2-1 at the Ricoh with goals from Blake and Akinbiyi.
At Turf Moor one month later in February, the result was a 2-0 victory with McCann and Caldwell on the score sheet.
Ref Watch:
Mike Thorpe (Suffolk)
Match Prediction:
Tough call this match. I think though we can shade this one 1-0 . We need to get back quickly to winning ways with a tough schedule ahead in November
Next Match
Charlton away at ‘The Valley` this Saturday (25th October) with the normal 3pm KO
