The Clarets continue their busy January schedule with an FA Cup Third Round Replay against Queens Park Rangers at Turf Moor on Tuesday night following a pretty dull 0-0 draw at Loftus Road in the first game of the New Year.
The prize for the winners is a trip(again this month) to either West Brom or Posh for the Fourth Round, on Saturday 24th January. These two teams also fight out a replay on the same night at London Road after Posh sensationally equalised late on in the game at the Hawthorns to make the final score 1-1.
The Clarets could probably have done without this replay and if they progress will have to play eight games in this month alone.
The signs have not been good recently, with the team looking decidingly jaded and under par, not helped by their 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane in the Carling Cup Semi-Final first leg last week.
The effect this may have had both mentally and physically seems clear after a terrible home defeat by Swansea in our last game on Saturday.
We have now gone five games in all competitions without a win with that draw against QPR at Loftus Road in the FA Cup being our only success amongst four defeats. The Carling Cup Wembley dreams look to have turned into a nightmare and we seem to be in freefall in the Championship so maybe all we will have left to shout about this season will be progress in the FA Cup but are we up to it and what will our confidence now be like?
Although this tie was relatively low on our priorities before Christmas, a win is crucial; for morale if nothing else and it is important to get a result bearing in mind we face our rivals, Preston at Deepdale on Saturday and need to have our confidence restored if we are to get above them again.
Come on let’s have our first win of 2009 before we all start to panic
Predicted Team Sheet
Duff will miss this game after his straight red and automatic two match ban following his ridiculous sending off against Swansea on Saturday so Carlisle will no doubt have a quick chance to redeem himself after some indifferent performances and return to the starting eleven. Kevin McDonald still seems to be struggling with a groin injury after missing the last match.
Van der Schaaf is presumably still sidelined with kidney problems and it is not clear at all at the moment why Kalvenes was not in the sixteen against Swansea.
I do think also it is time to rest Robbie Blake and culture the partnership upfront with Paterson and Thompson leading the attack.
Assuming there were no further knocks in our last match, I will predict or rather like to see the following team for Tuesday night:
Jensen, Alexander, Carlisle, Caldwell, Jordan, Elliott, Gudjonsson, McCann, Eagles, Paterson, Thompson
Subs from: Penny, Kalvenes (if fit), McDonald (if fit), Blake, Mahon, Akinbiyi, Rodriguez, MacDonald, Kay
Burnley Team News:
Duff automatically suspended for two games after picking up a straight red in the Swansea game on Saturday.
Kevin McDonald looks doubtful after still suffering from a groin injury despite playing against Spurs last week. News is awaited concerning Kalvenes and Van der Schaaf
Player to watch: Chris Eagles
He had a pretty low key game against Swansea after being Man of the Match against Spurs(mainly for his first half performance) He will be keen to get back to his impressive ways against QPR on Tuesday night and we need him in top form.
Queens Park Rangers Team News:
News awaited. We will provide this below the article as soon as we know.
Player to watch: Dexter Blackstock
He is the Rs top scorer this season with 11 goals in the Championship. One of which was against the Clarets at Loftus Road in the Championship battle back in November.
Dexter Blackstock also grabbed a late equaliser as QPR denied 10-man Coventry victory at Loftus Road in their last game, the match finishing 1-1.
Last Time We Met
0-0 of course in the FA Cup game against them at Loftus Road on January 3rd. Least said about this dull affair the better!
We did though defeat QPR at Loftus Road in a league game only last November winning the match 2-1 thanks to goals from Blake and Mahon. But at Turf Moor in season 2007/8 they beat us 2-0 back in December 2007 although we did get revenge beating them 4-2 at Loftus Road in February this year.
The Clarets also previously had a 100% FA Cup record against QPR, having won both ties in 1921 and 1962
Ref Watch:
Colin Webster (Tyne and Wear)
Match Prediction:
Come on you Clarets let’s get back to winning ways. 2-0 to Burnley!
Next Match
Preston in 6th one point ahead of the Clarets in 7th and we play each other this Saturday, 17th January at Deepdale. Don’t forget a televised game on Sky (yep another one!) with an early KO this time of 12:45 pm
