Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Editor’s Note: Article written before Saturday’s Premier League action
Burnley may as well just rename their Turf Moor ground to Fort Knox after their home displays this season. An incredible set of performances that could very well keep them up especially as conversely their away form has been terrible by comparison.
Many teams have come to the impenetrable arena which is Turf Moor and failed this season and next to have a crack at attempting to come away with three points is none other than Antonio Conte’s all conquering blue Chelsea machine.
Burnley have managed to earn a staggering 28 of their 29 points at home this season, should they manage to get 4 more home wins on the board then they would have secured Premier League survival simply from an incredibly impressive set of home results.
Obviously manager Sean Dyche would prefer it if the other 11 points required to secure top flight status would come from both home and away but ultimately if you were to offer Dyche this deal at the start of the season then he surely would not be one to turn it down.
Against the Top 6 they have managed to dispose of Liverpool here while coming up short against both Arsenal and Manchester City so the visit of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea Today is by no means a foregone conclusion for the runaway league leaders.
Burnley come into this game off the back of a 2-1 defeat away at Watford last weekend. For a large spell of the game they had to play with 10 men after Jeff Hendricks early sending off, he subsequently misses this game through suspension.
A spirited fightback saw them get back into the game after being 2-0 down but Ashley Barnes’ spot kick was halved the deficit was not enough to get them back into proceedings and they once again had to make do with an empty handed away day.
Their opposition Chelsea are flying high especially after disposing of the title challenge of cross city rivals Arsenal. They were in imperious form last Saturday Lunchtime as they strolled to a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge. A win that sees them open up a 12 point gap over Arsene Wenger’s side.
It was the kind of performance that was worthy of almost champions. Perhaps it’s a bit early to be saying that as we are only in early February but with the gaps that Chelsea are opening up over their nearest rivals, it does seem to be a case of when and not if they go on and win the Premier League title this season.
Eden Hazard’s goal typified the performance for me. Last season he simply either is not allowed or does not have the inclination to make the kind of run that led to his goal. Fast forward 12 months and the Hazard that was winning player of the year awards is back with a vengeance.
With the Diego Costa saga just a mere footnote in the course of this season, it’s back to all things normal at Chelsea and with Conte’s approach seemingly that if it is not broken then don’t fix it, I would expect to see the same lineup that beat Arsenal start this Afternoon.
Arsenal were no match for them and as good as Burnley are at home I cannot see them putting up much of a fight either. Blue supremacy to continue as Chelsea take another all important step on their way to recapturing the title. An away win for me.
