Burnley boss Sean Dyche determined to bounce out of bad run

After the 5-0 mauling at Spurs, Sean Dyche admitted: “It’s not a road I enjoy, but we have been down it before and we have to bounce out of it.”
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The Clarets suffered a third-successive defeat and sixth in eight games, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The nature of the setback triggered concerns that the side could endure another testing campaign, like last season, when they recovered from boasting only 12 points at halfway to stay up.

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And while the side have six more points already, after 16 games, Dyche is well aware his players have to be better than they were in North London.

He said: “My biggest gripe is we gave the ball away for fun in key areas, key moments - five goals from five giveaways.

“Credit to them for that, but they were key giveaways, sloppiness, details we don’t normally turn it over in those moments that easily.

“They started super-fast, possibly a faction to a tough result the other night - the energy, the quality they showed in the first 25/30 minutes, that always makes it tough.

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“In balance, we had two key chances, at 1-0 and 2-0 down, and I’m not saying we win the game, but it gives you a foothold.

“If you take those chances, the feel of a game can sometimes calm down, and it gives you a foothold.

“But it wasn’t to be, and in the end they were too strong, too good and too detailed in their finishing. They were super-clinical.”

Burnley were without Ashley Barnes, Ashley Westwood and Charlie Taylor, but, despite Dyche feeling his squad is as competitive as it has been in his time at the club, the side have come up short in their absence: “We’re depleted at the minute, and it does make you realise sometimes...we have a competitive squad, I do believe that, but we’re not far off playing the players we should be playing by the looks of it, because when they play, we look a stronger outfit, and when we haven’t, we’ve looked a bit off.

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“That has its moment, but, on balance, I have stated it’s the strongest competitive squad we’ve had, so therefore I do expect more sometimes.

“Not a million miles away, but we need more than that, particularly when we’re dealing with the ball, that’s the biggest thing.”

He added: “You have to credit the opposition, Man City were outstanding, second half more than first. These were outstanding first 25 minutes, clinical, took their chances, and he ain’t bad, the lad Kane.

“We did try and sign him, I think we offered a bag of chips and a stick of rock, but we don’t expect to concede like we have done, and sometimes you have to admire the clinical edge of the opposition.

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“Both teams were clinical. Two mistakes against Palace, so we have to eradicate that, but we have been down this road before. It’s not a road I enjoy, but we have been down it before and we have to bounce out of it.

“Get players back fit, keep that competitive edge, and do better with the details at both ends. It sounds easy, but it’s not. But that’s the balance of it.”