Saints record at Burnley has been awful in the last decade it is time for all that to change and to take the three points back South.

It has been nearly 12 years since we won at Turf Moor October 2007 to be precise when we won 3-2, since then a few draws along the way has been the best we have got in the five visits since.

So a win is well overdue and would be most welcome given that we sit level on points with the Clarets and we are both the teams that Cardiff are looking to try and haul back into the relegation fight.

But we are better placed to go to Burnley and get a result than we were a year ago when Manolo Gabbiadini rescued a point in injury time against a Burnley side that finished 7th.

It will not be easy though Burnley have improved in recent weeks and pulled themselves out of the zone with thre straight League wins, two against fellow relegation strugglers Huddersfield and Fulham and one against West Ham.

But they are a team that are based on a tight defence and scoring from rare attacks, they have swapped one striker for another in the transfer window, Saints supporting Sam Vokes leaving and going to Stoke and former Saints striker Peter Crouch going in the other direction, Crouch's season at St Mary's 14 years ago remains his best ever with 12 goals that year, since then he has only got into double figures once.

So we can go there without fear and on paper this is as easy a game as we have had since our trip to Huddersfield before Xmas but we should not be complacent, we need to go there be focused and do a job.

Sean Dyche has come in for some criticism but he has got his players going again, we have to stop that, they are unbeaten in six in the Premier League we have to make sure it's not 7.

Teamwise I expect our line up to be pretty much the one that faced both Everton & Palace, however there is a question mark over Alex McCarthy, he was dropped at the start of January then strangely reinstated, against Palace he looked shaky and flapped at several crosses along with questions asked on the Palace goal in the way he was beaten at the near post. Given the fact that Burnley pose an aerial threat at set pieces and with the addition of Peter Crouch adding to that, will Angus Gunn be restores to the starting line up, I would not bet against it.

Otherwise I can't see many changes, I have a sneaking feeling that Shane Long might come back in for his abilities to hold the ball up and that given Danny Ing's injury issues he might be rested at his former club and I think Ryan Bertrand might play some part, but apart from that nothing else sticks out that Ralph Hasenhuttl might change.

This is a big game, defeat won't mean disaster and relegation, a draw will be a small step forward, but victory would be massive !

Photo: Action Images

SaintPaulVW added 12:33 - Feb 1 Gunfight at the Austin Ings Crouch Coral COYR!
1

mikesaint added 15:08 - Feb 1 I don't hold out much hope of our record at Burnley changing maybe a draw at the best. I can see Peter Crouch coming off the bench late on and scoring the winner. Our weak defence wont be able to handle him.
1

A1079 added 16:20 - Feb 1 3 seasons I have gone to Burnley as it is one of my nearer grounds, and yet to say that I have enjoyed a single visit. The football has on the whole been pretty dire by both sides, the Burnley fans and locals are not a particularly welcoming and pleasant bunch (though that does not bother me) and it is always cold and miserable. I don't expect much different tomorrow. I think it will be difficult to break Burnley down and a draw at best which will make the Cardiff at home game pretty critical, even more so, if we lose at Burnley. I am concerned that our defence and keeper will not be able to manage the aggressive nature of Burnley and like mikesaint, you just know Crouch will score. Burnley players will try to wind our players up so Hojberg, Valery, Romeu (who cost us the free kick that led to Joey Barton scoring against us the other year at Burnley) will need to be disciplined. This suggests I am not looking forward to it. Always enjoy an awayday especially when it is relatively near to my home, but history suggests that I should keep my expectations low.

2

rjh added 17:41 - Feb 1 Was it not 2006??
0

KriSaint added 17:46 - Feb 1 Let me be honest: I hate Burnley, a total joke of a negative football tactics club, and I have done so since we beat them last time at their ground which is more than 10 years ago. Let´s beat them with their own medicin: Physical power and dead balls. I would LOVE to see Vestergaard outjump all their miserable, tall players (Crouch included) and score his 2 first headers for us. And then JWP from a freekick. Besides that I would love to see their no. 10 pig of a player Barnes leave the pitch in tears. 3-0 Saints. COYS.

2

SanMarco added 19:16 - Feb 1 I get the distinct impression you are not that keen on Burnley KriSaint. I remember the dramatic 3-3 in (I think) our 77-78 promotion season but would be very happy with a scrappy draw tomorrow.
1

GeordieSaint added 19:56 - Feb 1 Krisaint, "are you Blackburn in disguise?"
0

KriSaint added 07:26 - Feb 2 @Geordie, no Blackburn disguised guy, no I´m not, though I admit it could sound so... Please don´t remind me of the 1-0 defeat when their lunetic serial killer got their goal from a freekick, in the 14/15 season, I think. I could add that I always felt that every time I followed Saints matches at Turf Moore on the radio/computer it has sounded like the commentary box was situated in the middle of their most hard core home fans section :-/ . Not a place with many fond memories, right? (That said, I have to admit that I admire the club for fielding only british players, more or less).

0

kernow added 08:27 - Feb 2 Have noticed that they dont hire too many black players either. Could this be a coincidence?
0

underweststand added 12:59 - Feb 2 The " no new signings " brigade will have a chance to see how we compare with Burnley. Look at the table, and notice that Saints and Burnley have the best record over the last 4 games - of any club in the bottom half of the table...and a few above them, too. AND... we are still without Bertrand, Lemina and Yoshida...and with the likes of Gallagher, Slattery and Sims itching to get game time - isn't that a bit like having new signings.?

0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls