Burnley will not play in the Premier League next year after missing out on the relegation zone cut line by five points but despite their demotion, there are plenty of positives to take from this past season. Burnley showed flashes of its potential with a couple of quality performances, earning points against some of the top teams and if they can carry over those experiences with a greater overall consistency, it might not be long before they return to England’s top flight. Here is a look at four important things we learned from Burnley this past season.
Consistency Will Be Key
There is no doubt about the level of potential that Burnley showed at points throughout this season including a couple of notable performances in particular in a stunning 1-0 win over Manchester City and a 2-2 draw against them at the Ethiad. Burnley struggled with consistency from week-to-week but they showed enough flashes to believe this team has legitimate potential to bounce right back with a steadier play next season. A better start will be among the priorities after Burnley was held without a win through their first 11 games of this past season. At that point, they had dug themselves too big of a hole to climb out of. In a lower league, there is every reason to expect more from them out of the gates.
Ings Will Be Hard To Replace
There is no doubt about the level of play that Ings brought to the table for Burnley this past year as a legitimate star up front. Ings made a seamless transition from Bournemouth to the top flight but with Burnley headed down, there is little doubt that Ings will be looking for another big move this summer. That type of star power will be difficult to replace but it will undoubtedly be a priority for Burnley heading in to the summer.
Trimming Weaknesses Will Be Key To Bouncing Back
Ings will be among the hardest pieces for Burnley to replace but the other side of the coin is the weaknesses they will need to shed looking forward to next year. Lukas Jutkiewicz wasn’t the only player that disappointed this year but he is the perfect example of the type of player this team will have to cut ties with. Burnley paid nearly 3 million Euros to bring in Jutkiewicz to provide a boost in the midfield but he struggled mightily throughout the year. Burnley was counting on him to make things smooth in the midfield and facilitate the offense. Instead, he was part of a unit that scored just 28 goals in 38 games this season, which was the fewest in the EPL. He personally failed to score a goal in 25 appearances, so it’s clear to everyone that it’s time to move on. Burnley will have to reload with players that have the ability to fill the stat sheet, so it’s back to the drawing board at his position as well as a few others.
Dyche Is The Man To Lead The Way
There is a reason why manager Sean Dyche was serenaded by the fans when he left the field for the final time this season as they recognized what he was able to do with the team he had this past year. There was a clear sense that Dyche deserved the props he received after maximizing the potential at his disposal. Sure, they only finished with 33 points on the year and were second-last in the table, but it was the effort that the fans loved – especially against some of the top-flight teams – and that’s why Dyche has everyone’s support. While the club will have to suffer through the relegation period, there should be no doubt that Dyche is the right manager for this team as they look to find their way back to the Premier League next season.
