CLARETS reporter Tyrone Marshall discusses the talking points from Burnley's Premier League defeat to Watford.

EUROPEAN HANGOVER?

It’s impossible to know quite how much of an impact the 120 minutes against Istanbul Basaksehir on Thursday had on the defeat to Watford, but it certainly played some part.

In both of their Premier League games so far the Clarets have been the better side in the first half, and for the first hour at Southampton, only to seemingly tire as the game has gone.

Once Watford had gone 3-1 up on Sunday there was never really any sense that a comeback was likely. Burnley just didn’t seem to have the energy to mount a fightback.

It may be that the Hornets just managed the game well, and only five of the side started the game on Thursday and on Sunday.

But if Burnley continue to progress in Europe then managing the commitments on two fronts will be tough.

An issue perhaps as big as the extra game is the time it takes away from work on the training ground. In recent seasons Sean Dyche has regularly had a full week to drill his players ahead of the Premier League game. Now that’s not the case, there is another game in midweek and travelling thrown in as well.

The loss of that time on the training pitch could be an issue for the side.

DEFENSIVE WOES

Perhaps that explains why the defensive unit looked so unusually vulnerable against Watford.

The back four of Matt Lowton, James Tarkowski, Ben Mee and Stephen Ward have played with each other so often that they have a great understanding and it’s the defensive record that so much of Burnley’s success is built on.

On Sunday they were troubled by Troy Deeney and Andre Gray and didn’t cover themselves in glory on a couple of Watford’s goals.

It may just have been an off day and the defence was solid at St Mary’s a week ago, but it was strange to see this Burnley side looking so creaky at the back.

HENDRICK

There was a much better display from Jeff Hendrick on Sunday after Sean Dyche’s defence of him.

As Dyche so often says Hendrick is still getting used to the number 10 role, it’s not his natural position.

Ideally his output in terms of goals and creativity would be better than it is, but his tactical work is often good and his work off the ball is a part of Burnley’s pressing and tactical approach.

He was more physical against Watford and took up some clever positions near Chris Wood. He could have scored as well. When Jack Cork’s deflected shot broke to him he could have hit it first time, while Stephen Ward picked out his clever run only for Ben Foster to make the save.

When Steven Defour, Robbie Brady and Matej Vydra are all fit Dyche’s options in midfield and attack will be strong and it will be interesting to see what approach he takes, but if Hendrick can build on Sunday’s display he will do his chances of keeping his place no harm.

SLOW STARTS

After the defeat to Watford the Clarets now haven’t won their first league game at Turf Moor in a season since victory over Bolton in August 2012.

It’s an unusual record, but perhaps one that suggests there is no need to panic about the Hornets defeat.

It’s the third successive year that Burnley have lost their first home game in a Premier League season, but come the end of the campaign those defeats have looked outliers, not in keeping with how the season has panned out.

The defeats to West Brom last season and Swansea the year before didn’t signal a season of struggle, but of success. Let’s hope that it’s the same old story in 2018/19.

GRAY

There were more boos for Andre Gray when his name was read out before kick-off, although it should be said there were also applause when he was substituted in the second half.

The former Claret certainly made his mark with a well taken goal and playing alongside Deeney he looked a dangerous prospect.

As those who watched him regularly will now there are elements of his game that certainly need work, such as staying onside, a trait Turf Moor reminded him off on a couple of occasions, but when playing alongside another striker he could yet make a success of the move to Vicarage Road.