Dyche: Burnley can use derby match against Blackburn Rovers to hit back after Hull loss (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Dyche: Burnley can use derby match against Blackburn Rovers to hit back after Hull loss

9:35am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Football By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

Sean Dyche

BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche believes Sunday’s derby will be the perfect platform for his players to bounce back, after admitting they have been struck by a fear factor at Turf Moor.

The Clarets’ 1-0 home defeat to high flying Hull City was not the ideal preparation for the upcoming crunch clash, having now extended their run of games without a win on home territory to five.

Like last season, Burnley have been better on the road since the turn of the year this term, winning three and drawing one of their six league away games.

And Dyche hopes that, allied to Blackburn Rovers’ own disappointing home form, will play into his side’s hands.

“Any game is a good time to bounce back but never more so than if you’re playing the club down the road,” he said.

“At the moment you’re going into that with freedom because everything’s on their side – 34 years since Burnley won, from nine games, as people tell me.

“We managed to get a point here, the team’s not firing as clearly as we’d like so that is a challenge, but possibly that brings that freedom to go and get on with it.

“It’s a funny time to play them because they’ve had an awkward run as well.

“It’s a big game obviously but it’s every game as it comes.”

And Dyche hopes Burnley can express themselves better away from Turf Moor, where he fears the weight of expectation is weighing too heavy on his team.

“There is too much fear in the group at the moment, they are playing with fear, and you can't do that. I'm not disappointed with the energy or the effort, it's just that freedom to go and be what you are as a footballer, that effervescence,” said the Clarets boss.

“There are too many playing in a constricted manner.

“It can come with a big expectation and there is a big expectation here - a really big expectation actually - of being better, being in the top six let's say.

“I spoke to the players about that, I said it's not going to go away so you've got to learn to deal with it and still have that freedom to go and play and too many are playing with fear at the moment.

“You don't get the same fear away from home because you don't have that expectation. It's a different kind of expectation. There's expectation from us to win, of course, and we do thank our fans for travelling away in numbers, which they do.

“But there's a different feel away from home.

“At home it's just part of the job, you have to learn to play through it, you have to learn to deal with it and put the demand on yourself. We're nearly performing. The margins are so fine.”

Dyche added: “There are good players out there and we're not performing at the level that we all expect them to.

“There's no lack of effort, it's just misguided effort at times.

“A very short while ago we were looking a real positive, progressive side and we've just come away from that but it spins quickly so we're looking for the chance to get it to spin, whether that's a performance, whether it's an ugly win, whatever way you get it. We thought we'd done it at Charlton, played very well first half, dug in second and showed some good character, but we just came away from it again.

“It does seem to be at home at the minute but we've got to deal with it.

I notice last year's record was better away than at home. Is it one where the players have to deal with expectation?

“It's something they've got it learn to deal with.”