SEAN Dyche insists it will take time for January new boys Robbie Brady and Ashley Westwood to adapt to how Burnley operate.

The pair signed from Norwich City and Aston Villa respectively on deadline day but have found themselves on the bench for the last four Premier League games.

And Dyche believes it can be difficult for players to adapt when they arrive at a club midway through a season, which £13million man Brady and £5million addition Westwood have done.

They both started the draws with Chelsea and Hull City but have since found game time harder to come by.

"The reason why everyone wants players in early is so they can adapt quicker and pre-season is a key time for that," said the Clarets chief.

"By the time January comes around you’re hoping players can just go into the system and know what to do.

"It’s very difficult for that to happen which is why the pre-season is so important, if you can get players in during the summer they have all pre-season to adapt and to understand how the team operates."

Brady and Westwood were part of a star-studded bench on Saturday, with summer signing Steven Defour coming on for the final 15 minutes for his return from a hamstring injury suffered the last time Burnley won, against Leicester City on January 31.

Defour came on to play wide on the left and Dyche believes that is a position he can play as he continues to adapt to life in the Premier League after his £8million move from Anderlecht.

"It’s a little blast, a little reminder and feel of what it is again to be in the Premier League," Dyche said of the Belgian's return from injury.

"We've used him in the wider role as well, I think he’s flexible enough. Look at (Christian) Eriksen on Saturday, he doesn’t play like a wide man, he plays like an inside midfielder really, although he can drift wide.

"Steven is that type so he could be used there, he could be used in a three which he’s played a lot, he’s been used in a two here and at other clubs, particularly when he was younger at Porto.

"He’s a flexible player and I think he’s still adjusting to what it is in the Premier League. It’s hard and fast and that takes some adjustment.

"The injury was a blow to slow that adjustment down but he’s still a fine player. He’s in amongst a group of players.

"We’ve got more strength in depth now and more flexibility. We were playing a 4-5-1 earlier in the season, we went back to a 4-4-2, which I do favour and statistically it’s proved more powerful."