LOSING Joey Barton this week was the second biggest possible blow to Burnley after losing Sean Dyche.

A lot of people have said if we lost Michael Keane, Ben Mee or Tom Heaton it would be huge.

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They would all be big losses, but as a group the defence seems ok, if you lost one of them you’ll do okay still.

For me Joey has carried that midfield this season.

People say that’s harsh on the others but he’s been the leader in there, everything good from midfield has come through him and it leaves a massive hole.

I think that central area needs a lot of work now to bring it up to Premier League standard. The recruitment team at the club have got to pull out all the stops now.

I think Dean Marney and David Jones are okay, but they didn’t quite make the grade two years for me.

One or two can be back-ups but we’ve got to step up now, we’ve got money in the bank, we’re back in the Premier League and we’ve got to go above and beyond that and be a little bit more positive, spend the money and act like a club at that level.

I think from Joey’s point of view he’s looking at it thinking it’s going to be a battle for Burnley next season, as things stand, it might change in two or three weeks with some really good signings, but right now we’ll be battling in the bottom six and Joey’s done that the last few years.

Does he really want that now? Coming up against people who’ve got a few scores to settle.

I can understand why he’s gone for the easier option.

It’s a massive club back in the big time and it will have some really bid Old Firm games. It will be a completely different fight up there to what is likely to be ahead for Burnley.

Maybe Burnley could have signed him on earlier in the season but Joey probably thought he’s better waiting.

He had to take a one-year contract last season and he proved everyone wrong by performing week in and week out and keeping his discipline.

He’s earned that two-year contract at Rangers. I don’t think Burnley could have done much more, and no player is bigger than the club.

I believe they need a balance in midfield next season with creativity but also a bit of steel and a bit of hunger and the drive that Joey had.

If Sean goes with his traditional 4-4-2 he’s going to need two workers in there, you can’t have two fancy players, you need to put a shift in, hence why Joey is going to be such a big loss.

There’s teams that have come to Turf Moor this season and put three in the middle of midfielder but Burnley have never changed. Joey and Marney or Jones have just got on with it.

In the Premier League if you get out numbered the quality will shine through, so the Clarets need players with a real work-rate, hence why younger and fresher legs might be the answer.