FIVE-MAN DEFENCE

THE system worked well at Spurs and Arsenal.

Despite coming away from both trips to the capital empty-handed before Christmas there were positives in the defensive performance. But they did not translate to Turf Moor.

Matt Lowton came in at right back for Phil Bardsley in a like-for-like replacement. But by making one other change at the back to bring in Ben Gibson it involved two more switching positions, with Ben Mee and James Tarkowski shifting sideways.

Whether that was the cause for the early collapse it’s hard to say. Individual errors were to blame for at least the first three goals - and two of them came from players in familiar positions.

Even so, manager Sean Dyche would have expected more time for the players to settle into their new slots.

Going a goal down in under two minutes threw the game plan out of the window.

If the system is going to have future success then Burnley will have to persist with it. But they haven’t got the luxury of patience. They need results, and fast.

BEN GIBSON

NOT a game he will remember with any great fondness because of the result, but it was a significant day for the defender on a personal note after an injury plagued start to life at Turf Moor.

The 25-year-old has had two hernia operations since signing from Middlesbrough in the summer, and as a consequence had to wait until the Boxing Day clash with Everton to make his Premier League debut for the Clarets.

The outcome was not part of his and Burnley’s script. But Gibson did give the Clarets a bit of a lifeline with a goal in his first league game just before the break.

Now he has got into the side he will obviously want to stay there, but the question is how will Sean Dyche accommodate him?

The three centre halves allowed for that on Boxing Day, although after a decent performance at Arsenal Kevin Long can count himself unlucky to be the one sacrificed.

But if Gibson is going to keep his place in the side Burnley will either have to continue with three centre halves or the manager will have to make a tough call between Ben Mee and James Tarkowski.

PENALTIES

IT’S now 62 games without one in favour of Burnley. But there was a harsh one given against on Boxing Day.

Ben Mee, like most players, used his arms for elevation in trying to clear a ball into the box. In the process he got wedged between two Everton players and couldn’t move. The ball skimmed the back of his hand, and while he did not argue with referee Michael Oliver’s call, it seemed incredibly harsh.

But these are the fine margins Burnley are falling the wrong side of at the moment.