Dyche draws a blank again
GOAL-SHY CLARETS FRUSTRATED
SEAN DYCHE has unwavering belief his misfiring Burnley will improve on their poor start to the season.
The Clarets drew a disappointing blank at home to basement boys Norwich as the visitors dug deep to pick up their first point of the season and end a miserable run of six league losses.
But it was little consolation to the home team who really missed a trick to kick-start their stuttering campaign.
“There was a lot of good stuff and a lot of good play, but the truth is that it’s a challenge at the moment scoring a goal,” admitted Burnley boss Dyche.
“The moment of clarity and moment of quality is so close – and I believe it will come as history shows it will come.
“Sometimes you just need a scruffy one to get you off the mark. If we can do that, score a goal, then it will change the mentality. There’s definitely more to come. Looking at our squad, it’s strong and my belief in it is absolutely, always 100 percent. We’ve shown over many years, and certainly my years here, we can be productive. I believe we will be again and believe we will find ways to score goals.
“We’ve got four very good strikers and they will find goals. They had a slow start last season, then picked up.
“The belief in the way the players are playing is there, but we’ve got to find that cutting edge quite obviously.”
Dyche made two changes to his starting side with skipper Ben Mee missing because of an ankle knock and winger
Maxwel Cornet absent with a hamstring injury.
That meant winger Aaron
Lennon was handed his first Premier
League start of the season and Nathan Collins, a £12million signing from Stoke, made his Premier League debut.
Norwich boss Daniel Farke made one change with Greek international defender Dimitrios Giannoulis brought in to replace Manchester United loanee Brandon Williams.
And it was the Canaries who had the first chance of the contest after only three minutes when Max Aarons rifled a shot wide of the left post.
Striker Matej Vydra was convinced he should have won a penalty after he was sent sprawling by Norwich keeper Tim Krul, but referee Kevin Friend was having none of it despite Dyche’s frustrated remonstrations. Vydra clashed with Grant
The truth is we are finding it a challenge to score a goal at the moment.. we need a scruffy one to change our mentality
Hanley on the half hour mark but again the home side were denied what they believed was a stonewall spot-kick.
Vyrda limped off not long after but substitute Jay Rodriguez had a good chance to break the deadlock just before the break, but his goalbound header was blocked.
Pierre Lees-Melor shot straight at keeper Nick Pope on the stroke of halftime with the visitors’ first chance on target.
And at the other Lennon had a shot blocked as the Clarets sought some comfort before the interval.
Winger Dwight McNeil forced a save from Krul in the opening minute after the resumption.
Striker Chris Wood blazed over moments later before Pope thwarted Mathias Normann with a fine save from the Rostov loanee’s fine free-kick.
Canaries manager Farke reflected: “It’s a good feeling. We showed resilience, we took our first step.
“We had good situations to win the game in the second half, but it’s priceless to have got a point.”