Burnley boss says club must rediscover their DNA; joint record signing Ben Gibson out for a few weeks after undergoing hernia operation
Thursday 20 September 2018 15:47, UK
Sean Dyche says Burnley have "gone full circle in a very short time frame" and are back to being underdogs as they target their first win of the Premier League campaign.
Burnley secured a return to European football for the first time in 51 years last season but failed to get through the qualifying stages of the Europa League and sit bottom of the Premier League after four defeats in the opening five.
Dyche said his players were trapped in fog after losing to Wolves last weekend but remains bullish that his side can arrest their form ahead of hosting Bournemouth on Saturday
Weirdly we are back to being the sort of Burnley everyone supposes of us. Which is usually every season being this underdog that has got to punch above its weight - we have historically done this.
"We have kind of gone full circle in a very short time frame. Most people outside of us thought, Burnley proved [what they could achieve] last season," Dyche said.
"I wasn't taking it quite as powerfully as that because I know the demands of the Premier League and I know how you can have these runs.
"To start a season like this is not ideal. So we have to look to correct that. You have got to be aware of the situation and the truth of the situation.
"Through all of that we are actually back to being underdogs again. We are bottom of the league and everyone is saying that it hasn't started right.
"Weirdly we are back to being the sort of Burnley everyone supposes of us. Which is usually every season being this underdog that has got to punch above its weight - we have historically done this. We have got to do that again."
Dyche is the second longest serving manager in the Premier League and will go up against Eddie Howe, who arrived at the Vitality Stadium in October 2012 - just 18 days before his countryman.
Burnley must pick up a point at least against high-flying Bournemouth to avoid suffering their worst start to a season and Dyche admits his squad must rediscover their "DNA" to change their fortunes.
"I was expecting us to do better. But I can assure you records don't bother me because if you want to look at the positive records that we have had in the last five years I think they will outweigh that record if it should occur," he said.
You have got to have a DNA if you like. You have got to have a feel how your group operate and we certainly have here. We have come away from that
"I concern myself with the team, how it is performing, how the individuals are performing. Is it moving forward, is it being effective? They are the things we have got to change.
"It's not down to a lack of effort but there have been a couple of performances that have not been like us. That is the thing I have really been speaking to the players about.
"You have got to have a DNA if you like. You have got to have a feel how your group operate and we certainly have here.
"We have come away from that. There have been reminders of it - there have been a couple of very good performances where we should have dealt with the opposition and we haven't."
Dyche confirmed Ben Gibson, who arrived for £15 in a joint club record fee from Middlesbrough, has undergone a successful hernia operation and will be ruled out of action for a few weeks.
