Saturday 22 September 2018 19:40, UK
Sean Dyche feels Burnley's seventh place finish in the Premier League last season led to unrealistic expectations on his players following their first win of the season against Bournemouth.
Before the game, Burnley were rooted to the foot of the Premier League table after taking one point from their opening five league games, while Olympiakos also dumped them out of the Europa League in the qualifying rounds.
However, goals from Matej Vydra, Aaron Lennon and Ashley Barnes (2) handed Burnley an emphatic 4-0 win over a Bournemouth side that started the day fifth in the table and Dyche challenged his side to build on that result.
"You've got to earn the right to win a game and we did that today," he said. "It's cleared the air for us a bit, we've had a lot going on at the start of this season, you try and speak about it and people listen, but there have been big changes for our players.
"I said before maybe we were suffering from a success hangover, which happens in life. We hit a pinnacle - finishing seventh in the league was a massive statement - and then the noise changes about what you're about.
"We had a chat about that this week so I'm pleased with the players. I did remind them before the game that I'm immensely proud of what this group have done over a number of years for the club and that will never go. Now it's about moving forward and building on the progress we've made."
Burnley's four goals against Bournemouth matched their tally from their previous eight league games, stretching back to the end of last season, which highlights their struggles in attack.
Dyche was delighted to see two of his strikers - Vydra and Barnes - get off the mark but also reserved praise for his defenders for keeping Bournemouth out at the other end.
"I said at Southampton we created chances, in the first half against Watford we created chances. You want your strikers scoring but they did today.
"I thought there was some good play today, we scored a counter for one of those goals, there was clarity with some of our finishes. Overall I'm very pleased for them.
"The understanding of our defensive unit was important today. Joe Hart made a big save but he didn't have lots to do.
"We would have taken an ugly one [win] but I'm pleased it wasn't an ugly one, it was a very good one. It just takes the noise away, we've got our first win under our belt and now it's about moving forwards. This is just the start."
