Inside Sean Dyche’s Burnley: Tactical Blueprint of the 2020/21 Season
Over the past five years, Burnley has defied expectations in the Premier League, often challenging the odds and pundit predictions of relegation. Under Sean Dyche’s leadership, the Clarets have not only maintained their top-flight status but also earned a memorable Europa League appearance in 2017-18. Despite their frequent status as relegation favorites among commentators, Burnley’s approach and organization continue to keep them clear of the drop zone. This article provides a comprehensive tactical analysis of Burnley’s methods in the 2020-21 campaign, focusing on their unyielding 4-4-2 shape, defensive resilience, and distinct long-ball strategies.
Burnley’s Reliance on the 4-4-2 System
One of the most remarkable traits about Sean Dyche’s side is the steadfast use of a 4-4-2 formation in every league fixture this season. While other clubs adapt formations in response to injuries or changing circumstances, Burnley has maintained consistency, rarely deviating from their preferred shape. On occasion, the setup may resemble a 4-4-1-1 if a secondary striker, like Jay Rodriguez or Ashley Barnes, drops deeper; but for the most part, the team lines up with two clear forwards.
This reliable formation offers several benefits for Burnley’s direct and disciplined style. Up front, Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes, and Jay Rodriguez compete for the two striker roles, with Wood leading the scoring despite a notable dip compared to the previous season. In midfield, Josh Brownhill, Ashley Westwood, Jack Cork, Robbie Brady, and Johann Berg Gudmundsson rotate across the central and wide positions, often tasked with supporting both defense and attack. Wide midfielder Dwight McNeil remains an important creative force, though the side has balanced its attacking play more evenly across the flanks compared to previous seasons.
Defensively, Burnley’s back four is anchored by Ben Mee and James Tarkowski, with Nick Pope excelling in goal. This core group exemplifies Dyche’s preference for stability and experience, often forming the foundation of both Burnley’s defensive and attacking phases.
Squad Depth and Key Contributors
Despite operating with a relatively small squad, Dyche’s dependency on a tight-knit core has underpinned Burnley’s consistency. This season, Nick Pope has cemented his status among the league’s elite goalkeepers, boasting a goals-conceded-to-saves ratio of 3.64 and recording nine clean sheets in his first 24 matches. His performances, aided by a resolute defensive unit featuring Mee, Tarkowski, Matthew Lowton, and Charlie Taylor, have been central to Burnley’s low goals-against record.
In midfield, Brownhill’s adaptation to Premier League football has brought energy and versatility, while Westwood and Cork offer reliability in central areas. On the flanks, options like Brady and Gudmundsson complement McNeil’s creativity, though overall attacking output has declined compared to previous years. Up front, Wood has struggled to reach last season’s scoring heights, and goals have generally been hard to come by for all the strikers.
Attacking Output and Challenges in Front of Goal
Burnley’s greatest challenge this season has been their lack of goals. By the 25-game mark, the side had scored just 18 times—an average of 0.72 per game, down from 1.13 the previous year. Chris Wood, the top scorer, saw his own strike rate drop from 0.44 to 0.2 per game, with teammates Barnes and Rodriguez also contributing fewer goals. This offensive decline has made it difficult for Burnley to build a comfortable buffer above the relegation zone, although their defense has largely compensated.
Direct Play and Its Impact: Strengths and Weaknesses
Burnley’s direct, long-ball approach is well known in the Premier League. This season, however, reliance on verticality and aerial duels has, at times, hindered their offensive creativity. The team has managed just 10 goals from open play, one of the lowest rates in the competition. Set pieces have accounted for a significant portion of their overall goal tally, emphasizing their aerial prowess but also highlighting their difficulty in breaking down defenses through more varied play.
Key features of the Burnley attack include:
– The highest number of long passes per game in the league (77 per match)
– The most headed passes and aerial duels won per game (22.9)
– A tendency to attack through the middle as well as utilizing the flanks for crosses, with 19 per match mostly from set pieces or wide deliveries
Despite these strengths, over-dependence on long balls has resulted in frequent turnovers and limited ball retention, with Burnley holding just 43% possession on average and a pass accuracy of 71.4%—the lowest in the league.
Comparative Analysis: How Burnley’s Style Measures Up
While clubs like West Ham have adopted elements of direct play, they diversify their attack through pace, diagonal passing, and creative individuals—a contrast to Burnley’s more rigid and predictable approach. Burnley’s tactics are tailored to the squad’s strengths, focusing on getting the ball forward quickly and contesting second balls, but without the midfield flair or attacking variety present in other teams.
Defensive Organization: The Cornerstone of Survival
If Burnley’s attack has faltered, their defensive fortitude remains elite. The team has conceded only 30 times in 25 league matches (with 25 goals allowed in Nick Pope’s appearances). Dyche’s defensive setup is characterized by:
– Two banks of four in a compact low block
– At least eight outfield players plus the goalkeeper behind the ball in defensive phases
– Rarely allowing clear counter-attacking opportunities, with no goals conceded from fast breaks as of late February
Burnley’s defense forces opposition teams into long balls themselves, which plays into the hands of Tarkowski, Mee, and company—players recruited for their proficiency in the air. The side has only allowed five goals from set pieces this season, further illustrating their discipline and physical presence. Regulars in the backline win a majority of their aerial duels, with Tarkowski’s 76% success rate particularly notable.
The Role of Long-Ball Passing in Burnley’s Build-Up
Long passing is central to Burnley’s attacking and defensive transitions. Goalkeeper Nick Pope leads the league in completed long balls per appearance, averaging 9.1 per game, followed by Westwood, Tarkowski, and Mee. Recruitment favors players adept in aerial challenges and comfortable with direct distribution. This style is reflected even in their passing statistics:
– Most headed passes in the league, far outpacing rivals like Southampton
– Fewer right-footed passes than any other team, reflecting their reliance on lofted, less precise balls
– Substantial use of the flanks for high-risk, high-reward crosses
Even so, Burnley’s passing accuracy remains low. Only Dwight McNeil reaches an 80% completion rate, with most regulars making direct, forward passes at every opportunity. Incremental improvements have occurred—Ashley Barnes increased his accuracy from 54% to 62%, and Pope from 38% to 46% compared to the previous campaign—but the overall team rate still lags behind the rest of the league.
Evaluating Burnley’s Possession Approach
Burnley’s relentless drive to move the ball forward explains their low pass-completion rate and limited periods of sustained possession. Rather than circulating play or building intricately from the back, Burnley aim to bypass midfield congestion and create second-ball opportunities. While the approach can appear old-fashioned, it is carefully implemented and supported by personnel specifically selected for its demands.
Summary: Resilience and Identity Over Aesthetics
Burnley may not offer the most entertaining attacking football, but their tactical clarity and organization have allowed them to consistently outperform expectations. Sean Dyche’s persistent use of a compact 4-4-2, focus on physicality, and defensive structure have become hallmarks of the club’s identity. The 2020-21 campaign again demonstrates that, even if goals are scarce and possession limited, Burnley’s resilience keeps them comfortably above the relegation scrap. As the team continues to evolve under Dyche’s stewardship, their success remains rooted in defensive solidarity and a clear commitment to a singular, if unconventional, footballing philosophy.
