‘Unfashionable’ Burnley ‘nothing short of remarkable’

Monday’s top-of-the-table clash between Burnley and Leeds United was billed as a Championship blockbuster but turned out to be a damp squib.

The rain lashed down on Turf Moor but Scott Parker’s men maintained their watertight defensive record in the goalless draw against their promotion rivals.

Let’s be honest here, this was a drab affair which won’t live long in the memory, featuring only one shot on target which came in the 89th minute.

Leeds maintain their position at the top but, with a wry smile, manager Daniel Farke acknowledged it was not much of a spectacle for those who were watching.

“I can’t say it was an unbelievable advertisement today,” said the German. “I wouldn’t say it was the nicest piece of football.

“When two of the best sides in the league play against each other, no-one wants to make a mistake and looks like a chess game. It wasn’t the most entertaining one.

“It was a really good point but I wouldn’t say it was the most sexiest piece of football.”

Opposition manager Parker said: “It was always going to pan out that way, no denying we are playing against a very, very good side.

“It was a boxing match against a side with a real attacking threat that have scored at will this year and a side the reverse of that which has been nothing short of remarkable defensively.

“It always smelt of a 0-0 and that is what it proved to be.”

Burnley ‘rock solid’ again

The weather in Lancashire was wretched on this January evening and the action on the pitch did not fare much better.

It was the fourth 0-0 witnessed by the Clarets supporters in the last five home games, which is testing their resolve more than their backline on the pitch.

This contest will leave those clipping up the highlights with slim pickings – Dan James’ rising strike late on which was pushed over the crossbar by James Trafford was the only save made by either goalkeeper.

But the shutout highlights Burnley’s defensive solidity, with their number one now keeping 20 clean sheets from 29 league games and conceding a miserly nine goals all campaign.

It was also their seventh straight clean sheet and the record books weigh heavily on Burnley’s side when taking into account defensive records in the push for promotion.

Since the second tier of English football was rebranded to the Championship, 15 of the 20 teams to have conceded the fewest goals per season finished in the top two.

The entertainment factor may be lacking, but Burnley are on course to rewrite the Championship record of 30 goals conceded in 46 games by Preston North End in 2006 and Watford four years ago.

“Defensively we were rock solid again and I get that isn’t fashionable and people don’t want to talk about that, they want to highlight we have not scored many goals, but what this team have done so far defensively has been nothing short of remarkable,” Parker added.

“It has given us a platform at this moment in time to be in and around where we are.”

The question is though, will it be enough to climb back into the Premier League come May?

Farke pleased with ‘good point’

The stalemate keeps Leeds top, three points clear of Burnley in third place.

Though the West Yorkshire side are the division’s top scorers with 53 goals, they were unable to breach the Burnley backline.

But Leeds are well set to return to the Premier League, knowing 14 of the 20 top scoring teams in the Championship have gone on to finish in the two automatic promotion spots at the end of the campaign.

Farke said: “A good result for us, good point on the road. A clean sheet and we had a really difficult game here.

“Two of the best sides in the league against each other and difficult circumstances with the weather.

“They are on a massive unbeaten run and if you come away with a point and a clean sheet on the road it is always a good result. Both teams were without mistakes but struggled to create enough chances.

“They have a special approach and you have to be ready for this and control this. You have to make sure you are rock solid and that is what we were.”