Burnley do not have many defensive frailties but Matt Bloomfield says his Luton side have to take the “shackles off” and exploit what few there are as they go in search of back-to-back victories for only the second time this term.
Last Saturday’s 1-0 triumph against Portsmouth was the manager’s first in charge of the struggling Hatters, and the aim is now to win a first game on the road since September to really turbo-charge their Championship survival bid.
But they don’t come much tougher as Town travel to Turf Moor which has been an impenetrable fortress for the Clarets this term where Burnley have not lost and have not conceded in their last six there.
Bloomfield said: “They’ve been incredible. Obviously got top goalkeeper and really a really good team. Obviously well drilled. Scott [Parker – manager] knows the level, he’s been around it and got promotions.
“Yeah, they’re a very good team and recruited some real good players. They’re fit, they’re disciplined, they know the structure of their team. They know their shape really, really well.
“But every team has frailties, they don’t have too many, but they have frailties and they have positives and negatives. Every team has them. So we’ll be looking forward to try and exploit them tomorrow.
“We’ve been working on what we believe we can implement ourselves and that’s believing in ourselves. You have to be aware of your position and plan for them tactically, but also have to believe in what you’re doing and implement what you’re trying to do and impose yourselves on the game.
“So, it’s about getting that balance right, not being obsessed with Burnley and what they do and what they do well and what they do not so well. And also getting that balance in believing in us.
“We’ve got some good players and we want to take the shackles off and start creating and scoring more. But the lads have been working extremely hard on our defensive shape and absolutely we have to we have to make sure that’s right first and foremost.”
At the other end, Town have not scored on their last two away days though at least they won’t have to contend with Burnley extending their second-tier record-setting 12-game run of clean sheets, which finally came to an end at Luton’s relegation rivals Cardiff in midweek.
Bloomfield, however, doesn’t think that rare breach of the Clarets’ backline – which has only conceded ten times all season and never more than once a game in the league – changes the size of Town’s task too much.
“I think they’re presenting very similar things in the last few games as they were before,” said the Hatters boss.
“If you look at other games where they’ve kept clean sheets, there’s been opportunities for opposition teams. And in the last couple of games, there’s been opportunities for opposition teams. Not loads, because you don’t keep that kind of clean sheet record if you’re giving up loads and loads of chances.
“But opposition teams have had shots. They’ve had opportunities against them. They’ve got a goalkeeper who is very good as well. Some of the finishing against them, at times, could have been taken.
“They’ve conceded, but we that not too much has been different in their performance level from what it was before, so it’s just about understanding that and recognising that and again trying to impose ourselves in the game.”
Bloomfield added: “I think at any level, the first goal is so crucial, especially in the Championship and in this game with two teams that haven’t conceded many, it’s really important that, structurally, we have our discipline and we’re really tactically sound tomorrow afternoon.
“If we concede first, I absolutely believe that we can get ourselves back in the game, but the first goal will be will be really important and we believe it can be ours.”
The fans’ view….
It’s Burnley’s incredible defensive and home record against Luton’s one win on the road all season. It’s a big dilemma but on the Clarets clash preview episode of the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast there’s a discussion over whether priority be given to other matches over this one in the fight for survival?
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