Games aren’t won on a piece of paper
Burnley travel to Vicarage Road tomorrow to face Watford in what will be a third return for Sean Dyche since taking over as Burnley boss.
Watford, like us, got a win in midweek. Their win came, somewhat unexpectedly, against Arsenal at the Emirates and manager Walter Mazzarri wants them to carry that performance into tomorrow’s game.
“I said it yesterday to the team in a meeting,” he said. “We need to play the same against Burnley as we did against Arsenal. We have to see Burnley as if we are playing Arsenal or Chelsea.
“We played Manchester United at home (and won 3-1) and then the next game was against Burnley where we played one of our worse games. We have to give Burnley credit that day but I want to see tomorrow the same spirit and concentration that my players had against Arsenal. I want to have this same unity between the players, the fans and the whole group.”
Mazzarri, like Dyche, attended Graham Taylor’s funeral this week. “It was emotional,” he said. “He got the service and remembrance he deserved. We dedicated that Arsenal win to him and he can be one more reason that we are all together and motivated to do as well as possible.
“We’ve got many motivations. This is a moment where if we play with the same intensity, the same as we did against Arsenal, then we can do very well between now and the end of the season.”
He did admit concerns regarding our away results, adding: “In Italy we are very superstitious so I don’t trust this statistic. When I see Burnley play at home and away, they play very well so we have to be extremely careful.”
Dyche certainly has an affinity with Watford but he’s taking his Burnley team there tomorrow looking for a first win on the road since we won 3-0 at Charlton to clinch the title last season.
“We will be going there to get the three points,” he said. “We are going well and I’ve been really pleased with how we are doing. Of course, you are measured by results, but underneath that I have been delighted with the work the players are putting in on the training ground, to take on the challenge.
“We are growing and looking more assured and although that doesn’t guarantee you the next result, it gives you a better chance when you have the freedom to play. We showed that against Leicester, but equally the question marks are there against us in away games, but recently I think we’ve been really good.
“At Arsenal, we really took the challenge on, and we’ve got to continue to do that. We have taken on every game, and it’s only maybe the first three away from home where we didn’t really grasp it, whereas now we are really taking on the games. But nothing is given to you. You have to earn everything.
“Watford’s win at Arsenal, and all these results in the FA Cup are why we all love football. Games aren’t won on a piece of paper, they are won when the whistle blows and there’s no actual right to win a game. They (Watford) are certainly no mugs and we have to be ready for everything they throw at us.”
Giving nothing away with the team news, with two new signings now with the squad, he said: “They are up and running and have been playing, so they come into the thoughts. They are two good signings and we want them to fit in with what we do as soon as possible. I think they’ll do that because we have a good group here, so we wish them well.”
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