Matt Scrafton's verdict on Burnley's 3-2 defeat to West Ham
Burnley boss Scott Parker has given an honest assessment on the international break and the disruption it can cause to his Premier League side.
Scott Parker has given a balanced and honest answer on his thoughts about the international break as some of his squad jet away and concerns over player fitness outside of the club’s control become a reality.
International breaks have become a constant theme in the current football schedule, especially at the start of the season, and it can break up momentum for sides who are doing well or give clubs a chance for retrospection if they are in the middle of a bad run.
There has only been a four-game run since players were last away on international duty in what has been a relatively successful period for Burnley, who have won two, against fellow newly promoted side Leeds United and rock bottom of the table Wolverhampton Wanderers, and lost two against league leaders Arsenal and relegation rivals West Ham.
Parker says there are positives and negatives to the incoming international period, as it gives his side time to breathe and take stock of what they have done so far this season, but it also means players leave the manager’s trusted club environment, and there will be concerns about injuries as they play in extra games.
Burnley boss Scott Parker has discussed the positives and negatives of international breaks.placeholder image
Burnley boss Scott Parker has discussed the positives and negatives of international breaks. | Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
“Yeah, it's tough, really,” Parker said. “I don't really know fully where I sit with it. If I'm being brutally honest, I think that's part of me what sits and thinks, OK, this is a good time.
“Maybe just take some breath, give the lads a little bit of time and just regroup a little bit and do some work. But then in saying that, how much work can you do? Because a lot of players are away and then the flip side as well. You're worrying as a coach that the players are going away, the level of work they're getting, they stay fit. “So I'm always flipping in and out of where I probably sit with it and probably results determine that as well. But yeah, it is what it is, and we obviously get used to these international breaks and we work around them.”
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There have already been two international breaks so far this season and Burnley fans have not had to wait around for the team to pick up a result after either of them. On their return from the September break, Burnley put on a spirited display to narrowly lose after conceding a penalty in second-half added time, which Mohamed Salah dispatched, but they did pick up a point in their second game back against a struggling Nottingham Forest side.
After the October international break, Parker’s men did not have any ring rust at all as they won back-to-back games against Leeds and Wolves, which has helped them out of the relegation zone and they will be hoping for more of the same when they come back after this November break to face Chelsea at Turf Moor.
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