Scott Parker has opened up on the tactical dilemma his Burnley side faces trying to get results in the Premier League.
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West Ham loanee James Ward-Prowse scores free-kick on first Burnley outing](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/west-ham-loanee-james-ward-prowse-scores-free-kick-on-first-burnley-outing-5506512 "West Ham loanee James Ward-Prowse scores free-kick on first Burnley outing")
The Clarets boss has received criticism from supporters in recent weeks for overseeing a return to the back five.
Parker himself acknowledges the approach can seem “passive” if they are to remain in the low block and sit off opposition teams.
But on the flip side, Burnley’s head coach is also wary of being undone by leaving big gaps of space in behind if his team are to go after sides and press high.
The Clarets tried their approach against Newcastle United just before new year and found themselves 2-0 down after just seven minutes.
Whatever approach Burnley take, it doesn’t appear they have the required quality to compete – enduring a miserable 15-game winless run that leaves them 11 points adrift of safety.
Discussing Burnley’s tactical dilemma ahead of today’s game against West Ham, Parker said: “Like always, there's different elements.
Scott Parker speaks to the media ahead of Burnley's game against West Ham United this weekend. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Scott Parker speaks to the media ahead of Burnley's game against West Ham United this weekend. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
“This year, as a coach, I'd say that we've tried different things. At times, we've tried to be aggressive and the dynamics of us being aggressive at that moment, it's like it's a poor man's blanket. Sometimes you can't cover all things.
“The positiveness of being aggressive and on the front foot and pressing high means you leave space in behind. You leave space in behind at that moment, it's what you're up against, it's their attacking unit. Good enough to execute with space in behind that you're opening up the pitch for them.
“On the flip side is Newcastle, for instance. Newcastle is a game that you go into where you think: ‘right, let's go and leave a marker here, let's go front footed here’ and you're 2-0 down due to spaces.
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“On the flip side of that is you go into a low block and sometimes your team looks passive. But your team looks passive because you don't want to give the space in behind.
“So now all of a sudden, their players – who are going to have control and going to be on the ball – are their defenders. The game becomes more slower for us. You're denying space.
“Same in the attacking phase. The attacking phase is, you know what, you want to be aggressive, you want to put balls down the side of teams and you want to bring them on to you.
“You're constantly trying to weigh up different things per game. I think this year, there's been many games where we varied different things.
“Now, along that way as a coach, you're constantly learning and you're constantly trying to find out what is the best way for us to get a result while always having an understanding at this present moment in time.
“The perception is we want to be an un-aggressive team. But if I was to get into the ring now with Tyson Fury, I'd probably need to weigh up how I'm going to go about it. I really want to knock him out. That's what I really, really want to do. I want to go in there and land one straight on him. But the likelihood of me doing that is probably not likely.
“I'm probably going to have to take this to 12 rounds and run away from it. They're the constant things when you're a team like us.
“Anyone who wants to reflect on our games, while I understand at certain moments it looks a certain way, there's been different ways, different personnel, different players that we've tried. That will be the constant for West Ham.
“I've gone on a long time there in terms of trying to give that detail. But to answer your question, we'll work out or at least we'll try and work out what is the best way to go against this team in terms of the personnel they've got and in terms of where I see or we see best to do that.”
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