F365 Says: Hornets hide flaws better than barren Burnley

Roy Hodgson provoked a much-needed defensive improvement from Watford but Burnley require an even more dramatic upgrade to avoid relegation…

They don’t like change at Burnley. A decade of Sean Dyche illustrates that. But without some swift innovation from the manager, the Clarets will be facing a very different challenge next season.

Burnley took just one point from the six supposedly at stake against Watford at Turf Moor, with the visitors only marginally more pleased with a stalemate better best forgotten.

Watford have made their change. Bloody loads of them, in fact. Roy Hodgson occupied the dug-out for the first time as Hornets boss, presiding over several new players tasked with improving their recent awful form. A clean sheet – their first in 30 matches and almost two years – certainly represents progress and gives Watford a platform to build upon under new management.

Watford keep a first Premier League clean sheet since Roy Hodgson was a youngster of 72 years, six months and 22 days.

— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) February 5, 2022

At the back, Burnley haven’t the same concerns. No team in the bottom half of the Premier League has conceded fewer goals than the bottom-placed side and Dyche knows he can rely on his trusted back four to make their blocks and win their headers.

The Clarets remain as hard to beat as they ever were – but far too easy to stop. Even with a new front pair, featuring their best player this season back from AFCON and their huge new signing.

There were some glimpses of quality from Maxwel Cornet and Wout Weghorst, but too few and fleeting. Which wasn’t entirely their fault. Both spent most of a filthy night fighting for scraps to feed upon.

That has been the case all season, regardless of who