Clarets need home comforts

Posted Saturday, March 13, 2010 by PA

Graham Alexander believes Burnley need to reclaim their patch when they take on Wolves at Turf Moor.

The Clarets' home form has been the bedrock of their season, accounting for all but one of the 24 points they have amassed so far in their maiden Barclays Premier League campaign.

Manchester United and Everton were defeated in the first two matches at Turf Moor this term and Burnley have only been beaten there three times in total since.

However, the latest of those losses was against rock-bottom crisis club Portsmouth and Brian Laws' team disappointed in front of their own fans again for the opening 45 minutes on Wednesday, falling behind to Stoke before saving face through David Nugent's second-half equaliser.

Currently 18th with nine fixtures remaining, Burnley need to rediscover their touch at home quickly if they are to save themselves from the drop.

The visit of Wolves - who are a place above the Clarets in the table on goal difference alone - would appear to provide them with the perfect opportunity, and Alexander has called upon his team-mates to take the game to their opponents from the first whistle.

"You can't wait for something to happen and then react to it, we've got to take the initiative and show that we are at home and this is our patch," Alexander said.

"We want to play how we play and we have to play with a good tempo and with all the qualities that we have got in our changing room.

"If we do that from minute one rather than minute 46, hopefully we will get the three points that we need."

Alexander believes the team got too caught up in trying to mirror Stoke's tactics on Wednesday, but feels the second-half recovery gives them something to build on for the Wolves game.

"We are pleased that we turned it around from the first half because we didn't play very well," Alexander said.

"I think we got ourselves up physically and mentally for the battle against Stoke, but we forgot to play our own game - I was probably the biggest culprit of that.

"At half-time we spoke about what we had to do in the second half - pass the ball better and at a higher tempo - and we did that and got ourselves back into the game.

"It was a great goal (by Nugent) and we looked like we could go on to win it. It was a shame we couldn't play for another five or six minutes.

"But to finish the way we did was pleasing and hopefully we'll take that into Saturday's game."

Top scorer Steven Fletcher could make his return from injury.

Fletcher, who has 11 goals this season, has missed the Clarets' last two matches after breaking his hand while on international duty with Scotland.

The game will almost certainly come too soon for Chris McCann to feature as he continues his recovery from a knee problem, while Steven Caldwell (groin) remains sidelined.

Meanwhile, Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is determined to stay stress-free despite his side's precarious position.

McCarthy cares passionately about Wanderers who currently lie 17th in the table - and only ahead of Burnley on goal difference - and is confident they will survive.

But the former Republic Of Ireland boss believes he will be no good to anyone - including his players - if he is uptight and agitated in the build-up to games.

McCarthy said: "I've learnt getting wound up about it is counter-productive. If it affects me, it affects other people doing their jobs.

"You see me on the sidelines. I kick every single ball.

"I am involved in it on a Saturday but me getting agitated now, and upset with everybody, is not going to make a blind bit of difference to it.

"When I was younger, I was more agitated but I learnt a long time ago it does you no favours. It doesn't mean I don't care.

"Don't go away thinking I am not concerned about it. Every minute of the day I am thinking `Can I do something different, better or change it?'

"It is not an act. What you see is what you get."

McCarthy could name an unchanged side for the fifth successive match and was delighted with his side's overall performance in the single goal reversal against champions Manchester United.

Striker Stefan Maierhofer is available after recovering from an ankle injury suffered in training but the best the former Rapid Vienna player can hope for is a place amongst the substitutes.