Source: Team_Talk
Laws looks to unpredictability
Having been widely tipped for relegation, the Clarets caught many people by surprise at the start of the season, winning their first four homes games in the top flight - including triumphs over Manchester United and Everton - and retaining a healthy mid-table position through to the end of November.[LNB]However, things have been more of a struggle since then and the club go into Saturday's fixture against West Ham at Turf Moor in 19th place having failed to pick up a win for 12 league matches.[LNB]Laws, who succeeded Owen Coyle as manager in January, believes much of Burnley's early season success was down to the element of unpredictability they brought to the table following their promotion from the Championship.[LNB]That novelty has inevitably worn off, but after recruiting five new players in the transfer window, Laws believes he has spruced things up sufficiently for Burnley to start catching teams unawares again.[LNB]"You talk about the first part of the season in the Premier League and they got away with a lot because they were an unknown quantity in the division," said Laws, who has brought Frederic Nimani, Leon Cort, Nicky Weaver, Danny Fox and Jack Cork to the club over the last few weeks, as well as extending David Nugent's loan to the end of the season.[LNB]"But the second half of the season is always the toughest because the opposition know more about you.[LNB]"They know your weaknesses and hopefully we've filled in those weaknesses and given them something else to worry about."[LNB]With West Ham currently 15th but only a point better off than Burnley, tomorrow's encounter is vital for both clubs in the fight for survival.[LNB]The reverse fixture at Upton Park earlier in the season saw the Clarets go 5-0 down before rallying with three goals of their own, but with the Hammers having drawn their last three games and kept two clean sheets, Laws is expecting a tighter match at Turf Moor.[LNB]"I looked at the DVD of the last game and it was played very open, both clubs played very open football and hence the score 5-3," said Laws.[LNB]"But things have changed around and over the last few games in particular, West Ham have tightened up a wee bit and not been as open as they have been.[LNB]"I don't know how they are going to look at this game, but I think from the outside looking in, I'd say West Ham will be coming here not to get beat.[LNB]"But we know what's at stake. If we beat West Ham, we are out of the bottom three for sure and that will give everybody a lift.[LNB]"Three points are precious in this division. Now the transfer window has shut, hopefully we can kick on now and start producing the football to get us the wins because we desperately need one."[LNB]Burnley were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in their last outing but matched the league leaders for large periods of the game, and Laws is hoping for a similar level of performance from his players tomorrow as they look to build some momentum and move up the table.[LNB]"That's the kind of application and attitude we have to have against every team we play against, and not just leave it for the best ones," Laws said.[LNB]"West Ham are a side that are struggling at the bottom end and it's a winnable game.[LNB]"That's how we have got to approach every game and play it like it is our last game. If you have that kind of attitude, you will max out all the time.[LNB]"The players have to understand that this game means a lot to everybody and particularly to ourselves to haul us out of that bottom three, give everybody a lift and (provide) a starting block for us."[LNB][LNB][LNB]
