Sean Dyche Hoping 'Adaptable' Jack Cork Keeps Burnley Flexible in the Upcoming Season

Sean Dyche will keep his tactical options open this upcoming season and believes summer recruit Jack Cork will be a key feature to that flexibility. 28-year-old central midfielder Cork signed for Burnley from Swansea for a reported fee of around £8m.

Dyche speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph said about Cork: “He’s very experienced at a really good age and he’s very adaptable, he’s come in from a side that plays predominantly a three into a two here, we morphed it a bit last season we might look at that again this season if we need too, but he’s a very adaptable player and he just gets on with it.” 

Dyche has a number of players he can choose to play in the middle of the park, with Cork competing for places with Jeff Hendrick, Steven Defour and Ashley Westwood.

“The idea of building a squad like we are doing and adding that bit more depth of knowledge of the Premier League is to add to that flexibility,” Dyche said of his tactical plans for the new season. 

“We felt there were times it worked well last year, especially early in the season, we went back to a two and it was still productive, but it’s having that flexibility.

“The Premier League is very demanding at every level, physically, mentally, tactically and technically, so it’s about adapting to the challenge.” 

The Burnley boss briefly switched from his favoured 4-4-2 system early on last season in favour of a three-man midfield.

The Clarets did well at Turf Moor last season but they badly struggled away from home. They only managed one win away from home in the Premier League and lost 14 out of 19 away games.

Dyche will be hoping the versatility of Cork will be the solution to their dire away form. Cork played in a three-man midfield throughout his time at Swansea City.

Burnley's flexibility will be put to the test in their opening Premier League match away to Chelsea on August the 12th.