A dream return: How does Joey Barton make Burnley tick?

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Second debuts for a club don’t come around all too often, but for Joey Barton, his second league bow at Turf Moor, and his first for the club in the Premier League could hardly have gone much better. Having surprisingly left the club following the Clarets’ return to the Premier League in favour of a move to Rangers, his ignominious exit from Ibrox saw him back at the Lancashire club training after only sticking it out north of the border until mid-November after packing his bags for Glasgow over the summer.

SFor his first game back at Burnley in the league- having featured once in the FA Cup away at Sunderland- after being offered a deal by Sean Dyche, Barton was thrown into the fray in the 73rd minute against Southampton in place of Dean Marney. Saints had monopolised possession and enjoyed the majority of chances in the game, yet had failed to break the deadlock. Five minutes after his introduction, however, Barton stood over a free-kick and taking aim 25-yards from goal, his low strike took a slight deflection off the wall and evaded Fraser Forster to hand Burnley a priceless lead, which they saw out to claim all three points.

It was more than a way to make a mark back at a club where the former Manchester City, Newcastle and QPR midfielder had won promotion just months earlier, but with the Barton effect firmly felt just minutes into his return at Turf Moor, what exactly is it about the one-time England international that makes the Clarets tick?

For the 17 minutes plus stoppage time that Barton was on the pitch at Turf Moor, he managed a pass accuracy of just 56%, completing five of an attempted eight, but we can look back at his form last season for Burnley and that tells more of a story as to the impact the club has enjoyed from the playmaker in the past.

Three goals and two assists in 37 appearances in the Clarets’ promotion campaign may not appear all too convincing, but throughout that season he maintained an average passing accuracy of 74.5% across all the games he played and received two man-of-the-match accolades. His overall temperament appears to be improving also, with nine yellow cards throughout that season and no dismissals.

Throughout his career, Barton has been known to be a fiery midfielder, and it is that which is part of what he brings to the table at Burnley. Besides being a reliable passer of the ball and a link-up man, the 34-year-old offers a wealth of experience in midfield and is an ideal character in games which demand a midfield battle. Players in teams scrapping near the foot of the table, or teams that succeed in the top-flight but grind-out a great many of their performances find inspiration from the examples of such players, and Barton provides this in abundance.

The experience he provides for Sean Dyche’s side, it appears on this showing, may also be an important part of helping the Clarets see out more matches this season. Not only did Barton come on and net the winner against Southampton, but he gave away no fouls and made two clearances from inside his own penalty spot. He didn’t shy away from aerial battles, jumping in twice and coming out on top against Josh Sims and James Ward-Prowse.

Statistics don’t tell the whole story with Barton it seems, attacking wise, his main assets are his engine and his passing ability, but his defensive contributions, given the type of midfield player he is, are just as vital to the Burnley cause. With a trip to Arsenal next on the agenda, Sean Dyche may well rely on Barton, who has become something of a Mr. Reliable figure at the club, to step-up for the side and put a shift in once again.

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After the Southampton game, Barton told BBC Sport: “It was an incredible thing for him (Sean Dyche) to bring me back – to what he did and the circus that goes on around me”.

“Hopefully displays in the coming weeks will repay that faith.”

The Liverpudlian has a point to prove to Dyche, and in many ways, a debt to repay after his former manager made the gamble of bringing him back to Turf Moor, but his first appearance in the Premier League since May 2015 will have gone some way towards winning over some of his potential doubters.

What is apparent, is that Barton adds a certain verve to the side and that extra touch of quality on the big occasions, and he is often one of the unsung heroes in the ranks. Experience and quality will be vital in keeping Burnley competitive in their fight to remain in the Premier League for the first time, and the veteran provides both. In many ways bringing him back to the club was a simple move for Dyche to make, but indeed a shrewd one, and sometimes playing things simple in football is just the way to go. Burnley won again, and after an incredible 2016, the calendar year 2017 may well take them to new heights, and it is certain that if it is to be, then Barton will have a part to play in taking them there.

Featured Image: All Rights Reserved by Fulham FC.