MIDWAY through the second half, with the Clarets in disarray and trailing 3-0 to Walsall, I turned to a fellow sufferer. "I'm not even sure what formation they're playing," I moaned. "It's the Easter Egg formation," came the reply, before adding by way of explanation, "it's easily cracked."

All joking aside, these are trying times for Burnley fans. The dismal performance at the Bescot Stadium followed hot on the heels of a lethargic display at Bramall Lane and the no-show at Watford.

Ternent quite rightly assessed the Clarets' recent form as "woeful" and "totally unacceptable."

Writing in these pages seven days ago, I claimed that Burnley's season was in danger of slipping away. Events of the last few days have only reinforced that claim. With 11 games left, the Clarets lie as many points off sixth spot.

By the manager's reckoning, Burnley need to win eight of their remaining fixtures to extend their season. For a team in the top six that is a tough task. For a mid-table team dogged by inconsistency and a leaky defence, it borders on the impossible.

For the pessimists, the play-off dream is dead. For the optimists, it hangs by the most slender of threads.

The supporters have many concerns at the moment, yet chief among them on Saturday was the alarming omission of Little and Blake from the starting 11.

Those who had made the trip were dismayed to discover that in a game from which Burnley needed to take maximum points, both of their likely match-winners were twiddling their thumbs on the bench.

The perceived problem with playing Little and Blake is that they give you little defensively. The counter-argument, and the one to which this writer subscribes, is that without the pair in the side, the Clarets look bankrupt in the creativity stakes.

In short, no one can open up an opposition defence like these two can.

It is also worth nothing that in the past two games, Burnley have fared better when the pair have been on the pitch than when they have been off it.

At Sheffield United, they drew the second half 2-2, Blake helping to set one up and scoring himself. When they were introduced against Walsall, they won the second half 2-1 with Blake making and converting the penalty, and Little rifling home from 20 yards.

Playing the pair may have its drawbacks, but they are far outweighed by the advantages they bring to the side. Both Blake and Little must start against Leicester City this evening.

Another area of concern in recent games has been that of the goalkeeper. Marlon Beresford, who has done well for Burnley this season, is currently a shadow of the keeper he can be and indeed has been.

Not all of the nine goals he has conceded in the past three games have been down to him, yet he will surely be disappointed with his part in some of them.

With Marlon's confidence currently in pieces, the time is right for a return to action for Nik the Greek.