AFTER Greg Rusedski's claim that Pete Sampras would "go no further in the US Open", Radio Five Live was asking for people to ring in with other useless predictions.

All the old favourites were trotted out. Alan Hansen's "you win nothing with kids" - before Manchester United's youngsters did the double.

The man from Decca who would not sign the Beatles "because guitar bands were finished" - before the Fab Four re-wrote the record books.

Well it is hold my hand up time as I enter the "Not so Mystic Greg Hall of Shame".

At half-time at Pride Park I said: "I can't see where Burnley will get a goal from."

Within ten minutes they had scored twice, they made a host of other chances and were unlucky not to win more decisively.

I know what my prediction was because I was reminded of the fact by more than one gleeful member of the media back in the comfort of the Press room.

In my defence it should be pointed out that when I peered into my crystal ball not one person disagreed and I feel sure the highly vocal Clarets supporters were of the same mind.

Oh we of little faith! Okay, my blunt assessment was a reasonable one - four and a half games without a goal and no chances in the first half.

But if a week is a long time in politics, Saturday proved 45 minutes is a very long time in football.

Some said it was something in the half time tea, others reckoned it was down to inspiration from the most beautiful rainbow since George, Zippy and Bungle were the daytime stars of British television.

But the explanation was surely more simple than that.

Burnley have been struggling because some good players have been playing badly, at times while out of position.

On Saturday, as they came out for the second half, those same men were suddenly slotted into the right holes, everything clicked and they remembered that they can actually play a bit.

There is an old saying that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well, in the first half at Derby Burnley looked a broken side. Stan Ternent applied the superglue at the interval, added the missing part that was Glen Little and suddenly the machine whirred into life.

There were times last season when playing one man up front worked well, the games at Preston and Palace spring to mind. There will be times when such a system might be required again. But the fact is the Clarets were generally at their best in a simple 4-4-2 formation.

If they stick to that I predict happier times ahead, and hope this time I am more Mystic Meg than Greg.