ONE of the more rewarding aspects of following your team through thick and thin - and sometimes downright transparent - is seeing how players develop.

The most current striking example of this phenomenon is Brian Jensen.

When Stan Ternent brought the keeper from West Bromwich Albion to Turf Moor, it's fair to say, initially, impressions were not favourable. To put it bluntly, the Dane was overweight and error-prone - not generally regarded as ideal qualities in the last line of defence.

Yet, over the seasons, the man they call The Beast has changed beyond recognition. The excess pounds have been shed and Turf Moor does not now hold its collective breath every time the opposition get within shooting distance.

Even if the unfortunate Danny Coyne was fit, it is difficult to see how he could dislodge Jensen on current form.

His importance to the Clarets was underlined on Friday against Hull City. In a scrappy match, with quality as rare as hen's teeth, Jensen produced two saves every bit as important as Ade Akinbiyi's goal.

The first, a diving effort to divert France's header was good enough. But it was his second, in the game's dying moments, where instinct combined with athleticism to deny Elliott a goal and his team a share of the points, which stood out.

While we are handing out plaudits, take a bow Ade Akinbiyi. The striker now has nine goals in 18 games, a ratio which any front man would be proud of. His strike rate is even more impressive when you consider that for most of the season he has been deployed as a lone striker. Ade, says Steve Cotterill is, "a giver." And his performances bear that verdict out.

He runs, chases and harries for the duration. So, one might argue, did Ian Moore, yet with Ade you also get end product.

The concern among some Burnley supporters is that with the honourable exception of Garreth O'Connor, Akinbiyi is our only goal scoring threat.

His sometime partner, Gifton Noel-Williams, has been relegated to the bench of late as Steve Cotterill looks to swamp the midfield.

With his introduction at the start of the second half, the Clarets immediately carried more threat and Noel-Williams could have had himself a couple of headed goals.

With bottom of the table Millwall the visitors to Turf Moor tonight, might it not be worth reverting to a 4-4-1-1 with Noel-Williams playing in behind Akinbiyi?