CLARETS reporter Tyrone Marshall discusses the talking points from Burnley's 4-2 defeat at West Ham.

Defensive disasters

Where has it all gone wrong at the back for Burnley? The most worrying aspect is that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the issue is.

The stats make for awful reading though. That’s 13 goals conceded in three games. Already it’s 25 conceded in 11 league games this season. Burnley conceded just 39 in the whole of last season.

The Clarets have never been free scorers under Sean Dyche, they finished seventh having scored just 36 goals last season. So if you suddenly concede an extra 15 to 20 in a season, but score no more, the maths will tell you that could lead to trouble.

The manner of the goals are poor and the Clarets are getting beaten heavily as well.

In Dyche’s first 257 games in charge they conceded four or more on just occasions, but they’ve now conceded four or more five times in the last 20 games, dating back to the 5-0 defeat at Arsenal towards the end of last season. That is a startling trend.

Attacking combinations

Dyche still looks to be searching for the right combination in attack as well. Sam Vokes has come from nowhere this season to lead the line, earning a new contract in the process, and he kept his place at the London Stadium.

But Jeff Hendrick was dropped to the bench after his disappointing performance last week and Matej Vydra was given another chance to shine. The £11million man was rarely in the game through and it was no surprise when Vydra and Vokes were hooked together, with Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood coming on.

Wood scored to press a claim for a starting spot at Leicester City next week and surely the attack has to be built around the record signing. He might not always possess the physicality that Dyche so likes from his front men, but his record in front of goal speaks for itself.

It would be no surprise to see another new look attack at the King Power Stadium next weekend.

Cork’s record

After losing his record of playing every minute in the Premier League since his return to the club last weekend, Jack Cork lost his record of starting every league game at the London Stadium.

He failed to shake off an ankle injury to feature and his presence was missed in midfield, with the Clarets outgunned and out thought centrally and the defence lacking protection.

Cork may not have been at his best so far this season but he is so often the glue that holds that midfield together and without him Steven Defour and Ashley Westwood were both below par as well.

No need for panic

This season might be turning into one of toil for Burnley, but there’s no need to press the panic button just yet. Despite their issues at the back and recent heavy defeats, they remain 15th, and whatever happens they could be saved by the standard at the bottom of the league this season.

Cardiff, Fulham and Huddersfield are all having difficulties of their own and it would be no surprise if it took a points tally in the low 30s to survive this year. Burnley should have more than enough to reach that level.

The mole

Saturday morning broke with a national newspaper story about how Dyche was searching for a ‘mole’ in the dressing room, leaking stories to the papers.

It was an unusual claim, in that there hadn’t been any stories of what variety that had made it to the papers. Dyche did hold a team meeting on Thursday, he was late to his press conference as a result and told us the reason, but there was no suggestion he’d been grilling his players on such an issue.

Despite the poor form this doesn’t look like a camp full of disharmony at the moment.