Tuesday evening, Liverpool did not need to be asked. The Reds did not even need to force themselves to take the three points on the lawn of Turf Moor (0-2). On arrival, an important victory for Jürgen Klopp’s team, which confirms that it will play for the title as the weeks go by. On the other hand, yet another defeat for Burnley, the 14th in just 19 days. The results are clear. With three wins and two draws since the start of the season, the Clarets are in penultimate place in the standings and are unable to continue their formidable momentum, which began last year in the Championship.
And for good reason, Vincent Kompany’s men were simply untenable in the English second division. Crowned champion by losing only three times, in 46 days, Burnley moved back into the elite with great ambitions and an increasingly recognized coach. At the head of the Clarets, the former glory of Manchester City had been able – last season at least – to impose his mark within a club renowned for its extremely defensive play. If Sean Dyche has for a long time managed to keep the residents of Turf Moor in the Premier League, and he is also the delight of Everton today, Burnley has never been as attractive as under Vincent Kompany. And it will have to be from January 1, 2024, the date of the opening of the winter transfer window.
A winter to save yourself
“The team is fighting, the team is alive, the team is entertaining, it just needs that little finishing touch right now to be rewarded. Among the clubs at the bottom of the table, Dominic Solanke, Raul Jimenez… it’s this kind of level (which he lacks, editor’s note)”. Here are the words of Vincent Kompany at a press conference, after the new disappointment against Liverpool. The young Belgian coach (37 years old) knows it, his team is far from uninteresting, but it is too short, too often. The fault lies with a squad that may still be limited to reproduce the same type of content as last season, especially since the Premier League seems more competitive than ever. The fault, too, is a summer transfer window which has not necessarily borne fruit so far.
Despite spending around €110m last summer and signings such as Zeki Amdouni (€18.6m), James Trafford (€17.3m), Aaron Ramsey (€16.4m), Sander Berge (€16.4m), €13.9 million) or even Wilson Odobert (€12 million), arrived from Troyes, all of them do not meet expectations. Neither does Vincent Kompany. While he was the new darling of English football thanks to his coaching and his speeches in the locker room, the former Skyblues defender is struggling to find the recipe in the Premier League. However, the Clarets were able to count on a certain continuity by not losing many players before the start of the 2023-2024 campaign, even if the return of Ian Maatsen – put on the shelf by Mauricio Pochettino – to Chelsea greatly weakened the animation of the left corridor. Third worst attack in the championship and second worst defense, Burnley has no choice but to take out the checkbook this winter to provide reinforcement for Vincent Kompany. The future of the club depends on it.
“My aim is for Burnley not just to survive, but to progress in the Premier League”, the Belgian tactician recently said. Nothing is impossible, of course, but the next few weeks promise to be busy for the Clarets. On the menu ? Aston Villa on Saturday (4 p.m.), Luton Town (01/15), Manchester City (01/31), Fulham (02/3), Liverpool (02/10) and Arsenal (02/17) in the Premier League, without forgetting Tottenham (5/01) for the 3rd round of the FA Cup. A hearty program against championship leaders and competitors to remain in the elite. Burnley will have to be strong, even conquering, to resist their hellish schedule. This is already the home stretch of the season for the Clarets. Vincent Kompany has his work cut out for him.