Burnley are struggling this season in the Premier League. While Vincent Kompany’s team was impressive in the Championship last year, the move to the next level came with a few hitches. Now 19th at mid-season, the Clarets are five points behind the first non-relegation team, Everton. An assessment which has not undermined the confidence of leaders in Vincent Kompany. The Belgian technician is also actively looking for new elements to allow the club from the north of England to save its place in the elite by the end of the season.
In the meantime, the former defender has made tactical choices which are starting to bear fruit. One of them was to finally establish Wilson Odobert. The versatile 19-year-old striker arrived in England this summer for a check for 12 million euros from Troyes. Arriving on tiptoe, the native of Meaux was not an immediate starter in the eyes of his Belgian coach. However, as soon as he was lined up in the eleven, the ESTAC defector responded. For example, he distinguished himself from his first start against Salford in the Carabao Cup by scoring a goal (4-0).
Two goals and an assist in the last four matches
At the end of this meeting, Vincent Kompany was also very complimentary towards his young player: “we’re talking about setting up the team and like I told you, some of the guys that are going to be our heroes this season, you don’t see them, but I see them in practice and we have to prepare for them arrival in the team. Guys like Wilson are that type. You can see the talent. It’s a question of time. Is it tomorrow? In a week or in a month? We don’t know anything about it. We will accompany them.» A premonition which was finally confirmed a few months later.
Indeed, author of a remarkable month of December after notably scoring against Chelsea in October, Wilson Odobert is one of Burnley’s spearheads at the end of the year. Established during the last four meetings, the left winger finally seems to be central in Vincent Kompany’s plans. A confidence that the 19-year-old returns with two goals and an assist in the last four matches, all of which he started. And as soon as the latter proved decisive, Burnley went for a draw against Brighton (1-1) then won on the Fulham pitch two weeks later with a goal and an assist from their new nugget. The darling of the supporters, they must therefore hope that he will manage to be decisive this Saturday on the pitch at Aston Villa (4 p.m.) to pick up new welcome points for the Clarets.
