About Burnley’s defense thus far this season, Vincent Kompany hasn’t held back.
With an alarming 23 goals conceded in just nine games this season, the Clarets have the second worst record in the Premier League.
With 24, only Sheffield United, the team at the bottom, has given up more.
Being a top defender for Manchester City during his playing career, Kompany is the greatest person to understand what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the game.
Regarding his team’s defense thus far this season, Kompany acknowledges it has fallen well short of expectations.
“I think we’ve been hurt defensively because at the moment we’ve not defended properly as a team. That’s the basics of it,” he said.
“Whether that comes due to a lack of automation within the team, players finding positions, it comes because we’re still adapting to the level, but all of that with two days to go until the game, it’s in the past.
“On Saturday we have a chance to affect the rest of the season and that’s how we’ve got to look at it.”
Before Burnley’s six-point match against Bournemouth this afternoon, where they will be eager to respond after losing 3-0 to Brentford last week, Kompany spoke.
They play the Cherries, who are one point and one position below them in the table and have not yet won this season.
Despite the early stage of the season, some have suggested that Burnley needs to win this game because they have lost seven of their previous nine games.
When that viewpoint was put to Kompany, the Clarets boss said: “It’s a mindset thing for me, every game is a must win. I’ve never been raised that way.
“From the age of six, I’ve played in a team at Anderlecht where you had to win every game. We went to tournaments in Europe and we had to win every game, it’s something that is in my blood.”
Kompany added: “All of us have the same ambition, to get to that next level and make sure you establish yourself as a good, strong Premier League club but it goes in stages.
“At this moment in time, we’re in a similar pattern and a similar situation, but it’s the nature of this league.”
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