We’re as good as down, Kompany is clueless, we have gone backwards

[evensteadiereddie]

Nowhere remotely close

Absolutely.
Maybe this time next year if we're not challenging for the Championship promotion places.

[ElectroClaret]

Way out of his depth right not, the odd games we've been winning his subs have blown it.

For me this has been one of our major failings this season. Some of the substitutions just seemed to be change for changes sake and plain baffling.
But we're not learning and doing better with experience.

No point for any change in the dugout though, a
little too late.

[northernpowerhouse]

Yep, Kompany is out of his depth and anyone who thinks he's going to turn things around at Burnley is kidding themselves. The only question is whether he gets sacked now, in a few weeks/months, or when we're struggling in the Championship next season.

[RVclaret]

Yep, Kompany is out of his depth and anyone who thinks he's going to turn things around at Burnley is kidding themselves. The only question is whether he gets sacked now, in a few weeks/months, or when we're struggling in the Championship next season.

If only Kompany had a track record of turning things around at Burnley before.

[alwaysaclaret]

He didn’t bring on Tresor to shore it up…. Not sure if you watched the game, Odobert ran the length of the pitch to get a chance, there was huge space in behind the defence in wide areas. VK switched to 5 at the back and then swapped out the two wide players for fresh legs to go the other way.

Tresor has given nothing in he's appearances so far, and larsen although OK in he's first 2 or 3 games flatters to deceive, a Benson and zaroury double substitution would have lifted the crowd and kept Luton where they should have been, in their own half because they'll remember how the pair ripped the championship up last season, vk knows what they are capable of, so was yet again a strange substitution especially tresor when he's shown no reason to believe he has the qualities of Benson or zaroury.

[TsarBomba]

Yep, Kompany is out of his depth and anyone who thinks he's going to turn things around at Burnley is kidding themselves. The only question is whether he gets sacked now, in a few weeks/months, or when we're struggling in the Championship next season.

You do realise this is Kompany’s first season in the PL? The most brutal domestic league in world football?

You don’t get a chance to learn on the job in this league, but that’s exactly what he is trying to do.

The tactics and subs are baffling, and the transfer window was a complete disaster, but Kompany has earned the right to be here.

He’s not a Lampard, who couldn’t even get Derby promoted with the likes of Tomori and Mount.

Promotion wasn’t expected and there’s kudos in the bank. I’d much rather we had another crack at the Championship with a manager that has got us promoted already, to one that hasn’t.

The time to judge will be this time next year. If we’re languishing in the lower reaches of the Championship, then it will be fair enough if Kompany gets potted. If we get promoted again, then this season will stand us in good stead.

This summer is going to be one of massive upheaval, and VK is best suited to managing that transition.

I hate the words ‘project’ and ‘journey’ in football and I don’t like our moneyball approach to signing players. But the whole club is aligned to that approach, and we’ve just got to have the patience over the next few years to see where it takes us.

[Culmclaret]

I like Kompany but sadly he does not look to have what it takes. It was not as if he hadn’t managed before he came here. He was at a big European club. He just does not seem to be able to learn and adapt quickly enough. When compared with say Gary O’Neil and even Rob Edwards he looks way off the pace as a young manager and Iraola looks miles ahead of him. We are stuck with him for the foreseeable but don’t bet your house on us coming straight back up. It would be indelicate and politically incorrect of me to ask how Pace might want to update his analogy about the most attractive girl in town….

[BabylonClaret]

I'm with TsarBombs here. I actually think he's struggling (he sounded a broken man last night on the radio whilst I was we ding my way back k over the Pennines) and I also think anyone else would probably ly do a better job now.

However I don't think someone else would turn it round for us to stay up and so throwing money in a vain hope we might do it is folly.

I'm in 2 minds about next season. He's got us promoted before so probably deserves the chance but I think we need to be well in with the runners by game 15 or he goes

[warksclaret]

His loyalty to certain players, and dislike of others, could be his downfall. JBG, Vitinho, Tresor, Larsen, Rodriguez, should be no where near the first 11. None are our future and would never even make the Sheff Utd or Luton teams. By the same measure I cannot work out why Roberts is not starting. He thinks him good enough to shore up the defence when holding on to the lead, having brought him on to play RB three times in recent games, but does not seem to trust him to start. The same applies to Cork who I believe has not featured for more than 30 minutes all season. And I am sorry, but the fact that Muric has not played one minute in the Prem is something all fans will never understand

[alwaysaclaret]

You do realise this is Kompany’s first season in the PL? The most brutal domestic league in world football?

You don’t get a chance to learn on the job in this league, but that’s exactly what he is trying to do.

The tactics and subs are baffling, and the transfer window was a complete disaster, but Kompany has earned the right to be here.

He’s not a Lampard, who couldn’t even get Derby promoted with the likes of Tomori and Mount.

Promotion wasn’t expected and there’s kudos in the bank. I’d much rather we had another crack at the Championship with a manager that has got us promoted already, to one that hasn’t.

The time to judge will be this time next year. If we’re languishing in the lower reaches of the Championship, then it will be fair enough if Kompany gets potted. If we get promoted again, then this season will stand us in good stead.

This summer is going to be one of massive upheaval, and VK is best suited to managing that transition.

I hate the words ‘project’ and ‘journey’ in football and I don’t like our moneyball approach to signing players. But the whole club is aligned to that approach, and we’ve just got to have the patience over the next few years to see where it takes us.

Trouble is though, he's NOT learning.

[northernpowerhouse]

If only Kompany had a track record of turning things around at Burnley before.

Totally different situation. A new manager turning things around happens all the time. An existing manager turning things around after a season as bad as ours is almost unheard of, I can't think of a single example of it happening.

I think a good comparison is Leicester City. Rodgers had done a brilliant job there, had loads of credit in the bank but ultimately it had stopped working and the players had lost faith in him. And maybe he would have turned things around as well as Maresca has but I doubt it, I think they needed that fresh start. Same with us.

[RVclaret]

Totally different situation. A new manager turning things around happens all the time. An existing manager turning things around after a season as bad as ours is almost unheard of, I can't think of a single example of it happening.

I think a good comparison is Leicester City. Rodgers had done a brilliant job there, had loads of credit in the bank but ultimately it had stopped working and the players had lost faith in him. And maybe he would have turned things around as well as Maresca has but I doubt it, I think they needed that fresh start. Same with us.

Firstly, the season still has 17 games left. Second, Norwich under Farke? Burnley under Dyche? Just two examples off the top of my head. Ask Norwich fans if they wish they’d kept Farke.

[northernpowerhouse]

I’d much rather we had another crack at the Championship with a manager that has got us promoted already, to one that hasn’t.

Fair enough but you should be prepared for it to fail. You can't have a season as bad as ours without losing the dressing room to some extent. Faith in Kompany's methods will drop, morale will be terrible, and it would be naive to think he's going to suddenly turn it around in the Championship.

[northernpowerhouse]

Firstly, the season still has 17 games left. Second, Norwich under Farke? Burnley under Dyche? Just two examples off the top of my head. Ask Norwich fans if they wish they’d kept Farke.

We didn't do anywhere near this badly under Dyche. What was it, 33 points? Farke fair enough he won promotion again but he was sacked after losing 15 PL games on the trot. Norwich fans might be happy with that but I wouldn't be.

[Wokingclaret]

Fair enough but you should be prepared for it to fail. You can't have a season as bad as ours without losing the dressing room to some extent. Faith in Kompany's methods will drop, morale will be terrible, and it would be naive to think he's going to suddenly turn it around in the Championship.

Yes, he might not have the same pulling power as last time, which was the base of his success.

[Murger]

Why will this season stand us in good stead? We all know that whatever division we’re in, it’ll be a complete squad overhaul. Then we’re back to square 1. I’m quickly reaching a point where I just can’t be arsed anymore.

[Elizabeth]

Trouble is though, he's NOT learning.

He is though as our performances prove over the last 2-3 months.
It is unfair to put a manager in his first PL season under the microscope as much as some are doing

[roperclaret]

We didn't do anywhere near this badly under Dyche. What was it, 33 points? Farke fair enough he won promotion again but he was sacked after losing 15 PL games on the trot. Norwich fans might be happy with that but I wouldn't be.

7 points in the last 3 games though when the other teams were already on the beach that first season under Dyche

[Kilson810]

Why will this season stand us in good stead? We all know that whatever division we’re in, it’ll be a complete squad overhaul. Then we’re back to square 1. I’m quickly reaching a point where I just can’t be arsed anymore.

Exactly, all these arguments about the team learning are not relevant as half of the squad will be ripped out again. It is fun for a season but now it's just boring, I feel little to no connection/loyalty to a lot of our players since most are just passing through.

[Culmclaret]

Why will this season stand us in good stead? We all know that whatever division we’re in, it’ll be a complete squad overhaul. Then we’re back to square 1. I’m quickly reaching a point where I just can’t be arsed anymore.

Pretty much as I see it. Why bother getting promoted in the first place if you make zero effort to stay up?

[roperclaret]

We didn't do anywhere near this badly under Dyche. What was it, 33 points? Farke fair enough he won promotion again but he was sacked after losing 15 PL games on the trot. Norwich fans might be happy with that but I wouldn't be.

And also the previous 9 games before those last 3 saw us score a grand total of 1 (one) goal.

[Elizabeth]

Why will this season stand us in good stead? We all know that whatever division we’re in, it’ll be a complete squad overhaul. Then we’re back to square 1. I’m quickly reaching a point where I just can’t be arsed anymore.

I dislike the squad overhaul approach also but would be happy at a good number of the current squad not being here next season. I think that is a certainty especially as the older ones have come to the end of their journey as well.

There are however a good number of the current players who would stand us in good stead if we went down and help us in our efforts to get back up. They would be better PL players the next time if we went up again. I have no doubts about that because the margins this season are narrower than many think.

It is sometimes unwise though to think about it too much because there is definitely a robust selling for profit approach eg as a fan why invest yourself in players like Trafford and O'Shea who are improving when there's every chance as soon as a club comes in with decent money they may well be off.

I really feel uncomfortable with the direction the club are being taken

[beddie]

You do realise this is Kompany’s first season in the PL? The most brutal domestic league in world football?

You don’t get a chance to learn on the job in this league, but that’s exactly what he is trying to do.

The tactics and subs are baffling, and the transfer window was a complete disaster, but Kompany has earned the right to be here.

Totally agree. He’s played in it though, knows the level and the demands expected and brings in a load of young inexperienced lads. All I can assume is that after last season he thought they’d learnt enough to push on. Did promotion come to early?

[IanMcL]

When he swaps the keeper, we will have a chance. Just because he did it.

Until then, he has not achieved anything. Some very poor decisions along the way. Not least the lack of experience. Ludicrous. Young players need sorting on the pitch, in the moment. Ashley Barnes was great at that, last season.

[spt_claret]

"We’re as good as down"
Have been for months.
"We have gone backwards"
For the most part, yes. Tons of money on players, many of them look weaker/less up for it than last year's side but we have a few gaping positional holes some of which were present in the summer and steadfastly not addressed. Seem more interested in continually signing more of the same. Can't make sense of how the team's regressed in some ways.
Only forward progress has been- Berge is our best CM since Defour was fit/Cork was in his prime, Foster has improved a lot. Koleosho and Odobert look good finds, Amdouni, there's something in there. Trafford has taken us backwards but has potential to one day be a great keeper we just could do with one day being sooner than later.
"Kompany is clueless"
Not sure I agree with this but he's left me scratching my head so often this season. His subs especially. Last year, I'd find myself thinking "We need to do XYZ to turn this around", he'd do it seconds to minutes after I thought it so had clearly spotted it before I did. This season, I find myself thinking "we need to do XYZ" and even after it's been glaringly obvious for 15 minutes, Kompany doesn't make a change. Or if he does it's an incomprehensible one. Same with some of his selections. Last year I thought he had an incredible eye for a player and after that initial couple months of struggling to preserve leads, really gained an ability to spot what was needed to change the game. From January onwards especially. This year I feel like I'm watching a different sport to him let alone different match, there's times it's like his selection/subs are working on entirely different ground rules or objectives to "try to pick up points from this". The transfer business has been unbalanced and at times seriously bizarre. Certain players falling out of favour while others get endless chances to finally come good. He's not 'clueless', I have no clue who we'd possibly replace him with, and I believe even if we went down he'd deserve til at least December in the Championship based on what he did last time at this level, but I have much bigger questions over his judgment in the transfer market and his reading of a game than I did 12 months ago. He doesn't seem to be learning, and his press conferences seem increasingly rattled and excuse-laden, there's a dash of Klopp creeping in at times which I didn't expect. Still backing him but really feel like he needs to start learning a lot and quickly, or could do with Bellamy being moved to a First Team Coach role and getting an experienced savvy head in who maybe has a contrasting philosophy, but provides experience & different viewpoints, as an Assistant Manager.

[Cooclaret]

The coaches ask him last night about bringing Cork on or changing the plan after they scored, and Kompany told them to bring Cork on.

Thats enough for me, on top of me being one of the first to see through the charm, his in game management is the worst I have seen from a Burnley FC manager.

[Row Z]

Natural leaders know who to turn to when their under the cosh ,VK brought on Tresor no more needs saying.

Agree that change is an error but that doesn’t undermine him being a natural leader.

[Row Z]

That foster pass doesn't count as a chance really though does it? The pass was ****. Not about being clinical. Had Zeki got it and missed fair enough. But the pass what ****. That’s like saying wvery corner was a golden chance, but the cross was ****.

For me there’s too many selfish decisions being made. I like Foster/Zeki, they work and create for the team. Even Fosters pass, he’s trying, making the right decision at least. Others not, just thinking for themselves. Not passing, crossing and choosing to shoot from ridiculous angles. JBG free kick springs to mind, 30 yds out, 5 in the wall. Mate, you missed a 1 on 1, 8 yards out 5 minutes ago, do really think you’ll bend one in from there?

Agree on free kicks, we are awful, especially Brownhill, but JGB has at least scored one (QPR).

Do not agree that you can compare a corner to a simple pass 8 yards out. It’s a massive opportunity that we can’t pass up at this level. However that’s more my overall point, despite Luton having more of the ball, we created by far the better chances.

[gandhisflipflop]

The only time clueless should be used in this thread is for the people calling VK clueless.

[knclaret]

VK is very very lucky Pace likes him, at any other club he’s gone by now.

16 games to get 26-27 points. We are as good as relegated and it’s only January.

Take Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal out ot the next 4 games and it’s realistically 24-25 pts from 13 games. That’s almost top4 form needed.
Not going to happen

[kentonclaret]

Vincent Kompany has dispelled the myth that a club can get promoted to the PL and prosper by playing a brand of Champagne football with players bought for Beer money.

[Vegas Claret]

We didn't do anywhere near this badly under Dyche. What was it, 33 points? Farke fair enough he won promotion again but he was sacked after losing 15 PL games on the trot. Norwich fans might be happy with that but I wouldn't be.

they still complain how the decision to pot Farke was a terrible one and their results since prove that to be the case. Kompany 100% deserves the same opportunity given to Dyche to bring us back up.

[jojomk1]

I thought I read somewhere that we have dropped 18 points from winning positions so far this season

If true, a prime example of the poor performance from VK this season

He assembled this squad paying in the region of £100m during the summer

Good players from last year seem to have been discarded, a number of expensive new signings look out of their depth

His surprising lack of studious preparation for the higher skill levels of the Premier League and, add to this, his lack of tactical nous if we have dropped so many points after going in front is really head scratching

I doubt we will now stay up and, unlike some, I'm not so sure we will bounce straight back up.

Pace will want to cash in on the few successes from this year such as Foster, Koleosho and Odobert plus probably at least six to eight more will leave at the end of the season

Kompany will be with us next season - just not sure I would trust him with another rebuild which we are going to need

[alwaysaclaret]

they still complain how the decision to pot Farke was a terrible one and their results since prove that to be the case. Kompany 100% deserves the same opportunity given to Dyche to bring us back up.

My feeling is why would I want to give him that opportunity to come back to this, because imo he's learnt nothing so far this season.

[FeedTheArf]

My feeling is why would I want to give him that opportunity to come back to this, because imo he's learnt nothing so far this season.

Whether he's learnt anything or not, the thing that stood out most on Friday night was that Luton players wanted it more than we did.

That's not tactics, it's not even talent. That's character and we just don't have it.

Do you think Tarky and Mee would be letting the players off so easy? Heaton? Bardsley? Barnes?? Hell, even Joey despite all of his recent stupidity.

I was more than ready for a change when Dyche left, but he had the thing about key core values, legs, hearts, minds and we've massively come away from that.

We're sleep walking to relegation.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Here’s some context to as to how badly Kompany is performing this season.

No team that has got over 100 points in the championship has ever been relegated first season in the prem.

And here are the below points tally’s for each of them teams that first season:

Reading 55 points
Newcastle 46 points
Leicester 41 points
Sunderland 58 points
Fulham 44 points

Burnley will be lucky to break 25 points this season

People can defend him however much they want, but the reality is he is miles away from being good enough for this league.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Here’s some context to as to how badly Kompany is performing this season.

No team that has got over 100 points in the championship has ever been relegated first season in the prem.

And here are the below points tally’s for each of them teams that first season:

Reading 55 points
Newcastle 46 points
Leicester 41 points
Sunderland 58 points
Fulham 44 points

Burnley will be lucky to break 25 points this season

People can defend him however much they want, but the reality is he is miles away from being good enough for this league.

Luckily for some this season has given them more enjoyment than last season, they had to watch us win most weeks and be the best team.

[alwaysaclaret]

Whether he's learnt anything or not, the thing that stood out most on Friday night was that Luton players wanted it more than we did.

That's not tactics, it's not even talent. That's character and we just don't have it.

Do you think Tarky and Mee would be letting the players off so easy? Heaton? Bardsley? Barnes?? Hell, even Joey despite all of his recent stupidity.

I was more than ready for a change when Dyche left, but he had the thing about key core values, legs, hearts, minds and we've massively come away from that.

We're sleep walking to relegation.

Can't agree more, even my Mrs has said for some time now there's no leader on the pitch, and as you point out, in the Dyche era there were leader's, not just one, several. It's another basic, that just seems to be missing.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Luckily for some this season has given them more enjoyment than last season, they had to watch us win most weeks and be the best team.

If you have enjoyed this season there has to be something wrong with you.

[claretonthecoast1882]

If you have enjoyed this season there has to be something wrong with you.

Couldn't have put it any better than that

[Boss Hogg]

We needed quick decisive action earlier in the season in my opinion. This season has been a disaster on the pitch and seems to have been written off by the board. It was clear it wasn’t going to work after a few games. It’s too late to sack VK now it won’t achieve anything as we are already relegated. I’d give him 10-12 games in the Championship where we need to be at the very top end. He has as good a chance as anyone at that level. I just hope the board don’t do what they did with Dyche and sack him when it’s too late. It won’t achieve anything.

[It Is What It Is]

Blimey ...people have such short memories.
Nine months ago he was the Messiah and could do no wrong.
A lot of fickle fairweather fans on here ...ok...we are not in a good place at the mo, but this is the EPL and we are competing against the best teams and players in the world.
Be real. We are a very young squad but the improvement since our first EPL game v City, has been incredible.
VK deserves more respect for what he has done for BFC.

[Boss Hogg]

Blimey ...people have such short memories.
Nine months ago he was the Messiah and could do no wrong.
A lot of fickle fairweather fans on here ...ok...we are not in a good place at the mo, but this is the EPL and we are competing against the best teams and players in the world.
Be real. We are a very young squad but the improvement since our first EPL game v City, has been incredible.
VK deserves more respect for what he has done for BFC.

Think Burnley fans are generally less demanding than other fans and accept how hard it is to compete. They’ve been accommodating watching the worst home record I can ever remember ( as a reminder P11 W1 D1 L9 with a -14 goal difference). I haven’t seen one live win in person this season. It is right that it is questioned. Too late to change anything now this season and I expect there will be a lot more defeats on the way and our lowest PL points total ever. However the club needs to progress and Managers come and go. They are also paid astronomical amounts to deliver and take pressure. We have spent a hell of a lot of money and a lot of this is borrowed. If we do not get back up ( quite possible) I’m not sure how the current ‘project ‘ stacks up.

[Westleigh]

If you have enjoyed this season there has to be something wrong with you.

I think he was trying to say that us so called fans with agendas like this season more because we’re losing most games

[NewClaret]

We needed quick decisive action earlier in the season in my opinion. This season has been a disaster on the pitch and seems to have been written off by the board. It was clear it wasn’t going to work after a few games. It’s too late to sack VK now it won’t achieve anything as we are already relegated. I’d give him 10-12 games in the Championship where we need to be at the very top end. He has as good a chance as anyone at that level. I just hope the board don’t do what they did with Dyche and sack him when it’s too late. It won’t achieve anything.

I don’t agree we should have sacked him after a few games. For starters, we’d just invested £100m in players he’d signed. Secondly I think there’d have been uproar on here at the stupidity of sacking a manager that had done really well for us the season prior after a few games. I can see it now, berating ALK for being ruthless axemen that don’t understand football, that panicked and messed things up.

In fact, I just don’t get the opinion of any fan (of which I am not convinced many on these threads are because I didn’t see many of them posting so frequently when we were enjoying one of the clubs best ever seasons last year) that thinks Burnley Football Clubs best long term interests are best served by chopping and changing managers. I think it’d send us in to an absolute death spiral like many other clubs below us. We need to be a club with a vision and long term plan.

I do agree that there’s absolutely no point sacking him now and that he deserves a good shot in the Championship with this squad (or as much of it as we can afford to keep together).

[gandhisflipflop]

Totally different situation. A new manager turning things around happens all the time. An existing manager turning things around after a season as bad as ours is almost unheard of, I can't think of a single example of it happening.

I think a good comparison is Leicester City. Rodgers had done a brilliant job there, had loads of credit in the bank but ultimately it had stopped working and the players had lost faith in him. And maybe he would have turned things around as well as Maresca has but I doubt it, I think they needed that fresh start. Same with us.

Go back to the summer of the 22/23 season and people were predicting relegation to league one and administration. Now it’s a new manager turns things around all the time. You can’t have it both ways.

[CoolClaret]

I don’t agree we should have sacked him after a few games. For starters, we’d just invested £100m in players he’d signed. Secondly I think there’d have been uproar on here at the stupidity of sacking a manager that had done really well for us the season prior after a few games. I can see it now, berating ALK for being ruthless axemen that don’t understand football, that panicked and messed things up.

In fact, I just don’t get the opinion of any fan (of which I am not convinced many on these threads are because I didn’t see many of them posting so frequently when we were enjoying one of the clubs best ever seasons last year) that thinks Burnley Football Clubs best long term interests are best served by chopping and changing managers. I think it’d send us in to an absolute death spiral like many other clubs below us. We need to be a club with a vision and long term plan.

I do agree that there’s absolutely no point sacking him now and that he deserves a good shot in the Championship with this squad (or as much of it as we can afford to keep together).

Deserves another season of course, but last season's success is well and truly in the rearview mirror because this is a car crash in all areas in comparison.

[kenyon6923]

think he is also "suffering" as he has given himself too many players to choose from IMO. Training must be like a london tube station at rush hour - people everywhere. Is the team selected on the performance in training ? if so there's so many players anyone can have a good week in training. Middle of January and still does he know his best team ? if it was the FA Cup Final tomorrow night, everyone available, would he know his 11 ? Well TBH he can't do as there are some many players thats not had a decent run in the side - Laarson your starting next 3 games...........or Benson...........or Redmond.........etc etc etc.
Eight months ago Cullen was on the town hall balcony getting the managers and players award when did he then decide he was going to be a bit player ? We wanted Hamer - got Berge who then becomes 1st choice over Brownhill and Cullen - that has to be what they see in training ? If we had a training session this week with the 1st 11 from Friday and the "spare" 11 I think there would be very little between them.

[NewClaret]

Deserves another season of course, but last season's success is well and truly in the rearview mirror because this is a car crash in all areas in comparison.

Obviously this season hasn’t been great and I’ll be the first to agree that our very young manager has made mistakes. I don’t agree it’s been a car crash particularly.

I wasn’t going to bother, but since you’ve replied to me, I’ll pick up on your message on the first page - that we had a large gap over them last year.

We did, but we took as many points off them as we did last year. The results being pretty similar - a draw at home and narrow win away.

Plus it should’ve been an improvement on the tally from last year were it not for VAR and we played this game without 3 of our best performers from this season.

For me last year is not in the rear view mirror but a very fond memory and will definitely fully support Kompany to repeat it and hope we can get back up and learn from this years mistakes.

[CoolClaret]

Obviously this season hasn’t been great and I’ll be the first to agree that our very young manager has made mistakes. I don’t agree it’s been a car crash particularly.

I wasn’t going to bother, but since you’ve replied to me, I’ll pick up on your message on the first page - that we had a large gap over them last year.

We did, but we took as many points off them as we did last year. The results being pretty similar - a draw at home and narrow win away.

Plus it should’ve been an improvement on the tally from last year were it not for VAR and we played this game without 3 of our best performers from this season.

For me last year is not in the rear view mirror but a very fond memory and will definitely fully support Kompany to repeat it and hope we can get back up and learn from this years mistakes.

Worth mentioning that the first game against Luton last season was just the second game of the season way before we had gelled.

For me it's in the rear view mirror because of the mind-boggling repeatable decisions, being this far off it and the fact that his big signings this year have flattered to deceive at best.

Next year as I've mentioned before we will have even less of the old guard here and I have 0 confidence in VK building/keeping a squad happy and building a squad that want to be here to play for BFC.