Leeds appreciation society

[Robbie_painter]

If they are the 5th best team in the league points records in the prem are definitely going to be broken next season.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Bristol are dramatically outclassed by Leeds just like they were when they came to us.

As for winning the league, Leeds deserve it. We played them at home and didn’t try to win the game. May have been clever strategy, may have helped promotion by keeping the unbeaten run, but I do feel they have been more positive than we have and deserve the league if they get to 100 points.

p.s. would we be the first ever English professional team to get 100 points and not win a title? Liverpool failed with 97 points from 38 games.

[4:20]

Bristol are dramatically outclassed by Leeds just like they were when they came to us.

As for winning the league, Leeds deserve it. We played them at home and didn’t try to win the game. May have been clever strategy, may have helped promotion by keeping the unbeaten run, but I do feel they have been more positive than we have and deserve the league if they get to 100 points.

p.s. would we be the first ever English professional team to get 100 points and not win a title? Liverpool failed with 97 points from 38 games.

Yes, we would be the first team ever to hit 100+ points and not finish top.

[matttheclaret]

Yes, we would be the first team ever to hit 100+ points and not finish top.

Notts County finished 2nd with 107 points in the National League two years ago

[4:20]

Notts County finished 2nd with 107 points in the National League two years ago

Although majority professional, there was, and still are, semi pro teams in that division which sullies that particular record a little.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Although majority professional, there was, and still are, semi pro teams in that division which sullies that particular record a little.

Yes, my lazy original question said “professional team” but I meant league and discounted the conference or whatever it is called these days. As you rightly imply, some of those teams are made up of electricians so it is less tricky to get 100 points, even if Notts were fully professional.

[jurek]

I think I have to give credit to Leeds for playing the way they have.

The stats against Bristol speak for themselves.
23 shots, 12 on target. 74% possession.
93 goals scored so far this season. 29 conceded.

I know we've got some pretty impressive stats too
but I think there's a few Burnley fans who, if they're honest
would wish we'd played as they have and scored as many goals as they have.

But congrats to both teams for achieving promotion.

[TheFamilyCat]

From BBC match text

Tom, Arsenal fan: Leeds are probably the flair team, but just look at Burnley's stats. Second-highest scorers but only 15 goals conceded in a fearlessly competitive league, as the fact that all of the teams in the playoff positions have lost 10+ games suggests. Phenomenal.

The teams in the play off positions have lost 10+ games because they are crap. Bristol have played us and Leeds in the last few weeks and been miles behind both of us (although our scoreline didn't look as convincing). The fact that Blackburn can still make it after 7 straight defeats or whatever it was tells you everything you need to know. The thought of one of them potentially being in the PL next season is laughable.

[LoveCurryPies]

I’ve just driven with radio Leeds on.

Commentator asked “Can you remember any team in recent years who have dominated this league like Leeds have this season?”

Arrogant ******

[Leisure]

I’ve just driven with radio Leeds on.

Commentator asked “Can you remember any team in recent years who have dominated this league like Leeds have this season?”

Arrogant ******

And yet they couldn't beat us or even score against us!

[Roosterbooster]

And are essentially joint top

[martin_p]

I’ve just driven with radio Leeds on.

Commentator asked “Can you remember any team in recent years who have dominated this league like Leeds have this season?”

Arrogant ******

All credit to Leeds, if they win the title they deserve it, but this kind of nonsense really winds me up. They’ve dominated the league so much that going into the final game they still haven’t won it!

[Bordeauxclaret]

I’ve just driven with radio Leeds on.

Commentator asked “Can you remember any team in recent years who have dominated this league like Leeds have this season?”

Arrogant ******

Does two seasons ago count to them I wonder?

[martin_p]

Does two seasons ago count to them I wonder?

The actual answer is ‘yes I can, in most seasons a team has dominated the league more than Leeds this season given they’re going to win it by three points at most’.

[Clovius Boofus]

Bristol City are 5th, yet closer on points to the bottom team than they are to us.

[Luppy]

Leeds are a good side, they play attacking football on the front foot. Just like we did the first two games of the season before the squad was ripped up and put back together - Leeds haven't had to contend with that.

[ClaretTony]

It was the game against Leeds at Bramall Lane Tony. I text Transpennine at the time saying that I felt nauseous at the line. Hinchcliffe is just literally a cliché. I can't stand him when he is on with Leeds, he absolutely loves them.

Did Cooper make TOTY?

I knew it was a recent game - and I did see that game against Leeds. I can't stand him when he's on with any team to be honest.

[Jakubclaret]

Leeds are a good side, they play attacking football on the front foot. Just like we did the first two games of the season before the squad was ripped up and put back together - Leeds haven't had to contend with that.

All ifs buts & maybes. All of that was our own doing had we stopped up things would have been different. All in all us & Leeds with their advantages it's only by goal difference they are on top not much in it & still a game left where things could still swing our way. If you look at both teams from any neutral point of view you can admire leeds for being able to freely score goals & our defensive solidity for shutting up shop.

[fatboy47]

it's only by goal difference they are on top not much in it

In the current circumstances plenty of other sports may decide the issue on the head-to-head results between the contenders.
On which basis they'd be driving the trophy to Turf Moor as we speak.

[Dazzler]

In the current circumstances plenty of other sports may decide the issue on the head-to-head results between the contenders.
On which basis they'd be driving the trophy to Turf Moor as we speak.

The Serie A title can be decided on head-to-head results, goal difference & goals scored don't come into it. if Napoli & Inter finish on the same points they will Play-Off for the title as their head-to-head agg, is 2-2.

[Woodleyclaret]

They will slip up v Argyle they don't have our class flair or defence.

[MrTopTier]

That I predict a riot celebration song is miles better than our Klopp lite celebration. Apart from that two very good teams going about things in a different way. Hope we do pip them to the title but if we both end on 100 points it’s a ridiculous achievement by both teams. Hats off to both.

PS Andy Hinchliffe is the worst pundit ever

[Ampth7]

I’ve just driven with radio Leeds on.

Commentator asked “Can you remember any team in recent years who have dominated this league like Leeds have this season?”

Arrogant ******

Classic media bullshoite! Everything is overhyped in the media and not just in sport. A decent effort or save is too easily brandished ‘incredible’ or ‘world-class’ when really it’s just decent! Always makes me laugh when I read a story that makes the event sound like it will blow my mind only to then watch it and wonder if I had watched the right clip!

[CrosspoolClarets]

Leeds are a good side, they play attacking football on the front foot. Just like we did the first two games of the season before the squad was ripped up and put back together - Leeds haven't had to contend with that.

Against Luton and Cardiff we were only 4 or 5 players different to the eleven that will start on Saturday. Arguably most of the new ones are an improvement - e.g. Edwards for Vitinho, Anthony for Koleosho, Egan Riley for O’Shea.

What changed was primarily our tactics. Luckily it was temporary.

[Colburn_Claret]

Against Luton and Cardiff we were only 4 or 5 players different to the eleven that will start on Saturday. Arguably most of the new ones are an improvement - e.g. Edwards for Vitinho, Anthony for Koleosho, Egan Riley for O’Shea.

What changed was primarily our tactics. Luckily it was temporary.

Against Sunderland we played 2 players that had played the first 2 games. 4 players who were signed that week, so never kicked a ball for Burnley. The rest were players who'd been out on loan the previous season, or sitting on the bench. I'd never heard of some of the lads on the bench.
You have a very selective memory if you think where we are today is because we started off in a good position.

[mybloodisclaret]

Against Luton and Cardiff we were only 4 or 5 players different to the eleven that will start on Saturday. Arguably most of the new ones are an improvement - e.g. Edwards for Vitinho, Anthony for Koleosho, Egan Riley for O’Shea.

What changed was primarily our tactics. Luckily it was temporary.

Tactics? It was the middle of the exodus. Stories going round of players refusing to play. Agents kicking off. The season potentially could have been mortally wounded and we hadn't even got going.

[Devils_Advocate]

Against Sunderland we played 2 players that had played the first 2 games. 4 players who were signed that week, so never kicked a ball for Burnley. The rest were players who'd been out on loan the previous season, or sitting on the bench. I'd never heard of some of the lads on the bench.
You have a very selective memory if you think where we are today is because we started off in a good position.

Where to start with this nonsense

First of all in the starting line up for Sunderland we had 6 players who had played in both the first two games and another two player who had played in one of the first two games so 8 players in total rather than the two you stated

You said 4 players had signed that week and never kicked a ball for us when only two players were new signings and both signed four weeks before the season started.

We had 7 regular first team players who had all played the previous season in the starting line up and had Pires who singed 16th July a good 4 weeks before the season started.

We only really had 3 weaker players who stared that game and one of them was Egan-Riley (little did we know). The other two were Massengo who had been with Burnley all the previous season and had 99 Championship games under his belt (also featured against Luton) and Hountondji who like Pires was singed mid July (to be fair he was very inexperienced and below the standard needed)

Our defence that day was Trafford, Pires, Esteve, Egan-Riley and Roberts so not too shabby. Our bench was weak but even then we had Amdouni to come on.

It was a mental week and the poor performance at Sunderland was totally understandable but this whole notion about parker having his squad ripped apart and doing a miracle job to rebuild it is complete revisionism.

Kompany lost just as many key players, had far less players to start with and brought in 5 or 6 of his key players in either the week of the season starting or after the start of the season.

[martin_p]

Where to start with this nonsense

First of all in the starting line up for Sunderland we had 6 players who had played in both the first two games and another two player who had played in one of the first two games so 8 players in total rather than the two you stated

You said 4 players had signed that week and never kicked a ball for us when only two players were new signings and both signed four weeks before the season started.

We had 7 regular first team players who had all played the previous season in the starting line up and had Pires who singed 16th July a good 4 weeks before the season started.

We only really had 3 weaker players who stared that game and one of them was Egan-Riley (little did we know). The other two were Massengo who had been with Burnley all the previous season and had 99 Championship games under his belt (also featured against Luton) and Hountondji who like Pires was singed mid July (to be fair he was very inexperienced and below the standard needed)

Our defence that day was Trafford, Pires, Esteve, Egan-Riley and Roberts so not too shabby. Our bench was weak but even then we had Amdouni to come on.

It was a mental week and the poor performance at Sunderland was totally understandable but this whole notion about parker having his squad ripped apart and doing a miracle job to rebuild it is complete revisionism.

Kompany lost just as many key players, had far less players to start with and brought in 5 or 6 of his key players in either the week of the season starting or after the start of the season.

I don’t think anyone is denying Kompany did an amazing job as well, but it’s certainly not revisionist to suggest the squad was ripped apart at the start of this season. The figures speak for themselves, was it 20 odd players out? Admittedly many of those would be players we were happy to see go but we lost some serious quality.

[Quicknick]

Classic media bullshoite! Everything is overhyped in the media and not just in sport. A decent effort or save is too easily brandished ‘incredible’ or ‘world-class’ when really it’s just decent! Always makes me laugh when I read a story that makes the event sound like it will blow my mind only to then watch it and wonder if I had watched the right clip!

You can sum up modern society in three words: overstatement, overreaction, underachievement.

[Devils_Advocate]

I don’t think anyone is denying Kompany did an amazing job as well, but it’s certainly not revisionist to suggest the squad was ripped apart at the start of this season. The figures speak for themselves, was it 20 odd players out? Admittedly many of those would be players we were happy to see go but we lost some serious quality.

The reason we had 20 players go out because over the two years Kompany was there he turned us from a depleting ageing squad into a massive bloated squad of young players so there was a lot of players to move on and get some money for to be able to help build the right team for this season.

Its not about Kompany doing an amazing job or not but its about this narrative that Parker had his side ripped apart when Kompany faced pretty much the same challenge and no one went on about Kompany having his team ripped apart.

In terms of key players Kompany lost Pope, Collins, Mee, Tarkowski, Cornet and McNeill and was left with Roberts, Taylor, Brownhill, Cork, JBG, Barnes and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players

In comparison Parker lost O'Shea, Berge, Zaroury, Odobert, Vitinho and Amdouni and was left with Trafford, Roberts, Esteve, Brownhill, Cullen, Koleosho, Egan-Riley, Foster and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players.

A lot of the other sales were where we had excess of players so for example selling Muric when we already have Trafford or selling Al Dakhil when we have Esteve, Egan-Riley and Ekdal wasn't our side being gutted but was about getting decent money for players to thin out the squad and make room for players Parker wanted like Worral, Anthony, Laurent.

What Parker had to deal with that transfer deadline week was about as chaotic and turbulent as any manager could face and it understandably impacted our performances against Sunderland and Blackburn but once the dust settled Parker had lost pretty much the players he expected lose (barring Vitinho) and brought in replacements who in the case of Worral, Hannibal and Anthony he already had lined up to come in as soon as the departing player left

Parker has done a brilliant job this season and whilst the football may not have been as exciting as Kompany's the results (what matters) has been just as good so we've been lucky to get the manager choice spot on both times but with the squad Parker has had and the money he's been able to spend on players and loans anything less that top two would have been below par

My only challenge about Parker this season is what I see as a false narrative that he's had to work miracles to rebuild a team after having it gutted and ripped apart.

[Dougall]

You could say that that is revisionism with a West Yorkshire flavour, of course!

[ClaretOfMancunia]

Its not about Kompany doing an amazing job or not but its about this narrative that Parker had his side ripped apart when Kompany faced pretty much the same challenge and no one went on about Kompany having his team ripped apart.

I remember a LOT being made of the huge turnover of players we had, and our resultant success (despite many outlets claim we were destined to rot in the Championship with huge debts) in our Championship season under Kompany. It was almost the exact same narrative re squad rebuild that Parker has had this season.

[clarets1978]

The reason we had 20 players go out because over the two years Kompany was there he turned us from a depleting ageing squad into a massive bloated squad of young players so there was a lot of players to move on and get some money for to be able to help build the right team for this season.

Its not about Kompany doing an amazing job or not but its about this narrative that Parker had his side ripped apart when Kompany faced pretty much the same challenge and no one went on about Kompany having his team ripped apart.

In terms of key players Kompany lost Pope, Collins, Mee, Tarkowski, Cornet and McNeill and was left with Roberts, Taylor, Brownhill, Cork, JBG, Barnes and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players

In comparison Parker lost O'Shea, Berge, Zaroury, Odobert, Vitinho and Amdouni and was left with Trafford, Roberts, Esteve, Brownhill, Cullen, Koleosho, Egan-Riley, Foster and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players.

A lot of the other sales were where we had excess of players so for example selling Muric when we already have Trafford or selling Al Dakhil when we have Esteve, Egan-Riley and Ekdal wasn't our side being gutted but was about getting decent money for players to thin out the squad and make room for players Parker wanted like Worral, Anthony, Laurent.

What Parker had to deal with that transfer deadline week was about as chaotic and turbulent as any manager could face and it understandably impacted our performances against Sunderland and Blackburn but once the dust settled Parker had lost pretty much the players he expected lose (barring Vitinho) and brought in replacements who in the case of Worral, Hannibal and Anthony he already had lined up to come in as soon as the departing player left

Parker has done a brilliant job this season and whilst the football may not have been as exciting as Kompany's the results (what matters) has been just as good so we've been lucky to get the manager choice spot on both times but with the squad Parker has had and the money he's been able to spend on players and loans anything less that top two would have been below par

My only challenge about Parker this season is what I see as a false narrative that he's had to work miracles to rebuild a team after having it gutted and ripped apart.

I take what you're saying but just a slight dispute
Kompany didnt lose Pope, Collins, Mee, Tarkowski, Cornet and McNeil as none of them ever kicked a ball for Burnley under his management.
With Parker however of the list you said (O'Shea, Berge, Zaroury, Odobert, Vitinho and Amdouni), only Berge didnt play under him so was a bigger difference and a bigger loss for him I would say.

[Belial]

Or maybe a vote from all the other teams fans in the league.

Or a Royal Rumble 11 vs 11

[Devils_Advocate]

I take what you're saying but just a slight dispute
Kompany didnt lose Pope, Collins, Mee, Tarkowski, Cornet and McNeil as none of them ever kicked a ball for Burnley under his management.
With Parker however of the list you said (O'Shea, Berge, Zaroury, Odobert, Vitinho and Amdouni), only Berge didnt play under him so was a bigger difference and a bigger loss for him I would say.

They both lost their star players who were never going to play in the Championship because when teams go down thats what happens. The differences are that Parker had the advantage of having those star player available for the first two games where as Kompany had to start the season with a makeshift team but to balance it out Parker had a week of turmoil and the Sunderland game where he had to manage a makeshift team himself.

Parker knew that Odobert, Berge, O'Shea and Zaroury were all going to leave before the end of the window and that Amdouni wanted out and was leaving providing a team came in. Its the reason Parker had players like Worral, Hannibal, Anthony and to a certain extent Fleming lined up to come in.

Just because we got a couple of games out of some of them doesn't mean they were more of a loss to this seasons squad than the players like Tarks, Mee, Pope, Collins, McNeill were to the previous Championship seasons squad.

[RVclaret]

The reason we had 20 players go out because over the two years Kompany was there he turned us from a depleting ageing squad into a massive bloated squad of young players so there was a lot of players to move on and get some money for to be able to help build the right team for this season.

Its not about Kompany doing an amazing job or not but its about this narrative that Parker had his side ripped apart when Kompany faced pretty much the same challenge and no one went on about Kompany having his team ripped apart.

In terms of key players Kompany lost Pope, Collins, Mee, Tarkowski, Cornet and McNeill and was left with Roberts, Taylor, Brownhill, Cork, JBG, Barnes and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players

In comparison Parker lost O'Shea, Berge, Zaroury, Odobert, Vitinho and Amdouni and was left with Trafford, Roberts, Esteve, Brownhill, Cullen, Koleosho, Egan-Riley, Foster and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players.

A lot of the other sales were where we had excess of players so for example selling Muric when we already have Trafford or selling Al Dakhil when we have Esteve, Egan-Riley and Ekdal wasn't our side being gutted but was about getting decent money for players to thin out the squad and make room for players Parker wanted like Worral, Anthony, Laurent.

What Parker had to deal with that transfer deadline week was about as chaotic and turbulent as any manager could face and it understandably impacted our performances against Sunderland and Blackburn but once the dust settled Parker had lost pretty much the players he expected lose (barring Vitinho) and brought in replacements who in the case of Worral, Hannibal and Anthony he already had lined up to come in as soon as the departing player left

Parker has done a brilliant job this season and whilst the football may not have been as exciting as Kompany's the results (what matters) has been just as good so we've been lucky to get the manager choice spot on both times but with the squad Parker has had and the money he's been able to spend on players and loans anything less that top two would have been below par

My only challenge about Parker this season is what I see as a false narrative that he's had to work miracles to rebuild a team after having it gutted and ripped apart.

I don’t think O’Shea was ‘always’ going to leave. He started pushing once offers came in and refused to play at Sunderland. Neither JBG after re-signing weeks earlier. Or Vitinho who Parker had clearly built his pre season system around (a hybrid wing back / attacking winger). Flemming said he only found out of our interest the day before deadline day.

I’ve seen interviews with Brownhill (podcast and post Sunderland), Mike Jackson (club produced mini doc), Esteve
(Post Sunderland) and Roberts (pre match interview) that all describe the end of the summer window as chaos / turmoil. Jackson specifically stated ‘I don’t think people realise what was happening at the club in those weeks’.

Kompany’s rebuild was done before the season started, not 3 games into one, when a virtual second pre season was needed, he also benefitted (going back to what he said at the time) by having the World Cup break to bring the new squad together, remember how good we were post World Cup? - yes there are clear similarities but also clear differences. Btw I am not playing down his success, I loved it, but just being objective here.

[martin_p]

The reason we had 20 players go out because over the two years Kompany was there he turned us from a depleting ageing squad into a massive bloated squad of young players so there was a lot of players to move on and get some money for to be able to help build the right team for this season.

Its not about Kompany doing an amazing job or not but its about this narrative that Parker had his side ripped apart when Kompany faced pretty much the same challenge and no one went on about Kompany having his team ripped apart.

In terms of key players Kompany lost Pope, Collins, Mee, Tarkowski, Cornet and McNeill and was left with Roberts, Taylor, Brownhill, Cork, JBG, Barnes and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players

In comparison Parker lost O'Shea, Berge, Zaroury, Odobert, Vitinho and Amdouni and was left with Trafford, Roberts, Esteve, Brownhill, Cullen, Koleosho, Egan-Riley, Foster and Jay-Rod as what you would count as first team players.

A lot of the other sales were where we had excess of players so for example selling Muric when we already have Trafford or selling Al Dakhil when we have Esteve, Egan-Riley and Ekdal wasn't our side being gutted but was about getting decent money for players to thin out the squad and make room for players Parker wanted like Worral, Anthony, Laurent.

What Parker had to deal with that transfer deadline week was about as chaotic and turbulent as any manager could face and it understandably impacted our performances against Sunderland and Blackburn but once the dust settled Parker had lost pretty much the players he expected lose (barring Vitinho) and brought in replacements who in the case of Worral, Hannibal and Anthony he already had lined up to come in as soon as the departing player left

Parker has done a brilliant job this season and whilst the football may not have been as exciting as Kompany's the results (what matters) has been just as good so we've been lucky to get the manager choice spot on both times but with the squad Parker has had and the money he's been able to spend on players and loans anything less that top two would have been below par

My only challenge about Parker this season is what I see as a false narrative that he's had to work miracles to rebuild a team after having it gutted and ripped apart.

I think you’re being a bit revisionist yourself now. Plenty WAS made of the fact that Kompany had to rebuild the team and moreover that he completely changed the style in doing so. It was different to Parker in that he had more time before the season started but I remember his rebuild (and restyling) being a big thing.

[Devils_Advocate]

I think you’re being a bit revisionist yourself now. Plenty WAS made of the fact that Kompany had to rebuild the team and moreover that he completely changed the style in doing so. It was different to Parker in that he had more time before the season started but I remember his rebuild (and restyling) being a big thing.

I agree, Kompany was given full credit for having to rebuild the team but it was expected as being part and parcel of the job rather than him being hard done to by having the team ripped out from him.

When a team goes down they lose their best players and have a lot of outgoings which means that a new manager would need to replace them and rebuild the squad. The positive is that some of the players they dont lose will be top quality Championship players plus they will get good money from the sales to also add to the squad with additional top quality Championship players

The narrative I challenge is that Parker had his squad ripped apart when the truth the majority of those players were always going and Parker would be aware he would need to replace them and like Kompany it was just getting the replacements right and getting them to gel and play well.

The notion that Kompany had a full summer isnt fully accurate. Its true we lost 4 out of the 6 players early in the summer but the squad was so threadbare that Kompany had to bring a lot of players in (more so than Parker), bring them in cheap and get some quality loan signings so of his core team he only really had Cullen, Harwood-Bellis and Mattsen in before the season started with Muric, Vitinho, Benson, Zaroury, Tella and Beyer all coming either the week the season started or after the start of the season.

The main point for me though is the idea that Parker came in and put his team together and then had the heart of it ripped out from him after the season started. The truth is that Parker started the season with some quality players he knew he was going to lose but wasn't able to have concrete plans about it until the end of the transfer window and thus had to manage the club through a hellish week.

[IWOODLOVETT]

Vincent Kompany arrived in June and had 2 months pre-season to recruit and develop his squad. The owners were so impressed by his arrival that they gave him virtually a free hand with regards to transfers. He was able to attract a good number of good, young players, money seemed to be readily available, and he signed a number of impressive loan players including Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ian Maatsen, Lorenz Assignon and Nathan Tella. All four established themselves as first choice players, but returned to their parent clubs at the season’s end.

Scott Parker arrived in July and had 1 month to form a squad of players (many of whom didn’t want to be at the club) plus his management team. Having lost the loanees Parker had to sell before he could recruit and to deal with the unrest in the changing room. Players like Weghorst, Muric, Berge, Odobert, Amdouni, Vitinho, Zaroury etc. etc. had to be moved on at a time when there were a significant number of long-term injuries within the club. Parker was able to carry out his transfer business during the August window with the new players arriving after the season start at the end of the month and the new coaching team were able to commence their the development of the new squad in September.

The comparison tells it’s own story, however both managers have given us some good times and have lifted the profile of the club.

[clarets1978]

They both lost their star players who were never going to play in the Championship because when teams go down thats what happens. The differences are that Parker had the advantage of having those star player available for the first two games where as Kompany had to start the season with a makeshift team but to balance it out Parker had a week of turmoil and the Sunderland game where he had to manage a makeshift team himself.

Parker knew that Odobert, Berge, O'Shea and Zaroury were all going to leave before the end of the window and that Amdouni wanted out and was leaving providing a team came in. Its the reason Parker had players like Worral, Hannibal, Anthony and to a certain extent Fleming lined up to come in.

Just because we got a couple of games out of some of them doesn't mean they were more of a loss to this seasons squad than the players like Tarks, Mee, Pope, Collins, McNeill were to the previous Championship seasons squad.

I think you're missing what I am saying there. Kompany never had those players at his disposal at any point so didnt feel the loss of them because they were just never there as far as he was concerned (I would hazard a guess that he never even met Mee & Tarkowski because they were already gone by the time he got here). Parker did a pre season and 2 games with all bar one of the players you listed. Whether he knew they were going or not, thats a bigger disruption than Kompany. Kompany always selected players he knew was stopping and would be part of the squad for as long as he wanted so he was able to gradually build from day one.
For Example Kompanys first game against Huddersfield didnt include a player in the matchday squad that wasnt there at the end of the August window
Parkers first game at Luton included included 3 players in the starting line up and another 4 on the bench that left before the end of the window

[Devils_Advocate]

I do understand but I think Kompany had a real mess the manage the first couple of games where he was having to throw players straight in, play players out of position like Taylor at centre back and play players like Costello who was clearly not good enough. The fact we played so well against Huddersfield was amazing but we didnt win any of the next four games whilst Kompany managed to bring in all the new faces and embed them.

Basically Kompany suffered at the start of the season from losing a load of players and having to spend the first few games building his team whereas Parker started with a set of players way to good for the Championship but then suffered a couple of games in where he had to manage all the changes and as a result had some poor results.

The narrative has been from some people that if Parker would have been able to keep the players who started the first two games we'd have played brilliant attacking football but Parker keeping those players would be the equivalent of Kompany keeping the six he lost and that was never gonna happen.

The bit I contest is the bit about the team being ripped apart when some of those players were never staying and Parker had obviously spent summer finding and lining up replacements to come straight in as we saw with Worrell, Hannibal, Anthony and Flemming