Celebrations galore, champagne flying and a night to remember. Last minute winner to denying rivals of yet another title. With high praise to the man who captained the legendary moment.
That moment was when Vincent Kompany captained Manchester City in their famous title-winning season in 2012. However, the tables have flipped with his Burnley side fighting bravely to stay up in the Premier League.
Despite last season’s emphatic title-winning season in the Championship, the Clarets find themselves 10 points off safety with only 30 points remaining to play for.
The question is asked of them, can they stay up? If they do stay up, how is this possible? Nottingham Forest have been rumoured to be getting a points deduction. But is it too late?
There is a possibility that it comes down to the last game of the season against Nottingham Forest, this is a position Kompany has found himself in previously even though it was the other end of the spectrum.
Kompany and His Tactics
People such as Richard Keys have stated that his tactics are ‘stupid’ and Andre Gray has said that he shouldn’t attempt to play this way when he doesn’t have the calibre of players.
However, despite the criticism he has persisted in playing in the nature in which he has. This decision could be due to that there has always been a ‘long term plan’ in place but it has led to the frustration of fans to brew with relegation looming.
Throughout the season there has been an air of positivity amongst Kompany’s squad and focusing on what is in front of what could happen. Similar to his footballing style which is very attacking, and possession-based.
It was once very successful so, why is it not now? It is interesting to watch as particularly in midfield there is a gap which leaves them so spread out leading to errors to occur quicker. It is more prominent when out of possession as the transitional element is then less effective.
Due to this being the case it leads to more turnovers and pressure on the defence as they have a lack of cover. Therefore, this potentially explains why there have been many errors at the back and have been exploited many times.
Their attacking element has not been so much of an issue with bright talents such as Luca Koleosho and Lyle Foster showing their talents. Despite their injuries, the replacements have been more than adequate. It is interesting to see how they develop with the effective fast-paced football being played at times.
Bellamy and Kompany are both adamant that their tactics will come to fruition eventually and the Clarets have been more impressive in the recent games.
So, what happens now?
With fans feeling the inevitability of Championship football is it best to prepare for the future or continue to battle on?
There is still lots to play for and if Burnley can carry their performance against West Ham there is potential for a last-minute push for survival. However, if they do not achieve what every fan hopes is possible they seem very well set for next season.
With the little hope there is left to hang onto it is possible that they do achieve the heights they were at last season with the stars they have on their books. Kompany’s focus on the forefront has always been to develop young players whilst playing an attractive style of football.
Many fans have been led to believe that the club itself felt as though the promotion was a bit too early and that is the reason why they are in the current situation. Therefore, this is why the idea of the five-year plan is so important.
If these talents are kept on the club’s books it will allow for them to develop in time for their second season In the premier league, as it is difficult to see how they do not come back up. However, an interesting point to be made is that they may not have the accessibility to spend if they do not let go of a couple of players. This is due to the 90-million-pound net spend in the summer window.
The hope in the camp will be that they can keep hold of the key players as they will be vital for them in the coming seasons. However, all eyes are on the last 10 games and the hope is if they can pick up points against the likes of Brentford and Sheffield United there will be some momentum which could close the gap and potentially lead to some last-day drama against Nottingham Forest.
On the other hand, they may well be saved by the looming points deduction which is rumoured to happen to both Nottingham Forest and Everton. Therefore, despite Everton having points given back to them it could lead ultimately to another relegation scrap for the club.
The next few games are vital, as the fanbase may slowly be turning toxic on Kompany’s decisions with their squad, such as Manuel Benson not featuring much at all throughout the season. There needs to be consistency occurring from the West Ham game to see the tides turn within the club itself.
This consistency will bring a breath of fresh air into the coming season alongside the potential of a last gasp of survival. Furthermore, it will help the owners feel more confident of the Belgian's ability to maintain the quality.
Conclusively, it is evident that there needs to be a shift in momentum and quality throughout the club from the backroom to the players. There also needs to be a desire of the squad to stay together.