Vincent Kompany says Burnley cannot afford to ‘store players’ after home draw

Posted Wednesday, August 17, 2022 by PA

Vincent Kompany played down the prospect of Burnley signing another striker after another frustrating evening in front of goal saw them held 1-1 by Hull in the Sky Bet Championship.

However, opposite number Shota Arveladze had mixed news after his team missed the chance to take top spot, confirming the arrival of Birmingham midfielder Ryan Woods but also revealing that Allahyar Sayyadmanesh will be out for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.

The Tigers forged ahead through Ozan Tufan’s neat finish in the 25th minute but nine minutes later Jay Rodriguez, in the starting line-up for the first time this season after injury, equalised and Burnley made enough chances to win the match in a dominant second-half display.

Kompany played down the prospect of landing another front man, with the Clarets one of several clubs chasing 19-year-old Manchester City starlet Liam Delap.

However, he explained: “A big part for us depends on the fitness of players but we are not in a position where we can just afford to store players, so we have to make sure we are really smart in how we do things and that might come with a bit more versatility in the squad, where players can play one or two positions.

“We can’t afford to spend and leave players on the bench doing nothing. If you want to see the doomsday Sunderland scenario you have to do exactly that.

“Everyone knows with J-Rod they will have to bear with us as we have to manage him.

“He is a special player for us as he has a real goal threat but also has this quality on the ball.

“He seems to me to be really enjoying his game, at times it’s like having a 22-year-old player there, watching and drinking in everything that you say.”

Meanwhile, Arveladze said Woods is to have his medical tomorrow and will be available for the game against West Brom at the weekend. However, Sayyadmanesh, who tweaked a hamstring chasing a pass in the second half, will not be.

“We will see tomorrow but I expect he will be out for five or six weeks,” said Arveladze, who was happy his team extended their unbeaten run at the start of the season to four games.

He said Tufan’s goal was “a brilliant finish, adding: “We had three or four clear-cut chances.

“It’s not easy to come here – this team creates by having ball possession. If you see their central defence, their backs, their wingers, they are all made to keep the ball.

“I don’t think many clubs have a better possession game than the home side, so it was a really tough, important point for us.”