Vincent Kompany paid tribute to his young Dutch loan star Ian Maatsen after he fired in the two goals that earned a sixth successive win in the Championship for his Burnley side with a 2-1 triumph at Swansea.
The 20-year-old Chelsea player, who is on a season long loan at Turf Moor, scored twice in the opening 23 minutes with magnificent left-footed strikes that gave home keeper Steven Benda no chance.
“That second goal just travelled and kept going. Ian has given so much defensively and then he was able to add that to his game – not many players can give you that,” said an admiring Burnley manager.
“The set-up for the free-kick is never a coincidence, but then how he hits it he has to take the credit for that.”
Maatsen struck first from a free-kick outside the Swansea box in the 12th minute and then added his second with a thunderbolt from the left edge of the box. Swansea replied with an Ollie Cooper goal in the 27th minute.
“We started the first half extremely well and recovered a lot of balls and created moment, and changes in transition and out of our possession,” added Kompany.
“Then for about 20-25 minutes they were better than us and on top of us. That’s because they changed it, as Swansea do. If you get a press on them and get a hold on them they change it around and move positions.
“We weren’t able to get the same pressure on them. If Swansea have time on the ball then they are going to hurt you. We went a little bit more compact, but that didn’t work massively for us. In the second half it was an even game.
“We got a press on for the full 45 minutes in the second half and that made us a better team. We also had the better chances in the second half, although the result is the most important thing.
“We burned up a lot of energy and I could see a lot of tired legs at half-time. Then in the second half they just went again. That’s the strength of this team – they just keep going when you think they are about to bend or break.”
Swansea boss Russell Martin was buoyed by the performance of his side in the wake of their 4-0 defeat of Watford on Friday night, but disappointed at the way in which his side conceded the two goals in the opening 23 minutes.
“I’m really proud of the players, I thought we were very good in large parts, but I’m also very frustrated and disappointed that we lost to two such poor goals – it’s always the same thing, isn’t it,” said Martin.
“The difference between the two teams over the course of the season is they make very few mistakes leading to goals and we make too many. That’s what you got with youth, and I guess that’s the difference with financial power with the players they have.
“But I thought there was very little between the two teams. First 15 minutes we probably paid them a little bit too much respect, but after that for half an hour I thought we were outstanding.
“We caused them all sorts of problems. We should have made more of the good moments we had.
“I think over the two games against Watford and Burnley, if there is anything the players can take from them it is that we can put ourselves right in the mix.
“There’s a big opportunity for the players this season. I really believe that. I think hopefully we have shown that in the last two games, that we can really compete and cause some problems of our own.”
