Bristol City winger Jed Wallace has offered a frank assessment of Burnley's struggles this season, saying the Clarets felt "a long way" from the team that romped to the Championship title three years ago when the Robins beat them 2-1 at Turf Moor at the weekend.

Night and day from the Kompany era

Wallace, 32, was speaking on BBC's 72+ EFL podcast after featuring in City's victory against Burnley, his first appearance at Turf Moor since a 2-1 defeat there in January 2023 while playing for West Bromwich Albion.

"It's night and day from the last time I went there with West Brom under Carlos Corberan when they had Vincent Kompany," Wallace told the podcast. "That night I felt like it was a proper game of football against one of the best teams I've probably ever played in the Championship."

The contrast Wallace described could hardly be starker. Burnley won the Championship that 2022-23 campaign with 101 points, one of the most dominant title-winning seasons the second tier has seen in the modern era. Now, following relegation from the top flight, they sit second from bottom after six games, with new head coach Nicky Hayen yet to record a league win.

Wallace pinpoints the lack of identity

The Bristol City man was measured but pointed in his observations. He said Burnley "haven't really clicked yet" and didn't appear to have a "clear idea of what they were doing" on the pitch, though he was quick to contextualise that view.

"That comes obviously with a new manager, a new style of play and new players," he said, acknowledging that a side rebuilding under fresh management will inevitably take time to find cohesion.

It is a point that resonates across the division. Burnley have seen significant turnover in personnel since their title-winning squad was dismantled and partially reassembled following two seasons in the Premier League. Hayen, appointed this summer, is working to instil a new identity, but the early results suggest that process remains very much a work in progress.

Wallace backs Vardy to make a difference

Despite his critical read of Burnley's current state, Wallace did highlight one reason for optimism at Turf Moor: the arrival of 39-year-old striker Jamie Vardy, who is yet to feature for the Clarets.

"I think he's someone that will certainly have that aggression and will bring that to them as a group," Wallace said. "I didn't really feel that they had much of that on the weekend."

He added that Vardy's qualities remain intact: "He's still a top, top player. I think you saw that last time he was in the Championship for Leicester, he's not lost a yard of pace. He's still absolutely rapid." Wallace believes the veteran forward will prove to be a "great signing" for Burnley once he is up to speed.

The wider picture for both clubs

For Bristol City, the three points from Turf Moor represent another step in what has been a purposeful start to the campaign. Wallace himself highlighted earlier this season that the Robins are chasing a play-off place, and results such as this will only sharpen that belief in the dressing room.

For Burnley, the challenge is more urgent. Second from bottom and still searching for that elusive first league win under Hayen, the Clarets will be desperate to halt the slide. The addition of Vardy, whenever he makes his debut, may offer a focal point and a shift in momentum, but as Wallace's comments illustrate, there is broader work still to be done to recapture anything approaching the cohesion of those title-winning days.

The Clarets were once the benchmark for every club in this division. Right now, according to one of the players who faced them on Saturday, they are a long way short of that standard.

Frequently asked

What did Jed Wallace say about Burnley after Bristol City beat them?
Wallace said facing Burnley felt 'night and day' from the last time he played at Turf Moor, describing the Clarets as a team without a clear identity under new boss Nicky Hayen, but acknowledged that was understandable with a new manager and new players still bedding in.
Where are Burnley in the Championship table after six games?
Burnley are second from bottom in the Championship after six games, with Nicky Hayen yet to win a league match since taking charge this summer.
What did Jed Wallace say about Jamie Vardy joining Burnley?
Wallace backed Vardy as a 'great signing', saying the 39-year-old striker would bring aggression that Burnley lacked against Bristol City and that he has lost none of his pace based on his recent Championship appearances for Leicester.