'If I'm being brutally honest': Scott Parker delivers verdict on Burnley's start to the season after Plymouth Argyle win

The Clarets moved up to second in the Championship table on Tuesday night following their 1-0 win against Plymouth Argyle.

While Parker’s side made hard work of the victory, it means they’ve now won five of their first eight games, conceding just four goals during that time.

Going forwards Burnley are lacking a killer instinct, but given the squad upheaval over the summer Parker is understandably pleased with how things are going.

When asked if his side are ahead of his expectations, Parker said: “Yeah, probably, if I’m being brutally honest.

“It’s a young team, a fresh team. This group has been together for five weeks, maybe not even that, four weeks.

“Players who got a six or seven-week pre-season with the information that was given, half of them are no longer here so you’re having to reset and restart again.

“I’m absolutely delighted with where we currently are and like always, there’s going to be times where I’m saying there are elements that I don’t like or we need to keep improving, but I’m certainly seeing things that suggest they’re getting it and they understand. The players are definitely starting to feel it.”

Despite not being at their best in recent weeks, Burnley are now unbeaten in their last five games heading into this weekend’s derby against Preston North End.

“That’s the most pleasing thing,” Parker added. “There are still loads and loads of areas where we need to improve. We’re nudging away and getting results.

“We have done remarkably well. From where we were and from what we are, as a young team that is developing, I am absolutely delighted with the group and the players. I see real improvements every week.”

Parker added: “Of course there are elements where you want to continually improve and certainly we need to be more clinical.

“The Plymouth game is the first game where I felt for 45 minutes we got to the edge of their box incredibly well with real ease in terms of the way we played, in terms of our structure.

“Of course it’s fair to highlight our need to be more clinical in those moments, but that’s part of training and working hard.

“I just wish sometimes you have two or three weeks’ training and everything just falls into place, but the reality is it doesn’t work like that.”

Given the grind of the Championship, Parker is also well aware Burnley must do whatever it takes to pick up results.

“I’ve been in this division many a time, I’ve been around it many a time,” he added.

“The first-half you’re thinking can we score two or three? In the second-half, let’s be honest, you’re thinking can we just get out of here with a win? That’s it.

“I’m not going to be embarrassed to say the second-half was a game where we needed to dog, we needed to fight, we needed to be resilient and we just needed to get out with three points. That’s exactly what the players did.

“There are big elements where I want us to be better in the second-half, but considering where we are let’s just get the three points and we’ll regroup.”