OTF

Isn't he still accusing us of cheating there by saying we are immune from the plight other teams are facing of having their players bought by the Saudi Pro League (for 'mega-money')?

That's Rubbish. In his early years for us he was notably better than a load of midfielders who have played for us over the last 20 years. You must be forgetting some of the shit we've had; Geremi, Alan Smith, Butt, Guthrie, Gonzales, Gosling, Amalfitano, Colback, Saivet, Marveaux, Bigirimana etc.

They must have only wanted to pay a paltry part of his wages you'd have to assume for it to not have been agreed. A bit disappointing what has happened with Hayden, he was really a promising talent with an attacking threat and excellent at breaking up play, played well with both feet and never got stuck with his head down. Only 28 so hopefully he gets over his injury issues and finds a team to leave a mark on so he can piss off and we can put his wages to better use.

He's not played CB in a good while and was moved there after 70 minutes as a fullback where you have to cover a lot more ground. I'm more critical of Howe for that than I am of Burn.

I feel like it's very possible that players get told they are likely to play 60 minutes and then be subbed off so that they can go all out knowing this. The problem is you're not always replacing like with like. I know Eddie is trying to build a style of play that can have players slot in and out based on availability and not bring about too much change to our high pressing play, but the reality is the levels of players are quite different and you need those playing together to be on the same wavelength. For me Elliot Anderson needs to be bedded in more against lesser opposition. Longstaff I would expect to come on and fit in, but tough when the other midfielders also change. It's easy with hindsight but it sure didn't seem like we were pressing to our usual extent whilst we were 1-0 up with an extra man and so I can't stomach the idea that either Gordon or Tonali had to come off because they were gassed. I didn't see any indication of that. Joelinton was still somehow not on a yellow and was everywhere replacing him and the also excellent Tonali with Anderson and Longstaff was a massive defensive drop in quality and also a significant drop in attack too. Isak was off so swapping in Wilson was the right move. Almiron wasn't unique amongst the team in being spotty at best (Trippier, Bruno and Burn were also well below their best) but was a clear choice for a swap for Barnes over the best player on the pitch to that point, Gordon. Barnes will be ruing how poorly he did when we had a huge overlap and plenty of space but failed to make anything of it. That should have been 2-0 and the end of the contest. Beyond that it was extremely unlucky the way the ball deflected off Botman's back into his leg and right in front of Nunez. Without that stroke of luck we likely hold on for the win. Once they got the first we were pushing too high with slower players who don't have the recovery ability to defend the counter. Bruno's turnover was inexcusable, but the fact that Burn was so far back and isolated against the much faster and totally fresh Nunez made it seem almost inevitable that they would score.

It was 1-1 at the time, can only think he wanted Targett on for his ability to get forward to try to win the game. I feel that a fresh Lascelles would have done better against Nunez for their second than Burn. All on Bruno for turning it over though.

It all comes down to that fucking flukey touch from Botman where it hit his back and flicked off his leg perfectly into the path of Nunez. They got incredibly lucky there, but had been building pressure prior.

The best we can hope is that this is a learning experience and ammunition to make amends. This is the most bitter loss since Howe has come in, and really for a long long time prior. We've thrown away so much with this, even after the initial anger subsides the disappointment about the repercussions of this result will be lasting.

I dare say Lascelles would have done better against Nunez than Burn on the second, and where was Targett? All because we hadn't put the game away and foolishly pushed too high up even though we'd already been shown what Nunez can do with a bit of space.

Honestly disgusting to lose this game. Poor substitutions for a game that we should have put away. Gordon should be fuming about playing so well, scoring what should have been the winner then getting subbed to watch his replacement stuff up a golden chance and the team to go on and lose. There's a lot to learn here, principally that you don't mess with a winning formula and secondly that you can't give that much space to a pacy player against a single slow centre back TWICE.

We've got noone to blame except ourselves here. Pathetically bad. Shocking turn over Bruno.

Fucking devastating this honestly.

Only 5 minutes?

This will be devastating if Botman is injured.

We're shambolic at the moment.

That's incredibly unlucky for Botman. Nunez's finish couldn't have been placed in a better position for them, the cunt.

FFS we should have been 2-0 up.

Maybe still remembering when he put it on a platter for Wilson against Villa and he failed to score.

Not great from Barnes there, Gordon would have done better.

That is what Almiron should be doing more often - moving inwards earlier to give himself more space.

Pope, please don't do anything silly.

Shame to bring off Gordon really.