I'm going to be more charitable than others towards the overall performance, I thought we were value for a point (even leaving aside the penalty incident, more on which later). They'd shaded possession and territory but barely laid a glove on us before they scored. Then, fair enough - we were hanging on for 10 minutes or so, looked like we'd concede off every attack and hung on more through luck than judgement. But hang on we did. Could even have equalised through Podence, Pope wasn't saving his shot (Podence wasn't especially good today but nor was he awful as is being painted by some).
Second half we played much better football and were all over them. Looked dangerous, Neto looked far more like it than last week and the equaliser was wholly deserved, even if it came in scruffy fashion and through an error - haven't people been moaning for ages that we never score those kind of goals?
It's then a really silly change by Lopetegui, which he immediately admitted post-match. Three at the back with this squad still has a very limited role in very specific circumstances. As a general rule, just no. It means we hardly ever get up the pitch, we create nothing and we sit far too deep and invite pressure. We also lost organisation at the back, so for the winner you have RAN caught miles upfield, Kilman chasing around like a dog after a balloon (crap effort to block as well and the deflection takes it in - it's a routine save for Sa otherwise) and Collins playing everyone on. Then with our shit formation that we now can't change as we have no subs and none of the centre halves can play anywhere else, we didn't look likely to equalise a second time. We do not have the players to play that shape, please stop it.
Sa (with limited work to do), Semedo, Moutinho and Neto all good. Hopefully the goal gives Hwang a bit of confidence too because he always seems like the kind of player who might go on streaky little mini-runs.
But obviously so much comes down to the penalty. I do not blame Madley at all for not giving it in real time - just because of the way play has progressed, he's inevitably miles away and I defy anyone to say from that distance at full speed with one look that yes, it's definitely a penalty. But FFS, you have replays! It's an NFL-style barge with zero attempt to play the ball. Everyone but everyone knows that is a penalty and a red card. And it fundamentally changes the whole game. Absolutely terrible refereeing, it seems lately that at least one team gets totally screwed over every single week, how is this happening in the age of VAR? It simply shouldn't. I'm not interested in their apology because it means absolutely fuck all. Sort out your appalling standards that are completely embarrassing for a league that on every other level, is the best in the world.
Still very positive that we'll stay up. Frustrating that we got robbed today and even taking that aside, caused our own problems at the end.
