Gallowgate Toon

Really odd game, as has been said. The pull back goal seemed to give us the jitters and we were content to sit in and manage it out from there. Probably sensible. We were taking the sting out very early on in the second half with slow walks to get the ball etc. Would've preferred we came out as we did in the first and try to blitz it but who gives a fuck, we're in a final!

Bad tackle but it happens. Fine margins in games. Ultimately, I thought we sat back far too much in the second half looking to counter and gave them momentum which led to this. Something to work on.

What an atmosphere. I'm absolutely fucked.

Will run riot in the Europa next year.

A young midfield talent would've made this a very positive window indeed, for me. As it stands, 6/10 (including Kuol in ths business )

Our manager clearly thinks he can compete at our level (don't see him starting tonight though).

A couple of comments that the pitch was a bit dodgy at St Mary's, to be fair to us.

Ideally, we do get another CM for both cover and another in-game option to switch things up, but Howe isn't wedded to 3 mids, imo. If we needed to, we could confidently switch to a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-3.

Howe has to be really careful with the situation with the attackers. Fair enough, cup semi-final so you want to go with some safety, but if that starting XI goes another 60 minutes without scoring and missing chances then he has to change it for the weekend. It doesn't send a good message to attacking players that running hard and being tidy in possession is enough to start if you're not contributing to actual goals. Isak and ASM are motivated to start but if they feel like they're not going to get in regardless of performance then they'll lose that edge in their cameos.

Got some sympathy for the training line but Isak has performed well and should start. Wilson can come on and show he's back. Or you start them both...

"you'll probably win" but we're arrogant clowns for thinking it

Berge fits our giant freaks mould.

Fucking yas

Will be a bit sad to see him go, tbh. Think he's looked good for us under Howe but his injury situation warrants getting shot now.

Hell of a change for the lad going from a low possession, dull-as-dishwater side to us. It'll be an adjustment, I'm sure. I have a feeling Howe really likes his movement off the ball when in possession, an option who can make Miggy moves from the other side (or come on in games to do the same). I'll be surprised if he starts much for a while.

Brighton fans at work are fuming, rightfully. What a shit statement. I think it's a fair offer for him based on his actual ability though.

Trying to get a bit more excited about him - scored a couple of nice goals earlier in the season when Everton were showing a modicum of form. Good movement & tidy finishes. The GoT thread on him from last season is still a mixed bag. Some calling him a bright spark in the side, some saying they don't think he's got what it takes, some saying their shite defensive tactics make it hard etc.

Don't think he'll start much for a while as I think it's going to take some time to build his fitness up.

Not bowled over but I think he'll be a good signing over time. Quite a lot of aspersions cast about ability considering he's 21. It's interesting looking at other players who are now/ have recently been producing output compared to what they'd done at 20/21 - Grealish, Barnes, Nketiah, Harrison etc. Not everyone is a Foden.

For me, the most disappointing thing so far is the young talent that we've missed out on considering that's seemingly always Ashworth's MO. Santos, Ouattara, Danilo etc. have all gone for very reasonable amounts and yet we couldn't agree on a fee with Franca. Perhaps clubs have agreed to ridiculous sell-on fees or whatever but just seems really weird that we're so value-driven but then seemingly won't go and take a punt on at least 1 bright talent for less than what we paid for Wood.

Christ, I hope Baldwards is wrong. There've been some good value signings this Jan, imo, a decent amount of which would've improved us without impacting FFP much.

Caicedo is a good player but some Brighton fans are twisting at the £60m offer for him as if it's some kind of insult

Managed to convince Vitor Roque to join us.

We started with Jacob Murphy in that fixture as well I think if we'd had the bench/rotation options that we do now then we'd have been able to take back more control in that second half - we ran out of gas after about 70 mins and that's when the problems started.

Christ, can something just happen ffs