Opinion: Burnley's flat final day defeat to Nottingham Forest brings a curtain down on miserable campaign

It had been teed up a few weeks ago, in the midst of Burnley’s resurgent form, as a potential winner-takes-all final day showdown.

As it transpired, the fixture was rendered almost completely meaningless owing to Burnley’s fate being decided in the penultimate round of the season.

As for Forest, they required a near impossible goal swing of 12 assuming they lost and Luton Town beat Fulham, so for them it was an opportunity to celebrate survival.

Despite there being nothing on the game for his side, Vincent Kompany took it seriously, making just one change from the defeat to Tottenham that confirmed their relegation. He also pledged to use it as part of Burnley’s preparation for next season, where the Clarets will be plotting an immediate return from the Championship.

But it didn’t take long for Burnley’s familiar frailties to appear, just two minutes in fact.

Deja vu

Anthony Elanga was given far too much time and space to get a cross in from the right and Chris Wood was left inexplicably unmarked at the back post to tap home from a few yards out.

Twelve minutes later, the former Claret doubled his tally and his side’s lead, albeit on this occasion he didn’t know a great deal about it. Ryan Yates’ shot ricocheted off him and into the back of the net and, despite initially being ruled out for offside, the goal was eventually given following a VAR check.

With just 14 minutes on the clock, the game was as good as done. In that regard, Burnley were ending the season just how they had started it.

The atmosphere inside Turf Moor – already hushed as a result of the smaller crowd, with plenty opting to stay away – soon turned completely flat. A malaise engulfed the ground for the remainder of the game, perhaps even a feeling of indifference.

Given how miserable the campaign has been, that perhaps shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.

This was Burnley’s 24th defeat of the season, a truly shocking statistic. Thirteen of those losses have come from their 19 home games. That’s simply not good enough.

The same can be said of Burnley’s measly points return of just 24 points, the club’s worst return since 1902/03 – and even that season’s return was better in reality given only two points were awarded for a win back in those days, not three.

You also have to go all the way back to 1890 for the last time the Clarets recorded five wins or fewer in a single campaign – and back then they only played 22 games. It shows the true scale of Burnley’s woes this year.

Powder puff

Once Forest got two in front, they didn’t show a great deal else. They didn’t have to. They sat back, denied Burnley space and cruised for the remainder of the game.

Burnley dominated possession, ending the game with 72 per cent, but they had little to show for it in terms of clear-cut openings. In fact the majority of their chances came from shots outside the box and when they did come, the required quality didn’t accompany them.

The hosts briefly threatened to make things interesting when a slice of good fortune came their way, with Josh Cullen’s low effort deflecting in. But there would be no last stand, no late fightback.

Instead, the attention swiftly turned to the club servants coming off the bench: Johann Gudmundsson and latterly Jack Cork.

Both were deservedly given the chance to have one final send-off before they move onto pastures new this summer. Their experience and know-how will be sorely missed.

For a brief second, it looked like Gudmundsson would get the perfect farewell when Sander Berge teed him up on that cultured left foot of his. But his curling, bending effort didn’t quite curl enough and Matz Sels was able to make the save.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but there’s also a chance Charlie Taylor and Jay Rodriguez also move on. Both are out of contract this summer but remain in talks with the club over new deals. Fingers crossed their futures can be resolved.

Between the four of them, they’ve accumulated 1,719 appearances over a combined 62 years of football. That experience is priceless.

Burnley have gone down the route of buying young under Kompany and that strategy clearly paid dividends during his first season in charge. But the blend of youth and experience was key.

Let’s hope that in losing Cork and Gudmundsson, and potentially the two others, the Clarets aren’t shooting themselves in the foot again. Just as they have done on so many occasions this season.

On a more positive note, Kompany is right to point out that Burnley are heading down in a far healthier state than they were last time. They have a strong core of players that have already proven themselves in the Championship.

While it would be arrogant and perhaps unrealistic to expect anything resembling another 101-point haul, it’s only right there is an expectation on Burnley to return at the first attempt. Indeed, given the financial situation, with the loss of TV revenue, it’s imperative they do.

But that can wait for another day. First, the Clarets must reflect on the harsh lessons handed to them in the top flight this season. And there’s been plenty of them.

This season has been a cruel mistress from the very first kick to the last. Thankfully it’s finally over and done with.