It was a lineup that promised a mixture of chaos, naivety, and excitement - and it certainly delivered. Really entertaining game, I love the way Brighton move the ball around, and they have spells where they can run the best in the country ragged, so it's no surprise they did to us at times in the first half. Their passing and movement is absolutely exquisite at times, and I do think that Potter is going to the top.
Set-pieces. They're an absolute disgrace. I was really angry at that goal - Neves on Dunk ffs, it's just ridiculous. And then it happened again. And then again. It's by design, but if it clearly isn't working, why isn't Nuno, or even Coady, saying "nah fuck this lads, we're at risk on every corner, let's change this shit up a bit". I'm no coach, and Chappers was given stick for saying "what's wrong with just putting a big man on a big man", but there's got to be some area in between that simplicity, and just setting yourself up to fail. It's bastard ridiculous.
Obviously, we all know a 4231 will absolutely work. I'd rather see two new centre backs in to do this, but it's got to be one at an absolute minimum. It's essential to get the best out of the system.
Obsiously, the second half was a lot better - as was the first ten minutes tbf; I think it's a different game if we're remotely solid from set pieces.
When Adama can play like that, he's more than worth keeping. I just wish that there was something a bit better from him in the middle ground - something in between 'ridiculously good' and 'absolute waste of a shirt'. We only really want one of him or Podence for me, and the best of Adama is better than the best of Podence. I'm still far from convinced I'd keep even Adama tbf, but if we can get that even one in five rather than one ten, he's worth keeping off the bench.
The effort and intensity in the second half was really impressive, and there was no shortage of quality on show to go with the heart.
RAN, Vitinha and Silva - the three of them are destined for the very top of the game, there's not a doubt about it for me. They're all proper footballers, and bring so much when they're all on it.
What Nuno has shown, and that I wasn't convinced that he could, is that he's willing to give young players, and more vibrant football, a good go. You can tell there are some lads on the pitch the last couple of games that think they're playing for their futures here, and I don't think we'll see a drop in their performances next season, as long as Nuno doesn't retreat too far into pragmatism.
If you offered me tenth place next season, with proper game time to a young centre half, ran, Vitinha, Silva, Neto, helped along by the experience of a top centre half, Semedo, Neves, another dominant CM, Raul and Trincao-y type, and a similar footballing philosophy to that we've played with in the second half, I'd be really, really happy, and convinced we'd then go on to special things for a few years from August 2022.
