Smal

I see he played in a double pivot alongside Casemiro. Of the players we have, a Tonali-Bruno pivot seems like the best option if we want to try something new imo. Joelinton can play left wing or 10, or as a rotation option for the pivot players. Willock seems ideally suited to a 10 role with Isak ahead of him too imo.

Our press was miles off. I'm still incredulous that Joelinton played. He couldn't run, let alone tackle. You can't carry someone like that in midfield with the way we want to press.

I actually thought Tonali did well against Brighton, but tactically his positioning was very odd. Bruno seemed to be isolated in the first phase of build up and had no option but to either pass back to Schar or an aimless/overly-ambition forward pass. I mean, look at where Tonali is on the pass map: This just seems well off from what we were doing last season. Trippier has plenty of the ball but is really deep and generally just playing it back and forth with Schar. Tonali is receiving the ball where Almiron would have been normally. The shape is all over the place. We need to get Tonali to help Bruno in build up and start getting Trippier high and wide with Almiron closer to Isak, and get our patterns going down that side again.

Not really. Teams can analyse you and work you out. Both City and Brighton relentlessly exploited the half spaces between our midfield and defence. You need flexibility to counter that and we don’t have a specialist 6 in the entire squad.

If Hall can actually play as a 6 then I think we need to get him up and running asap.

I don’t understand why he played when he was clearly injured

he’s properly pissed me off today, mind . Been incredibly lazy in all of his actions this second half.

Wilson has to start when he’s fit. Much better at leading the press and is pretty much guaranteed goals.

we’ve been bad defensively ever since we abandoned the high line and aggressive sweeper keeper towards the end of last season. The high line meant there was less space between our defence and midfield but we abandoned it and became much better offensively to compensate. This season we have been so bad with the ball it’s unreal.

Bruno been a disgrace today I’m afraid. Offered no protection at all.

Gordon . Absolutely shite

what on earth is going on with Pope, man

Joelinton is really running in treacle, man. Can’t believe he’s still out there

obviously worked harder than anyone else on his fitness, pre-season performances definitely earned him a start, yet he can’t get ahead of a clearly injured Joelinton. Not a great message for him really.

Think Gordon’s been very predictable today

Love Big Joe but it is very obvious he shouldn’t be playing today

Get our right side and Tonali involved in the build up more. Tonali is the one who’s going to make something happen here.

when we smashed them at SJP we pressed them off the park but we’ve decided to sit off here after the first five minutes. Strange stuff.

we’re not very good

Joelinton is not running properly at all.

Would like Bruno to just try keeping it a bit more simple like he did against City in games like this.

I’d fancy Wilson to have had two by now, like.

needs to be a goal, that

Could be a high scoring game. We’re vulnerable in the pockets between our defence and midfield, which they love to exploit; and they are massively vulnerable to transitions - especially pace in wide areas, which favours us.

12 points imo