Brighton are a joy to watch but Graham Potter continues to tread a fine line

Picture the scene, Boris had shut the pubs (again) and I keep away from the on line ‘free’ football streaming.

So market forces and a near 50 year love affair with the Albion dictated that I bite the bullet and pay Sky’s £14.95 Sky Box Office fee for last Friday’s Amex encounter with Burnley.

Money well spent? Frankly no, for all their superiority in possession and shots on goal stats, Albion finished goalless with a solitary point, in a game many were saying was already a relegation six pointer.

Football truly is a game of opinions, and like most Albion managers, Graham Potter has polarised opinion amongst the faithful.

Do I think the Albion will go down? Yes, if they don’t start turning chances into goals.

Do I think the goals will come? Yes...so that sort of negates question one doesn’t it?

And that’s the whole crux of the debate. Graham Potter’s appointment as head coach (manager to the over 35’s) represented the biggest gamble in the history of the Albion.

He was untested at this level, but ultimately you can say that about every single manager that’s ever sat in a dugout during some point of their career.

When Sir Alex Ferguson arrived at Manchester United in November 1986, he hadn’t managed in the old First Division, his level at the time was the Scottish Premier League, so he was untried.

At times the football the Albion play is a joy to watch, but football, at whatever level, is a results business.

I have to be honest and upfront, at times I’ve had my doubts about Potter. Although, as a caveat to that at some point, since 1973 I’ve had a doubt about every single Albion boss, with the bizarre exception of Steve Coppell!

In retrospect, the only manager I’ve truly ever wanted sacked at the Albion was Sami Hypia, without doubt the most clueless individual to ever occupy the Albion dugout.

Danny Welbeck is still ‘ring rusty’ but is a quality signing who will score goals at this level, backed up by the likes of Trossard, Maupay, Connolly and others, with a fair rub of the green the goals will come.

However, if they don’t, to paraphrase the lovely Sue Barker on QOS, we all know what happens next...