Graham Potter still has work to do at Brighton but Tottenham and Europe's elite are poised

I predicted in these jottings last week that we would beat Man United, but not even I could have foreseen the rout at the Amex last Saturday tea time.
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The irony was certainly not lost, there’s no doubting that again as stated in last week’s column, Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world but playing in the worst team we’ve seen at the Amex this season, and I include both relegated Watford and Norwich in this statement.

The Albion could have had eight, the United team for whatever they cost, were pathetic and the most telling chant of the whole afternoon came from the travelling support when they broke into: “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” when the fourth Brighton goal went in.

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A win of this magnitude is closely followed by anyone whose ever dared to criticise or question Albion boss Graham Potter, myself included, getting it in the ear from one of the manager’s numerous acolytes.

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter has steered Albion to their highest ever Premier League points totalBrighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter has steered Albion to their highest ever Premier League points total
Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter has steered Albion to their highest ever Premier League points total

For the record, it was an excellent win, by a record score at the Amex in the EPL but as Match of the Day’s Steve Wilson pointed out in commentary to score four goals in one home game was all the more impressive given the Albion have only scored 12 in the previous 17 home games this season.

And it was the first win at home since Boxing Day, over four months, so to a degree that puts a fair amount of perspective over the whole campaign.

West Ham’s own 4-0 trouncing of Norwich at Carrow Road on Sunday means it’s not mathematically impossible for the Albion to finish in seventh and therefore qualify for European competition.

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Don’t get me wrong it’s been an excellent season with some memorable matches and clearly bar a Devon Loch collapse against Leeds and West Ham respectively a highest ever finish in the clubs history is assured, beating Mike Bailey’s squad’s 13th place finish in 1981-82.

But am I the only supporter who thinks it could have been that little bit better?

Like every Albion fan, young and old, I want what’s best for the club, at times like many others I’ve questioned Potter’s management decisions, it’s what we do, it’s in the DNA of every fan in the country.

There’s no doubt we have the best squad of players ever assembled in the club’s history, but as a team are we the finished article?

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Clearly not, otherwise we’d all be waiting for next season’s European draws and getting our passports ready.

In the same way, I still believe there’s more to come from the current manager, he’s human, he’s made mistakes and said the wrong thing to the media on more than one occasion during this campaign, but that’s all part of the slings and arrows of our beautiful game.

Let’s hope he’s here long enough to finish the job as games like Saturday, and back to back wins in North London, certainly don’t go unnoticed elsewhere.

Let’s finish on a high, help relagate Leeds this Sunday, I’m going 2-1 Albion, and then finish with a flourish against West Ham a week on Sunday.

Eighth or ninth place potentially, a great finish, but then the hard work really starts.