Is it a ‘too nice’ Pep Clotet for changing the side too many times and not maybe reading the riot act giving out just love when it should be love of the tougher kind?

Is it an urealistic Chinese board who are trying to turn us from the Brummagem Bashers into Barcelona too soon, when we’ve spent under £10 million on the squad and lost our key attacking asset from last season?

Either way, it’s all getting very concerning as again we shipped goals again like a footballing Titanic, and to score four at home but still lose is verging on the criminal.

So, putting the defence under the magnifying glass, starting with no wide players leaves the full backs fulfilling that role instead, which then leads us open to the counterattack. Of course, a midfielder or two should be tucking in to compensate and the man who should be organising that is Harlee Deane in the absence of other experienced central defenders. This he lamentably fails to do.

Up front (and indeed elsewhere) that lack of wing play means that it is difficult to unlock defences. So what were the bright points?

Like the match against the Baggies, we should have garnered points and, in fairness, deserved to do so and have proved we can be as good as the top dogs. Pedersen had a great game and in midfield Bellingham was both busy and excellent, topping things off with a sublime goal.

Bela when he came on, whilst culpable for one of the goals we conceded had a hand in one, scored another and looked a handful. The Juke should also get a confidence boost from his brace.