Be still my beating heart...
Onto the game; it's a curious thing when personnel or formation used is assumed to be the problem, rather than the application and execution.
For the two goals we conceded, on the first I've literally no idea how Poscoliero was not sent off; absolutely none at all. It was a rash challenge and he was *very* lucky not to see red on debut for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
On the second, the entire back 4 failed to do their jobs - right back not pressing hard enough to prevent the cross, left back not picking up the runners, centre backs not owning the goal area and preventing the finish being bundled home.
We did the right thing in forcing them wide and forcing them deep - it makes play predictable. Having done that we failed to do the really basic stuff of making it hard to score off the only option there was - a cross - and there were too many people who didn't get their jobs done there. It's a keeper killer too - when you've got 4 defenders nearby dropping their men, where's the keeper supposed to be? Hoping the shot hits him I suppose...
On the goal we scored, while it was an own goal we earned it through good pressure. As has been correctly identified, the pressure dropped away for effectively the 'middle hour' of the game, and that's where we lost it. We were awfully unlucky late not to take at least a point; there was a five minute period in the 80s or so where we might have had three or four...
Maybe the rotating front 4 takes a lot out of the guys and they're too tired to keep it up for the full 90? They come out of the blocks hard and they run hard for the line but they're consolidating in the middle of the race because they don't have the lungs and legs for it?
We weren't great, but outside of a couple of crucial moments we weren't awful either, and Wellington aren't bad.
For what it's worth, I was surprised Hutch started but not surprised he stayed on (why take the captain off if he's playing fine?). He seems to find Mane better than anyone else, and he's looking to use his space in the deeper areas to press more vertical passes. Monty had a good game, Sim was off the pace a little bit, Caceres looked fired up when he came on, I can't see why we'd play Kim ahead of Trifiro.
We're definitely now playing a staggered triangle in midfield
------------------6---
---8------------------
----------10----------
Monty's noticeably higher than Hutch in the structure and it's working OK. I don't think you can play Caceres or Trifiro at 6, you can't play Hutch or Monty at 10, you probably wouldn't play Hutch at 8.
Aside from that, we have options. For players you'd play in midfield -
Hutch: 6 (first choice)
Monty: 6 or 8 (first choice)
Caceres: 8 or 10
Trifiro: 8 or 10
Kim: 10 or 11 (left wing)
I think the best setup is Hutch and Monty and perhaps Caceres just because he's the most experienced at playing with us. As Hutch transitions out, I think Monty moves to 6, Caceres to 8 and Trifiro to 10. But I can see reasons for playing Hutch at 6 above Monty (better, safer user of the ball) so sometimes you'll get Hutch, Caceres, Trifiro or similar.
Ahead of them, it's difficult. Sim, Mane, Kim, Duke, Fitz... My preferred setup is Duke, Fitz and Mane because there are maximum options to stretch opponents and all three can rotate through 7, 9 and 11 at different times.
Some of the issue here is chemistry and match practice - the players are still learning each others' names and games it seems, so the passing and supporting runs etc. aren't yet automatic.
I think CB is still a worry - Bosnar doesn't use the ball well enough, Poscoleiro doesn't quite dominate his space the way you'd want, Anderson seems out of sorts, Griffiths is injured but when he's not he seems great for 85 minutes and then you're really grasping lottery tickets for the other 5.