Adam Lallana has brought renewed enthusiasm to Graham Potter's Brighton project

In the first column from Brighton & Hove Albion podcast Football the Albion and Me, host Richard Newman suggests supporters should be cautiously optimistic ahead of tonight’s first Premier League game of the season against Chelsea. ‘Second season syndrome’. You’ve probably read about it elsewhere, but rather than pessimism regarding Brighton & Hove Albion boss Graham Potter’s second campaign in charge, there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. I’ll temper this slightly – this a long-term project. Comfortably avoiding a fight against relegation and a decent cup run would represent sufficient progress. Hopes of becoming a regular top-10 club will likely have to remain an ambition for now, but they’re not far off. As I write these words, Albion are once again short of a striker or two. Seagulls great Glenn Murray has left for Watford, and while he didn’t necessarily fit into Potter’s plans, the club has arguably lost its most natural goalscorer. That leaves Neal Maupay, who had an encouraging first season following his move from Brentford, and raw Irish striker Aaron Connolly. Plenty of forwards have been linked with a move to the Amex over the summer, but Albion are once again going into the new campaign looking light on firepower. Adam Lallana’s arrival, and in particular the enthusiasm he immediately seems to have bought in to the Potter project, was a major coup. The former Liverpool midfielder and title winner will undoubtedly add creative quality and leadership off the pitch, while we should see improvements from Leandro Trossard and Alexis Mac Allister as they adapt to life in the Premier League. The key, it will surprise no-one, is to score more goals. Although there’s a feeling Albion do not create enough chances (and in some respect, that’s true), it’s often overlooked that in terms of the Premier League’s metric of ‘big chances missed’ for 19/20, Brighton were 8th in the table with 48. Whether it’s Maupay, Connolly or AN Other, someone needs to start putting those away on a more consistent basis. At the back, Albion have a defence which may even be the envy of many top six sides. Rejecting Leeds United’s pursuit of the permanent signing of Ben White was another signal of Tony Bloom’s determination to keep hold the club’s best players, while the shrewd business of adding Dutch international Joel Veltman for a bargain fee and the existing stock of Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster and Dan Burn offers impressive strength in depth. But it was the new contract for captain Lewis Dunk, linked with Chelsea, which was a pleasant surprise for many fans. Former Albion and England defender Matt Upson was our most recent guest on Football the Albion and Me and he also expected the skipper to have moved on by now. Upson said: “There’s definitely progression he can still make at Brighton but you feel that next step for him and the personal goals of his career may be step up to that next level of club in the Premier League at the moment and there’s still time for that. “He has matured so much since I played with him. “The managerial team always knew the talent he had but, in terms of his maturity and discipline, he wasn’t there as a young player. “His talent with the ball and just natural defending qualities were obvious to see. “It was always going to be a matter of time with him and it was whether he could pick up that level of discipline and professionalism and apply himself week in week out, every training session, to be his best. “That is something that comes with time and experience”. Looking ahead to the new season, Upson was realistic: “Obviously for the club to stay in the Premier League is the No.1 objective. “But I think to target mid-table, anything around that area, would be a really positive season for Brighton. “Put that together with a cup run would be brilliant.” This column would be sufficiently happy with earning a few more wins against some of the ‘big six’ and building on the points tally of 41 from the previous season – the club’s second best ever in the top flight. Despite rarely being clear of danger, Albion have never been in the Premier League’s bottom three at any point in the past three campaigns (bar one very brief week at the very start of their first season) and the time has come to move well clear. Opening against Chelsea is a tough way to start, particularly without fans at the Amex. I was fortunate to be in attendance for commercial radio for most of the lockdown home games, and the experience is eerie. It is certainly a leveller when visiting teams visit. The 1-1 friendly draw over a fortnight ago will have served as a decent scouting opportunity, albeit Frank Lampard’s side were not at full strength. With Kai Havertz now an extra threat, it will be a difficult opening for Potter’s men. Albion fans should be excited – but patient - about this young team, which is bursting with talent and bought into a project. They’ll have off days and they’ll dazzle on others. Keep the faith and they may well deliver many a special moment in the years to come. Football the Albion and Me is a podcast which interviews Brighton & Hove Albion favourites from across the decades. All designed to be largely non-time specific, guests, which have included Ashley Barnes, Nathan Jones, Brian Horton, Peter Ward and Terry Connor, discuss key moments from their football career and name a 5-a-side team made up of the best players they’ve played with. Listen and subscribe via all podcast providers by searching ‘Football, the Albion and Me’, or follow the link. Follow Football, the Albion and Me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.