Q1: You must be delighted with the character the team showed to come back from 2-0 down...
Thomas: "Yes, very happy with that. We spoke about mentality before the game with the players. To go down here against a good Brighton side, away from home, on the back of our first Champions League game, it's all about mentality. Of course, we need structure and tactics and game plan and all that... we like to praise ourselves as coaches, but at the end of the day, it's mentality to stay in there when it's tough. I love the way we started the game, away from home, boom, just on top of it. I don't think Brighton were over the halfway line in the first 10, 12 minutes or whatever it was. Then they scored a goal, praise to Brighton, we can do better, and it's like this close to being offside. We keep going, keep on it and then great goal, but Vic can do better. Very happy with him, spoke to him, so I think he's had a great season for us and it happens. We keep going, we stay in the game, stick to the game plan, and I thought we looked physically strong. I thought the players looked strong and were intense throughout the game, even though we had a midweek game, which I'm very happy with the physical preparation during pre-season and everything the team has done, with big help from the performance staff. So, the mentality, the physical aspect, I thought that was key. Last year we came here and were 2-0 up, lost 3-2. Now we’re 2-0 down and come back 2-2. I think it's good. If there should have been a winner, in my eyes, I'm maybe slightly biased, I think it should have been us. I think the amount of crosses, the amount of touches in the opponent's box, the amount of nearby and also chances, was more than enough to win the game."
What did you make of Destiny Udogie's performance?
Thomas: "Exceptional. He was exceptional today. He was unstoppable, almost, going forward. Also it was a bit unfortunate, it was Wilson who had to track him on the situation, because it was a little bit of a high-pressure situation, the Brighton wonder goal, but he just completely took him out going forward. Very good, top."
What about Xavi Simons' impact from the bench?
Thomas: "Xavi came in and did exactly what we thought he could do in that 10 position. Of course, he had a good pre-season and he played two games in Germany, but he's still coming into a team and all that. On any other day, he'd score a goal. He got a great finish on the first one, great save from Verbruggen, and the other one, he mistimes. He could have got an assist to Richy, where Lucas takes the ball, he doesn't see him."
Is 10 a more natural position for Xavi?
Thomas: "I think he can play both. I think he can easily play the left winger, that can go more inside. I also think he'd have the right position to... sometimes the playmakers, they drift to the side because there's no space in the middle. So I think he can do that. But 10, obviously he can play that as well."
The team's resilience was questioned at times last season, are you almost surprised with how quickly you've managed to get that resilience in the team?
Thomas: "I'm very, very pleased with it. I think there was also a situation in the first half, the way we sprinted back on our recovery runs, that's goosebumps. It's bread and butter, but you want to be a resilient team because we play against good teams and it will be difficult sometimes. It's a good group of players. They want to perform. They are disappointed after the game. Even when we come back, they wanted to win. I think maybe this was our most complete performance so far in the season. I know we conceded two goals, but I think actually there were so many positives overall in the game. Also the high pressure, the man-man, very aggressive. As you say, that resilience in the group, that mentality, is good."
What has most impressed you about Mu Kudus?
Thomas: "I think two things. One, his work ethic has been really good. It's big for me, how hard he works in the counter-press, high pressure, the defensive side of it. But his hold-up play, when it goes into him, it just sticks. You can't get it off him. He just keeps it, he doesn't lose a 50-50 ball. The third thing is his one-on-one ability is crazy. He's so strong, so explosive. He just dominated the right-hand side."
Is Vic kicking himself about Brighton's second goal? Or isn't it as easy as it looks?
Thomas: "It's never as simple as it looks. I think that's a big thing. I think it's a great strike, but he will be kicking himself. He wants to save that one."
At Brentford, part of your success was through coaching improvement out of individual players. Do you look at a lot of your team and think you can get 10, 20, 30% improvement out of some of the individual players?
Thomas: "Hopefully. We try to put a good structure in place. Offensively and defensively, clear principles. Keep reinforcing the right messages. For example, today we put so many crosses in. That's a big part of what we want to do. There could be a little bit more quality, we could also have a little bit more runs. So then we'll keep coaching them to run in the right gaps, for example. I think if Richy had run in the right gaps, he'd have scored two goals more today, for example. I believe any player can keep developing. That's a big part of what I believe in, and my coaching staff believe in as well."
Can you expand on why you think this was the most complete performance this season?
Thomas: "I know we conceded two goals, and it's never that black and white. So, one where Vic will say, 'I should take it'. The other, okay, we conceded a goal, that can happen. It's just Premier League, it's good. But besides that, I thought we defended well. Overall, I think the high pressure was very aggressive, and we were winning the ball back more or less all the time, which we like to do. I think in phase one, we got out every time, more or less. We controlled it up there. We created so many good opportunities, and had to counter-press and rest defending crosses. So there was a lot of the bits we like to do, so because of that, and then on top of that, the mentality to come back from 2-0 down is so important."
What can you achieve when you've got Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani available?
Thomas: "That's a good question, I don't know. Right now, I think it's about that consistency. We've played five Premier League games, I think we had four good performances, and one bad. So, can we stick with... I don't want that bad, I think it was a bad performance. So can we just get all bad performances out and consistently produce good performances? Then on a day where, whatever, there's a mistake and you need to come back, you still get a point. Or you maybe turn it around and win 2-1 or win 3-2."
What did you make of Wilson Odobert's first start?
Thomas: "Happy with it, I must admit. I thought he looked lively. Clearly, it looked like they were a little bit afraid of him. So, he got time to turn and run forward. I think he produced some crosses, some good opportunities. He was also involved in a goal, worked hard. So, a good first start."
Will Kolo Muani only miss one game?
Thomas: "Hopefully. It was a dead leg. He's actually been struggling with it for four or five days. It's just not settling as we hoped for. So, hopefully Wednesday (vs Doncaster, Carabao Cup)."
Have you been waiting for Destiny Udogie to get up to speed so he could start a game?
Thomas: "Yes, but I must admit, I've got three extremely good full-backs. I think Djed Spence has been fantastic for us. So, when another player is doing so well, then there's no reason to throw Destiny in too early. I'm pretty sure we will need all three throughout the season. That is crucial. We are playing, hopefully, around 60 games this season. That's a lot. I think Liverpool changed both their full-backs from midweek to today. So, it's a big thing. We want full-backs to come bombarding up and down, so we need everyone. I'm very happy with Destiny."
Do you enjoy games like that as a manager?
Thomas: "I think you always want to control if you can, but I liked how aggressive we were and there were some very good opportunities going forward. I liked that we looked very dangerous. That I liked a lot, I must admit."