Brighton manager Chris Hughton was left frustrated by the club's failure to buy a new striker despite their first win of the season against West Brom

  • Brighton won their first league game of the season with a 3-1 win over West Brom
  • Despite this, manager Chris Hughton believes the club needs another striker
  • Hughton endured a disappointing transfer window in his pursuit for a goalscorer 

A first top-flight goal and win for 34 years but Chris Hughton is well aware his Brighton side did so without the luxury of the brand new striker they so desperately wanted.

On this occasion, the newly-promoted Premier League side beat West Brom because German midfielder Pascal Gross scored twice then set up the third.

It was an awkward summer for Hughton because, by his own admission, Brighton did not get the goalscorer they wanted.

Brighton manager Chris Hughton was frustrated by the clubs failure to bring in a new striker 

Brighton manager Chris Hughton was frustrated by the clubs failure to bring in a new striker 

Zurich striker Raphael Dwamena was signing for £8million then failed a medical, Tammy Abraham went to Swansea, and Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen turned them down on deadline day.


It can be revealed that Brighton held a team meeting after the international break to talk about how the rest of the squad now have to share the burden of scoring.

They have secured their first-ever Premier League goal and win courtesy of Gross, though Hughton must realise it is a long road ahead.

SUPER STAT 

Brighton had registered just six shots on target this season and scored none.

They managed as many against West Brom and scored three. 

Advertisement

‘We can’t rely on our No 9s to get us goals,’ Hughton said.

‘I can understand it (the negativity about the lack of striker signings) because we did try and it was a position we wanted to bring in and the supporters did as well.

‘But once you get to the end of the window it is then the signal to work as hard as you can with the squad you have got. 

‘Would we have liked to bring one in? Yes. But we weren’t able to and we have to get the best out of the players we have.’

Brighton beat West Brom 3-1 on Saturday to record their first win of the new league season

Brighton beat West Brom 3-1 on Saturday to record their first win of the new league season

WHY SOME FANS MISSED THEIR CLUB’S FIRST TOP-FLIGHT GOALS FOR 34 YEARS 

Pascal Gross scored either side of half time in the 45th and 48th minutes.

There were a fair few fans who left before the break to get in line for their pie and pint at the Amex Stadium, meaning they missed history being made.

As one supporter shouted when he came back to his seat by the media area after the start of the second half: ‘I missed both goals. I don’t believe it.’ 

Advertisement

One striker they do have is Tomer Hemed, who scored their third goal on Saturday and only decided to stay on deadline day.

‘No-one was really sure what was going to happen,’ Hemed said. 

‘But during the last day I decided to stay. I decided to stay and compete for my place in the starting XI, whoever will come.

‘And in the end, none of the strikers we heard about came. The most important thing is to look at what we have, not what we don’t have.’

Hughton added: ‘It is not a secret, the players would have known we were trying to bring in a striker but that is the game.

‘What it should do is inspire them to do as well as they can. It is a little bit like being dropped from the team and you have to do your best to get back in there.’

Tomer Hemed scored the hosts' third goal having decided to stay at the club on deadline day

Tomer Hemed scored the hosts' third goal having decided to stay at the club on deadline day

As for West Brom, this was an uncharacteristically woeful performance from Tony Pulis’ side.

Not even Paris Saint-Germain loanee Grzegorz Krychowiak impressed as their new signing rarely ventured beyond the halfway line.

Brighton made history here but a far-from-happy Pulis knows his team helped them.