Thursday 7 September 2017 16:45, UK
Chris Hughton says Brighton's home form will be vital this season, as they look to secure their first win of the Premier League campaign.
The Seagulls, with just one point from their opening three games, are yet to score a league goal and Hughton admitted the club hoped to bring a "different type of striker" to the Amex in the summer transfer window but failed in their aim.
A draw to Watford followed defeats to Manchester City and Leicester, but the manager believes there are positives to build on from August's performances as the team prepare to host West Brom on Saturday.
"We should have got three points at Watford but the level of performance was better, so certainly some positives from them three games and of course it's up to us to take the positives forward now," he said.
"We've been quite close in the games, even in the Leicester game where I thought we had really good possession, so I think that's the reason why the spirit is good.
"Irrespective of how our season goes, we are going to lose more games this season than what we have done last season or the season before."
Brighton completed a number of signings during the transfer window and broke their club-record with the £13.5m arrival of Columbia winger Jose Izquierdo from Club Brugge, but Hughton revealed he still wants to strengthen his attacking options.
"We have brought in seven players over this window. I think it's common knowledge that we were looking for a different type of striker to bring in.
"We weren't able to do that, so I think what you have to do very quickly is you have to be able to move on from there."
Hughton led Brighton to automatic promotion from the Championship last season with a second-place finish to end a 34-year top-flight exile and the 58-year-old insists his men are fully aware of the difference in quality between the divisions.
"Always the big difference between the two divisions are what we can get away with and what we perhaps have been able to get away with in the last couple of season, where we've been strong in that division, but the quality of this division can hurt you," he said.
"I don't think we have come up against anything that we didn't anticipate or that they [the players] didn't already know.
"For the majority of our lads, even though they haven't played in the Premier League, they know it.
"With the coverage we have now, I don't think there are too many people that can't see the type of quality in the teams and the individual players, so I think it's a question of making sure we play to our strengths.
Hughton admitted the team are under no illusions about the challenges facing them in England's top flight and are realistic about their aim.
"It will be about adjusting, it will be about bouncing back from performances or results that haven't gone our way to clearing our minds and looking forward to the next one, so if anything games become bigger," he added.
"I think we have a very realistic set of people around us and realistic crowd. They will know that each game will be difficult in its own merits.
"I've spoken before about the benefits of playing at home and particularly in this division, how vital our home form will be."
The Seagulls boss is expecting a tough encounter when West Brom travel to the Amex, with the Baggies having achieved two victories and a draw from their first three fixtures.
"They are a very established Premier League team now with a very established Premier League manager so they are all tough, but we are at home, and I don't think it will be rocket science that on how ever we do this season, you're generally going to pick up more points at home than away from home.
"That's on the law of averages and, if anything, makes the home games even bigger.
"They are a very good side and I think they have recruited very well again and added on top of what I think was a very good Premier League squad as a team.
"But we know what the team is about. They are a very tough team to break down. They have really good quality."
