Chris Hughton concerned by Brighton's leaky defence
Monday 11 December 2017 16:29, UK
Chris Hughton says Brighton are in a difficult period and admitted he is concerned over the number of goals his side have conceded in recent games.
Having not conceded more than two goals in a single game this season prior to December, Hughton's side were thrashed 5-1 by Liverpool at the Amex Stadium and followed that up with a disappointing 2-0 defeat at fellow newly-promoted Huddersfield.
Brighton have also not scored in open-play in their last four games - Glenn Murray's goal against Liverpool coming from the penalty spot - and when asked what concerned him most, Hughton said: "Probably the conceding.
"Even as regards to our goal difference, we were fairly respectable but over a two-game period, we've conceded seven goals.
"Teams at the level of ourselves are generally not going to be big goal scorers because of the levels that you're up against.
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"More so in the last game [against Huddersfield]. The manner of the goals we conceded were disappointing and a concern.
"As with everything, they are the challenges and if we thought we've done something poor in the last game we have to make sure we do better in the next one."
Brighton had made a solid start to their first season in the top flight, but are winless in their last five matches and have dropped to 13th in the Premier League.
Hughton admits his team are in a bad spell and says his team have to accept the challenges of the league and try to concentrate on the game against Tottenham at Wembley on Wednesday night.
"I suppose it shows how well we have started in our levels the fact that we've lost two on the bounce and we're looking at it as a difficult period," he said.
"But, that's what's going to happen, it's happened to teams around us and that's what the challenges of this division are.
"Over the last couple of seasons when this would have happened you would be confident of bouncing back in the next couple of games but in this division you've got to show that you accept what the division is, that you've learned from it and you do your best in the next game."
