Chris Hughton with Nathan Jones
Image by: Paul Hazlewood
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton was full of praise for his four attacking players, after he watched his side topple high-flying Ipswich Town at the Amex last night.Ahead of the game, the Seagulls boss called for his team to improve on their home form by creating more chances, and his partly makeshift front line heeded those words and caused plenty of problems for their visitors.
Hughton played Inigo Calderon on the right - perhaps surprising some, with Bruno behind him at right-back - Sam Baldock on the left, and Joao Teixeira just behind central striker Chris O'Grady.
He said, "The thinking behind pushing Inigo Calderon forward was that we were up against a very good and well organised side who are also a hard running team, who are direct at times.
"I felt that firstly we needed to match that and then if we could get on the ball we could cause them some problems.
"Sam has been playing in a position that is not his natural one and he has been doing a really good job for the team.
"Fair play to him as he is someone who wants to play and he is doing a great job for the team. It is not his best position, but he is a lad who is prepared to put in a good shift and he has bags of energy.
*"He is someone who is used to scoring goals, so the question is whether you can get someone like him, playing in that position, into the areas where he can have opportunities.
"I am really delighted for him to have got the first goal, as it got us off to a good start."
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On-loan Liverpool playmaker Teixeira dazzled with the freedom to roam, and caused Ipswich countless problems – adding Albion's second and third goals, after Daryl Murphy had levelled."Joao’s performance was excellent," continued Hughton. "I had seen enough of him before I came here, to know what type of player he was – but you don't really know until you see players close up in training.
"What he has got for a small lad is a physicality about him. He is not a naturally defensive player, but if we get him on the ball then he has a natural ability.
"He is a flexible player who can play anywhere across the front, other than up top on his own, but that is his best position.
"Before the game, we spoke about causing them problems. We knew their strengths, but we thought that if we could get the ball beyond their central midfield players, in Joao we had someone who is quite natural in that position.
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"You then hope he is going to have a good day, and he did."
Hughton was equally delighted with O'Grady's contribution, adding, "That performance was coming. He has had some cameo appearances from the bench and he has made an impact.
"Today was the opportunity for him to start a game and what we needed was someone who was going to be strong and hold the ball up against a powerful team.
"He looked like somebody who was really looking for that opportunity and he was excellent today."
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