ALBION boss Chris Hughton has applauded the character of David Stockdale and revealed he never contemplated dropping him.
Stockdale came under scrutiny for goals conceded by the Seagulls at Blackpool and at home to Nottingham Forest.
The keeper has responded with clean sheets in consecutive 0-0 draws at Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, where he made some key saves to preserve a point.
Hughton told The Argus: “I have to look over a period of games and David would be no different to any other player in the team. The Forest game certainly wasn't one of his better games but he plays in a very difficult position.
“Overall I think he has been very good for us, so know I wasn’t (considering dropping him). It was about performing and performing well. He has certainly done that in the last two games.
“That also shows character. When you are a player that hasn’t had one of your better games the first thing you want to do is get back to good performances.
“He didn’t have so much to do midweek (Cardiff). It was more about concentration. He had to make a couple of good saves for us (at Sheffield). They arguably stopped us losing the game.”
The draw at Sheffield stretched Albion’s away run to one defeat in seven matches. It was enough to edge them a point clear of the relegation zone ahead of back-to-back games at the Amex against Hughton’s old club Birmingham on Saturday and Leeds three days later.
Hughton expects Greg Halford to be fit despite suffering a knock soon after coming on late in the second half which reduced the utility player to a passenger after all three substitutes had been used.
Original article
Stockdale came under scrutiny for goals conceded by the Seagulls at Blackpool and at home to Nottingham Forest.
The keeper has responded with clean sheets in consecutive 0-0 draws at Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, where he made some key saves to preserve a point.
Hughton told The Argus: “I have to look over a period of games and David would be no different to any other player in the team. The Forest game certainly wasn't one of his better games but he plays in a very difficult position.
“Overall I think he has been very good for us, so know I wasn’t (considering dropping him). It was about performing and performing well. He has certainly done that in the last two games.
“That also shows character. When you are a player that hasn’t had one of your better games the first thing you want to do is get back to good performances.
“He didn’t have so much to do midweek (Cardiff). It was more about concentration. He had to make a couple of good saves for us (at Sheffield). They arguably stopped us losing the game.”
The draw at Sheffield stretched Albion’s away run to one defeat in seven matches. It was enough to edge them a point clear of the relegation zone ahead of back-to-back games at the Amex against Hughton’s old club Birmingham on Saturday and Leeds three days later.
Hughton expects Greg Halford to be fit despite suffering a knock soon after coming on late in the second half which reduced the utility player to a passenger after all three substitutes had been used.
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Original article