Leon Best has been primed by Albion boss Chris Hughton to end the club’s Amex woes and his own goal drought.
The striker on loan from Blackburn Rovers is in line for his full home debut against Birmingham on Saturday after starting the 0-0 draws at Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday.
Hughton, encouraged by Best’s improved performance in Yorkshire, wants the forward he signed when in charge at Newcastle to build on that by ending a famine dating back to a loan stint with Wednesday at the end of last season.
Hughton said: “I hope so, that’s what we’ve brought him in for, because we need to score. We have been very resilient in the last couple of games but if you are going to win matches you have got to score goals.
“I thought he got better as the game went on and that was pleasing. I know Leon well. If I look at the first half of his season at Derby (loan), because of Chris Martin’s form and not being injured, he hasn’t played as much as we would have liked.
“We knew we were taking him and had to try to get him up to speed a bit. What I was pleased about is he seemed to get stronger and, at a time when perhaps I was going to take him off to put Craig (Mackail-Smith) on, Leon was doing okay.”
The Birmingham game and the visit of Leeds three days later provide an opportunity for Albion to add to their meagre tally of three home wins and ease themselves away from relegation danger but Hughton says their final ball will have to be better.
He told The Argus: “Generally you have got to be creating a few and putting away a percentage or you have got to have somebody that is pulling something out of nothing all the time.
“If I look at Derby, Chris Martin hasn’t been getting loads of chances but puts away a high percentage. I think it will be a team effort that gets us goals.
“The league table doesn’t lie. The only way we can get out of the position we are in is by winning games and getting enough points. We have to do that and we have got a good opportunity in the next two home games.”
Four of Albion’s next five fixtures are at the Amex, with Derby and Wolves both visiting next month.
Original article
The striker on loan from Blackburn Rovers is in line for his full home debut against Birmingham on Saturday after starting the 0-0 draws at Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday.
Hughton, encouraged by Best’s improved performance in Yorkshire, wants the forward he signed when in charge at Newcastle to build on that by ending a famine dating back to a loan stint with Wednesday at the end of last season.
Hughton said: “I hope so, that’s what we’ve brought him in for, because we need to score. We have been very resilient in the last couple of games but if you are going to win matches you have got to score goals.
“I thought he got better as the game went on and that was pleasing. I know Leon well. If I look at the first half of his season at Derby (loan), because of Chris Martin’s form and not being injured, he hasn’t played as much as we would have liked.
“We knew we were taking him and had to try to get him up to speed a bit. What I was pleased about is he seemed to get stronger and, at a time when perhaps I was going to take him off to put Craig (Mackail-Smith) on, Leon was doing okay.”
The Birmingham game and the visit of Leeds three days later provide an opportunity for Albion to add to their meagre tally of three home wins and ease themselves away from relegation danger but Hughton says their final ball will have to be better.
He told The Argus: “Generally you have got to be creating a few and putting away a percentage or you have got to have somebody that is pulling something out of nothing all the time.
“If I look at Derby, Chris Martin hasn’t been getting loads of chances but puts away a high percentage. I think it will be a team effort that gets us goals.
“The league table doesn’t lie. The only way we can get out of the position we are in is by winning games and getting enough points. We have to do that and we have got a good opportunity in the next two home games.”
Four of Albion’s next five fixtures are at the Amex, with Derby and Wolves both visiting next month.
Original article