Albion boss Chris Hughton has blamed himself for Leon Best’s failure – by rotating the strikers in the search for goals.
Best has not scored in five starts and six sub outings since signing on loan from Blackburn Rovers in January.
Hughton, who worked with him at Newcastle, said: “I thought he did okay the other night (against Bournemouth). He has gone from not playing a lot of regular football in the last two years to trying to get up to speed.
“But I think with the options I’ve got he probably hasn’t had the minutes he would perhaps need to get to the levels he needs to get to.”
Best, Chris O’Grady and Craig Mackail-Smith have all been given a chance by Hughton in the quest to find a cutting edge, which continues against Huddersfield at the Amex tonight.
Hughton said: “I’ve got three number nines and what I’ve been trying to do is work as hard as I can to get the best out of who has played. I think they’ve all had patches. Chris had a period of really good games, Macca’s had a few where he stretched the opposition but they haven’t got goals.
“That’s difficult but to bring in someone that can guarantee you 20 goals a season in January is nigh on impossible. All three of them have had their moments, it’s just goals they are lacking.”
Original article
Best has not scored in five starts and six sub outings since signing on loan from Blackburn Rovers in January.
Hughton, who worked with him at Newcastle, said: “I thought he did okay the other night (against Bournemouth). He has gone from not playing a lot of regular football in the last two years to trying to get up to speed.
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“But I think with the options I’ve got he probably hasn’t had the minutes he would perhaps need to get to the levels he needs to get to.”
Best, Chris O’Grady and Craig Mackail-Smith have all been given a chance by Hughton in the quest to find a cutting edge, which continues against Huddersfield at the Amex tonight.
Hughton said: “I’ve got three number nines and what I’ve been trying to do is work as hard as I can to get the best out of who has played. I think they’ve all had patches. Chris had a period of really good games, Macca’s had a few where he stretched the opposition but they haven’t got goals.
“That’s difficult but to bring in someone that can guarantee you 20 goals a season in January is nigh on impossible. All three of them have had their moments, it’s just goals they are lacking.”
Original article