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Hughton warns Albion they can't afford to be soft touches [The Argus]



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Brighton 8049
Jun 5, 2011
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Chris Hughton has demanded Albion make life tough for opponents again – after a pre-season jolt.
The Seagulls boss has resisted any temptation to dismiss the 3-0 defeat at Fulham as purely a fitness exercise.
He has reminded his players of a key reason for their progress last season – that they were tough to beat, even when not at their best with the ball.
Albion will give all first team squad members at least 75 minutes as they send sides to face Luton and Stevenage on Saturday.
Hughton will be looking at what they do out of possession as much as how they perform on the ball.
He told The Argus: “We are a side who, if we are not at our best, we still try to make things very tight.
“We don’t concede what I regard as poor goals – which is what I thought we did on Tuesday.
“Our level of performance wasn’t good enough to win a game.
“Some of that is expected because it is pre-season. Everybody is at different stages, fitness wise.”
Hughton believes the new season’s Championship will provide his side with tougher defensive tests than ever.
Which is why he will look for a big improvement against League Two opponents on Saturday.
He said: “From day one we will have to make sure we are competitive. We have learnt there aren’t easy games in this division but the three teams who have come down are all good sides – and all good offensive sides who will really test you.”
Dale Stephens and Elvis Manu return to availability for the weekend but David Stockdale, Connor Goldson and Richie Towell are likely to miss out again with injuries.
Jiri Skalak is being lined up for his first pre-season action after joining up with the squad following his Euro 2016 adventure with the Czech Republic.
Hughton said: “He hasn’t lost too much fitness because the time he has had off hasn’t been too long.”


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