Five things we learned from Albion's transfer deadline day

Albion's bad luck continues! Is the squad strong enough to stay up? Here's five things we learned from Albion's transfer deadline day.
Jose Izquierdo. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Jose Izquierdo. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Jose Izquierdo. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

Bad luck continues

Albion's unfortunate transfer window continued on transfer deadline day.

After moves for midfielder Renato Neto and striker Raphael Dwamena fell through, it was a case of third time unlucky when Club Brugge pulled the plug on defender Stefano Denswil's switch to the Amex.

Mathew Ryan. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Mathew Ryan. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Mathew Ryan. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
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Neto, 25, failed a medical after a fee had been agreed with Gent, while Albion had announced Dwamena was set to sign from FC Zurich subject to a medical and international clearance and the 21-year-old then failed a medical.

Denswil was at Brighton's training ground in Lancing yesterday having a medical when Club Brugge, in their own words, 'terminated' the deal owing to an injury to another defender, Benoît Poulain, at the Belgian club.

Ezequiel Schelotto and Tim Krul joined, before the bad luck continued late in the day. Albion thought they had captured Florin Andone from Deportivo but that fell through and then Vincent Janssen turned the Seagulls down after a deal had been agreed with Tottenham.

Why wasn't a striker signed?

Tim Krul. Picture by Geoff Penn/BHAFCTim Krul. Picture by Geoff Penn/BHAFC
Tim Krul. Picture by Geoff Penn/BHAFC

Albion fans were making the point on social media yesterday that the Seagulls had four months to sign a much-needed striker but failed to do so.

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Brighton were desperate to add firepower to their strikeforce this summer and it wasn't for the want of trying. The club have had deals in place which have then fallen through for a variety of reasons.

Are they now too light in the forward department with just Glenn Murray, Tomer Hemed and Sam Baldock - currently out with a calf injury - for Chris Hughton to choose from?

Maybe. But it's worth remembering Murray, Hemed, Baldock and Knockaert scored more than 60 goals between them last season.

Winger Knockaert and new signing Jose Izquierdo will need to get their fair share of goals up until the January transfer window. Knockaert netted 15 times as the Seagulls were promoted from the Championship last year, while Izquierdo scored 15 goals for Club Brugge last season.

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Midfielders Solly March, Dale Stephens and Davy Propper will also need to chip in with the odd goal, along with central defenders Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy from set-pieces.

Raphael Dwamena's failed medical last week was a blow for Albion and they have been unable to agree a deal to bring another striker in. Hemed had been linked with a move away from the Amex but the Seagulls' failure to find any replacements sees him stay with the club.

On social media, names including Khouma Babacar, Miguel Borja, Florin Andone, Karl Toko Ekambi, Isaac Success and Lazar Marković were all linked with the Seagulls on transfer deadline day. Deportivo decided not to sell Andone despite a deal being in place and then the late move for Vincent Janssen was turned down by the Tottenham striker.

There's little doubt a forward will be a top priority in January, when the transfer window re-opens.

Is the squad stronger since promotion?

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Yes. But Albion are against much stronger and larger squads in the Premier League than the Championship, with more quality and firepower.

This season Brighton have already been punished for mistakes they would have got away with in the Championship.

The failure to bring in another striker up front could end up defining the season and it has left plenty of Seagulls fans disappointed on social media, although it's worth remembering Albion can strengthen again in January when the transfer window re-opens.

Brighton brought in Mathew Ryan, Markus Suttner, Pascal Gross, Jose Izquierdo, Izzy Brown and Davy Propper this summer, while Ezequiel Schelotto and Tim Krul joined on deadline day. The main departures from the squad which got promoted last year are keeper David Stockdale (Birmingham) and Oliver Norwood (on loan to Fulham).

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Have Albion got enough quality in the squad to stay up at the moment? Only time will tell - although there were positives to take from the performance in the 0-0 draw at Watford.

Battle to be number one

Tim Krul's deadline day signing on loan from Newcastle gives Chris Hughton a possible selection headache in goal.

Summer signing Mathew Ryan has come under scrutiny after a couple of mistakes early in the season and Albion's boss has worked with Krul before at Newcastle, where the stopper played 23 times for him.

Ryan kept a clean sheet in Brighton's last outing, the 0-0 draw at Watford, while Finish keeper Niki Maenpaa also kept a clean sheet when Albion beat Barnet in the Carabao Cup.

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You would think Ryan will still be in goal when Brighton entertain West Bromwich Albion in their first game after the international break on September 9 but Krul will be waiting for his chance.

He has played 160 games for Newcastle and also has eight caps for Netherlands. He returned from a long-term knee injury in 2016 and has since had loan spells with Ajax and AZ Alkmaar.

Will Albion stay up?

It's far too early to tell. Another striker would have been a handy addition but there is not a great deal of difference between Albion's squad and the bottom six to eight clubs in the Premier League.

Brighton need their summer signings to get used to the pace of the Premier League quickly and Seagulls fans will hope record signing Jose Izquierdo hits the ground running.

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A lot will depend on last season's player of the year Anthony Knockaert, who made his first start of the season at Watford and tormented the home defence.

With Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy, Albion will be solid enough at the back and Ezequiel Schelotto only adds to the options for Chris Hughton.

It's whether the team will score enough goals which is the main question at the moment. Albion will need between ten to 15 goals from Glenn Murray, Tomer Hemed and Sam Baldock between now and January to put the lack of an additional striker to the back of fans' minds.

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