Hughton Focused On Tactics Not Confidence

Chris Hughton isn’t wasting time worrying about players lacking confidence as he focuses on getting the tactics right for the run-in.

Brighton have lost five consecutive matches in all competitions, including back-to-back home defeats against Bournemouth and Cardiff City, becoming the first Premier League team in five years to lose four straight without scoring.

“I can’t afford to worry and can’t afford to think that way,” said Hughton when asked about confidence levels within the camp. “My only job at this moment is to make sure to set the tactics right and make sure the players are disciplined enough around the tactics to give us every chance of scoring and winning a game.

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“That’s the mindset of the players right at this moment.” Hughton is under pressure from fans to ditch the 4-3-3 formation and find a winning system ahead of the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers this Easter weekend. “You have to shut it [criticism] out,” he added. “As regards any criticism it’s normal and it’s understandable.

We have so many media outlets and so many pundits and everybody is going to have opinions and views. That’s part and parcel of the game. “What we have to accept is if there is going to be good things said about a team or individuals then at times when things haven’t gone so well you have to accept that’s how it is. “You can’t afford to let it concern you. What you have to think about is making sure you improve in the next game, put it to one side, be big and brave enough to get results.”