Eleven games in, a few things we have already learned about Albion

But it seems longer than that, especially during one of these international breaks.

The Seagulls have already suffered a bad start, an exciting revival and now a winless run two games longer than anything they endured last season.

So what have we learnt in these few weeks of the 2014-15 campaign?

And how is the division shaping up?

Albion have become a big draw

Winning becomes a habit. So does not winning. And not losing, come to that. Albion have just put together their first run of four draws since November and December 2007, when they were in League One. Nottingham Forest have also drawn their last four, including the 0-0 stalemate with the Seagulls.

Throw in the 3-0 cup win at Burton and, technically, the Seagulls are on a good run. But it doesn’t feel that way.

In fact their seven games without a league win is the joint third longest in the division this season, level with Birmingham and behind Fulham (eight) and Blackpool (ten).

It’s entertaining at times – but results count

The first half of that heading is not based on stats, more on feedback from those who go to games. The goals tally in the last six matches does not really back that up but the stats regarding attempts on goal do. But results are surely a factor in a fall in attendances (though they are still at a level undreamt of maybe four years ago).

Strikers need an early goal

Look back at some of Albion’s top goal-getters of recent seasons – Leo Ulloa, Glenn Murray, Leon Knight, Bobby Zamora, Ashley Barnes in his early days – and they have one thing in common. They all broke their ducks very early on.

Nicky Forster took a few weeks to really get into his stride but two goals in his fifth match bought him time.

Sam Baldock and Chris O’Grady were denied on their full debuts.

Adrian Colunga netted at Swindon, above, but has yet to do so in the league, despite having two good chances. All three have done some good bits and pieces but Albion really need them to get off the mark.

Quantity of shots is not a problem. Quality is

Goal-shy Albion are shooting more times per match than any team except leaders Norwich. But they are only tenth for shots on target.

According to stats website whoscored.com, most of their efforts come from outside the box. Kazenga LuaLua has let fly 23 times from more than 18 yards, followed by Danny Holla with 12.

Albion are not really getting into the six-yard area, other than Lewis Dunk and Gordon Greer at set-pieces.

But one fact stands out a mile – the defenders are getting away more shots in the 18-yard box than the players who usually operate up front. Again according to whoscored.com, Joe Bennett (pictured below), Dunk and Bruno have gone for goal a combined 25 times inside the box compared to 22 for Craig Mackail-Smith, Adrian Colunga and Sam Baldock.

The Championship is as tight as ever

After 11 games Albion are down in 19th place, ten points off top spot. In League One, a ten-point deficit after 11 games would have left a team in a respectable 12th. In the Conference, ten points off the top after 11 games was good for ninth place.

A shade more than 70% of Championship games have ended either as draws (32%) or single-goal wins.

That compares to 62% in the Premier League, where wins by two or three goals have been more common than matches decided by the odd goal.

In League One 65% of games have been draws (25%) or odd-goals wins while League Two is as tight as the Championship.

They are arguably not far behind last season Albion were 15th after 11 games in 2013, which is four places better than this year. But they were seven points off sixth place, compared to eight this term.

Of course, one point can be a lot in the final count, as was proved last May. But the situation in terms of a play-off push is not beyond retrieval. If you think Sami Hyypia’s squad is good enough.

One team usually make a run after a slow start

And that team tends to have a new manager trying to get his ideas across. Last year it was Oscar Garcia. Twelve months earlier Gianfranco Zola took Watford to 15th place at this stage, four points off sixth place. They eventually missed automatic promotion only in the final minutes of the season.

Chris Hughton took over at relegated Birmingham City in the summer of 2011 and, with the distraction of the UEFA Cup playing a part, guided them to 17th by mid-October. They were six points from the play-offs, albeit with two games in hand, but made the end-of-season knockout with two games to spare.

Leo Ulloa was worth what Leicester paid for him – if not more

There were noises of dissent from the East Midlands when Albion turned down offers in the region of £5 million. And bewilderment when it became clear they wanted close to eight figures.

It is early days but Ulloa’s goals and general play for Leicester have confirmed two things.

He was right to pursue his Premier League chance and Albion were right to hold out as long as they did on the fee.

Hindsight might say the Foxes got a bargain. It would be unfair to criticise Albion on that score. But, of all the summer departures, he is the one they most miss.

We’ve lived through a golden era

Albion have only ever had six top-six finishes in the top two divisions.

A third of them have come in the last two years. That’s a tough act to follow.