Chris Hughton on why Sam Baldock is such a key man - and how Albion fared without him

But the Seagulls boss might just have added another string to his bow for the coming weeks – especially for away games or to get through another injury setback.

Baldock looks set to resume his partnership with Tomer Hemed as Albion host Fulham tomorrow. It is a timely reunion. And not just because both men scored against the Cottagers in August.

Hughton got through trips to Birmingham and Nottingham Forest with a 4-4-1-1 set-up in Baldock’s absence but was pondering options for home games within minutes of that dramatic finale by the Trent.

It would appear Baldock’s availability has headed off a big decision he might have faced had Hemed and James Wilson been his only fit strikers in the continuing absence of Bobby Zamora.

The Seagulls boss said: “It’s a plus for us. Sam has been excellent. What he hasn’t given us in goals he has given us in performance.

“Over the last couple of games it’s been difficult when you have got two strikers and you are always mindful, if you end up having Sam and Bobby out for a period of time, you really can’t afford to get one of those two, James or Tomer, injured.”

Hughton was known as a man who plays 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 when he arrived at Albion midway through last season. At home this term it has been 4-4-2 all the way with one notable exception – for one of their three defeats.

Tomer Hemed and Sam Baldock in partnership

He used Baldock and Hemed in partnership for the first eight home games of the season and again versus Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley.

In Baldock’s absence, he paired Hemed and Zamora four times at home – versus Birmingham, Huddersfield, Brentford and Bolton. Zamora and Wilson kicked off the games against Charlton and Wolves together. Baldock and Wilson were together as the 1-0 win over Reading got under way.

There was one obvious exception to the rule – when Hughton went 4-3-3 at home to Ipswich on December 30. A 1-0 defeat that night stretched Albion’s goal famine beyond the five-hour mark, although Murphy had a strike incorrectly ruled out for offside.

Baldock has only scored three goals this season, including his deft conversion of Bruno’s low ball in from the right at Fulham. But his movement is valued by team mates and his manager has been pleased with his efforts.

Sam Baldock celebrates his goal at Fulham in August

Hughton spoke about his way of playing 4-4-2 and told The Argus: “There are not so many that do it very well. Burnley do it very well, where they play with more or less two No.9s. In this day and age, it is very difficult with different formations and a lot of teams playing that extra one in midfield.

“Generally, if you are going to play that way, you need one of them to be a little bit more of a link player. That is what Sam has given us. He is able to stretch teams to create that little bit of space between midfield and a back line.

“He also does that valuable link play, dropping back when the opposition have the ball. I think probably the fact he has only got three goals is not a reflection on his season.

“Sam and Tomer have got a great record playing together, as regards results. Sam has been excellent for us all season.”

Hughton does not believe Baldock has changed his game. He added: “Sometimes it happens with strikers. Tomer went through a long period without scoring a goal but he wasn’t doing anything different.

“Sam may well go through a five or six-game period where he manages to get four or five goals.

“That hasn’t been the case but I knew him before and he’s still making those runs in behind for us, he is still working as hard.

“Possibly the fact that he is playing up there with anther striker and he takes the responsibility he does has taken away a little from his goals. But I don’t think he has changed his game dramatically.”

Baldock’s likely return to the XI increases competition for the two wide berths. Jamie Murphy or even Jiri Skalak, above, could have been contenders to play off Hemed in a 4-4-1-1. Instead it’s two from four on the wing.

Skalak’s set-piece delivery is helping his cause although Hughton mentioned a fine ball Knockaert put in during his brief outing at Forest.

But what about looking ahead – to a time when Hughton might go back to the shape he used in those two away games? Did the 4-4-1-1 work well or did they get away with it by resolving matches through other means?

Albion won twice – but with three goals from set-pieces and then one in open play when they had two wingers and two forwards on the pitch.

Asked for his assessment as the lights went out at the City Ground, Hughton gave what sounded like something just a little short of a ringing endorsement of his 4-4-1-1 venture.

He said: “We have got two good results so I suppose it has worked for us. Probably the records will show I have gone more that way away from home than at home.

“It goes without saying that it is going to be more difficult to get results away. But I think we have got really good options across that front four.”