Keep it simple, increase the tempo and work harder for each other.

That is how former Albion midfielder Warren Aspinall believes his old team can turn their season around.

Aspinall has been outspoken in criticism of some aspects of the Seagulls work as he follows them around the country in his role as summariser for BBC Radio Sussex.

Apart from the obvious defensive errors and missed chances, he saw other areas where Chris Hughton’s side have been lacking.

He told The Argus: “Teams have worked us out. They know if you let Brighton play, they will pass you off the park.

“They are saying ‘we need to get in their faces’ and we are not addressing that properly. Players think they have a lot of time. When Brighton are put under pressure, passes go astray.

“You need to match them for work and you need people willing to make runs off the ball and create space for others.

“You need unselfish runs and I can’t see that. The two strikers on Tuesday were too static. Anybody could have marked them. The fans might not see that but the manager will see it.

“We have to defend properly. Get back to basics. When you have to, put the ball in Row Z and then get your shape.

“We are missing a little bit of luck in front of goal but we need to play with a higher tempo.

“Squeeze up the pitch, make the pitch smaller. Win the ball high up the pitch and attack in their half rather than from our own half.”

Aspinall believes the time could be right to get former skipper Andrew Crofts back in midfield to provide leadership.

He said: “Gordon Greer is a leader. You don’t want ranters and ravers but you need some leadership.

“Crofty is a leader in my eyes. You might have to put him in there and sacrifice one of the other two (Dale Stephens or Beram Kayal).

“Okay, they have had a great start to the season but, at the moment, they are giving the ball away and not playing as well as they started.”

He also agrees with an observation that Albion never replaced the injured Gaetan Bong, Liam Rosenior and Kazenga LuaLua down the left.

He said: “We have gone downhill when we haven’t played with a natural left-back. With Bong and LuaLua we had a great start, great understanding. Rosenior went in and did an excellent job but losing that left-hand side has killed us.

“Calderon is a great lad but he is not a natural left-footed player. He naturally comes back on to his right foot.

“When the forwards have made their runs and the ball hasn’t come in, they have had to check. That affects the flow.

“Ridgewell will say to LuaLua ‘I’ll come to the halfway line and support you’ but he is never going to be a Bong on the overlap.”