Albion made progress in transfer window - but they are still asking a lot of Zamora

Signed from Mlada Boleslav ahead of the transfer deadline, the 23-year-old forward could be a coup for the Seagulls, certainly in the longer term.

But, as the dust settled on winter business, the fundamental importance in the shorter term of the man who preceded him into the interview room a few hours earlier was underlined.

Bobby Zamora remains absolutely pivotal to Albion’s hopes of reaching the play-offs and going up.

And nothing we saw ahead of Monday’s 11pm deadline changed that.

The veteran frontman is still his team’s best bet as a genuine English-style No.9 who can bring others into play, annoy opposing defenders and score goals.

Keeping him fit and sharp for at least 60 minutes of most matches will be central to the promotion push.

Unless something dramatic happens when the loan window opens.

The figures speak for themselves. Zamora has scored on five of his last six starts – but those six starts have been spread across his team’s last 13 fixtures.

Jiri Skalak is an intriguing addition (picture by Paul Hazlewood)

Of course he is not the only option to win games. When Albion took off Zamora and Tomer Hemed at home to Huddersfield and went for all-out pace across the frontline, it worked well.

Yes, there was some tidy business done throughout the month by the Seagulls. And boss Chris Hughton was, quite rightly, keen for the month to be taken as a whole.

But fans wanted a No.9 – and Hughton recognised that is one thing Skalak for all his qualities, is not.

How he fits in remains to be seen. Working as part of a traditional front two, giving the Seagulls the option of the 4-4-1-1 set-up Hughton has used at previous clubs or even allowing them to a show us a new dimension in terms of formation.

Any player bright and technically good enough to make the right split-second decision in decisive moments – as Anthony Knockaert did in that stunning counter-attack goal versus Huddersfield – is welcome.

And remember the player who is possibly the most similar to the Czech, James Wilson, is not with the club on a permanent basis.

Nothing against Skalak at all. He is an intriguing and potentially exciting addition.

But it was easy to understand a slightly underwhelmed reaction of “Where’s the No.9?’ from the fanbase as business closed on Monday.

The more fanciful talk was of moves for Leo Ulloa or Kike. We know Jonathan Calleri figured large among targets the club studied in South America.

A report surfaced very late in the window that the Seagulls were among a handful of Championship clubs to have enquired about the services of Hull’s Sone Aluko on loan.

Interesting. But it appears he is not up for grabs. And, in any case, he is more of a second striker or winger than a centre-forward.

Zamora was in the media suite earlier on Monday to talk about forthcoming home games and his own recent role.

Anthony Knockaert was the star addition of January (picture by Richard Parkes)

Helped by a more forgiving fixture list of late, he has played the part of old-fashioned target man better than he seems to give himself credit for, especially in an equally old-fashioned sort of match at Blackburn.

He is quick to praise Hemed’s work – and the Israeli’s graft is not in question. But his goals return simply has to be.

As a window in general, Albion did pretty well. A star signing in Knockaert, a potential star in Skalak, know-how in Steve Sidwell, a much needed defensive fill-in with Liam Ridgewell and some talent for the future.

Do not under-estimate the value of those loan spells for Rohan Ince, Jake Forster-Caskey and even Elvis Manu either.

Two months ago, when he joined Albion, Rajiv van La Parra was seemingly finished at Wolves.

On Monday they were issuing a hands-off warning to Huddersfield – which led to the Terriers taking Manu instead.

Of course it’s easy for fans of any Championship teams to feel underwhelmed when they compare their club’s haul to the astonishing events at Middlesbrough.

But Zamora, the man brought to Sussex on loan back in February, 2000, before the loan window was even “a thing” is as important as ever to this promotion push.

Albion can be happy to a degree with their work - but not on cloud nine due to one obvious missing piece.