Numbers game which has helped Albion become a set-piece threat

And he reckons it might be a turning point of the Seagulls’ season.

Goldson was on target for the second time this season – and second time in four games – as the Seagulls routed QPR 4-0 on Tuesday.

His header from Anthony Knockaert’s corner continued a theme of deadball goals for a team not previously known for their potency in such situations. In fact, not so long ago, the focus was on how many set-piece goals Albion conceded after Sean Dyche’s infamous “26%” reference.

Dale Stephens netted from a corner in that very match, then Goldson and Lewis Dunk got their heads to a free-kick and corner respectively, both delivered by Jiri Skalak, at Birmingham. Dunk nodded in a Skalak free-kick at Nottingham Forest.

Then Tomer Hemed worked his neck muscles to head home a Knockaert free-kick and Bruno was on target from a far-post corner when Fulham were thumped 5-0.

Goldson’s majestic effort against the Hoops made it seven goals from free-kicks delivered from wide or corners in the last five games. Knockaert’s curling free-kick against QPR also counts in the set-piece goals tally.

The delivery of Skalak and Knockaert has been key. The mid-season arrivals from Mlada Boleslav and Standard Liege respectively are piling up the assists.

Bruno celebrates his goal from a corner against Fulham

But there is also a simple numbers game at play which is pushing the odds of set-piece success towards Albion’s favour. And it is pretty simple. An extra player in the box.

Goldson told The Argus: “The delivery has been brilliant and we have been attacking more at set-pieces. We have got one extra person in the box which helps us cover all bases.

“When you start scoring, I think the confidence comes and you start getting a few more “We have six in the box so there is more of us there to attack the ball – and we have got more goals.

“I forget which game it was but he (manager Chris Hughton) just asked us to be more of a threat and that is what happened.”

Five in the box for Albion as they draw a blank at Preston. Picture taken from Albion's YouTube service.

Even when Stephens netted against Burnley, Albion only had five men waiting to get on the end of Knockaert’s corner. The ball flicked off a defender en route to the far post.

Move on three days and Albion win a corner early on at Birmingham.

As Skalak delivered wide from the left, he had Hemed to aim for at the bar post, Steve Sidwell close to the goalkeeper, Dunk on the edge of the six-yard box, Stephens and Goldson nearer the penalty spot and Bruno beyond the back post. He picked out Bruno, whose header towards goal was scrambled off the line by the home side (pictured below).

There were six in there too when Skalak picked out Dunk in the second half for the winner.

Move on to Tuesday and again Knockaert had six to aim for as he sent in a second-half corner.

He went over four of them and Goldson arrived ahead of Bruno to nod in the third goal of the game.

Bruno’s role in all this has been eye-catching. He always used to be the man who stayed furthest back when Albion won a corner.

But, in recent games, quite apart from his goal against Fulham, there has been at least one corner which has found his head beyond the far post and been nodded back into the goalmouth. In fact, Tuesday,was a quiet night for him in that respect.

Six in the box for Albion as Connor Goldson scores against QPR. Picture taken from Albion's YouTube service.

Hughton told The Argus that change of tack from the right-back was purely to keep opponents guessing.

“It was my decision to put Bruno up for corners,” he told the Argus.

“Sometimes you will put five in the box, sometimes you will put six, sometimes you will change things. You just hope that when you change things you are fortunate.

“With Bruno’s goal, it was a ball that fell to him and, fortunately for us, he had the quality to get on the end of it.

“Sometimes it’s just a change. What we would always do – and every manager and every club will do – is, every now and again, you change your shape at set-plays, change your routine. Every team you watch, you look at some of their structures, some of the qualities they have at set plays.

“It is just a question of changing things every now and again.”

Albion fans will wonder what surprises might be in store at the Valley today.