Albion transfer window verdict

This simple statement of fact is a sign of strength, not weakness or complacency.

An indication that the calm and organised manner in which Chris Hughton runs the team is also reflected in the recruitment strategy.

No panic, no knee-jerk reaction to Tuesday's second half capitulation at Fulham, no last-ditch desperation signings at inflated prices as the window closed last night.

The relatively comfortable position in the Premier League table helps, of course.

Relative because the next three home games, against Watford, Burnley and Huddersfield, will have a bearing on whether Albion enter the last ten matches virtually safe or at growing risk of being dragged into a relegation fight.

At least four points from those fixtures, preferably more, will ensure a reasonable degree of breathing space.

The underlying reason for Albion's January inactivity, at least in terms of the first team squad, is that significant business was not required. It had already been done in the summer.

For the second year in succession since promotion they had a hectic May to August, avoiding the need for drastic surgery mid-season.

In goal, David Button and Jason Steele replaced Tim Krul and Niki Maenpaa as back-up for Mathew Ryan.

Reservations about the pair after difficult seasons respectively with previous clubs Fulham and Sunderland have been removed by their performances during Ryan's absence representing Australia at the Asian Cup.

The final act of the summer was the capture of former Barcelona right-back Martin Montoya from Valencia to compete with and, as it has transpired, succeed fellow Spaniard and club captain Bruno as he approaches the end of his career.

Ezequiel Schelotto, surplus to requirements, has returned to Serie A in Italy with Chievo on loan for the rest of the season.

At the heart of the defence, the dominant partnership of Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy is now supported by Nigerian international Leon Balogun and Dan Burn, not Connor Goldson and Uwe Huenemeier.

Burn was an addition of sorts last month, only in the sense that he was immediately loaned back to Wigan until January to recover from injury and play games in the Championship.

At left-back, the signing of injury-hit Brazilian Bernardo from Red Bull Leipzig has created a battle for the position with Gaetan Bong.

Markus Suttner, like Schelotto demoted to third choice, has gone on loan to Fortuna Dusseldorf in the Bundesliga for the remainder of the campaign.

Sound defence has underpinned Albion's success under Hughton, which is why the cave-in at Craven Cottage was so uncharacteristic and, you would hope, just a one-off. The summer trading ensured it has generally continued and, indeed, improved, as reflected by the closer scorelines against the top six.

Steve Sidwell's retirement through injury left a vacancy for another central midfielder alongside Dale Stephens, Davy Popper and Beram Kayal.

Youg Mali international Yves Bissouma, from Lille, has already demonstrated plenty of potential as he adjusts to the different demands of English football.

Wingers have always been instrumental in Hughton's system, whether it is 4-4-1-1 or the recent adaptation to 4-3-3.

Anthony Knockaert, Solly March and Jose Izquierdo were joined in the summer by £17 million record buy Alireza Jahanbakhsh from AZ Alkmaar in Holland.

His impact has been restricted so far by hamstring trouble, but he is fit and available again now that Iran have been knocked out of the Asian Cup.

The timing is helpful, since Izquierdo is still coming back from a recurrence of a knee problem he suffered at the World Cup with Colombia. Albion, as Hughton has acknowledged, have missed Izquierdo's attacking X Factor.

They finally got their hands on Florin Andone, pictured above, in the summer, ending their protracted pursuit of the Romanian international striker from Deportivo La Coruna.

Missing out on Andone the previous summer, through circumstances beyond the club's control, left them initially short of firepower in their first season following promotion.

That was rectified in the January 2018 window by re-signing Leo Ulloa on loan until the end of the season and the arrival of Jurgen Locadia from PSV Eindhoven.

The double boost coincided with a free-scoring spell for Glenn Murray, launched by a fortuitous late winner at Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Locadia, hampered by injury issues and Murray's form, has now enjoyed a run of games on the left of Hughton's revised set-up, which he knows well from his time in Holland.

Hughton will be hoping Murray's break-out from a barren spell with his early double at Fulham could be the start of another spurt and that Jahanbakhsh and Izquierdo can improve Albion's fortunes in the final third of the pitch.

They are also looking ahead to next season and beyond, hence the signing of attacking midfield prospect Alexis Mac Allister, who has been loaned back to Argentinos Juniors.

It will be interesting to see whether Mac Allister and South African Percy Tau, another of the summer additions loaned to owner-chairman Tony Bloom's other club Union Saint Gilloise in Belgian to assist with a work permit, can force their way into the Premier League picture.

The January window was notable not so much at first team level as the under-23s, a mixture of signings, loan recalls and departures.

I expect Albion to be pretty busy again in the summer - which will be Dan Ashworth's first window as technical director - although perhaps not quite to the same extent as in the previous two.

They have enough in the squad to ensure that by then they are looking forward to a third season in the Premier League, not a return to the Championship grind.