Albion’s players who have been left on the bench are being urged to get into the coach’s head by Fabian Huerzeler.
And Julio Enciso is an obvious example as they prepare to face Chelsea.
Enciso has a special niche in Albion’s history at Stamford Bridge.
His spectacular goal two seasons ago gave the Seagulls their first league win at the West London venue.
That rocket into the top corner and an even better effort at home to Manchester City remain the reference points of the Paraguayan’s Premier League career to date.
We have not seen anything that threatens to join those strikes in his Albion hall of fame just yet.
Still only 20 and now back from serious injury, one still imagines and hopes that next magic moment could come at any time.
But he, and others, have to do that glory, glory bit within the team plan, albeit striking a balance between that and moments of solo magic.
So, as Albion head back to Stamford Bridge and after Enciso was left on the bench against Nottingham Forest, it seemed timely to ask where he stands now in terms of form, fitness and fitting into the overall team plan.
Huerzeler said: “On the one side, some players are so good because of their individual things, like Joao Pedro, Julio Enciso, also (Kaoru) Mitoma.
“They can do special things by doing their own things.
“You have to give them also the freedom because, in the end, they can make the difference.
“On the other side, it is very important that everyone understands my principles, that everyone understands it will only be successful if you work together as a team.
“I think Julio is improving in these things. He is trying to develop in these things.
“We are working hard with him. We show it to him after every game, after every minute that he is playing, where he can improve.
“That is our job, to make him better.
“And it is also the responsibility for the player.
“How he accepts his role at the moment, how he reacts to his role.
“Is he disappointed and then shows his disappointment and also trains not good?
“Or is he like, ‘Alright, now I want to show it to everyone and show it to myself how good I am and show it to the gaffer how good I am, that I am in the gaffer’s head’?
“In the end this has to be the goal for every player who is not starting at the moment, to be in my head. You are only in my head if you train good, if you are the best version of yourself every day here on the training pitch.”
Huerzeler confirmed Enciso fitted into that second category – that he is working hard on a daily basis.
Where he is in the boss’s head remains to be seen.
Georginio Rutter has taken the No.10 role of late and has done some good things while not offering the same goal threat, so far this season and historically, as Joao Pedro.
Evan Ferguson is increasingly becoming an option while Ferdi Kadioglu did not get on against Forest having scored the winner against Wolves from an advanced position.
Brajan Gruda is getting close to the matchday squad.
Ferguson has less pleasant memories of Stamford Bridge than Enciso, having suffered an injury which ruled him out of games including the FA Cup semi-final.
Huerzeler said: “Evan is a clear target player in the box.
“He knows how to move in the box. He has a good nose for some situations.
“He is there when he needs an easy tap-in. He’s there when he needs to make a header. He also looks very good in training.
“Against Nottingham, we were thinking about bringing him on a little bit earlier because we know his strength.
“But, in the end, the most important thing is that he’s fit, that he’s training every day, that he doesn’t feel his injury anymore, and that he’s getting back to his best shape.
“We need to help him. We need to give him game time for sure.
“I’m really keen on working with him because I think he can have a great impact on our team.”
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