Brighton Fan View: Supporters must not expect too much too soon from Pascal Gross

By Seagull Griggo

Pascal Gross won the hearts of Brighton fans with his two-goal blast last Saturday, but we have to avoid lumping too much pressure on his shoulders.

The German scored Brighton’s first ever goal in the Premier League and went on to add a second, plus an assist for Tomer Hemed’s third, in a 3-1 win against West Brom at the Amex last weekend.

That performance helped him into a lot of Premier League ‘Team of the week’ choices – and rightly so. But thinking Gross has made it at the top level and that he is going to mow down every team we come up against is wide of the mark.

Let us not forget that Gross was not overly affective in the first three games of the season, nor in the opening 44 minutes against West Brom prior to his opening goal on the stroke of half-time. Once that went in his confidence seemed to soar and his second-half performance provided the substance for most plaudits.

I sincerely hope it is a springboard for a great season for both Gross and Brighton, but one performance won’t make a season … not when you are in a league with as much quality as the Premier League. That is why it is ludicrous to think he will get 20 goals this season. If he gets six or seven he will have had a good campaign.

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What we should demand now is not virtuoso performances from Mr Double S every week but for other players to come to the party. Brighton’s survival hopes rely not on one player but on four or five getting five or six goals and people from other areas of the park contributing too.

Personally I was delighted for Gross last Saturday and have replayed his opening goal and celebration in my head probably a hundred times since then but the player who impressed me perhaps even more in last Saturday’s game was Davy Propper. People can criticise me if they like for saying Gross’s was not the best performance last week, but if one player could be more influential than anyone for Brighton this year I believe it could be our Dutch midfielder.

He has been getting better with every game and Propper looked like a proper Premier League midfielder against West Brom. His passing was simple yet sharp and inventive in a busy midfield where he was up against former England man Gareth Barry.

We will need more of the same against Bournemouth on Friday evening, because this is a great opportunity to try to make it three games unbeaten and possibly seven points from nine against a team who have yet to register a point. It will not be easy, though, and that is why we have to keep expectations realistic, both for the team and for individuals.

@GriggoHome