End justifies the means for boring Brighton at Molineux

Sticking with an approach when it isn’t working. How many times has that led to managers getting the sack?

So, yes, the description of Brighton as boring at Molineux is accurate but it is also what it perhaps requires if they want a third season in the Premier League.

Nobody is saying that this wasn’t painful to watch or in any way a performance that, replicated 38 times over a season, should be enough to keep a side up. But a 0-0 draw is better than a 1-0 defeat.

It was also a first clean sheet in 12 games away from home, which is something Brighton manager Chris Hughton has strived for since they beat Newcastle 1-0 at St James’ Park in October.

‘It sets a level we know we have to be at,’ said Hughton.

But those levels Hughton talks about haven’t been close to good enough. Brighton have just 13 points to show from the past 57 available.

While Hughton denied that his side ‘set up for a draw’, he went into survival mode after a 2-0 defeat by Cardiff at home last Tuesday. It was why he chose to flood the midfield with five players here, knowing a defeat would leave his side just two points above Cardiff.

‘It’s about getting a result in any way we can,’ he added. When it comes down to four games left, which start at Tottenham on Tuesday night [Tuesday] and end away at Manchester City on the last game of the season, he is right to say that.

And if it means quite hideous and mind-numbing football - which saw Brighton have as little as 20 per cent of the ball against Wolves in the first half - keeps them up then so be it.

But it doesn’t mean he should be immune from criticism and should they stay up Tony Bloom, the Brighton owner, needs to ask questions.

Bloom could start by asking why Brighton have now gone six games without scoring. Or why with just 32 goals they have the third-lowest total in the league this season and the second lowest in 2019, with relegated Huddersfield’s tally just two worse than Brighton’s 10.

It is even more glaring when you consider this was a side that spent £36million last summer on three players who were supposed to help Brighton settle into a more attacking style in their second season in the top flight while trying to take the load off Glenn Murray, who turned 35 in September.

Jurgen Locadia, Florin Andone and Alireza Jahanbaksh came in for £14m, £5m and £17m from PSV, Deportivo La Coruna and AZ Alkmaar. Between them they have just nine goals, with club-record signing Jahanbaksh yet to score in 21 appearances.

Nine goals - four less than Murray, who it seems will finish the season as the club’s top scorer for a third year in a row. ‘We probably needed a little bit more of an attacking dynamic but it hasn’t worked,’ said defender Lewis Dunk.

Over 40 per cent of Brighton’s goals have come from Murray, who worked tirelessly against Wolves, playing the entire game as Jahanbaksh sat on the bench with Andone and Locadia as Hughton chose to make only two substitutions both of which were defensive.

Brighton’s attacking bluntness was furthered highlighted by failing to have a shot on target against Wolves - they are now the only side to do that over three games this term.

All of which won’t matter so much if they creep over the line and Dunk, who joined in 2010 when the club was in League One, thinks rediscovering the gritty edge that helped them reach the Premier League, could be enough to save them.

‘We have prided ourselves on that for many years now,’ the 27-year-old said. ‘We have to keep fighting in these last few games and make them ugly.’