Boss Chris Hughton says Gaetan Bong is still a "main player" for Albion.

Seb Pocognoli launches his bid to challenge Bong for the left-back spot against Reading in the League Cup at the Amex tonight.

Hughton still has faith in Bong in the face of widespread concern that he has not recaptured his form of last season prior to a long-term thigh injury.

The former Cameroon international has still been a regular part of a defence which has kept five clean sheets in their opening eight matches in the Championship.

Hughton told The Argus: "With all players it can sometimes take a little bit of time. He has been involved in a couple of goals we've scored.

"Last season as well he took a little while to get into a rhythmn and then he was very good.

"Some aspects of his game at the moment haven't reached the level they were but certainly defensively he still does very well for us and is still very strong.

"Every player is conscious of when they play well and not so well. I'm very confident that for him it's just taking maybe a little longer to get to his level but he's a main player for us.

"We've got really good competition in that position now but he has still done well for us."

 

Bong's new rival Pocognoli makes his debut against Reading after building up fitness over the three weeks since he signed on loan for the rest of the season from West Brom, where he has not been featuring.

"They are different type players," Hughton said. "Seb has also played in a more advanced position at times, has got a good left foot and can get into forward areas.

"Of course, what Gaetan has over him at the moment is that he is very much up to speed physically from a fitness point of view.

"We are still to learn a lot about Seb. We took him on what we've seen and what we know but you don't know a player until he comes in and works.

"We hope he is a really good acquisition for us and gives us really good competition.

"We are hoping he can be on a winning side and play well but it's more about him getting through the game, that we are happy with his contribution and his level of fitness.

"What we see will be a good gauge of how we treat him in the next few weeks."