Eleven goals in the last four games of the season while playing with one striker.

Seven in two games when said striker did not score.

Eight different goal-getters in those four games, including two previously scoreless defenders.

You would have thought events at the end of the season might have quietened that argument that all Albion need is a goal-poacher.

But one of the themes of the Graham Potter era does not go away for long.

The theory that Albion are a proven goal-getter away from possible European football was given another airing.

Not least by a man known for his penalty box feats, Ian Wright.

There are some big questions here, of course.

Financially, can Albion afford the fee and wages demanded by a player proven as a Prem goalscorer?

How many such players even exist?

From the footballing perspective, would he fit into the team pattern painstakingly pieced together, training session after training session and signing after signing, across three seasons by Graham Potter?

If Albion had someone whose job was purely to finish chances, would those chances be as plentiful?

Or does it need a frontman who gets involved in general play to help create those openings?

Albion dominate games at times but they do it with 11 men passing the ball and getting involved in construction play.

Not with one standing between the posts at one end and another waiting for chances at the other.

Maybe four games at the end of a season is far too small a sample size.

But those few weeks showed what can be done.

Albion’s burst of seven goals in two games versus Wolves and Manchester United featured NO goals by their lone striker, Danny Welbeck.

But he played a huge part in two of the three at Molineux and had a key role pulling United around as they were dismantled at the Amex.

Equally, if there are reasons to criticise Neal Maupay at times, his work in build-up play is not among them.

Both Welbeck and Maupay have shown fallibility when it comes to putting the ball in the net or converting what look like clear chances.

The same, and even more so, goes for Aaron Connolly, who has slipped out of favour.

The young Irishman looked a natural goalscorer as he came through the under-18s and 23s, including games against battle-hardened EFL opponents in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Of course, Albion would love to see Deniz Undav make an impact in England after his goalscoring feats for Union St-Gilloise.

But they will be keen to keep pressure off the German striker as he makes a big step up in standard.

Potter has generally bided his time with emerging talent he has added to his squad.

Just ask Tariq Lamptey, Alexis Mac Allister, Jakub Moder or Moises Caicedo, all of whom had to be patient in the early days.

So is the key to be goalscoring by committee?

That is what happened in those final games.

Albion were one of four Prem teams who did not have a player in double figures for goals in 2021-22 (and three others had one player each on ten goals).

Leandro Trossard had his most prolific season yet with eight and others got into great areas arriving late in support of Welbeck.

Albion were mid-table in terms of number of different goalscorers with 14, but the fact eight of them were on target in those final four games might underline a way to go.

Goals have been spread around.

Only once this season did an Albion player score twice in a game.

That was Mac Allister to open up 2022 in style at Everton.

In fact, there have been just three double strikes in Potter’s three seasons in charge.

There was Connolly against Tottenham in 2019-20 and Maupay at Newcastle, of which one was a penalty, very early in 2020-21.

So that is just one double by an Albion man in the last 74 games.

Relegated Burnley and Norwich also had just one double, as did goal-shy Wolves and nondescript Southampton (see story, left).

We could probably all identify the one Southampton player to score twice in a game.

That, of course, was James Ward-Prose at the Amex.

There have been times when it would have been ideal to see one become two.

Welbeck’s late chance which should have killed off Leeds springs to mind as a recent example.

And how sweet would it have been had Trossard been onside when he netted for the second time in front of the Kop?

Albion’s last top-flight hat-trick still dates way, way back to October 4, 1980, when Gordon Smith salvaged a 3-3 draw with Coventry City at Highfield Road.

BRIGHTON'S MARC CUCURELLA RESPONDS TO MANCHESTER CITY 'RUMOURS' 

We have not come close to seeing the like again, although there have been enough chances in some games.

But those 11 in four matches have shown goalscoring can work as a collective effort.

Because the silver bullet might never arrive.

TWO GOALS (OR MORE) IN A GAME
Man City 12 (Sterling 3*, De Bryne 3^, Jesus^, Torres, Mahrez, Gundogan, Foden, Silva).
Chelsea 9 (Lukaku 2, Jorginho 2, Mount 2*, Werner, Havertz, James). 
Tottenham 9 (Son 4*, Kane 3, Kulusevski, Bergwijn).
Liverpool 8 (Salah 4*, Jota 2, Firmino* Mane).
Leicester 7 (Vardy 4, Perez, Tielemans, Barnes).
Man Utd 6 (Ronaldo 4**, Fernandes 2*).
Crystal Palace 5 (Gallagher 2, Benteke, Edouard, Zaha).
West Ham 5 (Bowen 2, Lanzini, Benrahma, Antonio).
Arsenal 4 (Nketiah 2, Martinelli, Saka).
Newcastle 3 (Guimaraes, Joelinton, Wilson).
Brentford 3 (Toney 2*, Janelt).
Watford 3 (King*, Hernandez, Sarr).
Everton 2 (Richarlison, Gordon).
Leeds 2 (Harrison*, James).
Aston Villa 2 (Ramsey, Konsa).
Albion 1 (Mac Allister) 
Norwich 1 (Sargent).
Southampton 1 (Ward-Prowse).
Burnley 1 (Cornet).
Wolves 1 (Hwang Hee-chan).

KEY
* one of the two-goal hauls was converted into a hat-trick.
** two of the two-goal hauls were converted into hat-tricks.
^ one of the two-goal hauls was converted into four goals.

DIFFERENT PREM GOALSCORERS
18: Chelsea.
17: Liverpool, Newcastle
16: Manchester City, West Ham
15: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brentford, Everton, Manchester United
14: Albion, Burnley, Leicester, Tottenham, Wolves.
12: Leeds, Southampton.
11: Crystal Palace.
10: Norwich.
9: Watford.