Which Brighton players have (and haven't) really progressed this term?

That was the question - or observation - put to me by a member of the national media as we headed from the stand at Stoke last Saturday and towards the room where press conferences take place.

Albion had just beaten Stoke 4-2 and it was time for Roberto De Zerbi and Steven Schumacher to take questions from reporters.

"Can you? So which two are you thinking of?"

Joao Pedro presumably after he scored two goals and generally impressed.

The busy Billy Gilmour? Or Jan Paul van Hecke after his work with the ball and in defence?

Who do you think you are - Franz Beckenbauer?

We have all been reminded this week of the times we might have said that on the school playground or parks pitch after a particularly elegant piece of work from what we used to call a footballing centre-half.

Van Hecke went early with his Beckenbauer tribute - but his afternoon at Stoke was somewhat blemished by a clumsy own goal.

What about Albion’s own Der Kaiser?

Pascal Gross was as good as ever in the Potteries but is probably not going to make headlines as a mega-millions transfer target.

No, the second man who was going to be asked about in the press conference was Pervis Estupiñan, scorer of a stunning goal and accomplished on the left of a back three or four.

The question was duly asked about keeping Joao Pedro and/or Estupiñan and led to De Zerbi speaking about other players.

It’s getting boring and a little irritating to always hear people talk about Albion players (or coaches) who do well in the context of where they will go next, when and for how much.

But it did set one thinking about which squad members have really kicked on so far this season.

And of whom should we be expecting more in the coming months?

Five players who have really moved on this season (but not the only ones to have progressed).

Joao Pedro: Signed for a record fee and placed at the sharp end of an attack-minded team, it was perhaps to be expected that he would catch the eye.

But he has made visible progress as part of the collective pattern, has increased (or better directed) his work rate, got to grips with the team plan and still offered individual attacking flair as well as regular, ice-cool penalty conversions. Perhaps one less expected bonus is those towering, powerful headers. Still room for improvement in what we might term the easier goalscoring chances but he has come a long way since Watford.

Jan Paul van Hecke: We knew he could be an awkward defender but his build-up play has come on in leaps and bounds and he exerts massive authority and confidence. He must surely be attracting suitors (if we have to go down that route).

Billy Gilmour: He has had more opportunities this season and been better-placed to take them. Continuity has helped him and he is looking more and more important to the way the team play.

Jack Hinshelwood: The most obvious example of a player who has progressed since the start of the season. The story is well known and he is such a part of the first team picture that you have to remind yourself he did not even make the bench in the first matches.

Simon Adingra: Came from Union St-Gilloise via the Mitoma route with a good track record and slotted in more quickly than his Japanese colleague a year earlier. Is exciting, productive and - not always in a good way - unpredictable.

And what about those of whom we can expect more than we have seen.

Carlos Baleba: It looked like he had cracked it, but that proved to be a false dawn. Still, we have surely seen enough to suggest he can be a Prem player. He is having to be patient and do his groundwork amid more scrutiny than has been the case with others.

Ansu Fati: Injury interrupted his season but he had probably not shown what was expected in the league at the time of his setback when, ironically, given a chance on his favoured left wing at Nottingham Forest. He has been exciting and important in Europe but still needs to conquer the Prem in the three months or so which should be available to him.

Kaoru Mitoma: This is harsh given he might have scored goal of the season and has not been fully fit. One does not want to fall into that trap whereby you remember a player’s very best match and demand that every game. But he can be even better on a consistent basis than we have seen.

Mahmoud Dahoud: One hesitates to include him here not because he has been a success but because one wonders whether he now has too much ground to make up. But we have seen players turn their fortunes around before.

There would be some who might put Evan Ferguson in this category.

And, yes, as a 19-year-old, he has scope to progress.

A dramatic entry to Premier League life, the hat-trick against Newcastle, Fergie-fever in Ireland and Alan Shearer’s glowing praise have perhaps skewed perspective.

But, if his form has plateaued at times, that is to be expected of a young player.

He remains ahead of what would be most people’s schedule.