Charalampos Kostoulas has shown a great will to win (Image: Richard Parkes)
Charalampos Kostoulas has shown a great will to win (Image: Richard Parkes)
In-form Charlamapos Kostoulas has been hailed as a natural goalscorer as he prepares to face the Premier League's meanest defence.
The Greek forward has scored in his last two games and looks likely to lead the attack for Albion at home to Arsenal.
The Premier League clash pits the top scorers, who are now the Seagulls, against the team who have conceded fewest goals.
Albion have a wide array of scorers but Kostoulas has three across all competitions and is impressing his boss after a season of adaptation to the Premier League.
Head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: “Some players might need a bit longer to adapt to the intensity and demands of the Premier League.
“We gave him this time last season.
“Now, since pre-season, he's in a very, very high level.
“I think in every training session, he shows that he can be a game-changer.
“That he can be always a match-winner for us by having one good action.
“He's a goalscorer, a natural goalscorer, and besides that, although he's quite young, he has this winning mentality.
“For him, it's about winning. He got educated by his history, by his past, by having in Olympiacos Piraeus, a team who always have to win.
“They are the biggest team or one of the biggest teams in Greece and you need to win.
“This feeling of ‘I need to win every game’, this will transform your personality.
“That's what he also brings to our environment and, besides that, he has also this attitude and this character where he's getting more and more professional.
“He keeps working harder on himself and now he gets rewards on the pitch, and that's something he needs to understand.
“What things made him strong, what things help him in his private life, what things help him in his time here, being at the training ground, and then try to keep improving every day.”
Albion saw Kostoulas progressing as Danny Welbeck was allowed to take up the opportunity of signing a two-year contract at Chelsea.
Georginio Rutter looked the best bet leading the attack in pre-season and the early competitive games.
But Kostoulas, who can look ungainly at times but deadly at others. has seized his chance.
Perhaps importantly, his three goals so far have all made the breakthrough for his team. They have gone on to record tallies of four, five and three and win each time.
Speaking after Kostoulas's three-part finish at Coventry, Hurzeler said: "He always has this ability to score goals.
"When you see his finishing in training, he has something special but to show this something special, you have to do the basic things right beforehand, and that’s what he understands more and more.”
But now comes the toughest test of all.
Arsenal's game against Chelsea recently was billed as best defence versus attack.
Chelsea scored early through Joao Pedro but the Gunners went on to win 2-1.
That was the only goal they have conceded in four games while Albion's 13 scored has seen them overhaul Chelsea as the best attack to date.
Hurzeler said: “I hope we find a good balance between keeping the defensive stability and controlling the game in possession.
“We always know that we will create chances.
“We always know that we can score goals within every phase of the game, but the most important will be a clean sheet.”
Rutter will be available in attack after a brief but hard-working return from injury at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Hurzeler said: “He looked good so he will be an option.”