WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month - November 2014

That one victory came against Wigan Athletic, one of only two teams below the Albion in the table and who as a result sacked their manager Uwe Rosler shortly after.

Sami Hyypia hasn't received the same treatment yet and indeed we only lost twice in November - at high flying Bournemouth at the start of the month and more concerningly at home to Fulham, another side who are struggling at the wrong end of the table.

All of which makes it another difficult month to pick a Player of the Month from...

November 2014 Player of the Month - Christian Walton (48.15% of the vote)
	He may have only played two games, but that hasn't stopped England under 20 goalkeeper Christian Walton taking home the November Player of the Month crown. He received the sponsors man of the match award in the only victory against Wigan Athletic in which he also managed to keep the only clean sheet before playing his part in another rare point, the 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn having ensures that Ali Al-Habsi's loan spell lasted a grand total of one game. His reward for two solid performances? To be dropped for David Stockdale, of course. Played 2 (2 starts). Scored 0.
	Second: Lewis Dunk (29.63% of the vote) November represents the first month when he has not won the popular vote. His form has been such this season that he was handed the captaincy for the home game with Fulham after another string of impressive displays at the back.
	Third: Elliott Bennett (7.41% of the vote) There was quite the fanfare when Elliott Bennett returned on loan from Norwich at the start of the month and he has seemingly lived up to it by snatching third place in the poll. At least his arrival has meant Sami Hyypia's stupid full back tactics are consigned to the bin...for now.

 

The contenders:
	Sam Baldock - Netted in the defeat away at Bournemouth and earned the penalty from which Adrian Colunga scored the third at Norwich. Promptly rewarded for the up turn in form by being dropped for new arrival Darren Bent.
	Elliott Bennett - His signing invigorated the crowd and meant Hyypia dropped his disastrous attacking full backs system. Played his part in the win over Wigan and the home draw with Blackburn and is staying on for another month. A welcome return.
	Adrian Colunga - Mixed month for the forward in which he was the Albion's joint top scorer and also got sent off. Netted away at Bournemouth and at Norwich but saw red for taking a free kick too quickly and then a ludicrous kick at a man in the Fulham defeat.
	Lewis Dunk - Handed the captains armband for the first time in the game against Fulham. It was another excellent month of defending from one of the only players to have come out of this season so far with any credit.
	Gary Gardner - Handed his first real run in the side and rewarded that decision with two goals in as many games, scoring the winner against Wigan and the opener in the draw with Blackburn. Finally, a goal scoring midfielder of sorts.
	Gordon Greer - Scored one of the classic own goals in the defeat away at Bournemouth but otherwise another solid month for the captain alongside Dunk, including the all important shut out against Wigan.
	Kazenga LuaLua - Latest injury comes as a real blow as once again he spent November as the Albion's main attacking outlet, scoring against Norwich and tearing Fulham apart before his forced withdrawal changed the complex of that game.
	David Stockdale - Missed a few games with injury but justified his immediate return to the line up away at Norwich with several superb shots that helped earn a point, even his distribution remains questionable.
	Christian Walton - Young goalkeeper didn't put a foot wrong in the two games he played in Stockdale's absence which yielded four points, including a rare clean sheet at home against Wigan when he was named the sponsors man of the match.