Vote for your August 2021 WAB Brighton Player of the Month

With the spectacular explosion of despair that greeted the end of the summer transfer window, you could have been forgiven for thinking that the Albion endured a terrible opening month of the season. The WAB Brighton Player of the Month poll for August 2021 serves as a reminder that this is not actually the case.

Three wins from four matches. Back-to-back victories to start a top flight season for the first time in Albion history. Safe passage to the third round of the League Cup by eliminating a decent Championship second string with a team mainly made up of kids.

Ignore the defeat to a superior Everton and the lack of striker signing and it has actually been a decent four weeks to kick off 2021-22.

Central to this have been a number of players who, for one reason or another, we might not have expected to see in a Brighton shirt this season – let alone in the running for the August 2021 WAB Player of the Month award.

Take Shane Duffy for example. Most assumed that he would be cleared out along with the likes of Maty Ryan, Bernardo and Alireza Jahanbakhsh as Graham Potter sought to get rid of players on mega wages who he did not rate.

Instead, Duffy has put a nightmare season at Celtic behind him to make the most of the opportunity presented by Ben White’s sale to Arsenal, Joel Veltman having to isolate and Leo Ostigard and Matt Clarke being loaned to Championship clubs.

Three colossal performances have followed, reminiscent of the King Shane of 2018-19 who was good enough to be named Brighton Player of the Year rather than the player who was described as the worst signing in Celtic history last season. It is quite a turnaround.

Whereas Duffy was expected to leave because he was not good enough, Yves Bissouma looked likely to go for being too good. For reasons nobody seems to be able to suitably explain, there was no big money bid for the services of the Malian midfielder and so he remains an Albion player until January at least. He carried on in August where he left off in May.

Neal Maupay meanwhile ended the 2020-21 season watching from the stands due to suspension. The Frenchman had managed to get himself sent off after the final whistle for calling referee Jonathan Moss “a f**king joke” following the Albion’s 2-1 defeat at Wolves.

Potter was not impressed and some wondered if that might leave Maupay in the doghouse with his Brighton career in the balance. No was the resounding answer to that as Maupay has two goals from three appearances so far and appears to be playing with a newfound maturity at the moment.

Long may it continue – especially as there will be a lot of responsibility on his shoulders over the coming months with Brighton having to get to January at least with only him, Aaron ‘Shoosh’ Connolly and Danny ‘Legs are made of cheese’ Welbeck as striking options.

As for the rest of the candidates, Pascal Gross claimed two assists despite being used in some weird and wonderful positions. Jakub Moder changed the game at Burnley and scored against Cardiff City and Adam Webster was, well, Adam Webster.

The candidates for WeAreBrighton.com August 2021 Brighton Player of the Month

Yves Bissouma
Absolutely no idea what he is still doing as a Brighton player when he really should be playing for a Manchester City, a Manchester United or a Liverpool. Not that we are complaining. Topped the WAB Player Ratings for both the 2-0 win over Watford and the 2-0 defeat to Everton in a very strong start to the season.

Shane Duffy
Molly Malone’s shuts down due to licensing issues and Duffy is suddenly looking like an absolute rock again. Coincidence? Without his first half interventions including one clearance off the line, Burnley could have been out of sight going into the break at Turf Moor on the opening day rather than only 1-0 ahead. Followed that up by scoring a towering header to get the party started against Watford.

Pascal Gross
A strange month for Herr Gross. Sticking him at left back for the first half at Burnley was one of the maddest decisions Potter has made as Brighton boss, which is saying something. Gross also struggled at right wing back when having to defend against the pace of Demarai Gray, again leading to questions being asked of the manager. When given the more creative role in which he thrives in the second half against Burnley and at home to Watford, he registered two assists.

Neal Maupay
The most pleasing thing about Maupay’s two goals in August was that they were exactly the sort of opportunities he would have cocked up last season. Gave a testing time to all three defences he played against and if he carries on in this vein over the remainder of the campaign, he could be in for a much improved campaign.

Jakub Moder
Within a minute of his introduction at Burnley, he was involved in Maupay’s equaliser. Followed that up by scoring the opener at Cardiff in the League Cup. Deserves more game time in the Premier League – just not at left wing back where Potter used him when Everton came to the Amex.

Adam Webster
Struggled at Burnley in the opening 45 minutes as he did not seem to know whether he was meant to be playing as a right back or a right sided centre back. Has not looked back since half time at Turf Moor, however. Watching Watford looking completely flabbergasted every time he came striding out of defence with the ball at his feet was one of the highlights of the return to the Amex.

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Poll closes at 8pm on Sunday 5th September