Vote for your October 2024 WAB Brighton Player of the Month

November 5, 2024November 5, 2024 WeAreBrighton.com 0 Comments

Brighton thrilled and frustrated in equal measure through October 2024, meaning we are expecting a keenly contested Player of the Month Award.

After a winless September in which the Albion and Fabian Hurzeler were hit by the Manager of the Month Curse, the third month of the 2024-25 season brought two wins, one draw and a League Cup defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

That Manager of the Month Curse initially appeared as if it were going to stretch into October when Brighton found themselves 2-0 down at half time to Tottenham at the Amex.

But the Albion rallied, going from looking like a team who had never played football before in their lives to launching an almighty comeback to defeat Spurs 3-2 thanks to goals from Yankubu Minteh, Georginio Rutter and the evergreen Danny Welbeck.

Dat Guy was on target again a fortnight later at Newcastle United. The chaotic, calamitous defending of the Tottenham and Chelsea games was forgotten as Brighton ground out a 1-0 win against the Saudi Sportswashers, thanks in no small part to an inspired display from Bart Verbruggen.

Things were going reasonably well after 88 minutes at home to Wolves too. The Albion held a 2-0 lead over the side bottom of the Premier League table and without a win all season. Welbeck of course netting, alongside Evan Ferguson ending his 11 month wait for a goal.

But then came the frustration we mentioned in the opening paragraph. Somehow, Brighton conspired to giveaway two goals in seven minute as Wolves recovered to take a point back to Molineux with them.

The sight of Mats Wieffer leading a four-on-one break in the 92nd minute with the chance to make it 3-1, only to pass straight to the one Wolves defender and the visitors going straight up the other end to equalise will live long in the memory.

October was rounded off with Liverpool visiting the Amex. Brighton could have advanced to the quarter finals of the League Cup for the first time since the 1970s with victory over a Redmen second string.

Hurzeler though opted to make eight changes himself. The result was a 3-2 defeat and disappointment that Hurzeler had passed up a genuinely good opportunity to reach a Wembley final.

The candidates for WeAreBrighton.com October 2024 Brighton Player of the Month

Yasin Ayari

Unused substitute against Spurs but he showed his worth with a superb performance at Newcastle, out-of-position on the wing as Hurzeler switched to a 4-4-2 to nullify the threat posed out wide by the Toon. The surprise package of the season so far.

Igor Julio

Igor! Igor! Igor! Declared crap in the summer by some Brighton fans because the club sanctioned Andy Naylor to report that Igor was a Roberto De Zerbi signing and all De Zerbi signings were supposed to be bad. The defence looked a lot tighter with him in it through the second half against Spurs and in victory at Newcastle.

Ferdi Kadioglu

Starting to settle into life in England nicely now. Showed why he is a player with such a reputation for versatility by appearing at left back and right wing for Brighton through October 2024.

Georginio Rutter

Scored against Spurs and then assisted Welbeck’s winner via a slide tackle. Something you do not see anywhere near enough at elite level. Rutter then went onto set up Welbeck’s goals at Newcastle and in the home draw with Wolves. Him popping up with weird and wonderful facial expressions in every post-match video the Albion post of the players heading into the changing room after a win is another reason to like him.

Bart Verbruggen

Brighton could have quite easily lost at Newcastle rather than winning 1-0 without the heroics of their Dutch number one. Verbruggen also enjoyed a fine second half against Wolves. Although if he had let a couple in earlier in the day, the scale of the Albion’s collapse would not have been so terrible/magnificent (delete as appropriate. WAB obviously siding with magnificent).

Danny Welbeck

Welbz is Dat Guy. Three Premier League goals in three Premier League games. Nominated for Premier League October Player of the Month. Wore the captain’s armband in the absence of the injured Lewis Dunk. Recovered from a back injury which left him in A&E and unable to walk to play one week later. And there has even been talk of an England recall.