Jan Paul van Hecke voted WAB November 2023 Brighton Player of the Month

December 11, 2023December 11, 2023 WeAreBrighton.com 0 Comments

November 2023 felt like a breakout month for Jan Paul van Hecke and he ends it deservedly winning his first ever WAB Brighton Player of the Month award.

With Lewis Dunk suffering from both injury and then getting himself sent off at Nottingham Forest, Van Hecke stepped up to lead the Albion defence in the absence of the captain.

It started when the Dutchman starred in front of his fellow countrymen in the Amsterdam Arena, helping Brighton to secure a clean sheet in a 2-0 win against Ajax.

That game could quite easily have got away from the Albion with three members of the back four all pulling up injured.

James Milner went after less than 10 minutes, Dunk did not return for the second half and Pervis Estupinan lastED only 12 minutes after coming off the bench.

Despite the chaos and confusion in the ranks, Van Hecke remained a completely composed tower of strength. It was an outstanding display from such a young and relatively inexperienced player.

Better was to come from Van Hecke in the Albion’s final Premier League game of November 2023 away against Forest.

Down to 10 men after Dunk’s red card for ill-advised comments questioning Anthony Taylor’s lack of hair, Van Hecke looked and played like a future Brighton captain.

The Albion were under the cosh in those final 20 minutes at the City Ground, playing shorthanded and up against a raucous home crowd.

Without Van Hecke, the makeshift defence alongside him of Pascal Gross, Joel Veltman and Jack Hinshelwood probably do not see out the game.

It is therefore fair to say that Brighton ending their seven game winless league run was down to Van Hecke more than any other player.

Whilst Van Hecke has impressed at one end of the pitch, Joao Pedro did the business at the other with three goals through November 2023 to take second spot in our Player of the Month vote.

The Brazilian forward came off the bench to score twice in the win over Forest. The first was a bullet header showcasing his underrated aerial ability and the second was a cool-as-you-like penalty.

Five days later and Pedro was again flawless from the spot against AEK Athens, winning and converting yet another penalty for the only goal of the game.

He now has five goals from five Europa League matches, proving himself Mr Thursday Night. It has been quite the start to life at the Amex for Pedro following his £30 million summer move from Watford, having also topped the WAB September 2023 Player Ratings.

Third spot in the November 2023 Player of the Month award went to Simon Adingra. Injury to Solly March at the end of October saw the Ivorian winger become a more regular starter and he has made the most of the opportunity.

Ajax had no answer to the Adingra/Ansu Fati link up, sadly now denied to the Albion for the next three months after injury to the Barcelona star.

Adingra set up Fati for the opening goal before the roles were reversed with Fati assisting Adingra for the second.

He then scored a goal of individual brilliance when Brighton were held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield United at the Amex.