Vote for your April 2023 WAB Brighton Player of the Month
You can tell it has been some time since Brighton played in the Championship as seven games in April 2023 had us struggling to remember all of what happened ahead of putting together the WAB Player of the Month shortlist.
Such an intense run of fixtures used to be par for the course before the Albion reached the Premier League. Nobody will ever forget Mad March 2011 when Brighton played (and won) eight League One games in space of four weeks.
Now though, well, we just cannot cope. The thrilling 3-3 draw with Brentford at the Amex and the 2-0 victory at Plucky Little Bournemouth might as well have taken place in 2012, given how far they have been pushed from the mind by more recent outings like the FA Cup semi final and Brighton 6 (SIX) Wolves 0.
So, before we get to the voting, a recap of what exactly has happened in April. Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and Alexis Mac Allister all scored in that six-goal roller coaster against the Bees.
Teenagers Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso showed the kids are alright away at Bournemouth, giving Brighton just their second league win at Dean Court and its subsequent namesakes since 1994.
Lewis Dunk scored at Spurs but VAR conspired to deny the Albion two more totally legal goals and two clear-as-day spot kicks in the biggest robbery London has seen since Hatton Garden.
It was back to the capital a week later when history as made. Brighton won a league game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time ever, coming from behind to take a 2-1 victory thanks to Danny Welbeck and the prodigious Enciso.
Wembley called next and the Albion were much the better side against Manchester United in the semi finals of the FA Cup.
Unfortunately David De Gea was in inspired form, nothing could separate the sides after 120 gruelling minutes and a a single missed penalty from Solly March saw Brighton eliminated in the cruellest of fashions.
There were tired bodies and tired minds at the City Ground 72 hours later, where Nottingham Forest were roared to a 3-1 victory by a raucous set of home fans.
Some thought that was the end of the Seagulls’ European dreams. You write this Brighton side off at your peril, however, as Wolves found to their cost.
Roberto De Zerbi rested his three best players Mac Allister, Mitoma and Moises Caicedo for the visit of the Old Gold. The result was a 6-0 victory, the biggest winning margin the Albion have ever racked up in the top flight.
The goals were spread between three players, Deniz Undav, Pascal Gross and Dat Guy Welbz all claiming braces. De Zerbi said afterwards it was the best game of his managerial career, and who could argue with that?
Take heartbreak at Wembley, fatigue at Forest and the VAR shambles against Spurs out and April 2023 was another good month for the Seagulls – and it leaves a wide open field for our WAB Brighton Player of the Month award.
The candidates for WeAreBrighton.com April 2023 Brighton Player of the Month
Moises Caicedo
Tony Bloom deciding to turn down £70 million from Arsenal for Caicedo in January has been richly vindicated with the midfielder getting better and better with each passing month since the Gunners were rebuffed. He was the best player on the pitch at Stamford Bridge against a Chelsea side costing nearly half a billion pounds, following that up by being the standout at Wembley. A phenomenal footballer.
Lewis Dunk
Like Caicedo, he shone at Wembley – a stadium he should have played at many times for England. Equally excellent against Spurs in keeping Harry Kane quiet for the most part and Chelsea could get no change out of him, other than an unfortunate deflection off Conor Galagher’s shot which gave the Blues the lead. We will let him off that; as a boyhood Chelsea fan, it has always been his dream to score at Stamford Bridge.
Julio Enciso
Coming into April, he seems to have developed physical strength and is suddenly making much better decisions when on the ball. The result? A well take goal against Plucky Little Bournemouth, a stunning strike from 30 yards past Chelsea and a hand in four of the six the Albion plundered past Wolves. A breakthrough month for the Paraguayan teenager.
Pervis Estupinan
Started all seven games in April and looked utterly dependable throughout, except when trying to dribble out of his own area and conceding a penalty at Forest. You have to accept that will happen every now and again though with such a swashbuckling full back and the attacking returns always outweigh the occasional defensive frailty. See the superb cross for Welbeck to score Brighton’s fourth against Wolves as exhibit A.
Pascal Gross
Started the month in midfield. Went to right back with Joel Veltman ruled out through injury. Ended it back in midfield and with a stunning brace against Wolves, moving onto eight and his most prolific season in an Albion shirt in the process. Contributed assists at Bournemouth and Chelsea for good measure.
Danny Welbeck
Welbz is Dat Guy. Four goals across the month, starting in the win over Brentford. Followed that up with a great header at Chelsea and plundered another header against Wolves and a clinical finish early in the second half. Such scoring form almost overshadows how much he brings to the party in terms of hold up play, intelligent movement and creating space for others.
Loading ...Poll closes at 8pm on Sunday 7th May
