Vote for your WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month for August 2011
Sitting top of the Championship at the end of August thanks to four wins and a draw from their opening five fixtures, Brighton and Hove Albion have enjoyed a pretty decent start to the Amex era.
There were league victories over Peterborough United, Cardiff City, Portsmouth and in that dramatic first game of the season against Doncaster Rovers while the only dropped points came in a credible 2-2 draw against recently relegated Blackpool who are themselves expected to make a strong challenge for an immediate return to the Premier League.
There’s even been a cupset with Steve Bruce’s Sunderland, the first top flight to visit the new ground in a competitive game, defeated to set up an eagerly awaited tie with Liverpool next month.
That good start to the season means a bumper shortlist for our first ever WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month Award.
Casper Ankergren
The man who keeps Marlboro in business has conceded just four goals so far this season with clean sheets coming in what looked like difficult games against good attacks away at Portsmouth and Cardiff and at home to Peterborough.
Ashley Barnes
Despite the arrival of Craig Mackail-Smith and Will Hoskins to boost Gus’ striking options, Barnes has remained in the side and more important scoring goals including a much needed successful penalty against Gillingham.
Liam Bridcutt
Bricutt remains composed and assured in front of the back four, winning the ball back and distributing it intelligently. He has to rank as Gus Poyet’s best signing and maybe one of the greatest free transfers in club history.
Will Buckley
Hobbled off at Portsmouth but his month and probably his Albion career will always be defined by THAT debut – two goals from the substitutes bench including a 96th minute winner in the first ever game at The Amex. You can’t write stuff like that.
Gordon Greer
Only four goals conceded since the start of the season and that is largely down to the form of the captain and young Lewis Dunk. He continues to be one of the most consistent players in the side.
Lewis Dunk
Thrown in at the deep end with Adam El-Abd and Tommy Elphick out, the youngster has risen to the challenge, being superb defensively and showing that he is probably the most comfortable defender on the ball that the Albion possess – a huge positive with Poyet’s style of play
Will Hoskins
A frustrating start to his Albion career with injuries taking their toll, but the former Watford striker showed everybody what he is about with an absolutely first class goal away at much fancied Cardiff in that shock win.
Kazenga LuaLua
Got the nod to start the opening game after finally joining the Albion on a permanent deal, his afternoon wasn’t helped by a booking for diving but will cause defences all manner of problems if his performance before that is anything to go by.
Craig Mackail-Smith
The record signing has started his Albion career with a bang, scoring goals away at Portsmouth, home to Sunderland and a brace at home to Blackpool. His workrate off the ball is also something else.
Craig Noone
Will Buckley may have got the goals against Doncaster, but it was Noone’s introduction that really changed the game. He is terrifying Championship full backs already and has been handed a number of well deserved starts as a result.
