Vote for your WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month for December 2018
With a ridiculous seven games crammed into four weeks in December, this has proven to be easily the hardest month of the 2018-19 season so far to come up with a Player of the Month shortlist for.
Massive wins against Crystal Palace and Everton, a rare success on the road at Huddersfield Town and a credible draw against the talents of Arsenal have all come from a variety of players chipping in. Whittling them down to six candidates has been a tough task.
The 2-1 victory at the John Smith’s Stadium which kicked off the month came about through Solly March and Florin Andone, everyone who took the pitch for the 3-1 win over Palace deserved to be up for the accolade on that performance alone and Maty Ryan pulled off two of the best saves you’ll ever see to earn a point against Arsenal.
As a sign of how hard it has been creating a shortlist, Glenn Murray isn’t up for the vote for the first time this season. Neither Shane Duffy or Lewis Dunk appears for what feels like the first time since decimalisation. Yves Bissouma had his best spell in an Albion shirt but doesn’t make the cut, November’s Player of the Month Beram Kayal wasn’t even in consideration and Martin Montoya’s impressive form at right back fails to make the grade as well.
So without further ado, here is how has made the shortlist – good luck selecting a winner from these six.
Florin Andone
After an injury-hit start to his Albion career, the Romanian striker burst onto the scene with the winner in his first start for the club away at Huddersfield. He then gained instant hero status by chasing down what looked a lost cause clearance against Palace, collecting the ball, skinning two men and firing home for 3-1. Remarkable.
Bernardo
Another one of the summer signings who has taken time to bed in, it’s mad to think that Bernardo made only his second start for the club in November’s final game against Leicester City. He subsequently started in all seven games in December and was outstanding, looking every bit a £9m player with his solid defending and his raids forward from left back.
Jurgen Locadia
In November, the forward told the Dutch press that he wanted a move away from the Albion in order to play first team football. As recently as the 1-0 defeat away at Burnley, he was putting a free header off target from six yards. But a move out to the left wing led to two goals from December’s final two games which helped earn a point from Arsenal and a win over Everton to ensure the £14m man’s first appearance on a Player of the Month shortlist since his move from PSV Eindhoven a year ago.
Solly March
Moved back out wide after Pascal Gross’ return to fitness, he responded by assisting both goals away at Huddersfield and scoring against Chelsea. The winger has crept up the Premier League’s assists table as a result with his value to the team belatedly being realised by some of his more vocal critics.
Davy Propper
The classy midfielder was another to start all seven games and he gave two of his best performances in the stripes in the win at Huddersfield and the draw with Arsenal. Perhaps he doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he doesn’t score enough (or at all currently), but watching him control a game is a real joy.
Maty Ryan
You’ll struggle to find two better saves from any goalkeeper this season than the two he made from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the first half against Arsenal. He was one of the few players to come away from the defeat at Bournemouth with any credit and also impressed against Chelsea.
Poll closes at 8pm on Sunday 6th January
