Vote for your WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month for January 2012
After a disappointing December in which Brighton and Hove Albion scored only one goal and won only one game, 2012 got off to a much improved start as an unbeaten January pushed the Seagulls back into Championship play off contention.
Facing promotion chasing Southampton just two days after losing 2-0 away at bottom of the table Coventry City looked a daunting task but Gus Poyet’s decision to freshen things up by gambling on starting Sexy Pete Brezovan in goal and Jake Forster-Caksey in midfield worked a treat as the Saints were dispatched 3-0 at the Amex.
Another victory over Bristol City followed but the biggest improvement came on the road where Poyet abandoned his “no shots on target away from home” policy in favour of actually trying to win games which was richly rewarded with three points at Peteborough United and a draw with Crystal Palace.
The Albion have made solid progress in the FA Cup, although it did require a reply and a penalty shoot out to overcome Blue Square Premier outfit Wrexham in the third round. There were no such problems in round four where an own goal knocked out Premier League Newcastle United to set up a fifth round glamour tie away at Liverpool next month.
Peter Brezovan
Sexy Pete was handed his first start of the season at home to Southampton and has kept the jersey ever since. He played a couple of blinders in both FA Cup games with Wrexham and the fact he conceded just one league goal from open play in four games says it all.
Liam Bridcutt
Returned from suspension to put in another set of impressive performances in front of the back four. He continues to dictate play superbly and it was no surprise to see him linked with a move away to Premier League Norwich during the transfer window.
Will Buckley
Finally fit and firing on all cylinders, his three goals in the month included a match winning brace at Peteborough, taking him onto seven for the season in the process. It’s no coincidence that the Albion have looked far more of an attacking threat with him back in the side.
Inigo Calderon
A combination of the loan signing of Gonzalo Jara and injury had meant a frustrating time for the right back recently but he returned to the side and was handed the captains armband following Gordon Greer’s susepnsion. He responded by opening his account for the campaign with a goal-of-the-season candidate at home to Bristol City.
Lewis Dunk
Continued his fine form at the start of the month and then showed what a strong character he is for one so young by putting in even more impressive displays away at Peterborough, home to Newcastle and at Crystal Palace despite his well documented brush with the law.
Adam El-Abd
Began the month at centre half with a set of typically calm displays before being asked to cover at left back towards the end of the month after Marcos Painter’s return was abruptly halted at Peterborough. It says much that he doesn’t look out position even when he is out of position.
Jake Forster-Caskey
We’ve known about a talented kid called Jake Forster-Caskey in the youth set up for a while now, but he exploded onto the first team scenewith two goals in his first two starts against Southampton and Wrexham. Although early days, he genuinely looks like he could be the midfield playmaker that the Albion have been crying out for since Vicente set up camp in the physio room.
Gordon Greer
The skipper blotted his copybook with a typically stupid sending off against Southampton that came via his party trick of elbowing an opponent in the face. Despite that misdemeanour, he was instantly recalled against Peterborough and looked immense in the last few games of the month, particularly with a real captains display at Crystal Palace.
Craig Mackail-Smith
The goals have dried up for the Albion’s record signing but that hasn’t stopped him putting in a number of shifts for the team. His performance against Newcastle was probably his hardest working yet as he didn’t give the Toon back line a moments peace and he was only denied a deserved goal by an excellent save from Tim Krul.
Matt Sparrow
He has endured a frustrating season so far since promotion to the Championship but he was another beneficiary of Poyet’s mass changes for the Southampton game when he came into the starting line up and scored twice including a wonder goal from distance.
