Vote for your WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month for January 2019
After putting together a shortlist for December’s Player of the Month proved to be so difficult because of the number of players who had delivered big performances on the way to picking up 11 points, January has been afflicted by the opposite problem.
With Brighton and Hove Albion winning just once in six games, it has made coming up with six individuals worthy of being up for accolade an extremely tough task.
To complicate matters further, that sole win came against Plucky Little Bournemouth in the FA Cup, when Chris Hughton sent out a number of fringe players. Those same players then failed to defeat Championship side West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup, despite the Baggies naming four academy players in their starting line up at the Amex.
True, the fixture list hasn’t been kind, decreeing meetings against Liverpool and Manchester United in which the Albion did in fairness give a couple of brave performances but really, this was a month to forget which was best summed up by the final game when a 2-0 half time lead was thrown away at second-bottom Fulham.
As a result, the voting for our WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month award for January 2019 isn’t so much about picking the Seagulls best player over the course of the past four weeks, but the least-worse.
David Button
With Maty Ryan missing most of January on international at the Asian Cup, many of us were fearing the worst about life without a goalkeeper who has been on the shortlist for every Player of the Month award so far this season, including winning the vote in October. We needn’t have worried though as David Button proved to be an able deputy, recording a clean sheet against West Brom and making some excellent saves against both Liverpool and Manchester United.
Shane Duffy
Struggled at Fulham against the threat of Aleksandar Mitrović, but then again Lewis Dunk’s troubles with the big Serbian striker were even more profound. He made outrageous goal line clearances in the defeat at Craven Cottage and against Manchester United and also starred in both FA Cup games, the only matches in the month in which the Albion avoided defeat.
Pascal Gross
The German playmaker has finally started to look something like the player who so impressed in his first season in England last time out. Scored the consolation goal at Old Trafford and claimed an assist at Fulham with a clever overhead kick.
Martin Montoya
Firmly established as first choice right back now, the £9m summer signing from Valencia had another impressive month. Gave probably the most impressive performance of an outstanding collective effort from the back four against Liverpool and he also showed his worth in an attacking sense with the cross that set up Glenn Murray for his first at Fulham.
Glenn Murray
The first questioning whispers that Murray might be past his best were beginning to be heard before Fulham away with the veteran striker being in the midst of the longest goal drought of his second spell with the Albion. He duly answered those critics with two goals of the highest quality at Craven Cottage which came off the back of a decent showing at Old Trafford.
Davy Propper
It feels like the Dutch midfielder is belatedly beginning to get some recognition for just how bloody good he is. Brighton’s most classy performer in January, the outside of the boot cross that dropped perfectly onto the chest of Gross for the consolation at Old Trafford was one of the best passes ever played by an Albion player.
Poll closes at 8pm on Sunday 3rd February
