This sort of follows on from wonkys 'Player of the Year so far' thread. I always say that after 8 games you tend to get a pretty good idea of how your team and players will perform. Well, we haven't played 8, only 7, but seeing as there is an international break I thought it would be a good idea to see how everyone thinks each player has done and if they have stepped up or not. So here are my appraisals for the opening few games and a mark out of ten: Ruddy – Has stepped up to the top flight seamlessly as we had all hoped. Assured displays and a penalty save to boot. Really ought to be in the England squad. 8/10 Rudd – Another with a penalty save under his belt. Only played a game and a bit, looked a tad shaky vs WBA but proved that he is a capable back up in the event of Ruddy being out for a short matter of time. 6/10 Naughton – Very good so far. Great pace and awareness, terrific driving forward and would be a welcome addition on a permanent basis on what I’ve seen so far. 7.5/10 Tierney – Without doubt our best player so far this season. The only slightly sour note was his ridiculous histrionics vs Bolton. Absolutely outstanding in every single match, a great force in both attack and defence, how this lad doesn’t get in the England squad is a mystery and a big loss for the country if the Irish get him instead. 9.5/10 R.Martin – Only played a few times. Difficult start against Moses on the opening day but Lambert has since converted him to the centre of defence and what do you know – he’s brilliant! Looks like he has played there all his career and does not look out of his depth at this level either. 7.5/10 De Laet – A strange one. Very impressive displays but each one tainted with a costly mistake. Dropped for Martin and will struggle to get back in based on his current form. 6/10 Barnett – Has made a solid start considering he had been out for 6 months. Often clumsy in the challenge though – needs to try and cut that out but has pace to burn. If only his head wasn’t shaped like a 50 pence coin, he’d have scored a barrel load from corners by now! 7/10 Fox – Another who has come back in to favour after the awkward Wigan game. In my opinion, the best midfielder the club have had since Ian Crook. Controls matches but capable of putting his foot in – reads the game exceptionally well and has been at the heartbeat of our recent good results. 8/10 Crofts – Has played more often than I expected him too and hasn’t looked out of place, raising his game more than I felt he’d be able to. Probably been superseded by Johnson but more than able to bring into the action with his never-say-die attitude. 6.5/10 Johnson – The surprise of the season so far! To think we got him for free!! Outstanding so far, only issue is his shooting (as I think we were all aware was his weakness). Far, far better footballer than the Leeds fans gave him credit for, not far from an England call-up. 8.5/10 Surman – One of the few disappointments so far. Failed to impress in his few outings and his lack of pace is sadly an issue at this level. Has the quality to make the grade but looks as though he could be one of the few who don’t manage the step up in class. 4/10 Hoolahan – Captain in Holt’s absence, little ‘Wessi’ struggled initially to get into the team, but he has slotted into our new 4-5-1 sytem beautifully and is the spearhead for so much that is good about the team at the moment. Staggering he cannot get into the Irish setup. 8/10 Bennett – One of the so-called ‘League One gambles’, he has looked anything but a gamble. Indeed his skill and pace have offered us something completely different to what we had before. Very direct with a great cross and good shot, its only a matter of time before he gets on the score sheet. Signed for £1.5m… worth three times that already! 8/10 Pilkington – Like Bennett, a supposed risk, especially given his nasty injury last season. However, his pace, balance and skill are a joy to watch. A real success story and could have grabbed all the headlines on Saturday. Another signed for less than £2m who is clearly worth an awful lot more. Just shows how good some of the gems in League One really are! 8/10 Holt – His goal at Chelsea had us all hoping he would begin banging the goals in. It hasn’t quite happened for Captain Marvel… yet. Lost his place to Morison who has done more than enough to earn that spot up front, Holt will have to up his game to get back in the team. Still has the ‘nuisance’ effect when thrown on late in games and given a chance, will probably take it. 5.5/10 Morison – Won the sole strikers role and despite finding goals hard to come by, has looked a very good player. A tad more composure in the penalty area and he would probably have netted two or three more as well as creating two or three! Has given some top defenders a torrid time. 7.5/10 C.Martin – Not many expecting him to even get a game but he has started some. Lack of pace is his biggest problem – very skilful but his pace will always hold him back. Could do with a loan move. 5/10 Jackson – Not really had a chance yet but with Vaughan a long-term injury worry, Jacko must surely be given more games. Has pace to burn so gives us an extra dimension to both Morison and Holt. Needs more minutes. Too soon to assess. Vaughan – Sadly, it was always going to be a risk signing him with his past record. Such a shame as he has shown in his fleeting moments on the field that he has amazing potential. Lets hope he is back around Christmas and able to stay fit for a while. Too soon to assess. Ayala / Whitbread / Ward / Drury / Lappin / Smith / Wilbraham – Not seen enough to give a fair appraisal but handy back ups at worst Thoughts?
Nothing controversial there, although I think you've been a little harsh on Chris Martin and if not then maybe a little generous on Morrison.
no need to be controversial. i'm pleased with how many have made the step up seemlessly. i think morison has been very good DM. with regards martin, i think the rating of 5 is because he didn't really offer us anything up front. his control is good, his passing is good and his awareness is good but there was just no spark. i like chrissy but a loan move would benefit both parties in my opinion. he offers the same as both morison and holt but not quite as good - at least jackson offers pace
But Lambert must see something in him, in fact something more than he sees in Holt because he brought C Martin in against Man United, I don't know what it is he sees in him, but just like the persistence with Jackson, you think it might pay off some time or other.
i think there are a number of reasons why he may have brought martin on ahead of holt, one or two were mentioned in beefy's thread about holt earlier. martin is a very talented footballer, no question, but i do feel that his game is reliant on having someone a bit quicker with him as he just hasn't go the pace. we look very one-dimensional with him up front. i think lambert is showing him that he still has a future here. but i still think that he may need to go out on loan to prove himself again. just a thought. i don't think he is ahead of holt in the pecking order - some of this may be a message to holty that he himself needs to up his game if he wishes to play. who knows - whatever, i trust lambert's judgement!
Crissy Martin is a decent little player, if we loan him out and we lose another 1 or 2 strikers through injury we may struggle.... Korey Smith could do with getting games, so he would benefit from a few months in the Championship..... IMO
There, I think, we have the crux of the matter! Rest assured, PL will be talking to the players on the sidelines, giving his reasons and giving reassurances.
i think korey is injured for two months anyway! as long as we have a recall clause in martin's loan deal i think it would be beneficial to both parties. he'd easily get into a number of championship clubs starting XIs and if he starts banging them in then he'd be sharper and more confident on his return
Agree but I think you're too harsh on Surman. It's only the brilliance of Pilkington that's kept him out of the squad. Oh and Twonky, where's that from?
can't agree wonky. i like him but think he's been awful when called upon so far. needs to improve imho haha, not sure where i got twonky from! soz!! consider your name amended...
I think maybe the diamond suits Surman better than the flat 4-4-2 or 4-5-1/4-4-1-1. He's not an out and out winger like Pilkington.
possibly right wonky. the major difference between the premier league and the championship (apart from all the gamesmanship) is definitely the pace of each player. there aren't many slow coaches out there every weekend - maybe surman would have to play higher up the pitch to get the best out of him, more like a hoolahan role?
That would be interesting to see, but I think Hoolahan's made it his own so I think that won't happen. Maybe an insdie left position?
Have to agree with you on Morison, his finishing has been woeful at times, I think he needs someone playing off him, regardless of his workrate we only have one forward and they have to score the goals.
I am so glad that most of the lads have begun so well. Bennett, pilks and johnson the real stand out ones for me. Morison has also impressed, especially with his pace but he needs to be a bit more clinical. If we could put the clinical side of holt with morisons pace and all round play we would have one of the best strikers in the league in my opinion. Im so glad that rusty has managed to regain his place in the side, all be it in the middle, he seems very at home alongside barnett now. The one most noteble bit though that we must try are hardest at the earliest oppertunity is snap up naughton! Him and bennett are a revelation on the right, as are pilks and tierney and all relatively young there all going to only get better and we cant pass the oppertunity of keeping those sides of the pitch the same for beyond this season. OTBC ILWT
