So I was thinking the other day, normally votes for player of the season are easy... MLT for example, Davies, Rickie Lambert in past seasons. But this year, IMO, it is going to be so much closer. Yes Rickie has been banging the goals in and is the leading scorer in the championship... but then Chaplow has been awesome in recent weeks. Then there is Hooiveld - nothing more to be said on him. Guly's been chipping in with goals and performances... then there is Lallana, we certainly missed his creativity and is probably one of the most underrated players in the championship... You could also bring in Fox, Richardson, Davis etc... The point of my ramblings is that unlike previous years, where we have relied on a single player and they have stood out clearly from the squad, this year we don't have one single player who is more important than any other. Rather, this year, all our players are just as important as each other. So anyway, here for interest is my top three. Feel free to disagree, but don't slate me if I don't have your favourite in there, it's only a point of view after all. Who would be in your top three and why? 1) Hooiveld - been awesome in defence and steadied the ship alongside Fonte. Fans favourite from the off and the one player we really hope to sign in January 2) Rickie - Goals, Goals, Goals. 3) Chaplow (just edging out Lallana) - maybe not as creative, but has the ability to destroy the opposition with his endless energy. I imagine it is like playing against the terminator - will not stop until you or it are (metaphorically) dead... It'll be interesting to look back on this in May and see if we still agree with our rankings. Cheers
i can't believe nobody has mentioned jack cork, he has been fantastic in midfield. and just because lallana has been out a few weeks don't forget the few months where he mesmorised us all with his usual flair. 1) Chaplow 2) Richardson 3) Lallana 4) Lambert 5) Cork 6) Guly 7) Hooiveld 8) Connolly 9) Fonte 10) De Ridder 11) Kelv
Sorry for being obvious, but I have to say Rickie Lambert, he is so vital to the way we play and his contribution to the team is way more valuable than just the goals he scores. We don't know how much we will miss his contribution as he has been a virtual ever present in the team for 2 years (he very rarely gets subbed too), NA knows just as well as Alan Pardew did how vitally important he is with his all round play. He is a great targetman, superb at dead balls, intelligent movement and link-up play with a good first touch and vision and gets loads of goal assists too.
It's Jack Cork of course he has been instrumental in the way we play,I think the introduction of him into the team has giving us a different level and tempo.Very good player.
As much as I admire Morgan I have to agree it is Rickie all the way. No one else has come near his contribution to our success.
Thanks guys for the comments so far. this just proves the point I was emphasising.... 6 posts and every one has a different player of the season. each one as justified as the other. What a great position to be in as a football club, so many great players each making important contributions to the season. This is exactly why we will be #1 in May.
morgan is bloody brilliant, but i don't think he's played enough yet to be player of the season, although by end of the season he may well be. right now it's got to be lambo followed closely by cork
One of the difficulties is separating "best" from "most improved" player, and I think that so many have stepped up to the plate in that respect. Fonte and Lallana have been good, but not necessarily improved from last season. Chaplow has and also Guly, but I think in terms of improvement and influence, it's got to be Lambert.
1) Chaplow 2) Lambert 3) Hooiveld 4) Guly The rest I cannot decide between. Found it hard to disclude Cork from the top 4, magnificent so far. Schneiderlin hasn't put a foot wrong either.
Seriously can't make up my mind on this one. They have all stepped up their game so much it would be a shame to pick out one player from the rest. If my life depended upon it, I'd have to say Rickie Lambert, but closely followed by every other single player. Regretfully, Lambert has spent his entire career in League One and Two, and been pretty bloody useful, although without lighting fires. He had one or two magic seasons throughout that time, exceptionally at Bristol Rovers, which got him noticed by Saints. And now he is, by a country mile, the best striker in the Championship. I can't wait to see him compete in the Premier League.
Lambert and Cork are joint players of the season at the moment for me. Can't separate them. As good as Rickie has been, he has had a little help from referees to get to his goal tally at the moment but his all round play has vastly improved. Cork has been excellent. I was listening to 606 on Sunday, and there was a disgruntled Chelsea fan who asked why they got rid of Cork.
The whole team have been superb and have stepped up when needed, but you have to ask the question: if one player had to get injured, which would you fear the most? Has to be Ricky. He works hard, creates goals and slots them in. Our talisman.
Fran, you a mind reader or what? I was just scrolling down to say just this. He is awesome, as are Cork, Morgan, Jos, Guly, Chaplow .... but ultimately we do not have any other player in the squad who can do what Rickie does. However I have to agree with the spirit of this thread, we don't have any one star player. I love the fact that we no longer say en masse "OMG he's going to bring X on" when a sub is made. One popular player is replaced by another every time. Great, isn't it? Oh yeah, and in case you haven't noticed Rickie's a scouser - sound, mate.
