[Archived] Player Of The Season

[Earlydoors]

He was very good for us, and a massive loss (I am sure if he was available we would be a couple of places higher in the table) but how can you vote for a player who has only played half the season?

Surely its all about who has made the biggest contribution?

I know what you're saying but I always base my decisions on who's surprised me the most / improved the most. Savage totally changed my view of him and his impact in the dressing room lifted the whole team. In my opinion its more than spending every minute on the pitch, which is why Mccarthy has disappointed me in the 'big' games - I know he can be so good and has failed to do so, whereas Savage has been the opposite.

[BuckyRover]

Bentley is our best Young Player of the Season.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

I voted for Bentley because he is the only one who has been consistent throughout, ok his form dips from game to game however he haven’t seen him go more than 2/3 without having a good game. Player of the season for up until Christmas was either Emerton or Tugay , however both have been in/out of the team and have had dips in form.

BTW McCarthy has been excellent seeing as its his 1st season

[bluebruce]

Based on the Optra stats Benni should win by a mile. You cant argue with 21 goals!!

Why is Pederson not a nomination? Even with his quite spell his contribution has been immense. His optra stats are very similar Bently's ( last time I looked ). Do some people have a problem admitting what a great player he is.

Really pleased with Brett's contribution. His charges down the wing from the full back slot have been as memorable as anything I have ever seen in football.

But I would go for Bentley for week after week brilliance and outstanding contribution. As great as Benni is , and I will thank him for his goal against Arsenal when I am a very old man, he does tend to go missing in some games and make minimal contribution. When this happens we suffer. Wish he was a little more like Berbatov who always contributes. But the only people to score more goals than him are Ronaldo and Drogba. Enough said!!

Can't argue with 21 goals? Yes, you can. Goals are not the sole measure of a player- unless you think Francis Jeffers with a penalty scored deserves this award more than Brad Friedel, of course.

Pedersen is not a nomination because he fades in and out like some sort of ghost stuck in limbo. His set pieces have really come along this season but he seems to have lost (or more accurately, seen a diminishment of) his ability to crack those superb volleys in. Looking at his opta stats though, have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. A similar amount of, and completion rate of crosses to Bentley (A bit less, but not much), many more tackles, slightly more accurate and numerous shooting, 9 percent lower pass completion rate though, and half as many dribbles with a 7 percent lower success rate. Bentley has won us 80 fouls to Pedersen's 66, and conceded a few more, but with a better disciplinary record. Pedersen has scored 3 more in the Prem, 2 more in total. Bentley has made three more assists (all of which came in the Watford game).

Nonetheless, I maintain you can't tell the whole story with the stats. Bentley's crosses have been from deeper, and have generally looked more menacing- sometimes it is the failure of the forwards to connect with them. I feel Bentley has shown he is better at corners, and recently he seems to be handed most of them. Pedersen's long throws are important to us though...with all considered, I have to give Pedersen more credit than I previously had been doing, and perhaps he does deserve to be on the LIST...but personally I can't consider giving him the award mainly due to that awful patch early season. I expected more from Ped this season, and less from Bents.