[Archived] Player Of The Year

[Stuart]

Well it's that time of year where the players decide who they think was their best opponent. I'm struggling to come up with anyone in the "Big Four" who really stands out. Possibly Anelka. So it could be a surpise choice this season with more than a few Villa players catching the eye. Barry, Agbonlahor and Petrov spring to mind.

So three questions:

1) Best player

2) Best young player

3) Best Rovers player(!)

Thoughts anyone?

[RevidgeBlue]

Not bothered about the first two categories, but as for the third:

3) "None of the above."

Hope that changes in the second half of the season.

[Stuart]

Wow, thanks for the insight RB. Hair of the dog needed?

Ok, I'll start:

1) Alonso (Liverpool)

2) Valencia (Wigan)

3) Emerton (best of a bad bunch)

[The Prof.]

3. Dunn

Or Steven Reid.

[Lurid Coat]

1. Bosingwa

2. Valencia or Denilson

3. Emerton

[Presty On Tour]

1. F Torres

2. A Young

3. M G Pedersen

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Going on this season only i'll say:

If so then:

1 - Robinho - Very exciting to watch and has a great record so far - 10 goals in 13 I think

2 - Ashley Young - Top of his game at the moment - Surely a permanent fixture in the England squad from now on.

3 - Brett Emerton - Featured throughout this season - Always giving 110%

[Eddie]

1) Ronaldo

2) Young

3) Emerton

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

1) Anelka

2) Young

3) Emerton

[sweet]

If emertons so good, then why do we need a right winger so much?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Emerton isn't a right winger, he's a right back. Or a centre midfielder.

We need a right midfielder so he can stop being Odd Job man and play in his proper position.

[Stuart]

Emerton isn't a right winger, he's a right back. Or a centre midfielder.

We need a right midfielder so he can stop being Odd Job man and play in his proper position.

Agreed. The reason, I think, he's being voted for is that he's good at being an Odd Job man because he always gives it his all no matter where he's asked to play. A good professional.

[Wild Irish Rover]

1.Anelka the guys top scorer by 4 goals for heavens sake.

2.Young - kind of fitting really when you consider his name but he's just been world class this season.

3.Emerton- without a doubt the player that has stood out for us. I think a lot of teams have underestimated his technique, pace and workrate - he's been our secret weapon

If i had to choose a best new player it would proably be Robinho (even though he scored for wanchester today)

and a best transfer/deal then Zaki who's set the league alight

[Hughesy]

1 - Young/ Anelka

2 - Young/ Agbonlawhore

3 - Emerton

[Bobby G]

Bert by a distance this season.

Overall Ive been delighted by the upturn in form of some of our players since Big Sam took over, especially Nelsen, who is looking like the Nelsen of old and Warnock has begun defending sensibly, instance of kamikaze runs upfield.

[tchocky]

Agreed. The reason, I think, he's being voted for is that he's good at being an Odd Job man because he always gives it his all no matter where he's asked to play. A good professional.

I have to agree with that. Not because he's been so great, but because he's been the best of a bad bunch. He really should be playing in centre midfield at the moment. I would have picked Santa Cruz, were it not for his last 5-10 games for the club. Before that he was a God for us.. I assume this vote is for the whole of 2008, so with that in mind here is my list:

1. Gerrard (bit more likeable than Cristina Ronaldo)

2. Agbonlahor

3. Emerton

[JC4LAB]

Goaliewise Shay Given is playing out of his skin to keep Newcastle afloat.Unfortunately our Brad is earning Villa the extra points he use to do for us

[joey_big_nose]

Emerton has been our best player which is weird as others say as we need a more attacking threat on the right wing. His main asset has been enormous athleticsm on the right which does a lot to nullify the oppositions wide left players.

I am not comfortable with him moving to right back permanently as he is suspect in the air and does lose his position from time to time. However against certian types of teams he can be devastating from that role. In the future he could stay where he is (right wing) if we get in a much better left winger in the window instead of a right winger (thus making his lack of creativity less of a problem), or if we move him to a CM position. Problem with this latter option is that he is a "head down" player so what he would add in terms of work rate and forward runs we would lose in ball retention and vision.

He is a difficult square peg for a lot of round holes. Where he will play will come down to who we can get in during the window and whether Dunn and Grella can recover from injury. He wil be expected, as has typified his career, to fit in where we are weakest, and I am sure over the second half of the season he will play right back, central midfield and right wing again.

Bizarre that our best player is not really guaranteed a place, but it seems to work that way for the Australian.

[Stuart]

I am not comfortable with him moving to right back permanently as he is suspect in the air and does lose his position from time to time.

I've been thinking about this and tend to I agree. Emerton's problem is that he's not a specialist right back and he's not a winger who can offer us genuine width (as Andy Gray would say!). I'm sure he could perform the box-to-box role except for his annoying habit of not shooting when he is in prime position. Even if he was put in CM we still need to solve the right hand side first which he's covering - pretty much single-handedly!

It's ironic that our best player is/was a right winger yet he is not the solution to our right wing problem...

[sambo]

1-Ronaldo

2-Ashley Young/Agbonlahor

3-Emerton

[tcj_jones]

I'm not sure on the first two, needs a fair bit of thinking and I'm going to wait until a few more names are put out there for them.

However, as far as Rovers are concerned, only Roque and Emerton deserve any real praise and Roque has been quite indifferent this season. Therefore, I'd have to say Emerton for Rovers player of 2008. He did a fine job at right back last season and has performed above all expectations at right wing this season, filling in elsewhere when needed. Over the last two seasons he has grown to become one of the side's most important players.

[Iceman]

1) A Young

2) A Diaby

3) Bert by far

Others worth a mention Anelka,Robinho, Gerrard, Agbonlahor and Lampard

[islander200]

1.boswinga.2.ireland.3.emerton

[Majiball]

Emerton isn't a right winger, he's a right back. Or a centre midfielder.

We need a right midfielder so he can stop being Odd Job man and play in his proper position.

Jack of all trades master of none. I too want to see him in the centre his energy and running is exactly what we need.

1.) C. Ronaldo - sorry he may not have played much this year but he almost single-handedly won the lot for United.

2.) Fabregas - does he still count as a kid?

3.) Tugay - always makes a difference when he plays. 38 and still going strong.

[Stuart]

And the winners of the pfa player of the year are:

Ryan Giggs

Ashley Young

A few of us picks Ashley but the fact that no-one went for Giggs makes me wonder if sentiment played a part.