Elliot Bennett would be my nomination for Player of the year

[darrenrover]

For all to discuss.

Whilst Dack, Graham and Mulgrew invariably attract most attention, is Elliot Bennett not an unsung hero?

He'd be my nomination for player of the year.

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by darrenrover

[SBlue]

I voted for him on the Twitter thingy.

 

Does he have his own song yet?

[bob fleming]

“Elliott Bennett, he plays where he wants”

But no, he has no song. 

Graham for me. He’s been immense. Different class. Dack would be nowhere without him.

A proper centre forward and imo a top bloke. Yes, he gets paid well, but by Christ, he gives a damn.

[Ossydave]

Actually really difficult to pick someone this year for once, so than in itself is a good sign. 

Dack is the obvious one, Graham and Mulgrew too. Benno has completely won me over and its impossible not to like the guy. Finally I think Raya can't be overlooked either because some of his outstanding saves have racked up points for us too. 

If I had to pick one it'd have to be Dack. 

[K-Hod]

Dack is the best footballer at the club for me, but in terms of graft and desire, it really is hard to look beyond Bennett.

Not everyone’s cup of tea on here based on posts but he plays like a lifelong fan when he’s out there in our colours.

[blueboy3333]

Bennett has given a damn from the first whistle of the season. He's played like this promotion is personal. 'Ave it!!!

[AAK]

8 hours ago, S8 & Blue said:

I voted for him on the Twitter thingy.

 

Does he have his own song yet?

to the tune of hearbeat, duh duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh, Elliott, oh Elliott Bennett runs down the wing for me.

A team song should be - we've conquered all of England, 95 we didn't stop, from the north to the south we won the f***ing lot, then it all changed, but we are all still here, cause we are loyal supporters and we come from Lancashirrrrrrrre, allez, allez, allez, allez, allez, allez, allez, (to this tune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMCpSZffNWE).

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by AAK

[DE.]

Bennett is the type of player every team needs. A, tireless, reliable, hard working grafter who is versatile and chips in with the odd goal too. He's basically our version of James Milner. 

[tomphil]

Should be in with a good shout surely, more gifted players and goalscorers automatically get the limelight but this lad plays anywhere and always puts a shift in. He seems at the centre of the team spirit stuff and comes across as a real level headed feet on the ground guy.  Every set of fans from every club he's been at speak well of him.

Not the best compared to the Dack's etc but i'd suggest he's been very important to Blackburn Rovers in a few ways this season. The modern day Super Atko.

 

[davulsukur]

1 hour ago, DE. said:

Bennett is the type of player every team needs. A, tireless, reliable, hard working grafter who is versatile and chips in with the odd goal too. He's basically our version of James Milner. 

but Benno isn't tragically boring

[DE.]

Just now, davulsukur said:

but Benno isn't tragically boring

Funnily enough after embracing the "boring James Milner" character he actually became quite entertaining

 

[FGS5635]

From a player on the edge of the team who had never really locked down a place or looked like he had a prefered position, we now could do with 3 of him.

He is arguably our best RB, CM and RW now.

Add in his rallying of the troops and his fan interaction and he is possibly the 1st name on the team sheet these days.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

18 hours ago, FGS5635 said:

From a player on the edge of the team who had never really locked down a place or looked like he had a prefered position, we now could do with 3 of him.

He is arguably our best RB, CM and RW now.

Add in his rallying of the troops and his fan interaction and he is possibly the 1st name on the team sheet these days.

Oddly probably not RW where IMO he is frustrating. The crosses he put accross from RW are usually floated to the back post and are very easy to defend.

Even last season he was the one that got the team going like against PNE at home with a supercharged tackle.

Edited April 21, 2018 by dingles staying down 4ever

[MarkBRFC]

The thread title is a bit misleading.

[Stuart]

I would hate to be having to choose this year’s player of the season. It’s been a team effort and everyone has played their part.

Dack, Mulgrew, Bennett, Smallwood, Graham, Raya - would be on my shortlist.

I’d look at it as, which player of the above can we not cover in their absence?

Probably unfairly, Raya would be excluded on this basis, as we automatically have an understudy, although I have very strong concerns about Leutweiler whilst I think Fisher could step up. Deserved his place in the EFL team of the year.

Not the same role but Graham could be covered by Armstrong, Samuel, or Nuttall. His goals and influence and experience have been excellent and he has been the model professional all season. Our best striker by a country mile.

Smallwood could be covered by Tomlinson or Bennett, or even Travis but would need to have Evans or Bennett alongside him. Losing Smallwood at the same time as Nyambe would have been bad news but may have meant bringing Travis back from the cold to play rb. The way Smallwood adjusted his game to avoid that 10th booking until after the suspension watershed was a testament to his footballing brain. He has been the real surprise package this season and someone I’ll admit to being wrong about on first (underwhelmed) impression.

Bennett would be a big miss from the side. Mowbray chose to sacrifice his influence in midfield by bringing in Evans to basically play six defenders whilst being compensated when Dack was playing well. When he wasn’t this was a major self-inflicted blow. Bennett’s problem is his versatility. This means automatically that there is cover for him. However, his energy, passion and work rate has been huge for us. He has been, in my eyes, the under appreciated influence on the pitch. Leading by example, with some tough tackling, energetic runs and heart-on-sleeve celebrations. There was a danger of him becoming a caricature of himself with his “trademark” celebration but there has been nothing artificial about this lad. When Lambert brought him in and he talked about “being fit and being Paul Lambert fit” you just knew the kind of pro you were getting. He has not done anything to dissuade me of his influence.

Mulgrew. We have struggled when he has been out this season, make no mistake. Not necessarily for his footballing ability as a cb but for his set piece goals and his obvious leadership. He has had some wobbles too this season. Could we cover him? Only if Lenihan is fit and with Bell in the side to allow Williams to move inside. A back four of Bell Williams Lenihan Nyambe would not have me reaching for the whiskey bottle.

Dack. In attack he has been immense this season. It’s been plaudits galore: EFL, PFA, individual and team. Could we cope without him. In my view, yes, just. With Armstrong and Payne (and if Chapman had stayed fit) he may not have risen to the heights he has. I think the bloke is magic - when he is in the mood. When he isn’t, it can be to the detriment of the team - and results. A big influence then, certainly, but Rovers player of the season? I’m not sure. Even typing that sounds churlish but I just think our season has been about more than just the cherry on top and with Smallwood and Bennett in the engine room he has been afforded more freedom than he might otherwise have had.

 

TLDR? All things considered, I’d go for Bennett as my Player of the Season. Edging out Mulgrew and Dack by a point of two. Meanwhile, the official winner will be Dack IMHO.

Edited April 21, 2018 by Stuart

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 hours ago, Stuart said:

I would hate to be having to choose this year’s player of the season. It’s been a team effort and everyone has played their part.

Dack, Mulgrew, Bennett, Smallwood, Graham, Raya - would be on my shortlist.

I’d look at it as, which player of the above can we not cover in their absence?

Probably unfairly, Raya would be excluded on this basis, as we automatically have an understudy, although I have very strong concerns about Leutweiler whilst I think Fisher could step up. Deserved his place in the EFL team of the year.

Not the same role but Graham could be covered by Armstrong, Samuel, or Nuttall. His goals and influence and experience have been excellent and he has been the model professional all season. Our best striker by a country mile.

Smallwood could be covered by Tomlinson or Bennett, or even Travis but would need to have Evans or Bennett alongside him. Losing Smallwood at the same time as Nyambe would have been bad news but may have meant bringing Travis back from the cold to play rb. The way Smallwood adjusted his game to avoid that 10th booking until after the suspension watershed was a testament to his footballing brain. He has been the real surprise package this season and someone I’ll admit to being wrong about on first (underwhelmed) impression.

Bennett would be a big miss from the side. Mowbray chose to sacrifice his influence in midfield by bringing in Evans to basically play six defenders whilst being compensated when Dack was playing well. When he wasn’t this was a major self-inflicted blow. Bennett’s problem is his versatility. This means automatically that there is cover for him. However, his energy, passion and work rate has been huge for us. He has been, in my eyes, the under appreciated influence on the pitch. Leading by example, with some tough tackling, energetic runs and heart-on-sleeve celebrations. There was a danger of him becoming a caricature of himself with his “trademark” celebration but there has been nothing artificial about this lad. When Lambert brought him in and he talked about “being fit and being Paul Lambert fit” you just knew the kind of pro you were getting. He has not done anything to dissuade me of his influence.

Mulgrew. We have struggled when he has been out this season, make no mistake. Not necessarily for his footballing ability as a cb but for his set piece goals and his obvious leadership. He has had some wobbles too this season. Could we cover him? Only if Lenihan is fit and with Bell in the side to allow Williams to move inside. A back four of Bell Williams Lenihan Nyambe would not have me reaching for the whiskey bottle.

Dack. In attack he has been immense this season. It’s been plaudits galore: EFL, PFA, individual and team. Could we cope without him. In my view, yes, just. With Armstrong and Payne (and if Chapman had stayed fit) he may not have risen to the heights he has. I think the bloke is magic - when he is in the mood. When he isn’t, it can be to the detriment of the team - and results. A big influence then, certainly, but Rovers player of the season? I’m not sure. Even typing that sounds churlish but I just think our season has been about more than just the cherry on top and with Smallwood and Bennett in the engine room he has been afforded more freedom than he might otherwise have had.

 

TLDR? All things considered, I’d go for Bennett as my Player of the Season. Edging out Mulgrew and Dack by a point of two. Meanwhile, the official winner will be Dack IMHO.

Great post Stuart. 

Just on Mulgrew, let's not forget the guy has played champions league and in a Celtic team expected to win every game. Having him as captain  has been paramount to our promotion 

 

[neophox]

Next season:

Raya

New rightback, Mulgrew, Lenihan, Bell

Bennett, New midfelder 

Armstrong/New attacking player,  Dack, Chapman/New attacking player

Graham/ New striker

keep: Williams, Smallwood, Leutwiler,  Nyambe, Travis, Samuel, 

sell: Caddis, Downing, Evans, Whittingham, Gladwin, 

release: Conway

Get Adam Armstrong and Harry Chapman and some players with Champ Experince. Would not mind Omar Beckles and Jack Marriott from League one.

[darrenrover]

On 20/04/2018 at 08:33, blueboy3333 said:

Bennett has given a damn from the first whistle of the season. He's played like this promotion is personal. 'Ave it!!!

That photo captures Benno's spirit and strength of feeling for the club perfectly IMO.

[steve_keans_hairbrush]

I'm sorry but anyone who thinks anyone but Bradley Dack should be our player of the year is out of their mind. We've had some decent performers this year but no one comes close to Dack.

[Tom]

Dack probably has to be player of the season but Bennett’s spirit and desire is phenomenal, such a link with the fans.

Can we have a clubman of the year award please  

[darrenrover]

27 minutes ago, steve_keans_hairbrush said:

I'm sorry but anyone who thinks anyone but Bradley Dack should be our player of the year is out of their mind. We've had some decent performers this year but no one comes close to Dack.

I'm clearly out of my mind then, the lucy in the sky with diamonds don't help admittedly! I accept Dack is a good 'un but he started the season slowly and has dipped in and out of form of late. He will probably be most fans' choice for player of the season but how would Bradley have reacted if he'd been asked to play full back or in defensive midfield for the good of the team?

Bennett for me exudes everything we would wish for in a Rovers player in the current era and shows total empathy for us as fans.

He's been asked to play all over the shop in the cause and yes, he may have scuffed a cross or 2 but in general, his energy, commitment, drive, determination and willingness to play where asked for the good of the team and the fact that he has generally excelled wherever he's been asked to play with vigour, is why he'd be my nomination.

 

 

[joey_big_nose]

Considering Dack has been consistently brilliant since the start of the season he is a nailed on certainty for the award. 

It's good we have quite a few more players who have had very good seasons, but Dack will romp it. 

I think he will be a top player in the championship next year. Don't think any of the other touted will be except maybe Mulgrew. 

That said well done to Benno, Graham etc. for quality performances. 

[JacknOry]

On 4/22/2018 at 05:06, neophox said:

Next season:

Raya

New rightback, Mulgrew, Lenihan, Bell

Bennett, New midfelder 

Armstrong/New attacking player,  Dack, Chapman/New attacking player

Graham/ New striker

keep: Williams, Smallwood, Leutwiler,  Nyambe, Travis, Samuel, 

sell: Caddis, Downing, Evans, Whittingham, Gladwin, 

release: Conway

Get Adam Armstrong and Harry Chapman and some players with Champ Experince. Would not mind Omar Beckles and Jack Marriott from League one.

Ogogo wouldnt be a bad shout either, the main man for the Shrews and his injury has coincided with their massive drop in form. Nolan from them and Beckles look pretty good too. Fear for them in the playoffs now and despite deserving to get up, I dont think they will.

Think Marriot would cost too much, were they not turning down 8 million bids from the Championship in January?

Edited April 23, 2018 by JacknOry

[blueboy3333]

@#/? love Benno. Proper welling up watching what it means to him.

I'm ashamed I may break down sobbing at the Oxford game

[MarkBRFC]

Bradley Dack has to be player of the year, he has been the difference, and can do things the rest of our squad can't. A "real footballer".

Whilst I love Elliot Bennett, his never say die, all day running attitude, his passion, connection to the fans is second to none, in theory anyone can do that it's just that they choose not too.

Mulgrew is a close second.