Player of the Season debate
With three games left, I thought I would start the debate around this, as it is a season where I feel more players have been bunched together than usual, and we have also used more players, with some really talented individuals making less starts owing to coming in January or being rotated out more often.
Here are my current thoughts, and I would be interested to hear how everyone sees the race.
Honorable mentions: I feel the following players have done very well, but have simply not made enough starts to warrant being Player of the Season. If any of these players played more than half the games, they would be serious contenders or at least worth a nomination: Sadlier (21), Vokes (21), Forino (16), Butcher (13), Lubala (10), Lonwijk (7), Kone (4).
Ranking the players who have played more than half the games, of which there are nine:
- Josh Scowen (28) - Not as dominant as previous years, but he has the most MOTM awards, the most votes, and beyond the MOTM stats, he is still absolutely vital to our success, as can be seen by the impact when he came on against Port Vale. I don't think this season is quite as much of a slam dunk, but I would still have him in pole position.
- Joe Low (29) - I think all four main CBs have done exceptionally well overall, but with Big Chris and Lonny not playing enough (to my mind), I would have Joe in 2nd, not just for where he is in MOTM stats, but as the slightly higher performing CB over Taffs.
- Luke Leahy (38) - I would have had Potts here until recently, but Luke has been basically ever-present bar a handful of games, and is both our top scorer and top assister. He does all this from the rather unglamorous left back position, and in general has earned serious consideration.
- Freddie Potts (30) - I think Freddie has dropped off a tiny bit lately, possibly with the fatigue of his first ever season, but still very much deserves to be in the conversation.
- Garath McCleary (24) - GMac has been a little under the radar with less starts, but he has been very effective in general. I think it is indeed those 24 starts - barely half the campaign - that might hold him back from being a serious contender.
- Ryan Tafazolli (26) - Similarly to GMac, Taff has not played quite as much as some of the others, though 26 out of 43 is a pretty good percentage for him, especially with the CB competition. I am an admirer of his, and am not looking forward to him leaving.
- Jack Grimmer (26) - Again, the same slightly lower start total than Taffs, who I would have Jack more or less neck and neck with. RB is a hard spot to win POTS from, but Grimmer has really kicked on this season, especially with those driving runs he seems to have added more of. I just think his season has been slightly more 'dependable' than 'standout'.
- Dale Taylor (32) - Taylor has done well to start more games than anyone but Leahy and Stryjek (I would never have guessed that!) and I actually like him better now than I did half a season ago. That being said, for a player in his position to win, I think he would have needed to add a few more goals.
- Max Stryjek (33) - I like Max and he won more MOTM awards (5) than anyone but Scowen and Phillips, but between the Barnsley incident, an uneven season (not helped by 5ATB) and ultimately losing his job to Ravs, there is just not a realistic case for him as a contender.
- Who is your POTS for players having played more than half of the season?74 votes
- Josh Scowen47.30%
- Jow Low6.76%
- Luke Leahy17.57%
- Freddie Potts12.16%
- Garath McCleary1.35%
- Ryan Tafazolli2.70%
- Jack Grimmer8.11%
- Dale Taylor0.00%
- Max Stryjek4.05%
Comments
Kone.
Lock thread.
Or at least put a poll up.
Should be a certain amount of games. Anyway, the correct answer to the question is Scowen
I think next season is win he has a serious chance, but 4 starts would be almost a disrespect to everyone else.
I am pretty certain I will vote for Scowen, but I think the three other realistic contenders are Low, Leahy and Potts, with no-one else being a serious shout.
Butcher would be an interesting alternative shout, arguably he turned the season round, equally would be quite odd as Scowen and Potts are right up there from the same position.
Centre mid and centre back were real areas of concern early on but a few changes, clever recruitment and fitness and they become the wealth with other places lacking.
I'd be well up for bringing back Killian Phillips next year btw without knowing any of the detail of how he came to leave or what followed.
Potts. He's a cut above.
Leahy.
Crucial goals and assists. Has played LB, CB and centre mid very well and one of the few players to have been reasonably consistent all season. Easy to overlook I think because he's been moved around the team so much and has had to plug a gap at left back for so long. But his set pieces (often headed in by Low) were one of the key reasons we won a few games early in the season, without which we'd have been in deep trouble by Xmas.
Probably would have gone for Low or Scowen otherwise. Had Sadlier played all season I imagine he'd have got my vote.
Yeah they would be the top 4 for me as well
Poll added for the nine players above.
For consistency and impact on the side and results when he was not there there is only one choice.
Should loan players count?
Scenes when @aloysius votes for Max.
It’s got to be Josh.
Scowen for me. Potts has had great spells but Josh is evergreen.
Just realized I put Jow Low in the poll. Sorry Joe!
The return to a back four and the form of Tafazolli since that return has undoubtedly turned our season around. However, he was very exposed in a back three/five.
Leahy was decent in midfield and has filled a hole at left back. Consummate professional.
Scowen always reliable and was amazing pre-Xmas but the emergence of Butcher and Potts playing deeper have left him with less opportunities. However, whenever he starts and goes off or comes on second half we are undoubtedly a better team.
Really tough one this season but overall I'd probably give it to Potts, as he's played beyond his years and has arguably kept Scowen out of the teams at time.
Our Player of the Season award should be known as the Josh Scowen Trophy
Got to be Scowen or Potts
Grimmer has barely put a foot wrong.
Scowen his usual - but not necessarily a personal improvement on last season.
Low has become a player that we genuinely miss when he's out.
Potts would be my vote but I would rather give it to a player that will be with us next season. He came here to not play left back - but has done a job regardless, wherever he has played - Luke Leahy.
Scowen.
There have been some great performances by a number of others and a lot can look back on this season as a job well done but…
Scowen is just a different level to everyone else week in week out. I can’t remember who it was against, but I spent about 5-10 minutes just watching his movement and positioning. When we don’t have the ball his reading of the game is immense and in a team like ours he is absolutely vital.
I have sponsored Josh for the last 3 years and will continue to sponsor him for the next 3 years because, in my opinion, he is simply the best.
I felt a little bad for Port Vale yesterday when they were "doing well" against our rotated squad, and then Scowen, McCleary and Kone joined the fray.
Josh gets bonus points for having to adapt more than most to what was asked of him. He's played further forward with a pressing role and is often overlooked for MoM purely because he gets it every week. It's not an award based on any definable particular metric so if by any measure he doesn't quite rank top he deserves it for everything else he does. Brilliant bit of business getting him back.
Or is the answer in the question?
Player Of The Season = "P.O.T.S"
Several outstanding candidates in that list.
For me, there is one player who stands out - he has played most of his games in a position he didn't want to play, he is our leading goalscorer, he survived a near-death experience while the Stevenage morons were baying for blood, he has captained the side a few times, and he is the glue that holds this team together.
Take a bow, Luke Leahy.
Our form collapsed as when Potts was injured and we gradually got better as he returned. Weird season without a standout but lots of players that have been solid with brief flourishes of excellence
So the secret is out…. Josh has signed a 3 year contract 😉
Do we need a debate?
The Man of the Match threads and totals after 40 games show Scowen leading all three categories.
With Forino, Lonwijk and Kone winning the last three MOTM awards the leader at the top of all three categories should still easily be Scowen.
He’s not way out in front like he was previously but he is still our best player as voted by everyone here already.
Player of the Season 23/24
Josh Scowen