Player Of The Season (So Far)

[Master Splinter]

We're just over halfway through the season, so it would be interesting to see what the consensus is currently and how much it will change once the season is over.

Name your top 5 so far (or more if you want) and Joker will collate the results in a table which will be posted in the table thread.

1) Ramsey
2) Mertesacker
3) Koscielny
4) Sagna
5) Giroud

(Honourable mentions for Szczesny, Gibbs and Arteta too).

[Sirjackofwilshere]

1) Mertesacker
2) Mertesacker
3) Mertesacker
4) Mertesacker
5) Mertesacker

honorable mention to Steve Bould too

[Master Splinter]

Thread rapist. :rolleyes:

[JonasTC]

I would give it to Mertesacker aswell, because he's the only one who's been consistent throughout. I cant really do a top5, because there is so many people that have been doing well on/off, Ramsey would probably be getting #2 and Koscielny #3. After that i cant really choose, not because the rest hasnt been doing well enough, but because the rest has been contributing equally i think.

[Power n Glory]

Top 5 is too much. Top 3 works better.

Merts, Kos and Ramsey.

Honorable mention for Sagna, Chesney and Giroud.

[Marc Overmars]

1. Merts
2. Ramsey
3. Chesney
4. Kos
5. Giroud

[LDG]

Mert
Kos
Rambo
Giroud
Sagan


EDIT: He wet the bed

[Master Splinter]

Top 5, you bastards. :angry:

[GP]

Thread rapists :rolleyes:

[Master Splinter]

Thread rapists :rolleyes:

Pretty fucking much.

[IBK]

Thread rapists :rolleyes:

Could you let me know what that means (I'm thick)?

[Özim]

Could you let me know what that means (I'm thick)?

Some WUM nonsense as usual, why would anyone use such a horrible term in general conversation anyway.

[Niall_Quinn]

1. Ozil - transformed the whole club
=2. Kos - even when we don't play well this guy is a rock that holds things together and ensures we aren't dropping points
=2. Merts - see above
4. Ches - quietly established himself behind the best back 4 in the league
5. Giroud - Goals, work rate, hold up play, defending, very close call between him and Ramsey, picked Giroud because his role is harder

[Ollie the Optimist]

not sure there has been one player of the season, everyone in this squad has played a huge part in getting us to where we are now. At a push id say Ramsey or BFG have been the stand out players but every single squad member has made an impression this season

[Özim]

1. Ozil - transformed the whole club

Sounds like a snip at 42 million then, cost us a lot more with Wenger.

[Özim]

I don't think there's been stand out individuals, the only one you could say was Ramsey before he got injured due to his performances and goals, but his performances had tailed off a little even before that.

There's been some very solid performers but nothing out of this world.

[Niall_Quinn]

Sounds like a snip at 42 million then, cost us a lot more with Wenger.

42mill is very cheap for a priceless player. We beat Villa last night, flash back to the first game of the season, things could have gone very differently after that. I'm measuring Ozil's overall impact on the club and the attitude of the players and supporters. His impact has been bigger than anything we have seen in a long time.

[Niall_Quinn]

I don't think there's been stand out individuals, the only one you could say was Ramsey before he got injured due to his performances and goals, but his performances had tailed off a little even before that.

There's been some very solid performers but nothing out of this world.

And yet Kos and Merts are head and shoulders the best defensive pairing in the league. Not bad for a club that can't defend.

[Power n Glory]

The main difference to this season has been the defence and the strong mentality. We’re organised and we battle for the win. Bould and Wenger have got the right blend and we should get better with time. Kos and Merts have been the fantastic. When was the last time you could say that about our CB's?

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

1) Mertesacker
2) Mertesacker
3) Mertesacker
4) Mertesacker
5) Mertesacker

honorable mention to Steve Bould too

:gp:

[Niall_Quinn]

The main difference to this season has been the defence and the strong mentality. We’re organised and we battle for the win. Bould and Wenger have got the right blend and we should get better with time. Kos and Merts have been the fantastic. When was the last time you could say that about our CB's?

The mentality thing is huge, something we just didn't have in previous seasons. Don't know where it came from, probably has something to do with Germans. Hope it stays.

[Ollie the Optimist]

I don't think there's been stand out individuals, the only one you could say was Ramsey before he got injured due to his performances and goals, but his performances had tailed off a little even before that.

There's been some very solid performers but nothing out of this world.

do you actually watch our games?

[Özim]

42mill is very cheap for a priceless player. We beat Villa last night, flash back to the first game of the season, things could have gone very differently after that. I'm measuring Ozil's overall impact on the club and the attitude of the players and supporters. His impact has been bigger than anything we have seen in a long time.

It was a good result against Villa, but we did give them an easy chance to equalise to be fair, if Benteke had headed that easy chance properly it would be 2-2 so you can't look at yesterday's result as a sign it's different, some of the results earlier in the season perhaps but not last nights.

[Özim]

do you actually watch our games?

Yes I've watched a number of games (not all of them), to me there's been solid performers but noone turning it on week in week out (with the exception of Ramsey for a period).

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

do you actually watch our games?

He went to Chelsea.

Actually it was Everton.

[Ollie the Optimist]

It was a good result against Villa, but we did give them an easy chance to equalise to be fair, if Benteke had headed that easy chance properly it would be 2-2 so you can't look at yesterday's result as a sign it's different, some of the results earlier in the season perhaps but not last nights.


given the ref had already blown for a foul as he took the header, i doubt it would have been 2-2

[Ollie the Optimist]

Yes I've watched a number of games (not all of them), to me there's been solid performers but noone turning it on week in week out (with the exception of Ramsey for a period).

apart from BFG, Ramsey, Koscienly, Szcesney, Ozil etc etc

[Power n Glory]

The mentality thing is huge, something we just didn't have in previous seasons. Don't know where it came from, probably has something to do with Germans. Hope it stays.

It's the defining factor. We've had more potent attacking players but never a solid defence and it's always come back to bite us.

[LDG]

It's the defining factor. We've had more potent attacking players but never a solid defence and it's always come back to bite us.

A balanced side? :o

Was watching some of the invincibles stuff earlier today.....and that's what stuck out.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Ramsey
Mertesacker
Kos
Szczesny
Giroud

I think Rambo has been the best, although Mertesacker has been the most consistent throughout. Hardly had a bad game the bloke.

[Dein-machine]

I can only go 4 - Rambo, Merts, Kos & Sir Ches, for me they are the only ones with consistency - certainly not Giroud, what are some of you smoking.

[Syn]

Ramsey
Koscielny
Mertesacker
Sagna
Szczesny

But pretty much everyone has been stepping up at some stage which is great.

[Power n Glory]

A balanced side? :o

Was watching some of the invincibles stuff earlier today.....and that's what stuck out.

Yep, with the added bonus that our attack can get better. We'd have fallen apart against Villa a few seasons ago. When teams used to put that sort of pressure on us, we'd fold.

[Dein-machine]

Yep, with the added bonus that our attack can get better. We'd have fallen apart against Villa a few seasons ago. When teams used to put that sort of pressure on us, we'd fold.

Don't think the Invincibles would have sat back on a 2-0 lead against a pub team. They would have smelt blood & Titi would be looking for a hat-full - thats the difference

[Letters]

Don't think the Invincibles would have sat back on a 2-0 lead against a pub team. They would have smelt blood & Titi would be looking for a hat-full - thats the difference
We've actually scored 1 more goal than the Invincibles had at this stage.
It's a common misconception that team battered teams left, right and centre but they didn't.
14 of the 26 wins were by the odd goal.

[Power n Glory]

Don't think the Invincibles would have sat back on a 2-0 lead against a pub team. They would have smelt blood & Titi would be looking for a hat-full - thats the difference

You said it yourself….we had Titi then. When you play with a goal hungry striker who just wants nothing else to score, you have to feed him. The Hollywood passing and wastefulness we saw last night wouldn’t have been on.

[Letters]

Our goal scoring frequency in the Invincibles season, for the record:

0 - 4
1 - 10
2 - 15
3 - 4
4 - 4
5 - 1

So 29 games out of 38 we scored 2 or fewer.

[fakeyank]

1- Sagna
2- Kos
3- Per
4- Ramsey

[Power n Glory]

Our goal scoring frequency in the Invincibles season, for the record:

0 - 4
1 - 10
2 - 15
3 - 4
4 - 4
5 - 1

So 29 games out of 38 we scored 2 or fewer.

But did we sit back after the goals? I think that's the main point.

[LDG]

0 - 4
1 - 10
2 - 15
3 - 4
4 - 4
5 - 1



You're not getting this top five thing are you?

[Letters]

But did we sit back after the goals? I think that's the main point.
That's a fair enough point. I don't like the way we get defensive in the last 15 minutes of tight games but:
a) It's better than being too gung-ho and getting caught (Dortmund) and
b) We are getting rather good at it, as uncomfortable as it is to watch.

[Letters]

You're not getting this top five thing are you?

:lol:


<_<

[Power n Glory]

That's a fair enough point. I don't like the way we get defensive in the last 15 minutes of tight games but:
a) It's better than being too gung-ho and getting caught (Dortmund) and
b) We are getting rather good at it, as uncomfortable as it is to watch.

c) Control the game, keep possession but remain a threat without getting complacent. There is a middle ground to this. If we go too gung-ho against the bigger teams we'll get punished.

[Letters]

c) Control the game, keep possession but remain a threat without getting complacent. There is a middle ground to this. If we go too gung-ho against the bigger teams we'll get punished.
I agree. The substitutions against Newcastle were baffling and I found it massively frustrating that Arsenal, a side who dominate possession in pretty much every game we play, couldn't string 2 passes together in the final 10 minutes and constantly gave the ball back and invited pressure.

[Power n Glory]

Yep, totally. We lose our composure a little and it's something we can improve on.

[LDG]

c) Control the game, keep possession but remain a threat without getting complacent. There is a middle ground to this. If we go too gung-ho against the bigger teams we'll get punished.

With Theo on the pitch, yeah.

Don't think we have that breaking threat without him. Which is why I think Wenget is eyeing up wingers rather than another standard striker.

You can really see why Henry was such a pain in the arse for our opponents now :lol:

[Power n Glory]

We're missing that pace and with Theo out we're missing a big weapon for counter attacks. But even without him, we should be able to kill teams off with our possession play when we need to keep it tight. Interesting to see what Wenger does in the transfer window and I hope he does something because I believe it's key to this title.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

We're missing that pace and with Theo out we're missing a big weapon for counter attacks. But even without him, we should be able to kill teams off with our possession play when we need to keep it tight. Interesting to see what Wenger does in the transfer window and I hope he does something because I believe it's key to this title.
Very much agree. Although we definitely lose something from Theo being out, I don't think being dangerous on the counter and counter attacking with pace is all about having a speedy Gonzales like Theo. It's about how quickly the team moves with the ball sure, but also how quickly and accurately they can pass it to get it down the other end. As the old cliche says, the ball can move faster than any player.

I think with a few tweaks, Wenger can encourage a sightly more fluid, quick and cut throat counter attacking edge to our game. That is the benefit of having intelligent players, competent in a handful of positions. As you suggest, it needn't be done in a mindless headless chicken manner either.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yep, totally. We lose our composure a little and it's something we can improve on.

I don't think we lose our composure, I think the players are instructed to revert to a tactic they just aren't very good at. Why compress the play deep in our own half when we rely on pass and move to retain possession and open up the opposition? That's the bit that makes no sense.

That said - it may make no sense but so far it has worked. We're sort of complaining about something that might happen, and indication we've improved so much we really have to reach for a moan.

[Power n Glory]

I was just watching the Vieira v Keane thing on ITV and Paddy said Wenger doesn't give those sort of instructions. He just let's them learn so they play their natural game. I doubt Wenger tells them to sit back and doesn't explain the bad passing either. I think some players just freeze and he's complained about that sort of thing before we're we've gone too defensive and the team look to protect the lead. Did you see his post game comments? Not sure what he said after this game.

[Maestro]

Mertescielny

[milla]

Yaya Sanogo :gp:

[IBK]

I don't think there's been stand out individuals, the only one you could say was Ramsey before he got injured due to his performances and goals, but his performances had tailed off a little even before that.

There's been some very solid performers but nothing out of this world.


do you actually watch our games?

Not sure Zimm's wrong there, Olly. Look at the top teams - Aguero; Hazard; Suarez...- hell, even Rooney. I would agree that only Ramsey in our team has matched their achievments - and he has tailed off.

[GP]

Not sure Zimm's wrong there, Olly. Look at the top teams - Aguero; Hazard; Suarez...- hell, even Rooney. I would agree that only Ramsey in our team has matched their achievments - and he has tailed off.

Koscielny, Mertesacker, Sagna, and Sczcesney. No one has been better than those players in those positions.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

1) Ramsey, 2) Mertesacker, 3) Koscielny, 4) Sagna and 5) hard one for me a split between Rosicky and Flamini.

[IBK]

Koscielny, Mertesacker, Sagna, and Sczcesney. No one has been better than those players in those positions.

Listen - looking around us, the top teams have very good defences. Our back 5 have been excellent - but I wonder whether holding them out to have been equivalent to the likes of players I've mentioned - Aguero; Hazard; Suarez etc has more to do with where our defence has come from than a true like for like comparison.

[Harland]

1) Ramsey
2) Koscielny
3) Merts
4) Sczeredsfafdey
5) Giroud

Special mention to Sagna