Top 3 Players So Far This Season:

[Din]

For me:

1. Brady
2. Tettey
3. Hoolahan/Redmond

Bassong would make up a top 5.

 

[GJP]

So is this top 3 or top 5? ;-)

 

[KeiranShikari]

Brady, Jerome and Wes or Bassong for me. Most consistent over the 12 games. 

In 12 more games I wouldn't be surprised if Mulumbu and Mbokani move into the top 3.

 

[GJP]

Any top 3 has to include Tettey.

 

[KeiranShikari]

He'd be top of my archbishop of banterbury top #lad because he does funny interviews list.

 

[Dubai Mark]

Brady

Bassong

Tettey

Special mention: Mbokani and Jarvis

 

[ZLF]

Tettey and Brady are the stand outs,  some way ahead of wes and Redmond.  The rest are in the inconsistent gaggle

 

[morty]

Brady was my MOM yesterday.

 

[Fenway Frank]

Brady

Tettey

Wes

 

[GJP]

Brady

Bassong

Tettey

Special mention: Mbokani and Jarvis

That's pretty generous as far as Mbokani is concerned.

I mean he's done well but he's only played 2 or 3 hours of football for us.

 

[Dubai Mark]

But in those few games he has impressed and certainly looked the business, hence just a "special mention"

 

[Brian Fantana]

The more I watch this year the more I am impressed by both Tettey and Brady, if they continue as they have started there are only two names int he running for POTS.

However, for me I would place them in the following order.

1.  Tettey

2. Brady

3. A bit far behind but probably Dorrans or Redmond (Dorrans for being solid and dependable, Redmond is more hit and miss but his high points are very high but his lows are very low).

 

[GJP]

I'd have Hoolahan, Redmond, Howson, Bassong, Whittaker, Martin and Jerome ahead of Dorrans. Plus Tettey and Brady. Maybe Mbokani too.

 

[Lavanche]

In  my opinion Brady haven't been really good as people praise. Certainly a good season this far, but playing Jarvis in his place and we wouldn't see much difference. I personaly think that most of that praise is behind the fact he is new player and that we really haven't had a real winger for a while as all of Snoddy, Pilkington, Redmond and even Murphy were or are incutters and haven't used that space in wide positions there is to roam.

Anyway glad we have both of mentioned players.

Hoolahan has been key for most of our build up plays and when he has played well, we have shined on the field. Tettey has been another one who has been vital that we have had at least some freedom to attack more than 3 players. Third one is harder to pick and it would probably be Brady as his level has hardly drop in any of games. Third could have been either Redmond or Olsson too, but their form has been on and off.

Anyway margins are quite narrow and we have balanced teams outside few problem positions. Still would like to see some more standout games from few players who could turn games for us when we have a bad day. Only Mbokani has done it this far by bringing that raw energy and Redmond with his goals out of nowhere.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I'd have Hoolahan, Redmond, Howson, Bassong, Whittaker, Martin and Jerome ahead of Dorrans. Plus Tettey and Brady. Maybe Mbokani too.

The reason I had Dorrans so high was because of his consistent performance level, all of the others have shown significant dips in form where as whenever Dorrans has been asked to play a role, I think he has done it very well.

Hoolahan is a good example of this for me, brillaint on his day but they happen far too infrequently for me.

 

[Brian Fantana]

In  my opinion Brady haven't been really good as people praise. Certainly a good season this far, but playing Jarvis in his place and we wouldn't see much difference. I personaly think that most of that praise is behind the fact he is new player and that we really haven't had a real winger for a while as all of Snoddy, Pilkington, Redmond and even Murphy were or are incutters and haven't used that space in wide positions there is to roam.

Anyway glad we have both of mentioned players.

Hoolahan has been key for most of our build up plays and when he has played well, we have shined on the field. Tettey has been another one who has been vital that we have had at least some freedom to attack more than 3 players. Third one is harder to pick and it would probably be Brady as his level has hardly drop in any of games. Third could have been either Redmond or Olsson too, but their form has been on and off.

Anyway margins are quite narrow and we have balanced teams outside few problem positions. Still would like to see some more standout games from few players who could turn games for us when we have a bad day. Only Mbokani has done it this far by bringing that raw energy and Redmond with his goals out of nowhere.

I could not disagree more, everything i have seen from Brady this year makes me think he has the potential to play at a higher level than we are likely to be able to offer him. He has been moved up and down the left side whilst looking solid in defence and positive in attack. He works hard, always looks for the ball, gets back to cover and then delivers a fine ball at the other end. He looks absolute quality to me.

Also, how nice is it to see a consistent supply of corners that beat the first man and arrive with pace near the penalty spot? It has been a while since we had that and it does, I thin, make a difference.

 

[Din]

Dorrans was arguably our best player in the first 3/4 games. Howson though, despite his relatively poor form in the opening games, is much more of an all-rounder, hence why Neil has tended to drop Dorrans recently in favour of Howson. Dorrans can consider himself unlucky though really not to be playing more often considering he didn't really do anything wrong.

 

[GJP]

The reason I had Dorrans so high was because of his consistent performance level, all of the others have shown significant dips in form where as whenever Dorrans has been asked to play a role, I think he has done it very well.

Hoolahan is a good example of this for me, brillaint on his day but they happen far too infrequently for me.

But that's because Dorrans hasn't got that higher ceiling. He's a very decent player but I can also see why he wasn't getting in at WBA and why he is only on the fringes for Scotland.

Good squad player but we've got others who give us more.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Hoolahan is a good example of this for me, brillaint on his day but they happen far too infrequently for me.

Don't really agree with this, certainly not recently. For me Neil has gotten a new level of consistency out of him that even Lambert didn't quite manage, possibly part down to maturity of the player too. Also a bit of a myth that Wes has to be on full blast or nothing, there have been plenty of games where he's not been involved too much but then comes up with a key pass or assist to help win a game. I think it's just more noticeable when he has an off day because our whole team is better when he is. 

To see the best of Dorrans we're going to have to play him in Hoolahan's position, he can't efficiently play the 'quarterback' role in this league hence why he's been a bit of a stopgap in various positions so far.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I appear to be a bit rogue here so I will try and explain a couple of things.

I agree that Howson is a better player than Dorrans, I actually think Howson is exceptionally good and our most gifted 'generalist' midfielder, but I also think he has looked off his game the last 4 / 5 games and I would have dropped him ahead of Swansea (shows what I know).

I think Hoolahan is very good but my frustration is that when he isn't 'on his day' he seems to slow the play down a lot, it comes to him and he turns, then turns again and then plays a relatively simple ball that frustrates the runners. When AN first took over I was really excited to see the willingness to knock it in behind other teams and the desire to move the ball quickly, dare I say, it reminded me of PL in how we were not a long ball team but we were happy to go direct. When Wes is not on his day it feels like he works against that system and acts as a block to quick movement of the ball. Don't get me wrong I am not taking a black and white position on Wes, I am actually really impressed with how hard he works both with and without the ball, but I just wish sometimes he would use that passing ability to hook ne in behind for Jerome of Redmond to run onto, to get the defence facing the wrong way.

Dorrans - I agree he is probably a solid squad player but I feel a confidence when he plays, i don't expect / believe he will make a stupid mistake, he will work hard and he will do what he does well. There is a lot to say for players like that, as Gary O'neil showed int he most recent game. I guess I have always liked a bit of a 'journey-man' (non-pejorative) / a grinder, I always loved to see Gary Holt at work, I liked Grant Holt's constant annoyance of those around him, and I suppose why I like Tettey and Brady, neither stops running.