Player of the first half season

[t79boy]

I think people are getting confused between “most improved” player and player of the first half of the season ... sissoko is looking like the player we paid all that money for ... yes ... can people actually say he has been more influential/important to the team than ... sonny , Harry , eriksen ??

 

[waresy]

I think people are getting confused between “most improved” player and player of the first half of the season ... sissoko is looking like the player we paid all that money for ... yes ... can people actually say he has been more influential/important to the team than ... sonny , Harry , eriksen ??

You have a fair point, Sissoko would win most improved for this season, but he has also been consistently one of the better players on the pitch for us and comparable to those 3. Does he edge it? Not sure as I think we are just starting to see Harry, Sonny, dele and Eriksen get into a level that we have come to expect of them.

Close call...

 

[nedley]

Sissy for me too. Although Dele has been magnificent.

 

[walworthyid]

It's such a tough one. Players have stepped up as the season has gone on. Ultimately, Harry is the main man. Even when was clearly struggling he scored, created goals and led the team from the front.

Verts was undoubtedly my pick for the first few months, unbelievable every single match. He held us together at the back.

Sonny has come through in the last few weeks.

Lucas was our star in the first month.

Alli has been brilliant.

But my pick is Sissoko. Not just because he has turned it around and is now performing at a high level in every single match, but because he has changed the way that we play almost single handedly. I can remember the game at West ham when he first started to perform. I was surprised but it was the kind of game where his strengths could shine, quick, physical, direct. But since then he has not only maintained that fantastic effort and workrate, but his discipline, positional sense and use of the ball has been brilliant. Without him, this run that we have been on would not have happened.

Well done Moussa!

 

[walworthyid]

You have a fair point, Sissoko would win most improved for this season, but he has also been consistently one of the better players on the pitch for us and comparable to those 3. Does he edge it? Not sure as I think we are just starting to see Harry, Sonny, dele and Eriksen get into a level that we have come to expect of them.

Close call...

I agree. Sissoko has moved beyond 'most improved' he is now performing at a very high level in all aspects of his game. Except shooting! He has become first choice cm imo.

 

[Primativ]

Surprised to see Sissoko lead the poll here. While he's been good of late I don't think he's even close to being our best player first half of the season. He's simply played to the level we should expect from a first team player. For me, that's not enough to win "player of the first half season". He's not even close to being one of the best central midfielders in the league.

He deserves credit for his resurgence and he's been playing really well lately, but I feel we have other players that are much better and that have shown more during the first half of the season. I could see him winning a "most improved player" but that's about it.

To offer up some perspective, Kane and Eriksen have a combined 21 goals and 12 assists (PL + CL) this season. Kane is 1 goal behind PEA in the PL top scorer rankings. Sure Harry hasn't been at his best but he's still the best striker in the league and one every team in the world would love to have. Yet when I'm writing this he has 5 votes (including mine). Only Lucas with fewer votes.

Edit: This may look like a dig at Sissoko but it's not. He's been very good for us so far this season, but I just don't agree with the general consensus here.

It’s also fair to say Kane has been playing a level below his best this season, particularly in the first few months. He’s stepped it up recently like the rest of our attack but earlier in the season he looked rusty and definitely not his usual sharp self.

Kane has set a very high bar, but if he’s failed to reach that level consistently so far this season you could question why you are voting him POTY? We all know how good Kane is, but I don’t think he’s hit the heights of his best level generally this season despite the goals. Although the last few games he looks like he’s getting back there.

 

[TheBlueRooster]

I've gone for Son, he constantly puts in a shift and 9/10 he delivers. He might not be a super star name but he is the heartbeat of the team.

 

[Col_M]

For a democratic poll, shouldn't all players be listed?

Brexit means Brexit, now sod orff!!

 

[parj]

I think people are getting confused between “most improved” player and player of the first half of the season ... sissoko is looking like the player we paid all that money for ... yes ... can people actually say he has been more influential/important to the team than ... sonny , Harry , eriksen ??

For most of the season Sissoko has been a rock in the team. Sissoko has had as many 7+ rating games as all our stars but the difference has been he replaced the power of Dembele and added some more proactive drive to our midfield.

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Alderweireld. would he has been sold in august (back then I was like 99.99999% sure that there was no chance of him playing for us again) we could be 8-9 points shorter now. the arsenal game when toby was left on a bench is a sad reminder of how lucky we are that he is still around.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Sissoko has been most valuable. You can quibble about who has been better, but not more valuable.

Consider where we would be without his contributions to the CM position. We are a much different, and more confident, team since he has found his groove.

 

[aliyid]

Torn between Sonny and Eriksen.

Sonny has been in incredible form the past two months but he missed the first month and took a while to get up to pace after that. Eriksen edges it for me as he’s been so influential in our biggest games and biggest moments.

 

[DJS]

KWP!

 

[glospur]

I obviously think he's been great, but I think a lot of the votes for Sissoko come because he's so much better than what he was, and so unexpectedly so. If there was an award for most improved then he'd absolutely have it, but as far as our best player this season, IMO there have been at least 4 or 5 who have been better despite his improvement.

Likewise, I think the Sonny sentiments are as a result of recency bias.

For me, our best player this season has been Dele Alli. In a different, slightly deeper role he's been outstanding. His all round play has gone up several levels this season, and most importantly, he's shown bucket loads of leadership and maturity. He's just a wonderful footballer. It's incredible that he's still only 22. We are genuinely so lucky to have him.

Honorable mentions to the usual suspects in Eriksen and Harry Kane as well, but Eriksen started slowly, and it feels like Kane is just starting to hit peak form now. It wouldn't surprise me if by the end of the season he was the obvious choice for our PotY. Toby and Lloris have also been largely excellent.

 

[wirE]

I got to go with our man Sissoko. Been written off before he joined us and not putting that statement to shame, but this season he has been truly a good player and in a time when we have had injuries i.e. Wanyama and Dembele, Sissoko took that opportunity and gave everything

 

[sbrustad]

It’s also fair to say Kane has been playing a level below his best this season, particularly in the first few months. He’s stepped it up recently like the rest of our attack but earlier in the season he looked rusty and definitely not his usual sharp self.

Kane has set a very high bar, but if he’s failed to reach that level consistently so far this season you could question why you are voting him POTY? We all know how good Kane is, but I don’t think he’s hit the heights of his best level generally this season despite the goals. Although the last few games he looks like he’s getting back there.

Because even if he isn't reaching his maximum potential he's the best player in the Premier League, certainly in his position.

It's kind of like Luka winning a Ballon d'Or with Messi in fifth place. There can simply be no question who the better player of the two is by any conceivable metric that means anything on a football pitch.

Back to our Harry, he has 16 goals and 4 assists so far this season in PL/CL. Closest to his contribution in terms of goals and assists is Eriksen with 5 goals and 8 assists. Sure, defensive contributions are important as well but with players inferior to Eriksen and Kane we'd be much worse off. With the Dembele of two years ago in place of Sissoko I don't think we'd seen a huge difference in where we are right now.

Sissoko is much improved and is starting to look like the player we spent £30 million on, but for me that's not enough to warrant a "POTFHS" award.

 

[Bulletspur]

Surprised to see Sissoko lead the poll here. While he's been good of late I don't think he's even close to being our best player first half of the season. He's simply played to the level we should expect from a first team player. For me, that's not enough to win "player of the first half season". He's not even close to being one of the best central midfielders in the league.

He deserves credit for his resurgence and he's been playing really well lately, but I feel we have other players that are much better and that have shown more during the first half of the season. I could see him winning a "most improved player" but that's about it.

.

I think people are getting confused between “most improved” player and player of the first half of the season ... sissoko is looking like the player we paid all that money for ... yes ... can people actually say he has been more influential/important to the team than ... sonny , Harry , eriksen ??

We would not be in 2nd position in the EPL, still in the Champions League and would not have made the Cup semifinals without his efforts, believe it or not. That to me qualifies him as Player of the year so far.

 

[Bulletspur]

The way I see it

First 3 months or so it would have been between Sissoko, Toby and Lamela

Last 2 months or so Sissoko, Toby, Son, Eriksen, Dele, Kane

The common denominator being both Sissoko and Toby. In the end Sissoko edged it for me, but would not criticise anyone for saying Toby.

 

[sbrustad]

We would not be in 2nd position in the EPL, still in the Champions League and would not have made the Cup semifinals without his efforts, believe it or not. That to me qualifies him as Player of the year so far.

Considering the players we have had available this season I think you're right. The same could be said for Kane, Eriksen, Dele, Lucas and Son as well.

 

[double0]

Most improved player Sissoko
Most consistent player Toby
Most important player Kane
Most dynamic player Son

Best player and joy to watch Dele Alli

Special mention to Trippier most overrated