Player of the Season

Player of the Season




My point in this exercise is really to discuss who the player of the season has been for Forest, which as I thought about this and planned what to say really has underlined a quite bizarre point. In a season which by and large has been successful save for the last few games (I think we’d all have been happy with this kind of season this time last year) that there hasn’t been a standout performer. Even in a struggling team last year Garath McCleary managed to stand out ahead of the rest. Whereas this year I have seen so much on the forum (which appears to have died) and on twitter that there is no real player of the season.

Well to analyse this let’s look at this logically and equate the leading players.

Karl Darlow

Ok only played for half a season but it’s been a steady set of performances. Not stand out like anyone but he has quietly done his job without huge fanfare. He is almost cultish like figure now due to how he got his chance and the fact we were so ready and willing for him to succeed. For that you have to consider that a youngster with little first team experience got chucked in the deep end and not only floated but immediately started swimming quite easily.

Greg Halford

has been chucked around all over the park and generally has performed well, but as with all nothing that leaps out. Weighed in with a few goals, and even has a spell as a makeshift (and effective) striker. Might have shone more had one spot been made his own. The fact he has played 6 positions screams volumes though, his variety helps, and so to his secret weapon of long throws.

Danny Collins

In and out the team under Davies but a mainstay beforehand he has a mixed time. I hear a number of fans around where I sit be hyper critical of him, and he can be slow and yes there’s been errors, but he isn’t that bad, not as bad as Chambers could be at his worst, but definitely not player of the season material.

Elliot Ward

Again not a full season, but he’s been here for the most part so I will include him. After a ponderous start and being fairly disliked by fans (remember when we announced we had signed him back after his initial loan, there were a lot of critical fan) he has slowly won the fans round. Still prone to slow errors and fouling back his man, he has improved immeasurably at Forest. Seems to like it here too.

Chris Cohen

Now has the arm band, playing out of position at left back and doing a fairly good job. Scored the goal at derby that gave us the lead. Did well when in the midfield too, Cohen has played well this season, which is heartening as frequently people with his type of injury he had aren’t the same player. For that reason his season was a late starter too. A definite contender.

Simon Gillett

included because for the first half of the season he was many people’s best player. Since then his form tailed off and now he is nowhere near the first team. He last featured meaningfully I believe against Derby, whereby he gave away the ball for their goal. A cynic would say his form tailed once his contract hit the renewal if he plays x games clause. Just saying

Adlene Guedioura

For me Guedi hasn’t hit the high notes he did last season> Still solid and impressive but quite prone to slightly wayward passes. It’s been frustrating in that regard, that and his slight disciplinary issues. Still more positive than not, but not a Player of the year performance and I’d think he’d agree.

Henri Lansbury

Took time to settle in at Forest and has really only shown what he can do since February. In that time his passing at times has been exemplary, clearly being on a different plane he can pick out pinpoint passes. On the other that person you’re passing to needs to be on the same wavelength. Clearly not a Player of the Year contender but could be next year on current trajectories of improvement.

Lewis McGugan

It’s same old Lewis, flashes of brilliance interspersed with long periods of average performances. Does things from the bench to get in the team, then doesn’t take that chance and is dropped again. We seem to have been having this conversation for as many years as Lewis has been around. He just seems like a Taarabt, or N’Zogbia figure. Obvious ability, just not consistently.

Radoslaw Majewski

Of the midfield perhaps one of the better. His purple patch when Davies arrived was wonderful. However as I suggested with my worst fears he can’t carry that type of form on over two months. If he could he wouldn’t be here, he’d have ended up at a better club than by now.

Andy Reid

Has been fairly instrumental in all that we do but has had a large number of very frustrating games. Reid is incapable of playing to the whistle and this really annoys me so instead of tackling back if he feels wronged he stands waving his arms around and it costs us. To some he is undoubtedly our player of the season, but for me there are huge obstacles for me to give him this accolade.

Simon Cox

Well there is the obvious issues with the lack of goals, but you can’t help but admire his effort. The fact that two of his goals pretty much would dominate a goal of the season poll, with his League Cup v Wigan goal and the obvious one then his returns been lame. For that you’d be critical, but as said he offers so much else to the team other than goals. Had the strikers been scoring though it’s easy to make the jump is assuming we’d be easily within the playoffs by now.

Billy Sharp

End this poll at Christmas and I think he might have won. He’d been banging in goals, got his own chant (in one of the shortest times for one of our players I’ve seen) and become a bit of a cult legend figure, especially by eating someone’s hot dog as a celebration at Blackpool. Since then though due to injury and being out of favour and his form dipping Sharps goals have dried up sadly. The second half of the season has been quite the drought (as with all strikers)

Dexter Blackstock

Clearly not a player of the season as for certainly the latter half he has been rather poor. His touch had completely deserted him, lack of any goals, and just generally bad performances. It’s a shame. It is also pretty much since he got his new contract. He really can’t be considered at all, his form has been so patchy.

The rest of the squad has largely been pitching in here and there with odd performances. A few have come and gone, and a few have been completely injury prone, but haven’t done enough of note to be mentioned overtly. Hutchinson has shown glimpses, Henderson got a couple of goals, Jara on his loan did good things, and Jenas, well Jenas was injured a lot.

So Who Wins?

To surmise I find it very hard to single out anyone ofrom the bunch as player of the season. you never know should we reach the playoffs an obvious candidate might ise above the ashes to see himself crowned. I'm going out on a limb and giving it two players, who have both had to show incredible senses of utility. They have been shunted round the park and have retained high levels of performance so therefore Chris Cohen and Greg Halford get my vote.


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