Premier League PFA Player of the Year 2018/19?

[Badgers]

This year is interesting as there is not really a standout player in the PL. I copied the below list from oddschecker so just a guide but probably pretty accurate. The odds do show the quality of the top players in the PL with the likes of Eriksen and Firmino only 100/1.

Virgil van Dijk - 3/5
Sergio Agüero - 4/1
Raheem Sterling - 10/1
Mohamed Salah - 12/1
David Silva - 16/1
Fernandinho - 25/1
Heung-Min Son - 33/1
Harry Kane - 40/1
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 50/1
Eden Hazard- 50/1
Paul Pogba- 50/1
Kevin De Bruyne - 66/1
Sadio Mané - 66/1
Bernardo Silva- 66/1
Christian Eriksen 100/1
Roberto Firmino 100/1

For me it is Virgil but perhaps I have rose (LFC) tinted glasses on? It seems unfair that Agüero has never won this given the number of goals he scores. Pogba and De Bruyne are exceptional players but management/injury have almost certainly written their chances off.

2014/15 winner Hazard 50/1?
2015/16 winner Mahrez not even 100/1!
2016/17 winner Kante not even 100/1!

 

[Badgers]

Twenty-one pundits - Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Alex Scott, Paul Ince, Phil Neville, Jermaine Jenas, Rachel Brown-Finnis, Stephen Warnock, Chris Sutton, Pat Nevin, Danny Mills, Mark Lawrenson, Martin Keown, Danny Murphy, Chris Waddle, Leon Osman, Sue Smith, Joleon Lescott, Mark Schwarzer, Matthew Upson and Kevin Kilbane have chosen their six outstanding performers of 2018-19.

PFA Player of the Year - Virgil van Dijk or Raheem Sterling? BBC pundits' verdict

 

[souljacker]

I'm surprised the irish fella, Bernie O'Silva, isn't placed higher.

If it was up to me, it would be Raheem Sterling. Considering the abuse he gets from the media, he has shown great professionalism this season.

 

[Steel Icarus]

VVD for me. A colossus. Has made more difference to Liverpool than any other player to any other team imo.

 

[The39thStep]

Sterling for me , Hazard second. Sterling should also get Young Player of the Year.

 

[souljacker]

Sterling for me , Hazard second. Sterling should also get Young Player of the Year.

It's amazing really that he's only 24. I think he could (should) end up being the greatest english player of all time.

 

[Badgers]

VVD for me
Sterling a very close second

 

[Steel Icarus]

It's amazing really that he's only 24. I think he could (should) end up being the greatest english player of all time.

That's a very big call.

 

[Steel Icarus]

Sterling for me , Hazard second.

Never Hazard. When he's on it he can be a 9 or 10. When he's not he's a 4.

 

[The39thStep]

Never Hazard. When he's on it he can be a 9 or 10. When he's not he's a 4.

16 goals , 12 assists , 13 MOTM in the EPL

 

[Steel Icarus]

16 goals , 12 assists , 13 MOTM in the EPL

Vote for him, then.

 

[Steel Icarus]

Thing is with Hazard is he's had 15 games this season where he's not had a goal or an assist*. Fab player when he's playing, but I don't think he's consistent enough.

*In comparison Salah, who nobody has mentioned as a serious contender, has had 12 games where he's not scored or assisted, Sterling 15, Mane 18

 

[souljacker]

That's a very big call.

Is there a more naturally gifted English player since Gazza? He's our last world class player imo and Sterling is the only one since who's come close. He's been world class since the world cup.

 

[Badgers]

Best European Cup/Champions League goals-per-game ratio in Liverpool's History (9 goals minimum)

Mané 0.65 (Games 23, Goals 15)
Hunt 0.64 (Games 14, Goals 9)
Salah 0.6 (Games 25, Goals 15)
Firmino 0.6 (Games 25, Goals 15)
Rush 0.56 (Games 25, Goals 14)

 

[Badgers]

Some more good attacking stats from defence

 

[Steel Icarus]

Is there a more naturally gifted English player since Gazza? He's our last world class player imo and Sterling is the only one since who's come close. He's been world class since the world cup.

It's not natural talent if he's visibly improved, even since the world cup. When he was at Liverpool he was fast, occasionally skilful but clueless tactically, a poor finisher and sometimes trapped a football further than I can kick one. Now he's a genuine talent. But best since Gazza? Obviously definitions of "world class" are going to vary but I'd argue for the inclusion of Beckham, Cole (A), Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Owen, Ferdinand, and Shearer in that bracket between Gazza and Raheem.

 

[The39thStep]

Find it odd that Aguero has never one this award

 

[stavros]

Obviously definitions of "world class" are going to vary but I'd argue for the inclusion of Beckham, Cole (A), Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Owen, Ferdinand, and Shearer in that bracket between Gazza and Raheem.

Ashley Cole would be my choice from the timeframe given, undoubtedly. Other than Maldini, I'm not sure I can remember a better left back from anywhere.

McManaman ought to be included too.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

PFA team of the season. Given the standard the top 2 have set it's very difficult to argue with 10 of the 11; goalie is a genuine 50/50 toss up between Ederson and Allison.

That said, personally I'd make a case for Doherty or Wan Bissaka at RB, and possibly Ruben Neves as the deepest mid.

Ederson

TAA -- Van Dijk- Laporte -- Robertson

Fernandinho
B Silva ----- Pogba

Sterling ------ Aguero ------ Mane
​

So then, Pogba. Discuss.

​

 

[steveo87]

Is there a maximum quota per team? And they just threw Pogba in because he won the world cup?

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Pogba's statistics are quite impressive in terms of goals and assists, but they're padded out by penalties and are completely at odds with the eye test. Stats are shit anyway, scoring the 4th of a 4-0 win counts just the same as a 90th minute winner, which brings me nicely onto Christian Eriksen.

Off the top of my head, players who have been more impressive than Paul Pogba, mostly because they give a shit and haven't actively campaigned against consecutive managers by being seemingly deliberately toss.

(Change the formation slightly to a 4-1-4-1)
Son Heung Min
Eden Hazard
Mo Salah

(Keep the formation as is)
Christian Eriksen
Moussa Sissoko (yes really)
Ruben Neves
Joao Moutinho
David Silva
James Milner
Abdulaye Doucoure
Wilfried Ndidi
Idrissa Gueye
Gylfi Sigurdsson
James Maddison

 

[Badgers]

Zapp has it pretty bang on ^

 

[Steel Icarus]

Ryan Fraser has had a good season too. As has Matt Doherty

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Fraser is a good shout, as is David Brooks while we're looking at Bournemouth wingers. Their front 3 with Wilson really is decent.

 

[Badgers]

Paul Pogba's goals and assists in big games this season.

0 vs Spurs
0 vs Chelsea
0 vs Juventus
0 vs Juventus
0 vs Arsenal
1 vs Spurs
0 vs Arsenal
0 vs PSG
2 vs Chelsea
0 vs Liverpool
0 vs Arsenal
0 vs Barcelona
0 vs Barcelona
0 vs Man City