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Player of the Half-Season

Who is everyone's Player of the season thus far... and why?

For me, it has been Leon Osman: ever present in the centre of midfield and has produced some outstanding displays mixed with big goals. We've swept the floor with a lot of teams in midfield this season and whether it be Neville, Gibson, or Hitzlsperger partnering him, Osman has kept up this midfield dominance and continued to play well regardless of his partner.

Now that he's finally in his proper position, he's rightly been recognised by England and our football has improved no end. Watching him and Gibson is a sight for sore eyes compared to the partnerships that Rodwell, Fellaini, Heitinga, and Neville played in centre-mid last year.

James Martin, Liverpool Posted 25/12/2012 at 23:41:23

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Pat Finegan
998 Posted 26/12/2012 at 06:51:46

Fellaini.

Ajay Gopal
000 Posted 26/12/2012 at 07:19:05

Leighton Baines.... he has really blossomed into a world class full-back this year, and his confidence is showing.

Peter Healing
003 Posted 26/12/2012 at 08:09:49

Leighton Baines-LB Supremo.Turns up every game ready to go

Ian Bennett
004 Posted 26/12/2012 at 08:13:13

I think Osman is a reasonable shout. His vision and technique are being fully utilised, whilst he has a midfield partner who provides some muscle that any claims he wasn't strong enough have ebbed away. To think we won any games with him and nev will have silenced many. Consistency and maturity has entered his game, improving his shooting and he could score 10+ goals from central midfield.

Baines is a class act. You don't particularly watch out for left backs, but ours is usually a class above anything else on the pitch so it's hard not to. His left wing raiding inside or outside is potent, whilst his delivery from dead ball or in play shames every left winger in the country.

I did think that Gibson would get us goals, but so far this season it hasn't worked out. I hope he gets on the goal trail today.

Shane Corcoran
011 Posted 26/12/2012 at 08:41:37

Baines. I think we expect it so it doesn't stand out as much as Osman.

Osman has had a very good season also and I'd have him pushing Fellaini for second as Fellaini has just cost us his services stupidly for three games.

Jagielka also deserves a shout as there were plenty that wanted Heitinga in ahead of him at the start of the season and he's hardly put a foot wrong.

John Crawley
012 Posted 26/12/2012 at 09:13:51

Fellaini, Baines, Osman and Neville have all been consistently good this season. I would rank them in that order for player of the half season but there isn't much to choose between Fellaini and Baines. Fellaini just edges it due to his goals but Baines isn't far behind and like Fellaini I think they have both improved as players.

Osman has been consistent in the middle of the park and has had a couple of really good games. I think there is more to come from him in the second half of the season. Neville has played well at right back but I think he has done a really good job standing in for Gibson in the centre of midfield. His stand out game for me was the derby.

Nick Waters
013 Posted 26/12/2012 at 09:28:48

Baines has been great in every game. Not only is he our half-season's best player, he's the premier league's best player so far, and a future EFC captain, (unless the Board sell him).

Shane Corcoran
015 Posted 26/12/2012 at 09:44:18

Nick, I was just wondering who might be up for the PFA award as I think the votes are taken in January.
I reckon Fellaini will be nominated along with Van Persie, Mata, Michu, Tevez and one more. It' s pretty wide open but I'm now expecting the conspiracy theorists to say why Fellaini couldn't possibly win it.

Brent Stephens
024 Posted 26/12/2012 at 10:43:14

Baines and Osman for sheer standard and consistency, Baines edging Osman. Felli has had some great games but some poor ones, so lacking some consistency (and then that bloody ban).

Gerard Carey
028 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:09:45

Probably Baines, then Felli

David Hallwood
031 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:29:40

I'll go with Baines & Ossie, who always turn up with Howard & Heitinger getting the wooden spoon

Paul Kelly
033 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:26:58

Tim Howard. Faultless....couldn't keep a straight face typing that.

Baines all day long. Hasn't gone missing in games like Fellaini has. Consistently puts in a good performance. Worth double what Fellaini is IMO and that's not slating the big fella. He's just that good.

Steven Telford
035 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:42:44

I would day, Leighton Baines pips Fellani to the post because of his more visible commitment to the club.

Paul Smith
037 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:43:43

All the usual suspects but would just have to go for Baines ahead of Fellaini because he always plays to a high standard and Felli has left us in the lurch just now. Honourable mentions to Osman (I just wish he could shoot) and Jagielka; Mirallas would've been right up there but for his injury.

Keith Glazzard
039 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:42:34

Baines.

I find any criticism of Fellaini simply baffling. We have a god bestriding our pitch and some people want more. The Holy Trinity would have been delighted with him at inside left or right. Peter Reid would have laid 20 a season on a plate for him, and he's not a goal scoring forward. Perhaps if he sweated blood ....

Jags too, and Ossie is at last played in position to our great advantage.

Jelavic will be back and if Gibson has a good second half we will be up there somewhere.

Kevin and Bryan for the future.

COYB

Keith Glazzard
042 Posted 26/12/2012 at 11:54:00

ps - why is Jelly off form? He slotted into a system which was designed for Saha to score. Unfortunately King Louis decided to stay on the half-way line instead. Up stepped Nikica. Bang.

Because he's there to aim for we use him as a target man - our mistake. He is not a target man. He's a poacher, best left out of the game until the kill is in sight. Don't knock the ball up to him, pull the ball back to him. Simple as that.

Brent Stephens
044 Posted 26/12/2012 at 12:12:56

Keith, I think you've summed up Jelli nicely. He's an instinctive striker, busting a yard or so onto quick low balls into the box, with a deft touch goalwards.

Jamie Crowley
060 Posted 26/12/2012 at 14:24:39

Felliani

Brian Waring
070 Posted 26/12/2012 at 16:53:41

Deffo Baines, he is just so consistent.

Paul Ellam
079 Posted 26/12/2012 at 17:16:34

My top 3 -

Baines
Fellaini
Osman

Wooden spoon -

Howard

Sam Hoare
104 Posted 26/12/2012 at 19:07:59

Would probably have been Fellaini hands down before the stoke game. I think now its between Fellaini, Osman and Baines. Osman possibly my choice.

Andrew James
105 Posted 26/12/2012 at 19:19:56

Baines, Fellaini, Osman

In that order.

Honourable mentions go to Jagielka, Neville and Pienaar

Joe McMahon
108 Posted 26/12/2012 at 19:26:46

Fellaini defo, he has won many points for us this season. Osman (IMO) is not consistent enough, eg, the Stoke miss and too many awful weak shots on goal. As much as I'd like to say Baines, he is also part of the defence that has kept just 2 clean sheets in 19 games.

Off topic, just seen Bale in action, what a player!

Mike Allison
121 Posted 26/12/2012 at 20:45:43

Seeing as Fellaini is our player of the month every month, logic would suggest its him, but I'd plump for Baines personally.

Having said that, we're almost the cliched 'team with no stars' and whoever misses a game, the team seems to compensate. Hence Fellaini has missed two consecutive games and we've won them both.

Edward Simpson
129 Posted 26/12/2012 at 21:34:16

Baines, without question. I would be bold enough to say that he's the best LB in the world at this moment, I don't see anybody currently who is better than him. He would walk into any team, even Barcelona. I haven't watched a lot of European football recently but he's currently leading assists and chances created.

One of the most professional, exemplary footballers I have ever seen. Tirelessly works hard, and when fouled gets on with the game, no complaining. Also very down to earth, and isn't showered with attention.

Osman and Pienaar are my runners up, both have been excellent most recently in the Stoke, West Ham and Wigan games but haven't been consistent like Baines.

Fellaini has been quite frankly been world class at times but he is inconsistent and still has a short fuse, but we've seen less of that recently, and has matured a lot in my opinion. By stats alone, Fellaini should be, but Baines does the hard work, every game.

Paul Ferry
166 Posted 27/12/2012 at 01:03:09

No question at all, the great, trusty, down-to-earth, good taste in music, multi-talented Leighton Baines, the best LB in the Prem by a country mile. Week-in and week-out, he does and he doesn't have asshole Fellaini moments. By far the one player we can never ever let go and, guess what? – he's loyal, doesn't feed stories to the grappling press and doesn't have public tantrums. He will join the list of Everton legends. Leighton Baines = class.

Paul Andrews
167 Posted 27/12/2012 at 01:21:38

Osman is a great footballer, him Baines and Pienaar have been controlling games in the oppositions right side of their half. The intricate passing and the way they move the opposition defenders around is similar to, dare I say it, the way Barca's famous three do it. Not saying they are anywhere near the same quality, just the same short rapid passing, changing the angles to create space style of football.

James Stewart
168 Posted 27/12/2012 at 01:26:35

Fellaini for me. Been unplayable on a number of occasions against the best.

Osman has blossomed and Baines is always good but Fellaini has been the star this year.

Wooden soon...
Howard. Awful.

John Ford
174 Posted 27/12/2012 at 02:52:54

Fellaini because he makes the team better in all areas when he's on the pitch.

Ernie Baywood
175 Posted 27/12/2012 at 02:51:04

Probably Fellaini so far.

But will be Baines over the season. It's always Baines. He's just an exceptional footballer.

Steven Scaffardi
190 Posted 27/12/2012 at 09:20:29

I have to go with Fellaini. Teams really fear the big man now and at times this season he has been unplayable. The way he tortured United on the first day of the season was a real world class performance.

Norman Merrill
206 Posted 27/12/2012 at 11:24:26

Paul Ellam
Your taking a chance giving him the wooden spoon, he would drop it.

Paul Dark
207 Posted 27/12/2012 at 11:35:41

Fellaini

Osman not even close

Roman Sidey
212 Posted 27/12/2012 at 11:31:38

Baines has become very good over the last 18 months, and this will sound odd, but is too consistent to take this award from Fellaini. Fair that Fellaini has had a couple of mares, but he has had a number of games when he's pretty much been the only player on the field. Baines does the same, week in, week out, and won't be noticed as much as the big guy. 12 months ago I would have given myself an exam for saying this, but Jags has been one of our best this season. Has finally gotten over whatever it was he had for the two years after his injury.

Richard Earle
214 Posted 27/12/2012 at 11:52:34

Baines for consistency and loyalty. As for Fellaini, when a player says he will only stay if we get top four I tend to lose a bit of respect for him even though he has had some massive games for us. Mirallas would have been up there if it wasn't for the injury as he has been consistently dangerous when he has been on the pitch and I think he has the most potential of all. I wish Oviedo had been given more chances as I think he could easily become a regular in the team especially when Pienaar isn't playing particularly well.

Jamie Barlow
217 Posted 27/12/2012 at 12:35:33

Fellaini or Osman for me.

Fellaini for starting our season with a bang and Ossie for playing the most consistently good football.

Andy Fairhurst
342 Posted 27/12/2012 at 21:17:05

Bainesy all the way, closely followed by Ozzey and Felli.

Harold Matthews
581 Posted 29/12/2012 at 01:19:43

Baines. No contest! Definitely not "me me me" Pienaar who deliberately freezes out and makes things awkward for new and young rivals within the squad. A highly complicated individual with a strange agenda. Talented without a doubt but not a genuine blue.

David Cornmell
188 Posted 07/01/2013 at 23:33:53

The Big Fella, Baines and lately Pienaar.

Ossie just does not get enough goals. End of.

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