kirsikka
UTC Legend
Since Solent has already gone with their end of season review, here are my end od season awards. All subject to change over the last two matches. Probably not though.
----- Most improved player -----
This is a tough one as different players had different purple patches. Mepham was excellent at the start of the season whilst all was crumbling around him, but then seem to go downhill. Christie had a spell when he was excellent but still hasn't resolved his well highlighted issues, and also had a really dodgy period.
I'm going to give it to Billing. He's a player who we always thought that if he could impose himself on games could be the difference and so it proved. He also managed to put in a few performances playing the deeper role where he's really struggled at this level before. That gave us some much needed added flexibility at a crucial time.
His next challenge is to impose himself on about 25% more games. If he does that, then there will be bigger clubs sniffing around him.
----- Disappointment of the Season -----
It feels harsh to say this, but after his heroics last season, Travers looked like a little boy lost out there. I'm unsure if the arrival of Neto unsettled him or if he simply wasn't ready for the PL yet. I'm hoping we send him back to the Championship next season for another stellar year, so he's ready to come back and challenge rather than be an understudy.
----- Signing of the Season -----
Between Neto and Tavernier for me. They both changed the season in their own way but I think I'm going with Tavs. It's a tough ask to scare Premier League defenders but he did precisely that. Fingers crossed for an injury free run next season.
----- Dud Signing of the Season -----
The lesser spotted Fredericks could be here on his injury record alone. When he played he looked decent, and it was bringing him on that turned the tide for us at Forest. His well documented problems should maybe have warned us off.
Depending whether you're glass half empty/full, the extra year on his contract gives him time to turn this narrative around or carve it in stone.
----- Goal of the Season -----
There are a number of goals I enjoyed for all sorts of reasons, but it's got to be the Tavernier one against Fulham. As sweet a strike as you can imagine.
----- Team Performance of the Season -----
This is a tough one. The comeback at Forest was something special. The 3-0 home hammering of Everton was a delight. However, I think it's between two away days in north London.
I expect most would choose Spurs for the ending, but I'll plump for Arsenal. I think that was the moment the season changed in that we showed battling qualities that had hitherto been absent. Rocky I is better than Rocky II because he didn't win and in some way, the same applies here. It had everything apart from the end result, but even that had us breathless and hoping a change was coming. It was.
----- Most Irritating Opposition Player of the Season -----
Ben White. Ex-Brighton twerp that showed his class when Arsenal scored that last minute winner. No running over to celebrate with the home fans or his team mates. Nope, he's screaming right into Neto's face. Bog off, mate.
Still, at least we can take comfort in Arsenal turning all Spursy and blowing the title. I hope you're looking forward to that runners up parade Whitey boy?
----- Absolute Twonk of the Season -----
Scott Parker. Following football takes up way too much of my time, and has done since I was a small boy. Never in all that time can I remember a manager undermining his team in that manner. Deservedly sacked and how I laughed when he was also sacked by Bruges. That cunning plan to protect his reputation by forcing his way out turned out to be one of Baldrick's. Meanwhile, if he'd been professional about things and done his best here then a billionaire looking to spend would have turned up a few weeks later.
All it needs is Jim Bowen to put his arm around him so he can take a look at what he could have won.
----- Player of the Season -----
There were hard working and worthy efforts from a number of potential candidates without one standing head and shoulders above all else. However, I'll go with Billing as a titan transformed. Not in every game, but in enough. Most of our best performances revolved around him and unlocking his potential more should be at the forefront of our tactical thinking for next year. Keeping him prisoner in a cupboard until he signs a new contract should also be under consideration.
----- Comedy Moment of the Season -----
Liverpool to Bournemouth isn't a quick journey so Everton fans must have been cursing their luck when the League Cup draw sent them down to Dean Court a few days before they were due to visit us for the league match. After getting stuffed in the cup, they must have hoped it would go better on the Saturday, only for their players to give another abject performance. Having completed the journey twice in a few days, watching Kieffer Moore turn your defenders into helpless roadkill whilst scoring can't have been fun.
Things turned a little toxic after the final whistle, with the away fans telling their players what they thought of them. Some of the braver players headed over to try and placate them a little and one threw his shirt into the away crowd. Only for the away crowd to throw it back. Genius.
----- Tearjerker Moment of the Season -----
Ok, it's the return of David Brooks for all of you. I get that. I won't argue with that.
This is still a personal list though, so for me, it was getting to watch a final match with my Dad who is in palliative care, and us watching AFCB boss a 3-0 win against Everton. It being the poppy game, I was able to get a shirt in the auction which now hangs as a memory on my wall and will probably still be there in 25 years.
Yes, I know. It's still the David Brooks comeback. Only, not for me.
----- Lowpoint of the Season -----
The 9-0. Not so much the result as the absolute lack of even U10s level defensive organisation. It was utter chaos out there, and we were lucky to keep it to 9. Then hearing our manager throw the team under the bus afterward made me fear for what was to come. Fortunately, decisive action was taken.
----- Most Hilarious Other Team of the Season -----
I think we all know. Finally watching them deservedly go down whilst we retain our status is something to savour. Let's hope they repeat the feat next season and get back to that derby they're all so desperate to see.
----- The F-off PL Thing of the Season -----
The winner here is so far out in front that I won't even mention anything else. VAR. What an absolute disgrace. At one point we had a run of thirteen (or more?) contentious decisions that could have gone either way that VAR ruled against us every single time. Including the ref twice overruling Stockley Park when called to the monitor. The odds on that run of contentious decisions going against you are 8192/1. Leicester winning the PL after nearly getting relegated was only 5000/1 according to the bookies.
Then there is the new rule introduced just for this season whereby VAR will allow opposition teams to flat out punch an AFCB player in the face and break his nose and see no problem with that.
I know many here hate it but it was inevitable some form of VAR would enter the game in the end. I hoped it would finally level the playing field for all those dodgy decisions the big clubs yet. How naive. It's been used to further cement their advantage and is about as fit for purpose as Lizz Truss was as PM.
----- Vitals Poster of the Season -----
@Matt Stevenson for his in-depth stats after every match. No idea how long it takes to collate, but I am sure it is a considerable amount of time and I'm grateful for it. Chapeau and fingers crossed you keep it up next season as well. Thanks for all the insights.
----- Most improved player -----
This is a tough one as different players had different purple patches. Mepham was excellent at the start of the season whilst all was crumbling around him, but then seem to go downhill. Christie had a spell when he was excellent but still hasn't resolved his well highlighted issues, and also had a really dodgy period.
I'm going to give it to Billing. He's a player who we always thought that if he could impose himself on games could be the difference and so it proved. He also managed to put in a few performances playing the deeper role where he's really struggled at this level before. That gave us some much needed added flexibility at a crucial time.
His next challenge is to impose himself on about 25% more games. If he does that, then there will be bigger clubs sniffing around him.
----- Disappointment of the Season -----
It feels harsh to say this, but after his heroics last season, Travers looked like a little boy lost out there. I'm unsure if the arrival of Neto unsettled him or if he simply wasn't ready for the PL yet. I'm hoping we send him back to the Championship next season for another stellar year, so he's ready to come back and challenge rather than be an understudy.
----- Signing of the Season -----
Between Neto and Tavernier for me. They both changed the season in their own way but I think I'm going with Tavs. It's a tough ask to scare Premier League defenders but he did precisely that. Fingers crossed for an injury free run next season.
----- Dud Signing of the Season -----
The lesser spotted Fredericks could be here on his injury record alone. When he played he looked decent, and it was bringing him on that turned the tide for us at Forest. His well documented problems should maybe have warned us off.
Depending whether you're glass half empty/full, the extra year on his contract gives him time to turn this narrative around or carve it in stone.
----- Goal of the Season -----
There are a number of goals I enjoyed for all sorts of reasons, but it's got to be the Tavernier one against Fulham. As sweet a strike as you can imagine.
----- Team Performance of the Season -----
This is a tough one. The comeback at Forest was something special. The 3-0 home hammering of Everton was a delight. However, I think it's between two away days in north London.
I expect most would choose Spurs for the ending, but I'll plump for Arsenal. I think that was the moment the season changed in that we showed battling qualities that had hitherto been absent. Rocky I is better than Rocky II because he didn't win and in some way, the same applies here. It had everything apart from the end result, but even that had us breathless and hoping a change was coming. It was.
----- Most Irritating Opposition Player of the Season -----
Ben White. Ex-Brighton twerp that showed his class when Arsenal scored that last minute winner. No running over to celebrate with the home fans or his team mates. Nope, he's screaming right into Neto's face. Bog off, mate.
Still, at least we can take comfort in Arsenal turning all Spursy and blowing the title. I hope you're looking forward to that runners up parade Whitey boy?
----- Absolute Twonk of the Season -----
Scott Parker. Following football takes up way too much of my time, and has done since I was a small boy. Never in all that time can I remember a manager undermining his team in that manner. Deservedly sacked and how I laughed when he was also sacked by Bruges. That cunning plan to protect his reputation by forcing his way out turned out to be one of Baldrick's. Meanwhile, if he'd been professional about things and done his best here then a billionaire looking to spend would have turned up a few weeks later.
All it needs is Jim Bowen to put his arm around him so he can take a look at what he could have won.
----- Player of the Season -----
There were hard working and worthy efforts from a number of potential candidates without one standing head and shoulders above all else. However, I'll go with Billing as a titan transformed. Not in every game, but in enough. Most of our best performances revolved around him and unlocking his potential more should be at the forefront of our tactical thinking for next year. Keeping him prisoner in a cupboard until he signs a new contract should also be under consideration.
----- Comedy Moment of the Season -----
Liverpool to Bournemouth isn't a quick journey so Everton fans must have been cursing their luck when the League Cup draw sent them down to Dean Court a few days before they were due to visit us for the league match. After getting stuffed in the cup, they must have hoped it would go better on the Saturday, only for their players to give another abject performance. Having completed the journey twice in a few days, watching Kieffer Moore turn your defenders into helpless roadkill whilst scoring can't have been fun.
Things turned a little toxic after the final whistle, with the away fans telling their players what they thought of them. Some of the braver players headed over to try and placate them a little and one threw his shirt into the away crowd. Only for the away crowd to throw it back. Genius.
----- Tearjerker Moment of the Season -----
Ok, it's the return of David Brooks for all of you. I get that. I won't argue with that.
This is still a personal list though, so for me, it was getting to watch a final match with my Dad who is in palliative care, and us watching AFCB boss a 3-0 win against Everton. It being the poppy game, I was able to get a shirt in the auction which now hangs as a memory on my wall and will probably still be there in 25 years.
Yes, I know. It's still the David Brooks comeback. Only, not for me.
----- Lowpoint of the Season -----
The 9-0. Not so much the result as the absolute lack of even U10s level defensive organisation. It was utter chaos out there, and we were lucky to keep it to 9. Then hearing our manager throw the team under the bus afterward made me fear for what was to come. Fortunately, decisive action was taken.
----- Most Hilarious Other Team of the Season -----
I think we all know. Finally watching them deservedly go down whilst we retain our status is something to savour. Let's hope they repeat the feat next season and get back to that derby they're all so desperate to see.
----- The F-off PL Thing of the Season -----
The winner here is so far out in front that I won't even mention anything else. VAR. What an absolute disgrace. At one point we had a run of thirteen (or more?) contentious decisions that could have gone either way that VAR ruled against us every single time. Including the ref twice overruling Stockley Park when called to the monitor. The odds on that run of contentious decisions going against you are 8192/1. Leicester winning the PL after nearly getting relegated was only 5000/1 according to the bookies.
Then there is the new rule introduced just for this season whereby VAR will allow opposition teams to flat out punch an AFCB player in the face and break his nose and see no problem with that.
I know many here hate it but it was inevitable some form of VAR would enter the game in the end. I hoped it would finally level the playing field for all those dodgy decisions the big clubs yet. How naive. It's been used to further cement their advantage and is about as fit for purpose as Lizz Truss was as PM.
----- Vitals Poster of the Season -----
@Matt Stevenson for his in-depth stats after every match. No idea how long it takes to collate, but I am sure it is a considerable amount of time and I'm grateful for it. Chapeau and fingers crossed you keep it up next season as well. Thanks for all the insights.
