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Post by terrier1987cas on Nov 9, 2011 12:30:50 GMT 1
Who do you think is the best player in the current Town squad?
My answer would have been Pilks by a country mile, and he is currently proving his worth in the Premier League, but now he's gone the question is a little harder to answer.
The players who would battle it out for this honour in my eyes would be Ian Bennett, Jack Hunt, Damien Johnson, Scott Arfield, Alan Lee and Jordan Rhodes.
The first name I will remove from that list is Jack Hunt, as I think he is still too naive defensively, and a player who opposition teams target as a weak link cannot be seen as our best player. He is still developing and will no doubt become a very good wing-back, but for now he is still a work in progress.
The next names to be taken off this list are both of our front men, Alan Lee and Jordan Rhodes. Rhodes is in a similar position to Hunt, where he is noticeably developing right in front of our eyes, offering more to the team than he has previously while looking like having his first 20+ goal season for the club. Alan Lee has been phenomenal this season, and is a key reason why we are currently 2nd in the league, but he still has his limitations as far as what he can do on the pitch. He serves a purpose and serves it brilliantly, but I don't think he's our best player.
The next 2 players to be taken off the list are 2 old-timers, Ian Bennett and Damien Johnson. These are also the 2 players who would be second and third respectively in my top 3 players in the current squad. Bennett has been nothing short of brilliant since he replaced Smithies because of injury. None of this "for his age" stuff, he's just a brilliant keeper at this level, probably the best. People were worried Johnson might come back from his injury and not be the same player we saw last season, but he has come back just as solid and dependable. Not much needs to be said for what he does, he just does the simple things very, very well.
That means that the one player remaining, and therefore the player I judge to be the best player Huddersfield Town have at this moment in time, is Scott Arfield.
The Scottish midfielder arrived at Town 2 summers ago before last season for a fee in the region of half a million pounds. He looked brilliant on his debut when given a license to roam free in between the midfield and the strikers, and he could have had a hat-trick were it not for some suspect finishing. He continued to shine in the early stages of the season when he was allowed to play his natural attacking game, but as the season progressed Town would become a more rigid, negative proposition. This didn't suit Arfields style of play and he became a little lost playing regularly alongside Kilbane and Gudjonsson, 2 much more experienced midfielders. He carried on grafting, and regularly did more running than any other player on the pitch, but he seemed to catch Micky Collins syndrome, where people would question what he actually contributed during the course of the 90 minutes, and unfortunately quite often it wasn't much.
This season however has seen Arfield exposed to a new position on the right hand side of a midfield four. While not a natural winger, he has been allowed to play his attacking game while also using the experience he gained last season to be more disciplined. Jack Hunt is arguably our biggest attacking threat right now, but he is also quite possibly our biggest defensive weakness. Arfield allows Hunt to get forward and covers very well for him when he leaves us exposed at the back. The Scot also tucks into the midfield more centrally when we are defending, meaning we don't have the gaping holes which have plagued us for the past 2 seasons. The system we play succeeds and fails with Scott Arfield, and so far this season in my eyes he has been sensational.
So, who do you lot think is the best player in the current Town squad, and why?
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Post by offtopic on Nov 9, 2011 12:33:11 GMT 1
Peter Clarke, he can kick the ball a long way
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Post by terrier99 on Nov 9, 2011 12:36:14 GMT 1
Wardy on his day
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Amigo
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Post by Amigo on Nov 9, 2011 12:37:49 GMT 1
Rhodes or Johnson for me.
Rhodes because he does the hardest and most important thing in the game regularly.
Johnson because he's clearly played at a higher level for his whole career, doesn't need great pace (a bit might've helped saturday though!) because his positional sense and reading of the game is spot on.
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Post by runner76 on Nov 9, 2011 12:41:48 GMT 1
Rhodes on current form.........
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Post by benhomly on Nov 9, 2011 12:47:33 GMT 1
OP - you didn't say why Bennett and Johnson were taken off your list therefore leaving Scott Arfield as your best player?
Jordan for me on current form. The transformation between last season and the last half dozen games has been amazing.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2011 12:49:34 GMT 1
Yeah , always been a huge fan of Arfield . Hunt , Johnson, Ward , Rhodes and Robinson would be the others I would lean towards which just shows how strong our squad is.
Really hard to pick one out but I will be very surprised if Jack Hunt doesn't get signed by a Premiership club in the next couple of seasons. I'm convinced he has the ability to flourish at that level.
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Post by dannyHTFC on Nov 9, 2011 12:51:02 GMT 1
By the end of the season, Donal Mcdermott
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Post by Grandfather Berty of Cleck on Nov 9, 2011 12:51:13 GMT 1
Jack Hunt.
Danny Ward has the potential, but at the moment isn't doing it.
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Post by terrier1987cas on Nov 9, 2011 12:54:20 GMT 1
OP - you didn't say why Bennett and Johnson were taken off your list therefore leaving Scott Arfield as your best player? Jordan for me on current form. The transformation between last season and the last half dozen games has been amazing. I did say they would be 2nd and 3rd in my list of current best players, but Arfield just pips them to the post. It's hard to make a bad point about either of them because they've been so good, Arfield just nicks it though for me. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2011 12:58:03 GMT 1
Jordan Rhodes without a shadow of a doubt. You dont get the current premiership champions and champions league finalists looking at you if you aren't something special.
Id put Roberts ahead of Ward on current form too.
1) Rhodes
2) Johnson
3) Hunt
4) Arfield
5) Bennet
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Post by Chips Longhorn on Nov 9, 2011 13:02:23 GMT 1
Rhodes-Johnson-Novak (when he comes off the bench)
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Post by ssh on Nov 9, 2011 13:13:36 GMT 1
Johnson.
That may change once Ward gets a run in the side.
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Post by The Roaring Twenties on Nov 9, 2011 13:27:54 GMT 1
Who do you think is the best player in the current Town squad? My answer would have been Pilks by a country mile, and he is currently proving his worth in the Premier League, but now he's gone the question is a little harder to answer. The players who would battle it out for this honour in my eyes would be Ian Bennett, Jack Hunt, Damien Johnson, Scott Arfield, Alan Lee and Jordan Rhodes. The first name I will remove from that list is Jack Hunt, as I think he is still too naive defensively, and a player who opposition teams target as a weak link cannot be seen as our best player. He is still developing and will no doubt become a very good wing-back, but for now he is still a work in progress. The next names to be taken off this list are both of our front men, Alan Lee and Jordan Rhodes. Rhodes is in a similar position to Hunt, where he is noticeably developing right in front of our eyes, offering more to the team than he has previously while looking like having his first 20+ goal season for the club. Alan Lee has been phenomenal this season, and is a key reason why we are currently 2nd in the league, but he still has his limitations as far as what he can do on the pitch. He serves a purpose and serves it brilliantly, but I don't think he's our best player. The next 2 players to be taken off the list are 2 old-timers, Ian Bennett and Damien Johnson. These are also the 2 players who would be second and third respectively in my top 3 players in the current squad. Bennett has been nothing short of brilliant since he replaced Smithies because of injury. None of this "for his age" stuff, he's just a brilliant keeper at this level, probably the best. People were worried Johnson might come back from his injury and not be the same player we saw last season, but he has come back just as solid and dependable. Not much needs to be said for what he does, he just does the simple things very, very well. That means that the one player remaining, and therefore the player I judge to be the best player Huddersfield Town have at this moment in time, is Scott Arfield. The Scottish midfielder arrived at Town 2 summers ago before last season for a fee in the region of half a million pounds. He looked brilliant on his debut when given a license to roam free in between the midfield and the strikers, and he could have had a hat-trick were it not for some suspect finishing. He continued to shine in the early stages of the season when he was allowed to play his natural attacking game, but as the season progressed Town would become a more rigid, negative proposition. This didn't suit Arfields style of play and he became a little lost playing regularly alongside Kilbane and Gudjonsson, 2 much more experienced midfielders. He carried on grafting, and regularly did more running than any other player on the pitch, but he seemed to catch Micky Collins syndrome, where people would question what he actually contributed during the course of the 90 minutes, and unfortunately quite often it wasn't much. This season however has seen Arfield exposed to a new position on the right hand side of a midfield four. While not a natural winger, he has been allowed to play his attacking game while also using the experience he gained last season to be more disciplined. Jack Hunt is arguably our biggest attacking threat right now, but he is also quite possibly our biggest defensive weakness. Arfield allows Hunt to get forward and covers very well for him when he leaves us exposed at the back. The Scot also tucks into the midfield more centrally when we are defending, meaning we don't have the gaping holes which have plagued us for the past 2 seasons. The system we play succeeds and fails with Scott Arfield, and so far this season in my eyes he has been sensational. So, who do you lot think is the best player in the current Town squad, and why?Glad to see Arfield getting some praise lately. I think he's a smashing player and as you say, he is absolutely key to our success at the moment. |
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Spunker
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Post by Spunker on Nov 9, 2011 13:33:55 GMT 1
For me it would be Rhodes, for obvious reasons.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2011 13:35:24 GMT 1
He's a bit inconsistent (aren't they all!), but on his day Gary Roberts is the player who can cause teams most damage. I'm not sure you can compile a list like that and not even give him a mention.  |
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Post by duncanshearer on Nov 9, 2011 13:35:58 GMT 1
If Roberts was removed from the team we'd struggle to create as many chances as we do. Until someone else can take on his responsibilites and grow some balls i'd pick him. For the future Rhodes and Hunt.
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andy112
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Post by andy112 on Nov 9, 2011 13:37:05 GMT 1
Interesting to read everyone's thoughts on Ward, as he'd be my pick too. The guys has bags of ability, but just needs to start delivering. Reminds me of Pilks in that aspect though. When he first arrived at Town, for me, he was frustratingly inconsistent - bags of potential but just didn't show enough of it. Soon as he found his consistency, he became a match winner and rightly secured a big money move to the Prem.
Hopefully Ward's progress will be similar.
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Post by Grandfather Berty of Cleck on Nov 9, 2011 13:37:41 GMT 1
Johnson. That may change once Ward gets a run in the side. Johnson wouldn't be in my top ten at the moment. |
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Post by AndySk on Nov 9, 2011 13:41:54 GMT 1
Rhodes, Hunt and Johnson (Looks like you can WTD  ) |
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Post by ssh on Nov 9, 2011 13:44:28 GMT 1
Johnson. That may change once Ward gets a run in the side. Johnson wouldn't be in my top ten at the moment. Why? Without Johnson we can't play two in midfield without being overrun; we've got bags of talent going forwards, but Johnson provides them with the license to do so. Simply put, if we don't have Johnson, I think we have to play one up front and sacrifice Rhodes. Johnson isn't faultless; but I don't understand why he's only playing at this level. EDIT - The sacrificing Rhodes bit only refers to away games; I was meaning Rhodes having a similar role to play as in the second half of last season. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2011 13:45:59 GMT 1
Based on performances this season Novak should be up there too and Ward shouldn't even be in the top 15!
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Post by ritchie on Nov 9, 2011 13:47:50 GMT 1
current: 1) johnson 2) rhodes 3) roberts 4) arfield/novak 5) hunt potential: 1) hunt 2) gobern 3) mcdermott 4) ward 5) arfield/woods gobern might sound mad but i think he could end up with england caps...not sure what that says about england  he's very raw and inexperienced but i think with his technical and physical attributes he could go far. equally he could never get near the prem.. edit: forgot about novak |
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Post by benhomly on Nov 9, 2011 13:54:36 GMT 1
Rhodesy how can you not include Jordan in your potential list? He's only 21? and has got Man U watching him!!
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Post by shawsie on Nov 9, 2011 13:59:14 GMT 1
Current - Rhodes as he is doing the most difficult job in the team brilliantly.
Potential - Goburn, Hunt and Arfield - the improvements in the latter two this season have been hugely impressive.
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Post by ssh on Nov 9, 2011 14:02:01 GMT 1
Based on performances this season Novak should be up there too and Ward shouldn't even be in the top 15! Who are the 15 ahead of Ward? I'm sure he can only be getting such a bad write up because of the high standards he set at the back end of last season. Just wish he'd be given a decent run in the side, as I'd far rather watch him than Roberts. Interestingly, according to the FL website he has as many assists as Roberts so far this season. He hasn't scored as many goals, however. (Though I bet he hasn't cost us as many either!) |
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Post by Solihull Terrier on Nov 9, 2011 14:22:25 GMT 1
Has he had one for us? Possibly Brighton away and the 2nd leg of the play-offs. Been a big failure so far despite many on here claiming he was the best player in the division at the start of the season. |
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Post by ritchie on Nov 9, 2011 14:24:19 GMT 1
Rhodesy how can you not include Jordan in your potential list? He's only 21? and has got Man U watching him!! good point, forgot. would have him 2nd/3rd |
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Post by ssh on Nov 9, 2011 14:47:34 GMT 1
Has he had one for us? Possibly Brighton away and the 2nd leg of the play-offs. Been a big failure so far despite many on here claiming he was the best player in the division at the start of the season. He was a class act at the end of last season. Not sure how you can devalue being our best player for the last couple of months of the season, into two good performances... and even those were only 'possibly' good?! 4 goals in 10 games for a winger is good going, particularly when his all round game was so impressive. This season he hasn't had an extended run in the side. When he's played, he's impressed in flashes, but he needs a chance to get himself going. He looked head and shoulders above Roberts when he came on at Scunthorpe, then apparently looked poor at Yeovil... would have been good if he could have kept his place for Saturday to give him a chance of a decent run, but apparently he came down with an injury? Whether we can get Ward playing as he was at the end of last season will be a massive factor in whether we're successful this season. |
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Post by garyroberts'leftfoot on Nov 9, 2011 14:52:01 GMT 1
I personally think that it is between Roberts, Rhodes, Hunt and Johnson.
We have all forgotten how good Smithies is but as he has not played for a while now I won't include him and we don't know how good he will be agter his injury.
Roberts and Rhodes do what they are supposed to do very well. Roberts gets tons of assists and scores the odd goal, Rhodes scores tons of goals.
I would probably rule Roberts out though just because he doesn't quite track back enough and I don't think he would be able to make the step up the championship as much as the others.
Jordan could be our best player. He scores goals and his all round play is looking much better too.
Johnson is another player who does what he is supposed to do well. You won't see him scoring screamers (or ar all) or playing defence splitting passes but he breaks up play well, is a presence in midfield and keeps our play going when he is on the ball with short passes.
Hunt has the most assists in the league and is a danger whenever he has the ball. I also think that he is a better defender than many on here seem to think. The only thing that he lacks is experience however we can't blame him for that.
I will conclude by saying that the best player is between Johnson and Rhodes. Both are very good at what they do and are consistant performers. I'd say that Johnson is slightly better at the moment because he uses his experience well and is a much more consistant performer than Jordan. Jordan to some extent relies on the rest of the team to provide for him and if the rest of the team doesnt play well he doesnt play well. Johnson plays well even if the team is playing crap.
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