Posted February 1, 201312 yr While many of us just want this season to end before the fat one masterminds our exit from the top 4, there have been a few silver linings to this season, such as Frank closing in on the goal scoring record, and also the performances of our dynamic duo. We're now into February and with only 14 games left we've got a good idea already of who have been consistently quality enough over the past 24 games to warrant winning the big 4 individual awards come end of the EPL season; the PFA Player of the Year, EPL Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the year, and PFA Young Player of the Year. Juan Mata will certainly have to be a contender for the former 3. 9 goals and 10 assists in the league so far leave his combined total behind only Van Persie and Suarez, who are likely to be his 2 man competitors for the award: Van Persie: 18 goals 6 assists Luis Suarez: 17 goals 3 assists Juan Mata: 9 goals 10 assists Theo Walcott: 10 goals 7 assists Wayne Rooney: 9 goals 8 assists However obviously more than just goals and assists are taken into account, it seems unlikely a defender or goalkeeper will take away any awards this year considering what a poor year it has generally been for the top clubs defences. The fact the other 4 members of the top 5 are striker's shows just how good Mata has been this year and how important he's been in an otherwise inconsistent and disappointing season for Chelsea. PFA Players' Player of the Year: Despite being a top club for the last decade, only 1 Chelsea player has ever won the award, which was John Terry in 2005. Even in the 2010 season when we smashed attacking records, Wayne Rooney won the award despite Drogba scoring 3 more goals and winning the golden boot (as well as getting 13 assists, significantly more than Rooney), and despite Lampard topping the assist charts AND scoring 22 goals from midfield and placing 5th in the goalscorers tally. RVP won the award last year and only 2 players have won the award in consecutive years in the 39 year history of the award; Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo. His goals per game currently is less than it was when he won the award last season when he was playing in a weak team which probably enhanced his chances of winning. This season with so many attacking options around him it may be viewed as less of an accomplishment. Liverpool currently sit in 7th place - no player has ever won the PPoY in a team that has finished so low on the table. This added to the fact that Suarez continues to be a very controversial player and probably quite unpopular with large sections of opposing players for his diving and racism background means that it's unlikely he would win over either RVP or Mata. Barclays Player of the Year: They chose to award it to Kompany last year over the favourite RVP, the award is voted on by a panel chosen by the EPL sponsors. On top of last years surprising decision, there have been some surprising winners such as Juninho, Kevin Phillips and Freddie Ljungberg, and defender's have won 3 of the last 4 years. Lampard is the only Chelsea player to have won this award, winning it in both of Mourinho's title winning seasons. FWA Footballer of the Year: This one is also more unpredictable than the players' player of the year, highlighted with Scott Parker winning it 2 seasons ago while getting relegated with West Ham. RVP won the award last year, Henry and CR7 are the only players to have won it in 2 consecutive seasons, but they like the BPOY often favour less predictable winners, something which would favour Mata and Suarez, or possibly even Fellaini over RVP. The other major award is the PFA Young Player of the Year. Anyone 23 years young or younger at the start of the season is eligible, meaning the likes of Hazard, Oscar and Moses are possible contenders for the award. Out of the 3, Hazard is likely the best contender, with 6 goals and 8 assists making his combined tally the highest of any possible contender for the award. The next highest is Gareth bale with 9 goals and 3 assists, followed by our very own Romelu Lukaku on 9 goals and 1 assist, then no-one else really close. Kyle Walker may have won it last year, but he was the first defender to win it since Tony Adams in 1987, generally because attacking players bloom at a younger age than defenders or goalkeepers. Scott Parker is the only Chelsea player to have won this award, but i'd say Hazard would be in with a big shout to win it this year, although will face stiff competition from Bale who was pretty unlucky to lose out to team-mate Walker last year. So what do you guys think, if Mata and Hazard can maintain similar form until the end of the season, do you think they can come away with any of these awards? Do you think they deserve to?
February 1, 201312 yr Mata yes but he won't get it purely because he plays for CFC... Hazard not a hope in hell after the whole ball-bloke-gate.
February 1, 201312 yr Author Mata yes but he won't get it purely because he plays for CFC... Hazard not a hope in hell after the whole ball-bloke-gate. It's voted on by other players, it seemed the majority of them were in support of Eden, although it could cost him a few votes, particularly with Swansea players.
February 1, 201312 yr hazard will be close. Last 3 seasons his gamelevel increased immense towards the end. the best is yet to come...
February 1, 201312 yr Robin Van Persie will most probably mop up. He has been pretty amazing in fairness.
February 1, 201312 yr Hazard? Why? Mata for sure but Eden has been hugely innconsistant since he came to us which is normal for a young boys first season, there are a good number of players who will be ahead of him and rightly so.
February 1, 201312 yr Apparently Messi and Ronaldo only have more goals + assists than Juan Mata this season. This proves Juan Mata is a champion Eden's going to be a great player for us, but I do think he's been a tad inconsistent season. He'll become more consistent as he gets older. Edited February 1, 201312 yr by Jezz
February 1, 201312 yr Author Who else aside from Bale under the age of 23 has been better than Hazard this season?
February 1, 201312 yr I thought Terry won the young player award the same year he won the player of the year? Correct me if I am wrong
February 1, 201312 yr Who else aside from Bale under the age of 23 has been better than Hazard this season? Jack Wilshere for one (since he has returned from injury anyway). Hazard just hasn't shown anything like enough consistency to be considered for the award. A handful of good games and a few assists & goals won't do it. Mata will definitely be a contender but if RVP continues as he has, he will clearly be bookies favourite.
February 1, 201312 yr I think RVP will win out over Mata just like Rooney somehow won out over Drogba despite being outperformed in every category. They both deserve something though. Hazard could claim the young player award if he kicks his game up for the rest of the season.
February 1, 201312 yr I don't think Mata will win the player of the year awards, that will go to either RVP or Suarez. Mata will probably end up third. Hazard has a great chance for young player of the year, i can't think of anyone who has been better. It will probably go to someone like Sterling
February 2, 201312 yr How good is Mata? Great touch, quality passer of the ball and I think has all the components to be a Chelsea legend. Not really related to the post but couldn't find anywhere else to post.
February 2, 201312 yr mata should make shortlist of six for pfa, but that's it...rvp will win by a landslide as he effectively won the title for utd on his own... chelsea shouldn't even bother to have a fans' vote this year...mata has it sewn up...says a lot for our season that he has such little comp
February 2, 201312 yr mata should make shortlist of six for pfa, but that's it...rvp will win by a landslide as he effectively won the title for utd on his own... chelsea shouldn't even bother to have a fans' vote this year...mata has it sewn up...says a lot for our season that he has such little comp If Lamps breaks the record then my vote is going to him, i can't be bothered to vote for anyone else .
February 2, 201312 yr How good is Mata? Great touch, quality passer of the ball and I think has all the components to be a Chelsea legend. Not really related to the post but couldn't find anywhere else to post. The way he's played over his first 18 months makes me think he could eclipse our other little magician.
February 3, 201312 yr The way he's played over his first 18 months makes me think he could eclipse our other little magician. It's certainly a possibility, given his age relative to Franco's when he joined. Easily our best signing of the past 5 years, and right up there with Drogba and Cech as one of the best of the past 10.
