Player Of The Month: October 2009
Monday, 02 November 09, 11:22 AM · Comments (10)
Let's be honest, it wasn't our best month ever. However, we could also say we only lost one game (to Rubin Kazan) in six and of the three main leagues in Europe - Spain, England and Italy - we are the only team to remain unbeaten in our domestic league. Whatever the case, when I look back at the six games from this month there are very few individual performances that stand out. After some careful consideration I have decided that the Fcbnews October Player Of The Month has to go to Seydou Keita. His hat-trick against Zaragoza was the best individual performance of the month and that was backed up by another goal on Saturday against Osasuna which also makes Keita the top scorer of the month.
The award very nearly went to Victor Valdés. He saved us from defeat against Valencia and has generally been in very good form. He would probably have been first this month but he might have done more to stop Zaragoza's goal, so he'll have to settle for second place. Third place goes to Carles Puyol who has been solid first at centre back against Almeria and Valencia, and then filling in at right back after Dani Alves got injured. One has to wonder whether we would have lost to Rubin Kazan if our captain had been playing that night. In fourth place is Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has scored three in his four games this month and continues to impress with his all-round game. Fifth place was a bit complicated to choose, it could have gone to Piqué, Abidal, Xavi or Toure but in the end it's going to Pedro. He might have been a bit off against Valencia and Rubin, but his goals won two games this months against Almeria and Cultural Leonesa and his three goals came from fewer minutes than Ibrahimovic's three.
What is remarkable this month is the absence in the top five of our three main Ballon d'Or candidates, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. Everyone has a right to a drop in form (even Xavi who has been in the top 5 practically every month since I began the awards), but for me this explains more than anything else why this has not been a vintage month. Let's hope all three are back to their best soon.
So, to recap, the top 5 for October 2009 are as follows.
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Seydou Keita
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Victor Valdés
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Carles Puyol
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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Pedro Rodriguez
Send your comments and let us know whether you agree or not.
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10 Comments · Add yours
No - I think you're pretty much spot on Nic.
Not a great month, but we do tend to be spoilt and I have to say (having failed to have the chance to comment on the Zaragoza post), Seydou having the opportunity to so explicitly show his value to our Barca team has been the highlight of the season for me so far. I don't think I had realised his worth in the last season - and fault myself for this - but his drive and effort, combined with his overall utility - playing wide, central, forward, and also willing to come back to defend - makes us the stronger squad that otherwise may lack some depth compared with big spenders in Spain and England.
I have to say, until Henry returns, I'd rather see Seydou on the left up front and Iniesta dropping back into his normal advanced midfield role, or at least the two switching roles more freely as they began to do during the Zaragoza match.
Also, with Carles just signing a new contract it's been wonderful to get so evident a reminder of what he adds to our team.
As a positive - to draw from an otherwise month of general negatives - maybe the dip in form of Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi may be a good thing for the confidence of players like Seydou? Also for Zlatan settling in?
(I may be in a more chipper mood than some as my internet connection went down on Saturday evening just before the awful snafu of an equaliser!)
One final thought - I had mentioned in an earlier post that our set pieces lacked invention. The combination of the opener against Zaragoza and the cheeky corner pulled back to Ibrahimovic against Osasuna has reassured me of our cleverness. (Plus, Ibra's pile driver against Zaragoza should frighten the daylights out of most keepers and most opposition players lining up in the wall!)
I've sometimes also under-appreciated Abidal and I think he's been a rock in a month in which we've been asking some questions about our defence, so if there is a sixth place, then I'd say he would edge out the other notable mentions of Xavi, Pique and Toure (although Toure has sat out a fair few matches).
i can't agree less you have really hit the nail on the head i think the award and the selection is how it should be.
please keep up the good work.
Just out of interest, since the first month of the Fcbnews Player Of The Month award which was for Sept 2007 there have now been nine different winners:
Messi (Sep07, Nov07, May08, Oct08, Nov08, Sep09)
Iniesta (Dec07, Mar08, Feb09, Mar09, Apr09)
Xavi (Feb08, Sep08,)
Puyol (Oct07, Apr08,)
Milito (Jan08,)
Henry (Dec08,)
Alves (Jan09)
Piqué (May09)
Keita (Oct09)
What do mean Big Dan, you can't agree LESS?
I actually think that Ibra should be above Puyol. The way he is fitting in to this team under so much pressure is just majestic. Puyol signed a new contract though and nothing makes me happier.
Kieta is being noticed for better play this year because he is playing much better. It took him a year to find his feet really. That's why I'm so impressed with Ibra already. Like Alve's and Pique last year.
Keita is a more than worthy winner though. That I do not dispute.
I agree with Pabman Ibrahimovic should be higher, for me i'd put him second. I don't remember a free kick hit so hard as the one he scored against Zaragoza. And he has fitted in fantastically with the overall teamwork
hey nic do you know how i can get tickets for el classico?? please let me know !
Carrying on the comments from the previous post:
Regarding Messi...
I said when Henry joined that Messi was extremely selfish with him and only looked to Ronaldinho and Eto and it got me angry so much lol.
I feel sometmies like the other day perhaps Messi just thought he would try to be spectacular and maybe needs to get used to Zlatan being there more before he passes to him in those positions.
Messi being Messi is like any great player, they like to shine and smoetimes make silly decisions. However, he is very young and I'm sure next time we see him there he wont make the same mistake again. Criticism of Messi is allowed, he is a human as well as the best player in the world, so I have no problem saying bad things about him but I also know he will pick himself up and shine above all others in the coming months.
Regarding the team:
The team has lost a fast DC, FAST striker, and without Henry at the minute we've lost a fast left winger.
Thats a LOT of pace lost from the team, however I think knows this and will get the team to adapt and improve on some of the lathargic performances of the last month.
The doomsday predictions however are nothing more then Madrid-inspired newspapers talking absolute rubbish. This team is performing above all the teams in the Spanish league, out performing the no1 team in the EPL and have a very good chance of winning EVERYTHING it enters.
I think ALL BARCA fans should GET BEHIND THE TEAM 100% and lets sit back and watch the dogs of Madrid fail whilst Barca takes La Liga again !
CR9 is the best LM10 down