TalkChelsea Player of the Year 2013/14

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Shall we do a "Most Improved Player" and "Goal of the Year" award as well?

Perhaps goal of the year would be better done at the end of the season.

I remember last year when people decided to start these awards around this time and them something like the David Luiz screamer against Basel happened.

[Strike 6,964]

Shall we do a "Most Improved Player" and "Goal of the Year" award as well?

definitely. yes

[The Skipper 20,593]

And that's it! Voting is closed!

CESAR AZPILICUETA IS THE WINNER OF THE TALKCHELSEA.NET PLAYER OF THE SEASON AWARD!

Did you just wait for Azpi to get more votes than Eden to close it? This should've been left open for longer, not a lot of people voted IMO.

[sutro 1,026]

Did you just wait for Azpi to get more votes than Eden to close it? This should've been left open for longer, not a lot of people voted IMO.

i was quite suprised myself on the timing when this poll was closed.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The winner will be announced on Thursday 10 April!

[The Skipper 20,593]

The winner will be announced on Thursday 10 April!

Thursday isn't over yet though?

Could've at least let the voting run till like the evening or something, instead of closing it at 9:45am...

[AswinR 96]

why this early...we got CL semis...5more PL matches...anythin could happen!!

please re-launch the vote polls....and wait for next month 1st week to close...

but i think cesar is clear favourite to win even then..but still(*pouting*)

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

The winner will be announced on Thursday 10 April!

Odd, could have sworn it said "Friday 11 april". You know since i checked last night and it said Friday 11 april.... Did you close the poll one day early ? I don't really care but it's just weird...

[Viper22 2,418]

Chill guys, it's a vote. Both Azpi and Hazard have been awesome this season, can we just be happy about that?

I think it's a bit outlandish and harsh to accuse Alex of rigging the vote to close it at a certain time. Most of those 98 votes came within the first 2 days or so, and they had slowed up to a trickle in the last few days.

Alex; Would it be possible to do an overall TalkChelsea Best XI for the season? Probably best done at the end of the season though.

Most improved wouldn't be a bad idea either, and as for the goal of the season we'd have to have nominations which could then be posted in video form for voting as I must admit I can hardly remember goals from last week let alone back in September!!!

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Chill guys, it's a vote. Both Azpi and Hazard have been awesome this season, can we just be happy about that?

I think it's a bit outlandish and harsh to accuse Alex of rigging the vote to close it at a certain time. Most of those 98 votes came within the first 2 days or so, and they had slowed up to a trickle in the last few days.

Alex; Would it be possible to do an overall TalkChelsea Best XI for the season? Probably best done at the end of the season though.

Most improved wouldn't be a bad idea either, and as for the goal of the season we'd have to have nominations which could then be posted in video form for voting as I must admit I can hardly remember goals from last week let alone back in September!!!

I know but i really did check last night and saw Friday 11 april i'm sure of it. Trust me if i wasn't i wouldn't mention it but i am.

I don't really care about the poll, i just find it weird and want to know what's going on.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I didn't get a chance to vote in this but it's not really much of a contest. Hazard has been easily our best player. Azpilicueta has had an excellent year but in a much easier and less important role in many fewer games. Has Azpilicueta been more valuable than Terry or even Cahill this season? Not really. Our back four has been amazing . Players who can make a dynamic difference on offense are exceptionally valuable. You're talking about the difference between a very good defensive left back who offers very little offensively and one of the best players in the world. BTW, Azpilicueta ranked among the regular back four, last in passing percentage, last in duels won percentage, last in all offensive categories, was dribbled by opponents more than any other defender, and was by far the worst of all our defenders in the air. Ashley Cole in 12 starts has created more offensive chances than Aziplicueta has all season. He had a very good year and I can't wait to see how he can evolve his game to add offensive ability when he moves back to right back, but player of the year going to a one-dimensional LB in a defensive system? Over a player who leads us in goals and assists and single-handily won us a whole bunch of games? Not even close.

[sutro 1,026]

The original date was friday the 11th

[bababoom 4,478]

Hazard has been our player of the season imo. He's been vital for us this season and his form around Nov to Feb was amazing. He's our top scorer and created the most assists. Apzi had been great for us, but i cant look past Hazard.

[meetdoscar 335]

Azpi has obviously been the player of the season because the reason for our success has been our world class defense. To immediately adapt to an unfamiliar left back position at the highest level with such incredible consistency is quite as awesome as makelele in defensive midfield. Hazard has been good but hasn't been near as consistent as azpi, terry and cahill come close but azpi has given more energy and consistency of high level performance to our world class defense. Azpi not getting the award will infact show bias in my opinion.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

It's easier to be more "consistent" when you're a fullback who is sometimes glued to John Terry as opposed to a winger who is relied on for goals and creativity and who gets double-marked in almost every game. I think the player of the year is definitely Hazard as he has comfortably been our best player this season, though Matic would have given him a run for his money had he arrived earlier. Besides, there is only so much impact a full-back can have in deciding a game. A full-back can hardly if ever be a match-winner. Hazard is a match-winner and has won us games on his own this season. We would struggle for top 4 this season without his amazing contribution. Conversely, I doubt we would struggle for top 4 without Azpi in the team.

But I hope in the "official" Chelsea POTY awards that Azpi or Cahill win the Players' player of the year award because they deserve that. But Hazard is definitely the POTY. It would be silly if he gets shunned by the league and then us for the individual awards when he is obviously more than deserving.

[Special Juan 27,103]

It's easier to be more "consistent" when you're a fullback who is sometimes glued to John Terry as opposed to a winger who is relied on for goals and creativity and who gets double-marked in almost every game. I think the player of the year is definitely Hazard as he has comfortably been our best player this season, though Matic would have given him a run for his money had he arrived earlier. Besides, there is only so much impact a full-back can have in deciding a game. A full-back can hardly if ever be a match-winner. Hazard is a match-winner and has won us games on his own this season. We would struggle for top 4 this season without his amazing contribution. Conversely, I doubt we would struggle for top 4 without Azpi in the team.

Not disputing the bit about Hazard but the rest is utter shite.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Not disputing the bit about Hazard but the rest is utter shite.

Nice constructive criticism. Feel free to agree or disagree, but if you can't offer any valuable retort, then your opinion to me is a complete waste of time. A world class striker for example is more valuable than a world class full-back. A world class striker gets more individual awards than a world-class full-back. How many full-backs can ever win the ballon d'Or? A world class striker is a match-winner because he scores goals while is world-class full-back can rarely be one. World-class strikers earn more than world-class full-backs. We would struggle for 4th without Hazard while we won't without Azpilicueta. That's the reality of football.

I'm not even trying to under-mine Azpi's contribution this season. I just stated my opinion on why Hazard is (and should be) the overwhelming favourite. Take for example Cahill. I don't think Azpi has been better than him this season. I think their performance level have been roughly equal, but if you ask me to choose between the two for POTY, I will choose Cahill, because he is more important to the team. If we didn't have Cahill, we would have been forced to play Luiz at CB and I somehow doubt that our defensive record would have been anywhere near as good as it is now. We would also have dropped more points/lost more matches. Conversely, if we didn't have Azpi, we have Ashley Cole. And while Ash has been underwhelming on occasion ( that rib injury he had didn't help), we all know what he is capable of defensively. He is a much better defender than Luiz. Less error prone too. I think our performance level would have been more or less the same with Cole as LB.

That's just how I see it.

[boshman 1,073]

How has Hazard not won this???