With the first half of the season played, and the Scottish Premiership sides enjoying their winter break, now seems the appropriate time to reflect to try to identify the individuals who have made the biggest impact to date.
Some years, while taking on this task, it has been a nightmare trying to fit everyone in, and some worthy candidates have had to be left on the sidelines. That has not been the case in 2023 – this has not been a vintage campaign for individuals!
Had you told me in the summer I would be including three players from Kilmarnock and one from Dundee, I would have found it difficult to comprehend, but it is a measure of what we have witnessed – and evidence the “bigger” clubs have struggled – that the quartet fully merit selection.
I have chosen JACK BUTLAND as my keeper. Taking over from Rangers club legend Allan McGregor, he has excelled, and the Ibrox side have – by some distance – the best defensive record in the division. Hearts’ Zander Clark was his only serious competition.
Butland’s Rangers club captain, JAMES TAVERNIER, has to be in at right-back. Having netted 16 times, and provided a number of assists, his contribution has again been immense.
Left-back was a problem position and there were few candidates to be honest, but I have picked Celtic defender GREG TAYLOR, who has been consistent and dependable, rather than spectacular.
In the centre I have gone for what would have been the highly unlikely pairing of Celtic’s LIAM SCALES and Kilmarnock’s STUART FINDLAY.
The latter is now an experienced performer, is rock solid, and has been an ever-present for Killie, while last season’s Aberdeen loanee Liam, against all the odds, has missed just one game for Celtic, having snatched his chance due to a defensive injury crisis. His has been one of the more remarkable stories of the season.
In a 4-3-1-2 formation, my midfield trio is the Kilmarnock pair of DANIEL ARMSTRONG and DAVID WATSON, joined by Celtic’s outstanding performer of the campaign, MATT O’RILEY.
Armstrong is a player I have always enjoyed watching and, having broken through at Raith, he was instrumental in Killie’s promotion season of 2021-22. He has since proved himself more than capable of operating at Premiership level, and has played a big role for Derek McInnes so far this year.
The same can be said of Watson, who has all the attributes needed in a modern day midfielder – he could have a big career ahead of him.
O’Riley has been head and shoulders above his team-mates, is joint top scorer for the champions, and will be a key figure if Celtic are to hold off Rangers’ challenge.
Ahead of them, LYALL CAMERON does not start every week for Dundee, but catches the eye every time I watch him, and having seen a fair bit of the youngster in the Championship last season, I am well aware of his capabilities. He has impressed again this time round and is another who could have a bright future.
In a campaign where only four players across the Premiership have reached double figures in league goals, my strike force was unquestionably the most straightforward decision I had to make.
LAWRENCE SHANKLAND has almost single-handedly dragged Hearts up to third place in the table with his remarkably consistent goalscoring prowess, and I simply had to partner him with a player who has been almost as reliable for the Dons – BOJAN MIOVSKI.
1️⃣8️⃣th goal of the season for Lawrence Shankland 😍
🤝 @loveholidays pic.twitter.com/o6rROXAzIH
— Heart of Midlothian FC (@JamTarts) January 3, 2024
The hopes of both clubs might well rest on their ability to retain their respective top scorers beyond the close of the January transfer window, the pair having gone through the thirty-goal mark between them.
Miovski has been the more consistent throughout, whereas Shankland has been on fire in the last few months, netting eleven of Hearts’ last 15 goals, but each is absolutely vital to their side.
Old pals in manager of the year tussle
As for manager of the year so far, I cannot split the old pairing of DEREK McINNES and TONY DOCHERTY.
Derek has overseen a huge improvement in Killie’s fortunes, while Tony has excelled in his first few months as a gaffer in his own right at Dundee.
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