IT’S time for an annual occasion that blows the Oscars out of the water, it’s Dream Group’s finish of season awards for 2022/23!
Please humour us as we rattle by way of a bunch of imaginary gongs designed to recognise the nice, the dangerous and the ugly of an eventful marketing campaign.
The Worth-For-Cash Award
WINNER: Kieran Trippier (£5.3m)
King of the defendersCredit score: GETTY
Whereas the England worldwide’s value has been lofty for a couple of months now, it’s essential to keep in mind that he began the season at simply £3m.
Trippier was half the worth of Virgil van Dijk (£5.5m) previous to Recreation Week 1 and he’s produced 98 extra factors than the Dutchman at this stage.
With 222 factors in complete, he’s 57 forward of his closest rival amongst defenders and has been in a bracket of his personal since August actually.
It might be argued {that a} Brighton participant deserves this award nevertheless it’s extremely uncommon that an asset dominates to Trippier’s diploma having began at such an inexpensive value.
The Breakout Star Award
WINNER: Kaoru Mitoma (£4.4m)
From an unknown entity to a family identifyCredit score: GETTY
There can solely be one winner right here.
The Seagulls’ winger is the very definition of a breakout star in that 99.99% of Dream Group gaffers had no concept who he was initially of the marketing campaign however the majority have admired his efforts since.
Mitoma has registered ten objectives, eight assists and 5 Star Man awards in his debut Dream Group season.
The Japan worldwide’s complete of 153 factors is just bettered by by six midfielders at this late juncture – Bruno Fernandes (£6.9m) and the most effective choices from Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal.
Hearty congratulations to any gaffers who backed Mitoma when he value simply £1.5m!
The Always Missed Award
WINNER: Solly March (£4.8m)
Justice for MarchCredit score: GETTY
Some extra appreciation for Brighton right here and properly deserved given the south coast membership have formally certified for Europe for the primary time of their historical past.
Dream Group bosses had been fast to leap on Mitoma and at one level even Pascal Gross (£3,3m) was among the many most-popular gamers within the sport however March’s possession by no means acquired above 3% for no matter motive.
The 28-year-old is a person reborn below Roberto De Zerbi; the place earlier than he was a dutiful utility participant, now he’s a fully-fledged attacker who loved by far his finest spell for the membership by way of tangible returns earlier than his current harm.
The long-serving No7 has 9 assists, seven objectives and 6 Star Man awards in 2022/23 – no one predicted that previous to Recreation Week 1.
March deserved to be extra standard than he was this season – we suspect he’ll obtain a lift in 2023/24, particularly with European fixtures to bolster his schedule.
The Greatest Recreation Week Haul Award
WINNER: Erling Haaland (£10.2m)
Hat-trick heroCredit score: GETTY
Gabriel Jesus (£5.6m) received this award final season thanks largely to a four-goal rout at residence to Watford that steered him in direction of a haul of 43 factors.
Extremely, Man Metropolis’s new No9 has equalled or bettered that rating THREE instances in 2022/23.
Haaland took Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig for 43 factors in Recreation Week 26 and he registered 45 factors in Recreation Week 8 on the expense of Man United and Copenhagen.
However his biggest haul got here early on in Recreation Week 4 when he plundered 51 factors in opposition to Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest by way of back-to-back hat-tricks – discuss a press release of intent.
The Greatest Flop Award
WINNER: Mason Mount (£2.8m)
A season to overlookCredit score: GETTY
We hate to be harsh however there’s no denying that standard gamers who underperform play a major position in how a Dream Group marketing campaign performs out.
A number of Chelsea property had been in competition for this award however we gave it to the English midfielder purely as a result of gaffers have come to anticipate a lot extra from him.
Final season, Mount was considered one of simply three gamers who made it into double figures for each objectives and assists within the Premier League, a noble effort that resulted in plentiful factors.
This time period, the Cobham graduate tapped out with three objectives and 4 assists in all competitions for a return of fifty factors in complete.
Circling again to the final award, Haaland earned extra factors within the area of 1 fruitful Recreation Week than Mount did all season!
The David-vs-Goliath Award
WINNER: Fabian Schar (£3m)
Newcastle defenders have carried out fantastically this season
This award goes to the asset who has ferociously punched above his weight.
The aforementioned Solly March was a powerful candidate for this one, as was final season’s winner, Ivan Toney (£6.1m), however within the spirit of spreading out the love and crowning a brand new winner, Newcastle’s Swiss centre-back takes the accolade.
Schar began emphatically with an 18-point haul in his first outing and a gradual stream of unpolluted sheets all through the primary two thirds of the season meant he’s spent months on finish above costly property from Man Metropolis, Liverpool and Arsenal within the rankings.
2022/23 has been the 31-year-old’s finest Dream Group marketing campaign by far and regardless of a dip in returns not too long ago, his tally of 139 factors nonetheless places him sixth amongst defenders.
The Most Useful Participant Award
WINNER: Erling Haaland (£10.2m)
Who else?Credit score: GETTY
Essentially the most predictable winner of the lot and essentially the most worthy too.
It’s simple to overlook that one of the vital prevalent conversations earlier than Christmas revolved round whether or not or not the Norwegian had really made Pep Guardiola’s aspect worse.
That speak quickly evaporated as Haaland quickly chased down the file for many objectives in a Premier League season whereas additionally placing Man Metropolis on monitor to win a historic treble.
The prolific poacher has 430 factors to his identify with 4 fixtures nonetheless to fulfil – Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time file of 477 is below risk.
For Dream Group gaffers, 2022/23 will at all times be referred to as ‘the Haaland season’.