The best players of the season - 1995/6

Looks very good at first glance comme, but I'll let you know what comes to mind after my thinking cap has been on!

I'd say there's a good case to put Gullit in as a central midfielder - he started playing as a sweeper but switched into midfield (not always the same role) well before mid season I think - going partially from memory but mainly what I've read relatively recently to be honest but think that's a decent summary of how it was.

I noticed some award (might have been Fans Player of the Season) for the Premier League went to Schmeichel too I think. Probably it's hardest to recall goalkeeping performances from one season to the next (or retain the memories from ages ago as opposed to having a good idea for De Gea for example) but while it was probably the case in 96/97 too I think in 95/96 he was making plenty of good saves etc on the way to United's Premier League win; in a close run thing with Newcastle that season of course and with some narrow victories sealed by Cantona goals towards the end of the season IIRC. Maybe worth looking into with a view to adding him to the goalies list anyway.

Whether Beckham did enough for *? Maybe, but DBS Calcio doesn't show an especially high average and ofc he hadn't impressed enough to already get in the England squad for Euro 96. He'd be behind all or most of the wingers you've put in in the pecking order I would think anyway but I do remember he was already providing some excellent assists, and he scored a decent number of goals too.

You've already seen the list I did of top DBS Calcio rated players for that season (after discussion of Gullit) I guess but I think you're looking at their ratings anyway. Whether Curcic's star rating should match his average might be doubtful of course but I do remember him doing very well, and same for Albert definitely - number of games played due to injury problems is the issue for him I suppose though maybe his extra exceptional DBS rating justifies a high rating or at least inclusion anyway indeed wheras for Bohinen maybe the previous season is enough and for Juninho maybe the next one (and I think by the end of the season Kinkladze is probably a better call than him indeed although the Brazilian did make a good impact even if not scoring that many goals himself in his first season - his 1995 year in South American and International football is not so relevant to your list anyway ofc).

 

Oh, probably McManaman is worth a slot IMO from the Premier League too (like I suggested last time probably as AM even though he drifted to wings and obviously played as winger in Euro 96 too).

EDIT - Maybe his team-mate Robbie Fowler has as good a case in this season as ever too. Thinking about another striker too - Davor Suker - I'd be a bit torn as his Sevilla season alone might seem not enough perhaps (I think he didn't appear in the top rated La Liga players Puck posted recently either did he IIRC, and it might not have been his best season there although I'm not an expert and he did score a few in Europe) but then his form and goals in the remaining qualifying games for Euro 96 would be significant in helping his case. Maybe worth consideration/debate/extra info/research etc anyway.

 

I like the list very much.

I would add Darren Anderton, Mazinho and Jose Ignacio had a really good season at Valencia, and maybe we can make a case for Poborsky and Nedved due to their Euro 96 performances.

PS: Balakov was playing at Stuttgart, not Bayern.

 

It was Premier League Player of the Season for Schmeichel ofc:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_League_Player_of_the_Season

The Newcastle game is mentioned here as one of a few in which he starred in and was important:
http://www.stretford-end.com/2014/07/199596-champions-league-cantona-returns-kids-well/

I couldn't see a page from the time the award was handed out though, for any reasoning.

 

Honest question and I know it is difficult to find a balance and that beyond the obvious names (Weah, Litmanen etc.) it becomes tougher. Baggio of 1995-96 Milan isn't there either and he had lost his national team place to Zola isn't it.

What do you think of Bergkamp for this season (1995-96) compared to Zola? (I checked DBScalcio but maybe I overlook something). The number six side of Italy vs number five of England, at the end of 1995-96. Although around this time the dominance started to slide, the Serie A was the number one league in the world. Meanwhile, Arsenal spent 35% of their turnover for a signing which was huge (and would be huge today). Goals per game was 2.60 in the Premiership and 2.63 in 1995-96 Serie A.


In the league Zola played 29 games and scored 10 goals (one of which a penalty)

Bergkamp played 33 games and scored 11 goals. OPTA shows him with 8 strict assists (i.e. excluding penalties won) and 12 in all competitions.

I don't know the assists (esp. Zola) so this might cause a difference for the season (for entire career it is probably in favor of the Iceman and I know/think PDG1978 holds such ideas IIRC). Something like through-balls and pre-assists is virtually impossible to know, especially for Serie A.


In the Cup Winners Cup Zola had 2 goals in 5 games (both goals against KS Teuta of Albania) Arsenal hadn't qualified for 1995-96 (finishing 12th in 1994-95) thus no goals for Bergkamp here.

In the FA Cup 5 goals in 8 games for Bergkamp, for Zola 0 in 1 at the Coppa Italia. Zola also played the Italian supercup at the beginning of the season and had 0 in 1.

For the national team Bergkamp had 1 goal and 3 strict assists in 6 games (excluding euro96). Zola had 3 goals in 7 games; all goals against Lithuania (no idea about assists but might check the videos).

 

I think I'd approve of Bergkamp being in there too yeah. Maybe a slow-ish start but really starting to excel by the end of the season I think.

 

I also thought about Ian Wright (since he eventually became the all-time topscorer until Henry came). He was club's topscorer with 15 goals in the league which was lower as a year before but the team finished higher.

Yes, he had a slow-ish start by some accounts (in terms of goals certainly, didn't score in first six games) and he also suffered a minor injury in March after which he went scoreless for six games again.
http://www.bdfutbol.com/es/p/j93781.html?temp=1995-96
http://www.bdfutbol.com/es/p/j93606.html?temp=1995-96

Here's a good article on his role from late 1995.

We know Zola at Chelsea didn't have that many assists (70 goals, 27 assists) but that is not to say his job and capability was the same as Parma player.

After I saw Dwight Yorke's name I thought about his partner Savo Milosevic too.

 

Corentin Martins was not a winger : midfielder, playmaker, att. midfielder...
...but good list at first glance + the additions submitted. It only lacks Ronaldo (in spite of his injury) and Roberto Carlos. Also Rivaldo.

 

About defensive midfielders, Dieter Eilts made a great Euro at his position.

 

Roberto Carlos was not "super" that year. Good, but playing out of position (Hodgson...). He was sold at the end of the year to Real Madrid. Thank god.

 

The article on Bergkamp in from late 1995 would be interesting to see, though I think you accidentally put in a link about Trevor Brooking's view on Germany 1990 there?

My first instinct would be no to Milosevic from memory probably - maybe expectations exceeded performances I think, but just as with Suker maybe the International goals help to make a case for him as he was scoring quite a few of those in that period (I haven't checked how many within 95/96 wheras Suker did get 7 in 7 I think it was I counted and ofc finished as Euros top scorer in qualifying overall....and a few of the goals were definitely high quality ones which ofc he added to in the tournament though comme deals with those separately).

I forget now but did we already make a conclusion about Nedved for this season? I think Karel Poborsky could be a good shout as a winger anyway too by the looks of it.

Wright perhaps yes. Maybe * for both him and Bergkamp would be reasonable even to reflect their partnership gelling nicely and both making contributions. I guess it wasn't Wright's peak as a player quite (or Bergkamp's obviously as he continued to improve as he blended into the team more and ofc had also done great for Ajax) but he could be a borderline shout maybe. Possibly if I had to choose one I'd say Bergkamp but not with a great amount of certainty (DBS Calcio averages would go along with that though I suppose wouldn't they).

 

I'm not sure but in addition to Poborsky (and maybe Beckham) perhaps Carbone could be considered as a winger - again if we're talking about end product being key to inclusion then we could do with knowing about assists to help/hinder his case I suppose but the DBS Calcio rating is good and I tend to have vague positive memories (that led to me to think when he signed for Sheffield Wednesday he'd probably do very well). I thought maybe right winger rather than left from memory but doesn't matter for comme really.

Patrik Berger did share the Czech Player of the Year award with Poborsky (and presumably less for contributions in Euro 96) but I remember Sammer's Hammer didn't see him as absolutely first choice at Dortmund when we had a go at that Fantasy Club World Cup. Maybe it wasn't only a case of Liverpool offering big money but also Dortmund being open to sell when he made his transfer, but he was playing a decent part in Dortmund's season at least.

 

Yes, sorry the Bergkamp piece is at the bottom of those pages on the link - you'd shown me that personally before too I remember. Definitely a positive indicator - with his ratings not far below Cantona's too (albeit it's understandable Cantona's key impact in the title race gets recognised more I suppose) I'd certainly think * (building up to two consecutive ***'s for me - which comme might have in mind anyway) would not be too generous.

Though in French, the piece on Albert Batteux might be interesting there too I should imagine btw (though nothing to do with this thread ofc!).

 

Ah OK, I wanted to help you out but yes, here is the version I posted previously. You're right that on DBScalcio there is a gap of 0.20 with Adams, 0.27 with Keown and a gap of at least ~0.30 with the other regular used Arsenal midfielders and forwards (Wright, Merson, Platt, Parlour and some who were rated 15 games or less).

Also true that ManUnited stole the limelight. Strangely DBScalcio shows them only as 5th best rated team of the season (behind Newcastle, Blackburn, Liverpool, Tottenham). #1 was Newcastle United who had an average grade that was 0.33 higher than the rest! Arsenal was the 8th best rated team, and yes without the grade of the Iceman they would fall down to the bottom regions somehow (teams 17-20).

 

Yes, Newcastle were certainly free playing and expansive (as they were the previous season) and with many players in good form. They did have a lead on Man United until near the end too famously. Interestingly they didn't score quite as many goals as Man United though!

 

Yeah, maybe the Czech award was even for calendar year and how he started at Liverpool played a part. I remember him being talked of highly as a Czech player in the build-up to Euro 96 though, but Poborsky did star more during that. But yes I guess you wouldn't put Berger in on that basis (Sammer's Hammer saw him more often than not as impact sub I think indeed IIRC) but I do think albeit in a 'lesser' league Poborsky's case looks good (conversely if it was 1996 calendar year for the Czech award then he didn't do that much at Man United to enhance his case in the second half of that year and ofc Beckham was being used mainly as first choice right winger and having a great start to that 96/97 season).

 

I haven't finished looking but there are a few assists and pre-assists from Carbone on here (and part 1 obviously - including also a free-kick goal on that part as well as one in the Cup):

One of the pre-assists on part 2 is determined by a mention of his name as Zanetti overlaps and crosses.

He seems to appear on both wings but is the number 10 anyway (shirt number I mean, not role). This video confirms his quality assist (as not clear re: mention or shirt number on season goals video):

(Right at the end).

I'll have to finish watching but I think with his rating too he's worth considering.

 

Give or take it looks about 10 ish assists/pre-assists for Carbone maybe, but with build-up to all goals not shown and free-kicks won not shown either sometimes. Also he seems to score an acrobatic deflected goal that is given to Nesta as an own goal in one game.

I haven't checked if the video shows all games though to be fair either.

This one shows more clearly what he did to pre-assist with the Zanetti cross (as well as showing his own direct assist again ofc....and some good/typical skills at about 1 min followed by an interview with him!, then a chance created at 2:25 too):