Final Standing: 15th
Overview
Contrasting fortunes is the
most apt way of describing Chesterfield’s season which went from a potential
play-off side to a relegation candidate within half a season. The Spireites
suffered from a serious bout of second-seasonitis which almost saw them
relegated but for the final day heroics against fellow relegation candidate
Wolverhampton Wanderers. The final day
relegation rescue couldn’t mask a disappointing campaign where the Spireites
severely underachieved with a 15th placed finish but they may be a
victim of their own success last season finishing in fifth spot.
Chesterfield started
brightly with wins over Queens Park Rangers and Reading however the Spireites
didn’t hit a patch of consistency until they produced shock wins over Division
Three champions Brighton Hove Albion and promotion chasing Rotherham United
with 9 wins in first 19 matches, with prospects of securing a top six finish in
their second consecutive season.
However Chesterfield’s season
fell apart when they only managed 4 wins in their last 19 matches epitomised by
the lifeless performance against Scunthorpe United losing 1-0 who they beat 4-0
in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. The Spireites poor league form
coincided with their dismal defensive record conceding 22 goals in 12 matches
(12 in four matches) however manager Glory Days managed to steady the ship with
two consecutive clean sheets including a 1-0 victory against Wolverhampton
Wanderers on the final day to secure their Division Three status.
Most
Valuable Player: Leon Britton
In a dismal season for the
Spireites, one of the few shining lights has been Leon Britton. The English
metronome has consistently been one of the best performers this season with his
sound long and short passing, good defensive positioning and providing a great
link between defence and attack. Constantly being compared with Xavi Hernandez
for his passing completion percentage, Britton is so much more than statistical
anomaly with his leadership on the field and a great tactical awareness in the
game.
Standing at 168cm, some
pundits may think that Britton wouldn’t be suited to play the all important
defensive midfield role however the English midfielder is determined to prove
the doubters wrong. Since arriving from Walsall in a three way deal which saw
Nemanja Matic move in the opposite direction, many have questioned Britton’s
ability to replace the big Serbian who was known for his strength, height and
tackling. However Britton has
consistently shown that he is not only up to the task of providing in a solid
base of the midfield but he can also provide a creative spark and a scoring
threat with 7 goals and 5 assists.
While the likes of Rodrigo,
Adam Lallana and Pablo Hernandez may get all the attention, the consistent
Britton may often be overshadowed but that doesn’t diminish the important role
he plays for the team.
Golden
Boot: Alberto Paloschi 11 goals (28 games)
Last season’s golden boot
winner Alberto Paloschi reigned supreme once again by leading the scoring
charts for the second consecutive season but despite a relatively solid
campaign, it was one of disappointment. The 24 year old striker was coming off
his best ever goal scoring record last season where he bagged 15 goals in 29
matches and not only that he became the main man in the lone striker role,
taking the mantle from the departed Hugo Rodallega.
His marvellous form
continued into this season where he registered 9 goals in quick success so much
so that he was the Division’s leading goal scorer however like Chesterfield,
Paloschi suffered from a bad second half of the season. He was largely blamed
for the Spireites significant decline coinciding with his own goal drought which
remains at 16 matches, some opposing fans even venomously dubbed Paloschi as
Chesterfield’s Inzhaghi who was known for his offside goals. It seemed that
every time the Italian striker had scored to get rid of his hoodoo, there would
be an inevitable raising of the linesman’s flag.
Although Paloschi looked
noticeably shaken by his inability to find the back of the net, the biggest
indictment of his struggles was when manager Glory Days opted to pick young
Angelo Henriquez in step of him in a crucial relegation battle against Plymouth
Argyle.
Despite his recent goal
drought, Paloschi has contributed 49 goals in his last four seasons, each season
registering a double digit goal tally and with new signing Rickie Lambert out
for 5 weeks, the Italian striker has a small window to impress and if his past
is any indication, he may shine when he has it all to do.
Most
Assists: Mehmet Ekici 11 assists (31 games)
In a season where most
Chesterfield players underperformed, Turkish midfielder Mehmet Ekici maintained
a high standard. The mercurial Turkish
playmaker continued his remarkable rise in the Chesterfield ranks with another
splendid season culminating in 11 assists, what makes his record even more
impressive is he has carried the ‘creative responsibility’ when Serbian winger
Miraleum Sulejmani departed for Portugal.
The 23 year old showed his
capabilities of taking over a match with his man of the match effort against
Rotherham United with three assist and one goal. In only his third season at
the club, Ekici has become a quintessential part of the Chesterfield midfield
with his calmness on the ball; an eye for a pass and his dead ball abilities
has helped the Turkish international increased his importance to the Spireites.
Fans
Favourite: Rodrigo 8 goals, 6 assists (17 games)
It’s hard to go past Rodrigo
after his final day heroics saved Chesterfield from relegation but the Spanish
starlet has struggle to make an impression on the first team, mainly due to
injuries and inconsistent performances.
Much fanfare came with the
signing of the highly coveted Rodrigo from Northampton Town which was
considered a major coup for the little Derbyshire side. Rodrigo added another
dimension to the Spireites attack with his pace, direct dribbling skills and
control to apply an incisive finish, most notably grabbing a crucial brace
against Division Three winners Brighton and Hove Albion in a shock upset. However as Chesterfield’s results started to
decline, Rodrigo came into his own by scoring in two crunch relegation six
pointers, a vital brace against
relegated Dagenham and Redbridge and an even more crucial goal against Wolverhampton
Wanderers on the final day.
Coming into the final match
of the season, Chesterfield were struggling to find a solution in front of goal
with Alberto Paloschi goal drought continuing to15 matches and Angelo Henriquez
showed against Plymouth Argyle that he still
too raw to start in a game of a high magnitude. It was a race against
the clock to get Rodrigo fit for the final game after he suffered a twisted
ankle which saw him miss three matches.
There was an air of
excitement when Rodrigo’s name was in the starting XI against Wolverhampton and
he duly delivered with a lovely 48th minute header supplied by a
delicious cross by fellow newcomer Pablo Hernandez which gave Chesterfield the
vital three points lifting the Spireites out of relegation and condemning the
reigning English Shield champions to Division Four.
Surprise
Packet: Luca Antonelli (28 matches)
Stability and consistency
are all apart of manager Glory Days philosophy so when the ever present
wingback Lorenzo De Silvestri departed for Division one side West Ham United,
questions were raised whether the stability of the defence would suffer.
Although Chesterfield’s record was terrible compared to previous seasons, fullback
Luca Antonelli maintained his consistent performances and cemented the left
back position.
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