[Albion] Jan Paul van Hecke - contracted to June 2027

[One Teddy Maybank]

Oh van Hecke
You’re so fine , you’re so fine
You blow my mind
van Hecke, van Hecke

May have to resurrect Gully’s Girls though, it is that time of the year…

Shocking

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Weirdly the actual article doesn't have him in the top 5.
Strange list overall, Saliba is probably the best CB in the league.
Thiago Silva has been awful this season.

I think it’s because that ranking and those percentage stats are current ratings and from a week after the article was written so there have been two games since the article.

Thing is with centre backs, data and recruitment analysts will say it is the hardest position to judge with stats as so much depends on how much they have to do in the match and positioning/reading of the game etc (Saliba example is a very good one). They’re always trying to come up with new ways of analysing defenders. What was interesting to me was the data backed up the eye test. Van Hecke has been getting better and better every game.

 

[Machiavelli]

I think just by the eye test we knew he had been our best centre back this season, even ahead of Dunk, but the data also back this up. Third best centre back in the PL this season, a genuinely remarkable improvement over the past year, comfortably our most improved player - he definitely deserves an end of season award of some sort.

Agree with you that he's been clearly our best CB this season, which takes some saying. Not going to get PotS though, although comfortably in second place for me.
That list has some quality players, as does the Dutch (potential) squad, and JPvH warrants his place in that company.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Agree with you that he's been clearly our best CB this season, which takes some saying. Not going to get PotS though, although comfortably in second place for me.
That list has some quality players, as does the Dutch (potential) squad, and JPvH warrants his place in that company.

Gross I assume? It’s between Pascal and Joao Pedro for me.

If it was a kids team JPVH would definitely get the most improved player award though Might be too old but I’d still give him the young player award, deserves recognition for his incredible and rapid improvement. I still can’t believe it’s the same player who played away to Leicester last season who the other players noticably refused to pass to.

 

[Spiros]

Gross I assume? It’s between Pascal and Joao Pedro for me.

If it was a kids team JPVH would definitely get the most improved player award though Might be too old but I’d still give him the young player award, deserves recognition for his incredible and rapid improvement. I still can’t believe it’s the same player who played away to Leicester last season who the other players noticably refused to pass to.

But not long after that kept Haaland under wraps when we drew with City

 

[aolstudios]

But not long after that kept Haaland under wraps when we drew with City

His turning point. He knew he'd arrived the instant he took on Haaland & came out on top

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Give me a Veeeeeeeeeeee

 

[lasvegan]

Shocking

It was joke, how could anyone actually take that seriously…

 

[Stat Brother]

Why were Arsenal boooooooooooooooing him?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Why were Arsenal boooooooooooooooing him?

Yes - I wondered why as well.

Wasn’t at his best today.

 

[A1X]

Have we considered saying “van Hecke” in the bit in the song where they say “tequila”?

 

[Stat Brother]

Have we considered saying “van Hecke” in the bit in the song where they say “tequila”?

Every other footballer in the country is considered so I don't see why not!!!!

 

[jcdenton08]

Potential to be one of the best in the world.

Absolutely immense today. Brilliant performance.

 

[seagull_special]

If I was going into battle, Van Hecke would be the man I would choose to be at my side. Absolute colossus.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

MOM by a long way today. Given how exposed he was at times, it was a defensive masterclass

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Outstanding performance.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Magnificent from JP.

Don't care who we're bringing in at centre back, JPVH plays every week

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Easily the MOTM. Future Brighton captain!

 

[aolstudios]

Magnificent from JP.

Don't care who we're bringing in at centre back, JPVH plays every week

Future captain. For a decade

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Future captain. For a decade

Great minds!