21: Leon Osman - The Joker

Super wrote:Out for a further 6 weeks.....

Everton's Leon Osman faces a further six weeks out after having an operation on his injured ankle on Monday. Osman, 29, has been sidelined since limping off at half-time during the victory over Liverpool on 17 October. Everton manager David Moyes said a piece of "floating bone" had been removed from Osman's ankle. "We expected him to be out for four to six weeks, but we think he'll probably be out for another six weeks now. He seems fine," added Moyes.

The Executioner's Player Focus: Osman
Leon Osman has been a mainstay of the Moyes regime at Goodison, chipping in with 25 assists and 36 goals during his time at the Blues.

He is a player who has often divided opinion at L4, with some questioning his lightweight frame. For me, Ossie is a top player; he has two quick feet, possesses vision, great touch, can score goals and always puts in a shift. In a national game like ours obsessed with physicality and pace, Osman is something of an oddity.

The last month has seen the diminutive midfielder take a central role in the absence of a lot of our key midfield players. His impact has proved important for the Blues, particularly in the final third where his vision has been integral, claiming 3 assists and 2 goals in his last 6 starts.

He has more assists than any other midfielder at the club despite missing a large portion of the season. The local lad has benefited from playing really high up the pitch where he is a best deployed - with his movement and interplay against Wolves on Saturday being integral to the win.

It is also interesting to note from this seasons stats that Osman averages a shot on target more rapidly than Tim Cahill, despite the Aussie often playing right up top as a forward this campaign. Osman has always had a knack of finding the net, his 2 goals at Villa Park in a game crucial to our 4th place finish in 2005 was memorable in a season were he got 7 goals, bettered only by Cahill.

His versatility has often been a double edged sword, enabling him to play in more games but often out on the right wing were he can sometimes be periphery.

On the left he has played some great games, but it is through the middle or as a second striker where he has always been most productive.

His thunderbolt v Larissa in the Europa League was majestic and arguably came around his most consistent spell in the team, playing centrally as the Blues went 13 games unbeaten, a run which included Osman running half the length of the field to finish in the 7-1 win against Sunderland - a truly superb strike.

Ossie will certainly be key in the run in to this season, and I for one am really enjoying watching this underrated talent playing some great stuff at the moment.

Bluejags wrote:Is their a better English player then Ossie in the EPL that plays his type of game currently? England crying out for players that can pass and probe, turn sharply and hold onto possession. But it seems England would rather pick a headless chicken like Downing then someone with a bit of intelligence. I know Ossie is not up their with the Scholes and Silva's off this world but England aren't exactly blessed with this type of player, especially since Joe Cole went off the radar.