Scottish Premiership: Which player ranks best at your club halfway through the season? | Football News
With clubs across the Scottish Premiership using the winter break to prepare for the second half of the season, who has performed best for your side?
Rangers top the league and also the individual rankings, with one of Celtic’s key midfielders just behind.
Hearts, Motherwell, Hibs and Aberdeen complete the top half of the table and have some standout performers – as do those in the bottom six.
Using their unique rating system, WhoScored.com pick out their best-rated player from each team in Scotland’s top tier.
Rangers
James Tavernier – 7.79 rating
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Tavernier features in October’s goals of the month
The Scottish Premiership player of the 2020/21 season leads the way for Rangers, and the division, once more with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.79.
The right-back ranks second for key passes (61) in 2021/22, and has registered at least four more assists (10) than any other player. Joe Aribo (7.39 rating) and Alfredo Morelos (7.28 rating) closely follow their captain.
Celtic
David Turnbull – 7.75 rating
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Celtic’s David Turnbull scores a great individual goal against Dundee United
The midfielder may have just five assists to his name this season, but it’s not for want of trying. Indeed, the Celtic star has made more key passes (73) than any other Scottish Premiership player this term, and is one of only four players to earn a perfect WhoScored.com 10 rating in a league game this season. Right-back Anthony Ralston (7.64 rating) was second with summer signing Jota (7.48 rating) third.
Hearts
John Souttar – 7.24 rating
John Souttar’s impressed for Hearts after returning from long term injury
Hearts have performed admirably to head into the winter break in third following their return to the Scottish Premiership with John Souttar key at the back, returning a WhoScored.com rating of 7.24 in the process.
The centre-back has been prepared to put his body on the line for the good of the team, blocking 26 shots, the second-most in the league, to cap a superb return to the top flight. Fellow defenders Craig Halkett (7.13 rating) and Stephen Kingsley (7.12 rating) have also impressed.
Motherwell
Tony Watt – 7.14 rating
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Tony Watt scored a contender for goal of the season with a sublime curling strike as Motherwell beat Dundee United
Having netted just three league goals last season, Tony Watt heads into the winter break as the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer, netting nine times from 19 outings.
Of the 49 players to manage 20 or more shots, only one player has a better conversion rate than Watt (25%) in Scotland’s top tier this term to help yield a WhoScored.com rating of 7.14. Sondre Solholm Johansen (7.01 rating) and Ricki Lamie (6.99 rating) were second and third, respectively, for the Fir Park club.
Hibernian
Martin Boyle – 7.09 rating
Boyle has scored seven goals this season in the Premiership
Only a handful of players have had a direct hand in more goals than Martin Boyle (10) this season with the Australian just five away from matching last season’s 12-goal haul.
The 28-year-old has been a dribbling machine, completing more dribbles (50) than any other player to help return a WhoScored.com rating of 7.09. Defender Ryan Porteous (7.03 rating) and midfielder Joe Newell (6.95 rating) were just behind the forward.
Aberdeen
Lewis Ferguson – 7.13 rating
Lewis Ferguson has made 25 appearances for Aberdeen this season across all competitions
Despite only turning 22 in August, Lewis Ferguson is a mainstay for Aberdeen in the middle of the park and he has justified his selection with a series of mature displays for the Dons.
The youngster has four goals and one assist to his name, returning a WhoScored.com rating of 7.13 as he continues to go from strength to strength. Ranked second was Ryan Hedges (7.09 rating) with another youngster in Calvin Ramsay third (7.07 rating).
Dundee United
Ryan Edwards – 7.08 rating
Dundee United defender Ryan Edwards is a key player at Tannadice
Dundee United headed into the winter break on a five-game losing run, but centre-back Ryan Edwards has been key for the Tangerines in the opening half of the season.
The 28-year-old has won the seventh most aerial duels (72) and made more clearances (113) than any other player to contribute towards a WhoScored.com rating of 7.08. Charlie Mulgrew and Scott McMann rated next highest at Tannadice (7.03 rating).
Livingston
Jack Fitzwater – 6.70 rating
Fitzwater has featured in every one of Livingston’s Premiership matches so far this season
Jack Fitzwater has been successful with 85.3 per cent of his 34 attempted tackles in the Scottish Premiership this season and with a WhoScored.com rating of 6.70, he is Livingston’s best-rated player in 2021/22.
A total of 76 clearances is the 14th best in the division, contributing to a solid first half of the campaign. Defender Ayo Obileye (6.67 rating) and goalkeeper Max Stryjek (6.66 rating) were not far behind.
St. Mirren
Conor McCarthy – 7.07 rating
McCarthy beat team-mates Jamie McGrath and Scott Tanser to top-spot at St Mirren
A total of 5.8 aerial duels won per game is the second-highest in the Scottish Premiership this season and Conor McCarthy’s aerial dominance has helped earn a WhoScored.com rating of 7.07.
The centre-back also boasts an impressive reading of the game with 1.6 interceptions per game – the ninth-best in Scotland’s top tier as McCarthy does everything he can to protect the St Mirren goal. Fellow Irishman Jamie McGrath (7.05 Rating) and left-back Scott Tanser (7.03 rating) were second and third, respectively, at St Mirren.
Ross County
Blair Spittal – 6.93 rating
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Spittal scored twice as Ross County drew with high-flying Hearts
Despite their perilous position in the table, Ross County are one of the Scottish Premiership’s top-scoring sides, with Blair Spittal crucial in the final third for the Staggies.
Spittal has directly contributed to five of their 27 league goals, netting four, while his one assist has come from 38 key passes – only three players have made more – and it’s seen the 26-year-old land a WhoScored.com rating of 6.93. Harry Clarke (6.84 rating) and Regan Charles Cooke have also impressed for the Dingwall club.
Dundee FC
Lee Ashcroft – 6.95 rating
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Ashcroft was on target when Dundee last took on Celtic
Having won the most aerial duels per game (6.1) so far this season, Lee Ashcroft is Dundee’s best-rated player so far this term, earning a WhoScored.com rating of 6.95 in the process.
An average of 6.2 clearances per game has seen Ashcroft make a commendable impression for Dundee in the Scottish Premiership. Defender Ryan Sweeney (6.76 rating) and forward Paul McMullan (6.75) rating have also impressed for James McPake’s side.
St. Johnstone
Shaun Rooney – 6.84 rating
Rooney’s only goal this season came in the Scottish League Cup
Rounding off the 12 teams is the versatile Shaun Rooney, who has returned a WhoScored.com rating of 6.84, that’s better than any other St Johnstone player this season.
Rooney has worked hard off the ball for the Saints, with an average of 2.3 tackles per game the seventh highest in the league to reinforce a statistically calculated strength of ‘tackling’. Defender Liam Gordon (6.83 rating) and goalkeeper Zander Clark (6.68 rating) were second and third, respectively, for the McDiarmid Park club.
