Player of the Season Candidate: James McCarthy

The younger and Irish of our two James' has been a player that we have expected big things from since his arrival in 2010. Yet the midfielder has yet to spark into the explosive form that he had looked on the verge of in 2011 before Fabrice Muamba ended it witha crunching tackle.

Yet this season our midfielder has been an ever present in Martinez's midfield this year. And we wouldn't have had it any other way. His continual effort levels have always made the Latics faitfull appretiate him. And this season he has started to add that spark of vision and tactical thinking of a player we thought we had signed.

The only downside for McCarthy this season is that he hasn't scored. After numerous attempts and close shaves at goal. James couldn't score. A shame really has his season performances deserve a goal, and had he started scoring then we may not have had such a rough season.

Over the course of the season he has played alongside may diffrent player in the centre of the midfield, but it hasn't changed or affect his performances (well he has had to work hard when along side the slow and lazy Jordi Gomez). The one partner that McCarthy has managed to perfect his game with, has been fellow James (McArthur).

The two players who use to play alongside eachother at Hamilton, have carried on from where they left of up in Scotland and it has been the long term plan of Martinez to get the two players playing together. That has in affect forced Mohammed Diame out of the club.

So although James McCarthy hasn't scored this season he has been a instrumental player in us having a tight and hardcore midfield. While he has been able to use that wide range of passing to start off attacks from within his own half. Next season is going to be a big one for our Republic of Ireland international; who unfortunatly will miss out on the Euro's due to his dad being diagonsed with cancer. We wish the McCarthy family all the best as Willie (James's dad) under goes treatment.