Standout players at Welsh clubs so far this season

Standout players at Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, and Wrexham so far this season.

Transcript

00:00So, Charles, looking at the clubs who play in the English Football League from Wales,

00:07of course you've got Cardiff City, you've got Swansea City, you've got Wrexham and

00:11Newport County. So, what I want to know today is who have been their standout players so

00:17far this season. Of course, you've got Cardiff who are, let's be honest, having a bit of

00:21a tough time of it in the Championship. Swansea are doing a little bit better, they've had

00:25some decent results, especially at home. And then you've got Wrexham, of course, pushing

00:29for promotion in League One and Newport perhaps not doing as well as Wrexham. But I'm sure

00:34they've all had standout players this season, despite some of them not doing as well as

00:38others. But of course, as I say, they're doing pretty well. So, Charles, as I say, I'll ask

00:43who has stood out for each of them this season and why, and what do they need to do to continue

00:48this form going into 2025 and for the second half of this season?

00:54Yes, I think it's fair to look at a number of players across these clubs and really give

00:59them a bit of credit. I mean, if we just look across 2024 as well, so including the back

01:04end of last season, let's start with Wrexham, the most talked about Welsh side. It's probably

01:11fair to give them that credit over the last couple of seasons. They've been incredible

01:14with their promotions. Elliot Lee, 30 years old, nine Man of the Match awards across the

01:21last couple of seasons, and he's been Wrexham's star man. I mean, in the midfield, he's just

01:27really worked so well and he's sort of brought a bit of quality that Wrexham are looking

01:31at going up and up in divisions. You need players to adjust to the quality. One player

01:37who maybe hasn't quite done that is probably Paul Mullen. Obviously, last season, an amazing

01:43talking point for him in Wrexham's history and Wrexham's season, 24 goals and six assists

01:52last season. He hasn't hit that height so far this season after almost 20 games. I mean,

01:59one goal scored, he's been sort of low down at the pecking order, but fans love him at

02:04the club. I think overall, he probably does get that shout from me. I mean, across 2024,

02:12it's maybe fair to just look back and the promotions he's been involved with, the success

02:16he's been involved with. Paul Mullen, for me, has been probably the most standout. I

02:21mean, more this season, Ryan Barnett's been fantastic. A lot of EFL experience for him.

02:27And Max Cleworth, 22 years old, centre-back, he's looking fantastic. Looking at Swansea,

02:33Matt Grimes is the standout there. He was fantastic near the end of last season and

02:37through the start of this season, he's done really, really well. As you say, Swansea are

02:41sort of on the up, so he's a key player in midfield for them. Cardiff City, yeah, obviously

02:46not looking too great as a whole, but Perrie and Gee probably stand out to be their best

02:51player. Proved he was by far too good for them last season, but they managed to get

02:56that deal done and it was great business for the club.