SPFL October Team of the Month

There was a total of five match days in the Scottish top flight in the month of October. A number of players stood out and today, I’ll be putting them into a starting eleven in my Premiership team of the month. 

The formation will be a standard 4-3-3 with no restrictions over tactics, play style and the like. 

We’ll start off with the man between the sticks. 

GK - Max Stryjek

It is fair to say Livingston didn’t have the greatest start to their season. However, in the month of October, Martindale’s men have begun to gain some momentum and I believe the West Lothian club’s keeper, Max Stryjek, has been the top performing goalkeeper in the Scottish Premiership this month. Stryjek has kept two clean sheets out of a possible five and saved an impressive two penalties. First, to deny Jordan White in the Highlands and then to stop Celtic Park from going into pandemonium at the end of the month. The Pole averaged 2.2 saves per match throughout October as Livingston looked like they turned a corner, earning some palatial results along the way. 

RB - James Tavernier 

Rangers captain James Tavernier has been at the top of his game in the past month despite being dropped for the visit of Hibs to Ibrox at the beginning of October. Tavernier has an incredible two goals and four assists in his past three matches. The thirty year old’s crossing ability is of optimum quality; three of his four assists this month were excellent whipped balls into the box to set up Alfredo Morelos twice and Fashion Sakala once. Tavernier scored a pressure penalty against Aberdeen in a two all draw and a supreme volley at Fir Park. The Englishman may not have helped his side to any domestic clean sheets this month however he did sensationally average a goal or assist every sixty minutes in the league from right back. 

CB - Cameron Carter-Vickers 

Cameron Carter-Vickers has become a staple in the heart of the Celtic defence alongside Carl Starfelt this season. The pair have struck up a partnership that has kept the Hoops, on the whole, a defensively rigid side. Carter-Vickers has helped Celtic to three out of a possible five clean sheets in the league this month, scoring one goal along the way. His strike came at Easter Road against Hibs when he side footed into the bottom corner from a David Turnbull corner. Defensively, Celtic have made tremendous progress in the past month. The Hoops statistically have the best defence in the league and Carter-Vickers has unquestionably played a part in this achievement. 

CB - Ryan Edwards 

Having a Dundee United centre back in my team of the month seemed like a necessity. The Arabs have been a surprise package in the Scottish Premiership this season under the guidance of Tam Courts and currently sit fourth in the table. Ryan Edwards has certainly been part of United’s success, starring at the heart of defence alongside Charlie Mulgrew. The twenty eight year old has helped his side to two clean sheets throughout this month. In addition, Edwards has combined defensive solidity with attacking threat. The Englishman has two goals and an assist in his past five games. Edwards scored a towering header at Easter Road in Dundee United’s imposing victory over Hibs as well as scoring one and assisting another against Motherwell at Tannadice a week later. Edwards could have scored even more goals this month if it wasn’t for Zander Clark’s heroic antics at the end of October when Dundee United faced St. Johnstone. Going into November,

United have two tough matches at the beginning of the month against both Hearts and Aberdeen. It will be intriguing to see if the Arabs can maintain their ample form. 

LB - Josip Juranovic

Although naturally a right back, Josip Juranovic has been featuring at left back for Celtic throughout his time at the club. The Croatian played just three league games in October yet helped Celtic to two clean sheets and also chipped in with a goal. Juranovic coolly slotted home against St. Johnstone from the spot in a two nil victory although it was a questionable decision to let Giorgos Giakoumakis take over penalty duties when Livingston came to town. Overall, Juranovic has been an adequate performer at Celtic this month. The twenty six year old is a tidy footballer and it will be exciting, for Celtic fans at least, when Juranovic begins to play in his natural position. 

CM - Scott Brown

Scott Brown has played a key role in Aberdeen’s upturn in form in the past month. The midfielder has took up a key role in the team, roaming between the centre of defence and midfield. The thirty six year old’s performance at Ibrox in particular was a vintage one. Inevitably, Brown managed to get on the scoresheet that night with a dominant diving header. It is fair to say his celebration didn’t meet the approval of the Ibrox faithful. Later in the month, Brown’s experience came to the fore against Hearts to allow Lewis Ferguson the space to head home from a corner. Brown also put in a dependable display when Hibs came to Pittodrie; his pass in behind the defence to allow Calvin Ramsay to set up Christian Ramirez was a blissful one. Seeing if Aberdeen will be able to continue their virtuous run of results into November will be engrossing. 

CM - Connor Ronan 

Since joining on loan from Wolves, Connor Ronan has vastly impressed in Paisley. The twenty three year old has predominantly taken up an advanced role in the St. Mirren midfield and will imaginably do so for the foreseeable future with Jamie McGrath’s injury. Ronan has one goal and one assist to his name in the month of October as the Paisley Saints obtained a mixed bag of results. The midfielder’s goal against Rangers was a resplendent one that could contend with the aforementioned David Turnbull’s strike versus Motherwell for goal of the season. Ronan’s single assist of the month came at Fir Park when the Irishman threaded a lovely pass in behind the Motherwell defence for Eamonn Brophy to latch on to and score. Ronan has a total of three goals and two assists in eight Scottish Premiership appearances this season. It is unclear whether or not Ronan will be staying with the Buddies permanently come the end of his loan spell. 

CM - David Turnbull 

At the beginning of the current campaign, there were some question marks over David Turnbull’s credentials. However, the Scotland International has answered his critics in style and has became a key clog in the Celtic midfield engine this past month. Turnbull has taken up a sort of deep lying playmaker role, behind Tom Rogic and in front of Callum McGregor. The twenty two year old is a set piece specialist. Two of his three assists this month came from dead ball situations. Against Hibs, Turnbull set up Anthony Ralston and Cameron Carter-Vickers with a free kick and corner respectively. Earlier in the month, the midfielder scored a goal of the season contender against his former club; a marvellous long range effort wrapped up three points for Celtic in Lanarkshire. Turnbull also got Celtic going at Pittodrie at the beginning of the month as he crossed a sublime ball into the box for Kyogo Furuhashi. A Scotland call up will assuredly be heading David Turnbull’s way come a few weeks time. 

RF - Eamonn Brophy 

Eamonn Brophy scored just two goals in twenty one Scottish Premiership appearances last season however the striker already has five in twelve this campaign. Three of his five strikes have come in October and that’s why the St. Mirren striker gets into my team of the month. As mentioned, St. Mirren have had varied results this month although Brophy’s goals have been somewhat of a constant. The Scot’s powerfully deft strike in the Highlands got the Buddies on their way to a 3-2 victory over Ross County. Brophy could’ve easily had a hat trick against Motherwell at Fir Park but had to settle for just the double. His first was an accurate finish from an acute angle that beat Liam Kelly. The twenty five year old’s second was a controversial one. Brophy won the penalty which he initially missed however a retake was ordered after Liam Kelly was adjudged to be off his line when the ball was kicked; a decision by referee Bobby Madden which seemed to be the wrong one in reflection. However, Brophy kept his nerve to score at the second attempt, powering into the top right corner to secure Jim Goodwin’s side a point. The striker was fairly quiet when Dundee came to Paisley although Brophy will look to add to his tally this season when St. Mirren travel to Perth to take on St. Johnstone next week. 

ST - Christian Ramirez 

Aberdeen striker Christian Ramirez has  taken to life rather effectively in the Granite city. The American has six goals and an assist to his name in the Scottish Premiership this season since joining from Houston Dynamo in the USA. Half of his goals have came in the past month where Ramirez netted against Dundee, Hibs and Rangers. The thirty year old pounced on a loose ball in the box against Dundee, scored a meticulous volley against Hibs and headed home from close range at Ibrox. All of his goals are that of a typical goalscoring number nine. Ramirez will remain a key player for Stephen Glass throughout this season and has played an essential role in Aberdeen’s recent upturn in fortunes. 

LF - Ilmari Niskanen

The second Dundee United player to feature in my team of the month is Ilmari Niskanen. The Finnish International has flourished since making the move from Germany to Scotland and scored one and assisted a further two in the month of October. The twenty four year old regularly plays on the left channel for Tam Courts’ side and provides great width and dynamism to the side. His defensive contribution shouldn’t be underestimated either. As mentioned, Niskanen has scored one goal and registered two assists this month. The winger scored the winner versus Ross County with a thunderous finish and unselfishly set up Kieran Freeman at Easter Road. In addition, Niskanen flashed a first-class cross across goal for Peter Pawlett to tap in against Livingston. Unfortunately, Niskanen was unable to cap off a productive month against St. Johnstone as he dropped to the bench. The winger though, will surely come back into the lineup when Dundee United travel to Tynecastle for a crunch Premiership tie at the beginning of November.

That caps off my Scottish Premiership team of the month for October. If you have any opinions or think there’s any players missing, leave a comment below. 

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