McSheffery has contributed, of that there is no doubt. One of our top 3 players, well not for me I would rate King, Keogh, Crainie, Westwood above him with others on a par, Clingan for example. Yes he has played well in the new formation but so has everyone else. However it is easy to forget that in the rest of the season he was at times light weight and his passing poor, his delivery from set pieces and corners was pretty average at best often over hit or wide of the mark. Ok the system didnt suit him but within that system under AB he often failed to do the basics well.
Have I been pleased by his good performances yes but I am realistic enough to know that these are more recent and stick in peoples mind easier than say his performances before Xmas or in January. There are players we miss more, Turner, Clingan, King.... be honest did anyone sit and say against Reading as we played the ball around well against a top team, "if only we had McSheffery"
Is the system built around McSheffery, no. AT is setting up a style for the whole club and wants competition for those places. (see his comments about the academy) Yes Baker was a bit off the pace but he wasnt against Reading, perhaps he needed a decent run in the team to find his form ? It would be a mistake for any manager to build a system around one player..... what happens when he gets injured or suspended ? do you change the system to accomodate another player? Of course not. McSheffery slotted into the role well certainly, but AT is focussed on the system, the style, the team ethic not individual players. The system worked more than anything because everyone bought into it.
Is he a good player at this level - yes. Would he have got into one of the top teams in the division then I am not so sure. It is often easy to judge a player against our own squad and to extrapolate that to make him a top player in the division.
He has had a decent season in parts. He hasnt played at the same level as the recent games under AT for most of the season. It will be interesting to see how he goes next season, another year older and with teams expecting the system of play and countering it.
Valuable contribution but player of the season no.