WhoScored's 2011 Ligue 1 Player and Young Player of the Year

The third edition of our WhoScored Player of the Calendar Year feature takes us to France and Ligue 1, where a number of players who caught the eye last season have continued their form into this. There are also places on our top 10 leaderboard for a couple of players who have really impressed since the start of the new season and picked up WhoScored ratings worthy of real praise prior to the winter break.

With exactly half of the season gone, big spenders PSG sit top which, amazingly, doesn't seem enough to have kept manager Antoine Koumbouare in a job. The league leaders are represented in our top 3 players, as are the reigning champions and runners-up from last season.

We also study the best young prospects in a league packed with up and comers. All players to have played less than 20 games since the start of the year were excluded to ensure that only first team regulars made our leaderboard, as follows;

10. Gaël Danic - 7.07 (AML / 30 / Valenciennes); 9. Loïc Remy - 7.07 (FW / 24 / Marseille); 8. Julien Féret - 7.09 (AMC / 29 / Nancy & Rennes); 7. Ryad Boudebouz - 7.11 (AMR / 21 / Sochaux); 6. Renaud Cohade - 7.15 (DMC / 27 / Valenciennes); 5. André Ayew - 7.16 (AML / 22 / Marseille); 4. Olivier Giroud - 7.23 (FW / 25 / Montpellier)...

3. Mathieu Valbuena - 7.25 (AMR / 27 / Marseille)

A well-known yet tiny figure in French football, 5'6" winger Mathieu Valbuena did not only take a long time to grow but also to develop as a footballer, with his stature likely to have been a deterrent for many top clubs in the country. It was not until 2006 when Marseille took a risk on a diminutive playmaker who had just helped Championnat de France amateur side Libourne into Ligue 2, but my how it has paid off.

Now a regular in France national team squads, 27-year-old Valbuena played an important role in Marseille's title challenge, playing 32 times in a season that saw the club eventually outdone by Lille. However, it has not really been until this season that the attacking midfielder has established himself as an integral part of the side, having been something of an iconic figure at the club down to his size rather than an ability to contribute heavily to goals.

This term he has registered 4 goals and 9 assists having failed to score in the latter half of last season and set up just 3 for teammates in comparison. Only Angel Di Maria (13) has more assists to his name in the 2011/12 seasons of Europe's top 5 leagues, with an average of 2.83 key passes per game proving crucial to Marseille's front men this season in particular. Somewhat of a safe winger in comparison to some of the others in the list, Valbuena tends not to dribble or shoot too often, with figures of 1.58 and 1.42 attempts per game in each regard, but an 85% pass accuracy proves his ability to retain possession and keep pressure on opposition defences as a unit rather than an individual.

2. Nenê - 7.45 (AML / 30 / PSG)

When Brazilian winger Nenê joined PSG in the summer of last season few would have predicted the impact he would have. Now 30, Nenê signed from Monaco having spent a season on loan at Espanyol and his departure proved decisive for all involved. While PSG shot from 13th in the previous campaign to 4th in Nenê's first season at the club, Monaco plummeted from 8th to 18th and, in turn, Ligue 2.

Beginning his career in his native Brazil, Nenê made the move to Europe, and Spain, with Mallorca in 2003. Failing to impress originally, the Brazilian made the step down to Alaves, earning the Basque outfit promotion in his first season at the club. Celta followed before a move to France saw him flourish in Ligue 1 football, but like a fine wine, Nenê has matured with age. Still uncapped at senior international level, the winger was without a doubt PSG's standout performer last term with 14 goals and 9 assists in total. Not to be drowned out by the influx of summer signings, Nenê has remained integral to PSG's table topping standing, and the stats prove why.

With a total of 7 goals and 7 assists since the turn of the year, Nenê has played 29 times and posed a real goal threat, attempting 3.14 shots per game. However, it is his ability to set up others which most impresses, averaging 3.41 in 2011, while his average of 3.2 this season alone is bettered only by Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Europe's top 5 leagues. Add a confidence innate to his countryman to outfox an opponent, with 3.48 attempted dribbles per game, coupled with a work rate which includes 1.66 tackles and 1.52 interceptions per match and it is clear why Nenê is so close to WhoScored's top gong.

1. Eden Hazard - 7.47 (FWL / 20 / Lille)

At just 20, Belgian wonderkid Eden Hazard's ability is abundantly clear. In pipping Nenê to first place the Lille man officially collects WhoScored's Player & Young Player of the Year awards in one fell swoop and, perhaps unfortunately for his club, it is obvious he is destined for bigger and better things. One cannot underestimate the class required for a teenager, at the time, to help inspire a title winning shock in one of Europe's elite divisions and though the likes of Sow, Gervinho and Cabaye all sparkled last season, Hazard is undoubtedly the main man/boy in Ligue 1 right now!

Despite possessing one of the most remarkable names in the game, Hazard's prowess on the pitch is what is likely to see him go down in history, and he looks set to do just that in terms of the Belgian national side, racking up 25 caps already. His 34 caps for Lille in 2011 is the most of any player in our leaderboard and indicative of his importance to the reigning champions. With 11 goals and 11 assists to his name in this calendar year alone, it is perhaps the clinical edge that he has developed which sees him top the likes of Nenê.

An average of 1.88 shots per game and 2.21 key passes per game is impressive but way down on the Brazilian's figures, making his improved goal and assist tallies on the PSG man all the more impressive. Terrorising full-backs is another string to the youngster's bow, attempting 4.82 dribbles per game, Hazard also shows a maturity in possession to pick up an 82% pass accuracy, which is hugely commendable considering his advanced position and the weight placed on his young shoulders to create. The only question is whether Hazard is a star in the making or a star already made?

Young Player of the Year?

Though Eden Hazard qualifies for our young player of the year and subsequently wins the award, we thought we would have a close look at the next best in the division this season, listing just a cluster of those Under-21s to impress in Ligue 1 this year, from 5 to 2;

5. Nicolas N'Koulou - 6.89 (DC / 21 / Monaco & Marseille); 4. Mamadou Sakho - 6.96 (DC / 21 / PSG); 3. Yann M'Vila - 7.06 (DMC / 21 / Rennes)...

2. Ryad Boudebouz - 7.11 (AMR / 21 / Sochaux)

Snapped up by Sochaux as a 14-year-old from lower league French side Colmar, what a find the young Algerian has proven to be. Much like Hazard at Lille, Boudebouz proved to be a key player at another of the league's surprise packages last season and is another who may struggle to fight the lure of some of Europe's bigger leagues in the near future.

Playing from the right side of Sochaux's attacking midfield predominantly, teammate Marvin Martin drew much of the attention last season, which one assumes won't have bothered the club too much in their bid to keep their young wide man. With 9 goals in 31 appearances, and from just 1.9 shots per game, Boudebouz again all but matches Hazard's clinical finish, and with 6 assists from 2.03 key passes per game and a mightily impressive 3.71 attempted dribbles per game, the Algeria international is already one of Ligue 1's hottest properties.