Grok
Overview of Voter Patterns
Based on the compiled voting data from the 2025-26 Liverpool FC Player of the Season (POTS) votes (up to February 11, 2026, covering matches through Sunderland), I’ve analyzed patterns among the top voters. This includes 84 unique voters across 37 matches, with a total of over 1,000 individual votes cast (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place per match per voter). Points are calculated as 5 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, and 1 for 3rd.
The analysis reveals clear clusters and preferences, primarily centered around midfield and attacking players, reflecting a season where creative playmakers appear to dominate fan perceptions. Below, I break down key patterns, including dominant players, voter groupings, common vote combinations, and potential implications.
1. Dominant Players and Overall Preferences
- Szoboszlai as the Clear Favorite: Szoboszlai emerges as the overwhelming top player, receiving the highest points from 49 out of 84 voters (58%). He leads overall with strong support across nearly all voter groups, suggesting consistent standout performances (e.g., goals, assists, or leadership). This pattern indicates a “consensus star” effect, where most fans align on one player as the season’s MVP.
- Midfield/Attack Bias: The top 10 players by overall mentions in voters’ top 3 are heavily skewed toward midfielders and forwards: Szoboszlai (mid), Wirtz (mid), Ekitike (fwd), Gravenberch (mid), Kerkez (def/mid), Jones (mid), Konate (def), Salah (fwd), Van Dijk (def), and Alisson (gk). Defenders and the goalkeeper receive far less top billing, appearing in only ~20% of top 3 slots combined. This suggests voters prioritize attacking contributions, possibly due to a high-scoring or possession-dominant season style.
- Underdogs and Niche Favorites: Players like Alisson (top for 5 voters) and Chiesa (top for 3) represent smaller niches—perhaps voters focused on clean sheets or wing play. Defenders like Konate and Van Dijk appear sporadically, often in clusters valuing defensive solidity.
2. Voter Groupings by Top Player
Voters can be segmented by their highest-scoring player (based on cumulative points awarded). This highlights distinct “fan factions”:
- Szoboszlai Loyalists (49 voters, ~58%): The largest group, including users like Buddha (70 points to Szoboszlai), Frogfish (63), and Cerberus (60). These voters tend to award high points consistently, indicating strong, repeated 1st-place votes. Pattern: Broad and diverse group, likely casual fans or those impressed by overall impact.
- Wirtz Enthusiasts (9 voters, ~11%): Users like binomial (50 points) and Fabio (48) prioritize Wirtz. Pattern: Often overlaps with Szoboszlai as 2nd choice, suggesting voters who value technical midfield play. This group awards fewer but more focused points.
- Gravenberch Supporters (9 voters, ~11%): Led by tomasjj (45 points) and localny (44). Pattern: Frequently pairs Gravenberch with defenders like Kerkez/Bradley, possibly voters who appreciate box-to-box energy or defensive transitions.
- Alisson Admirers (5 voters, ~6%): Users like localny and Gerry_A_Trick in some contexts. Pattern: Concentrated around clean-sheet matches (e.g., low-scoring wins), indicating niche appreciation for goalkeeping heroics.
- Ekitike Fans (4 voters, ~5%): Small but passionate, with Stevesquash (28 points) leading. Pattern: Forward-focused, often with midfield backups, suggesting emphasis on goal-scoring.
- Other Niches: Chiesa (3 voters), Jones/Konate (2 each), Van Dijk (1). These are outliers, possibly match-specific or position-biased voters.
This segmentation shows a polarized pattern: One massive group around Szoboszlai, with smaller “specialist” clusters for other players.
3. Common Top 3 Combinations (Vote Triples)
Examining the most frequent top 3 player sets (ordered by points awarded per voter) reveals “archetypes” in voting behavior. Out of 84 voters, the top combinations account for ~30% of all top 3s, indicating some herd mentality:
- Szoboszlai-Ekitike-Wirtz (5 voters): E.g., Brizzle, The Nomad. Pattern: Balanced attack-mid focus, prioritizing flair and goals.
- Szoboszlai-Wirtz-Ekitike (5 voters): E.g., FreshRed, Frogfish. Similar to above but with Wirtz edged higher—perhaps voters valuing playmaking over finishing.
- Szoboszlai-Wirtz-Gravenberch (4 voters): E.g., mom, SummerOnions. Pattern: Midfield-heavy, suggesting appreciation for control and passing.
- Szoboszlai-Gravenberch-Ekitike (4 voters): E.g., StevieM, Whaddapie. Pattern: Youthful/energy focus (Gravenberch often noted in data for breakthroughs).
- Other Notables: Szoboszlai-Bradley-Gravenberch (2 voters)—defensive tilt; Gravenberch-Kerkez-Bradley (2)—full-back/mid hybrid; Wirtz-Szoboszlai-Ekitike (2)—similar to top but Wirtz-led.
Pattern Insight: 80% of common triples feature Szoboszlai first, with permutations of Wirtz, Ekitike, and Gravenberch. This “big four” dominance implies these players form the team’s core in fans’ eyes, with little variation outside.
4. Consistency and Outliers
- High-Volume Voters: Users like Buddha (131 total points across top 3), Frogfish (144), and aquaman4 (125) vote frequently and consistently for the big four, suggesting engaged fans tracking the whole season.
- Low-Volume/Sporadic: Users like SteveQ78 (only Alisson at 5 points) or Got the moves like Carra (Chiesa-Leoni-Mamardashvili at 9 points) may vote in fewer matches or focus on underdogs, indicating casual or position-specific interest.
- Similarity Clusters: Voters with similar top 3s (e.g., the 10 in Szoboszlai-Wirtz-Ekitike perms) likely share views, possibly from shared forums/discussions. Outliers like beejay (Jones-Ekitike-Kerkez) or Woland (Szoboszlai-Jones-Konate) deviate toward backups/defenders.
- Match Influence: Votes spike for players in big wins (e.g., Szoboszlai in high-scoring games like vs. Qarabag 6-0), showing recency bias or performance-driven patterns.
5. Implications and Insights
- Team Dynamics: The patterns suggest Liverpool’s 2025-26 success relies on midfield dominance, with Szoboszlai as the linchpin. Fans undervalue defense (e.g., Van Dijk only top for 1 voter), possibly indicating strong but unglamorous backline play.
- Fan Segmentation: ~60% “mainstream” voters vs. 40% niches—could reflect demographics (e.g., younger fans favoring attackers).
- Potential Biases: High consistency in top combos might indicate echo chambers in fan communities, or genuine standout seasons.
- Recommendations: For POTS tracking, highlight midfield battles; engage niche groups with defender spotlights to broaden participation.
This analysis is derived purely from the provided data. If more external context (e.g., real match reports) is needed, further tools could be explored, but the patterns here are robust based on the votes. vote combinations