ONE AND ONLY: Championship Team of the Season

The EFL confirmed yesterday that all leagues will be postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic as fans wait to see how, and when, the season will finally end.

Following on from our League Two and League One sides, Playmaker has put together its Championship ‘Team of the Season’ based on the results leading up to the enforced-break. The added twist for all of our teams, is that we can only pick one player per club.

With the rules in place, here is our Championship ‘Team of the Season’ so far:

GK – Rafael Cabral, Reading

©Getty / Michael Steele

Reading may have struggled this season and sit mid-table in 14th, but the Royals do have the best defence outside of the top-half. Most of the praise for the defence can be directed towards one man.

Rafael Cabral has been a consistent shot-stopper since signing on a free in the summer. Former manager Jose Gomes, who brought Cabral to the club, even went as far as to say the Brazilian keeper had “special powers” to keep the ball out of the net. 

The 29-year-old has made 121 saves this season from 156 shots, second only in the league to Charlton’s Dillon Phillips. Cabral’s save percentage of 77% is also better than any keeper in the league with more than 25 appearances.

RB – Matty Cash, Nottingham Forest

©Getty / MI News

Naturally a winger, Matty Cash has been a revelation at right back for Forest this season, where he has been the top performing player for the club. 

Moulding into the epitome of a modern day full-back, the 22-year-old has been equally physically dominant and skilful on the ball.

The Englishman has fitted well into boss Sabri Lamouchi’s defensive system this season. At the back, Cash has completed the second-most tackles (101) and the second most aerial duels (70) for any right-back in the league. 

Offensively, the Forest youth product is provided with more freedom along the right, as left-footed Joe Lolley tends to cut inside. Using the space he is given, Cash has completed the most crosses (142) and most key passes (41) out of any right-back in the league this year.

CB – Tosin Adarabioyo, Blackburn

©Getty / Rachel Holborn - BRFC

Tosin Adarabioyo could well be lining up for Manchester City in a Champions League semi-final in a year's time.

The former England youth international has been linked with eight Premier League and Championship clubs, with Everton and Leeds tipped as favourites. But with City’s current squad depth issues, Adarabioyo may find himself in the starting line-up sooner than he thought. 

In his second successive spell at a Championship club, after impressing in patches for West Brom last season, Adarabioyo has shown once more his composed and controlling defensive qualities.

The 6’5” centre-back has recorded on average five clearances, three aerial duels, two interceptions and two tackles per game this season. The 22-year-old also has a pass success rate of 81%, the third-highest in his team

CB – Ben White, Leeds

©Getty / James Gill - Danehouse

A Liverpool scout recently revealed that Ben White “scored excellent data metrics” on their top level system this season.

Looking at his stats, it is easy to understand why White is so sought after. With Leeds this season, the 22-year-old has the most interceptions (86), the most passes blocked (23) and completed the second-most tackles (63) of any defender in the league.

However, the reason White is attracting admiring glances from Klopp and co at Liverpool is his mobility and distribution. The Englishman has completed the fourth-most passes in the Championship (2062) and recorded more dribbles (27) than any other central-defender.

LB – Kristian Pedersen, Birmingham

©Getty / Marc Atkins

Both Birmingham’s player, and most-improved player, of the season would have likely gone to Kristian Pedersen. 

The 25-year-old has started every game this season, completing more tackles (100) and winning more aerial duels (149) than any full-back in the league. The physically strong left-back also recorded an average of three clearances and two interceptions per game. 

In January, the Blues reportedly turned down an offer of £8 million for the Danish defender as they value him higher. Despite the high offers that will continue to come, Pedersen may be too vital for Birmingham to let go in the summer.

RM – Jed Wallace, Millwall

©Getty / MI News

As he starts to hit his prime, Jed Wallace may finally make the jump up, as one of the best wingers in the Football League over the last decade looks to the Premier League.

Wallace is having his best season yet, scoring ten goals and assisting nine. He also recorded more dribbles (139), more completed crosses (72) and more key passes (78) than any winger in the division.

The dead-ball specialist has assisted four goals from corners this season, second only to UEFA Team of the Year nominee Trent Alexander-Arnold (5) in England’s top four leagues.

Millwall’s driving force has carried and elevated The Lions’ attack of the last few seasons, but potentially his time may be up at The Den, as Wallace looks to take his career to the next level.

CM – Matheus Pereira, West Brom

©Getty / Adam Fradgley - AMA

Matheus Pereira would have made the move to West Brom permanent in March, if The Baggies’ game against Birmingham had not been suspended due to the pandemic.

The Brazilian sits on 29 starts for the season; one away from the magic number of 30 which triggers the £8.25 million release clause Sporting CP put in place.

Bundesliga’s 2019 ‘Rookie of the Year’ has settled in England just as well as he did in Germany the season prior. Pereira has the most assists in the league with 13, adding to his tally of six goals this season.

The 23-year-old has played in a multitude of positions, but has worked best as an attacking midfielder through the middle. He has contributed towards 14 goals in the 19 games he has played centrally, completing the most key passes (84) in the Championship.

CM – Eberechi Eze, QPR

©Getty / Alex Pantling

The England U21 international has been the best performing player in the Championship, with an average game rating of 7.5 in 37 appearances.

Eze has matured and developed well under QPR boss Mark Warburton, scoring 12 goals and assisting eight, winning an incredible nine MotM awards. 

Creatively, the 22-year-old has completed the most successful dribbles in the league with 111. He also has a pass success rate of 86.4%, a rate that has not dropped below 80% in his last 15 league games.

The former Millwall man was linked with Spurs before Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking in November. However, a Premier League move is almost guaranteed for one of the best prospects in the division.

LM – Said Benrahma, Brentford

©Getty / Richard Sellers

One third of the league’s fearsome ‘BMW' attack, alongside Bryan Mbuemo and Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma has had an unbelievable season.

Brentford’s highest-rated player has scored ten goals and assisted seven, picking up seven MotM awards along the way. 

Benrahma is comparable to Arjen Robben, with both wingers favouring to cut inside and unleash curling efforts from the edge of the box. This can be seen in his stats this season.

The 24-year-old has recorded the most dribbles attempted (190), the most shots outside the box (76) and the most shots on target (49) in the league.

Linked with top Premier League clubs, like Arsenal and Leicester; the revolving door of Brentford transfers will continue to move and could see their Algerian star swept away in the summer.

ST – Aleksandar Mitrovic, Fulham

©Getty / Jordan Mansfield

Aleksandar Mitrovic is still somehow only 25-years-old and yet to reach the peak of his career.

But the Championship’s top scorer has already carved out his distinct style and it is growing ever more difficult to stop him.

Thriving on great service, the Serbian has always been a great physical presence in the box, but this season he has added consistency to his game. Mitrovic has scored 23 goals in the league, taking his tally to 40 goals for club and country this season.

The striker is best when he is the star of the team and this could not be more true than Mitrovic at Fulham. He has scored 44% of The Cottagers’ goals this season, the biggest contribution by any player in the league.

ST – Karlan Grant, Huddersfield

©Getty / William Early

Huddersfield are the lowest team in the table to make this list, sitting down in 18th. They certainly would have been a lot worse off were it not for the efforts of Karlan Grant.

Equally adept along the left-side or through the middle, Grant’s 16 goals this season have directly earned 17 of Hudderfield’s 42 points this season, keeping them out of the relegation zone.

The young forward has been the best player in a struggling Terriers’ side for the past 12 months, further asserting himself as one of the most in-form English attackers in the top-four divisions.

His performances have garnered interest from side like Aston Villa and West Brom, with Huddersfield reportedly turning down an offer of £15 million, more than seven times what they paid for him in January 2019.

🏆 #Playmaker's C'ship Team of the Season (19/20)*

3⃣3⃣ Rafael Cabral
1⃣1⃣ Matty Cash
◻5⃣ Ben White
2⃣4⃣ T. Adarabioyo
◻3⃣ Kristian Pedersen
◻7⃣ Jed Wallace
1⃣2⃣ Matheus Pereira
1⃣0⃣ Eberechi Eze
1⃣0⃣ Said Benrahma
◻9⃣ A. Mitrovic
1⃣6⃣ Karlan Grant

* max one player per club pic.twitter.com/5srCkK5cr1

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) April 4, 2020