The Best Championship XI So Far This Season
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The Best Championship XI So Far This Season

The Best So Far

It's the international break. Some love it, most of us hate it. Having to wait another whole week to watch your favourite team play is tough. For Championship fans, it can be even more annoying if most of your team's players aren't even chosen for their nation. The Championship has been entertaining as ever this season with a few surprise performances throughout. This is Football Park's best Championship 11 so far this season. We've gone for a 3-4-3 for this one.

Goalkeeper - Viktor Johansson - Stoke City

The big Swedish goalkeeper has been in fine form this season for Stoke City and an instrumental part of their early success. No one posed Stoke a real threat this season, but they have shut critics up. Johansson already has six clean sheets to his name this season and conceded only 10 goals in 15 matches. He is instrumental to Mark Robins' side and is very comfortable in playing from the back even registering himself an assist. Premier League sides did come knocking for him in the summer and they will be again in January. There are no surprises why.

Centre Back - Bobby Thomas - Coventry City

The first of many Coventry City players, Bobby Thomas has been incredible this season. It is often said that stats don't always matter, which is true. However, Thomas has already got himself on the scoresheet twice this season and two assists as well. It was a toss up between Thomas and his centre back partner Liam Kitching, but Thomas just edges it. He kick-starts Coventry's attacks often dictating the tempo with his intelligence on the ball. He is also fantastic in the air and reading the play. Don't be shocked if he adds a few more goals to his name.

Centre Back - Luke Ayling - Middlesbrough

He might not be in a lot of others' best 11 so far, but personally Luke Ayling has been phenomenal for Borough. For the majority of his career, Ayling has played at right back putting in several years' service for Leeds United in the Premier League and Championship. So far this season, the 34-year-old has either played the right side of a back three or in a back two. Rob Edwards is looking for promotion this year (could be joining Wolves) and Ayling will be an important part of that puzzle. He has put in a number of man of the match performances, most notably a last minute winner against Leicester City last Tuesday.

Centre Back - Robert Atkinson - Bristol City

Although currently injured, Robert Atkinson has been an underrated performer so far in the Championship. The towering centre half stands at 6 ft 3in which enables him to bully opposition forwards in the air. Whilst he may sometimes be careless on the ball, defensively he has been solid so far this season. He wins the majority of his duels in the air and is also incredibly hard to get past with his tackling success. The defender has been nominated for the PFA player of the month for October and quite rightly so.

Right Midfield - James Bree - Charlton Athletic

Yes James Bree does play at wing-back but for formation purposes we are sticking him at right midfield. Much like Stoke, Charlton have been in immense form this season as they sit just two points off the play offs. James Bree is also a man that many have been so impressed by. The Southampton loanee has already managed two goals and three assists from wing back. Marauding runs, pace and defensively solid, Bree has all the tools for a quality wing back. A personal favourite is his wicked volley against Derby County in September. It is rather confusing why Southampton haven't called him back especially after their poor start.

Centre Midfield - Imran Louza - Watford

What. A. Player. So far this season, it is hard to find a game which Louza has played bad in. The Moroccan midfielder quite literally has it all. Scoring, passing, defending you name it. Louza had signed for Watford in 2021 but had struggled to really get going for The Hornets. This season he has been a different player in a somewhat mediocre Watford side. He has the highest Fotmob rating in the whole of the Championship with 7.81. He has six goals and three assists to his name already from centre midfield and is the spearhead of most Watford attacks. He is their main man, and there won't be any surprises if Premier League teams come knocking next summer. A current contender for player of the season for sure.

Centre Midfield - Barry Bannan - Sheffield Wednesday

This one was a tough one. Coventry City stars Matt Grimes and Victor Torp have been unlucky to miss out and are very deserving of a spot. However, Barry Bannan and his magic left foot is one of the only reasons Sheffield Wednesday have the slightest bit of hope in not being relegated this season. Despite all that is going on, Bannan has been a loyal servant to Wednesday amassing over 450 appearances for The Owls and still at 35 years of age, he has been superb. Finding little pockets of space in midfield is Bannan's forte and picking out teammates with that wand of a left foot. He is such a nifty player and has been a handful for opposition midfielders. If he had a stronger team around him, Bannan would have plenty more assists than he already does (2) this season. An EFL legend.

Left Midfield - Jaden Philogene - Ipswich Town

October was a quiet month stats wise for Philogene, but in terms of overall performances this season he has been dominant. He has netted six goals already for Ipswich this season including an impressive hat trick against Sheffield United last September. The 23-year-old provides so much attacking threat with his blistering pace and technical brilliance. He is also a nightmare for opposition full backs and is so consistent in luring the defender to foul him when he is attacking at speed. And don't let him shoot, scoring screamers is in his DNA. He bags plenty of potential and he is only going to get better.

Striker - Oli McBurnie - Hull City

We are going bold with three strikers as the goals have been flying in so far this season. Without a doubt one of the most impressive players so far has been Oli McBurnie. The Scotsman didn't have much expectation from fans this season after a sub-par season at Las Palmas. However, the 29-year-old is in his prime and has fitted in superbly to Sergej Jakirovic's Hull side. His hold up play is excellent and his ability to bring others into the game. His goalscoring this season has also been second to none and has scored in the majority of games he has played earning him the September player of the month. Though injured at the moment, McBurnie should be back by December and back to his regular goalscoring form. Knowing that Hull also got him on a free, there's no doubt that he is in the best Championship 11 so far.

Striker - Carlton Morris - Derby County

The last four games alone have put Morris into our best 11. A recent hat trick also against Sheffield United and six goals in his last four, Morris is on fire. With a similar playstyle to McBurnie, his height and athletic build means he is a master of holding the ball up and bringing in his teammates. His pressing ability is so consistent despite playing most of the full 90 every game he plays. It's 10 goals and counting for Morris so far leaving him as joint-top goalscorer and we aren't even halfway through the season yet. He has been a tremendous pick up for The Rams and has Luton Town wishing they hadn't let their talisman leave. Morris is projected to hit the 20 goal mark by the end of the season, and not for the first time of course.

Striker - Brandon Thomas-Asante - Coventry City

Last but not least, Brandon Thomas-Asante. It was hard leaving out his strike partner Haji Wright, but we feel Thomas-Asante has been the better of the spectacular duo. Coventry's attack has been absolutely electric which has kept them at the top of the league by 5 points. Operating up top or on the left, Thomas-Asante is so dynamic and an absolute handful for defenders. Every time he touches the ball it is expected that something good will come out of it. With 10 goals to his name already and 3 assists, that alone shows how good he has been. He is constantly on the centre backs shoulder and virtually impossible to mark with his brilliant movement off the ball. He deserves a shot in the Premier League whether that is with Coventry or another club. The Ghanaian was made in the EFL and is Coventry's magic man. 100% the best striker in the Championship.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Archie Payne

Writer

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