The Three Most Underrated Players in the Championship this Season
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The Three Most Underrated Players in the Championship this Season

26/11/24 17:55

We all know the big guns, love them or loathe them, you just can’t deny the quality of some of the players in the Championship this campaign.

These quality names are performing, Borja Sainz, Gustavo Hamer, Ao Tanaka, to name a few who are really going for it this year. But you knew that, I knew that, everyone that likes football knows it.

What I want to talk about, is three players that more casual fans of the Championship might not be aware are having really solid seasons. So, in no particular order, here are my three picks for the most underrated players in the Championship this season.

Viktor Johansson - Stoke City

Goalkeepers are often overlooked, at least by me, and I’ll hold my hands up to that. It’s easy to write off a ‘keeper for these kinds of lists, when you’re so distracted by goals and silky dribbling in this league.

That being said, I just couldn’t look past Johansson in between the posts for the Potters. The Swede has been impenetrable at times, and that’s not an exaggeration. He’s averaging a whopping 4.1 saves a game, the most in the division, which is 0.5 more per game than Will Norris for Portsmouth in second. What’s even more impressive is when you factor in the amount of shots Portsmouth have faced this campaign compared to stoke.

Johansson has also prevented over 8 xG, which is yet again far and away the highest in the division.

In what looked to be a transition season for Stoke after the dismissal of Steven Schumacher, Johansson has kept them solid and safe at the back, allowing them to build forward.

One game stands out to me for Johansson, against Blackburn Rovers, where he made a whopping eight saves, including this outrageous effort from Tyrhys Dolan.

Japhet Tanganga - Millwall

Securing the services of Japhet Tanganga from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer was Millwall’s number one priority, and it’s clear to see why.

Following a successful loan spell at the Den last season to freshen up his career, where Tananga was excellent, he’s been even better since they secured his services on a permanent basis.

The versatile defender has mostly operated as a centre-half in a back four this season, complimenting Jake Cooper’s stature phenomenally. What a defence to be in, given their strength to tighten up and grind out a result, as they did against Leeds and Burnley to secure successive 1-0 victories.

Ironically, it was Tanganga who managed to secure the winner against league leaders Leeds United, he’s been averaging a shot a game and has looked a real goal threat in doing so.

The Spurs academy product has done everything a modern centre-half should do. He’s been comfortable on the ball with both long and short range passes, has recovered the ball 3.4 times per 90 minutes, and has valiantly defended in both higher blocks and around their box this season.

Given most people would’ve written Tanganga off after failing to play a game at Augsburg, it’s safe to say he slots right into the underrated category here.

Josh Sargent - Norwich City

It’s hard to believe that Josh Sargent is still only 24-years-old, it feels like so long ago that Norwich signed him from relegated Werder Bremen.

In that time, Sargent has evolved and matured endlessly, and it’s so obvious when you watch him play. In his first campaign with the Canaries, the USA international managed just two goals and one assist.

Now? He’s an output monster. It’s been his creativity that makes all the difference. Whilst before he was a sometimes-wasteful centre-forward, he’s transformed over the past few years to a fluid playmaker, whilst still occupying all the spaces a striker needs to.

In fact, along with his four goals this season, he’s also beaten his highest ever assist tally picking up five before December.

He’s somewhat of a household name amongst fans of the second tier, but I can’t help but feel Sargent goes underrated simply due to how good of a season his teammate Borja Sainz is having.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
Joe Southan

Lead Writer

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27/11/24 20:00
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