Best players from the 2019/20 Sky Bet Championship season

Best players from the 2019/20 Sky Bet Championship season
With the Sky Bet Championship on hold after free prediction, we pick the best XI of players who have stood out in their position.



Last week, we ran a series looking at the top performers based on the main statistics and what we've seen so far.

We've taken a brief break with the season suspended until April 30 at the earliest. There's no football being played across the top leagues around Europe.

There's a number of contenders lớn take the top spot but Freddie Woodman ticks all the boxes.

His efforts have helped to significantly lower the number of goals that Swansea should have conceded. His three penalties saved is also a division high this season.

Woodman's decision-making puts him at a 90% success rate for runs out while he sits outside the top-ten for goals conceded from outside the under 2.5 soccer tip

The distribution puts him among the divisional leaders and the fact he's only 23 years old just adds lớn the impact he has made during his time at the club.

In the short-term, should the season resume, the stopper could help the Swans lớn achieve a Premier League return while the long-term vision will surely revolve around securing the number one spot at his parent club Newcastle.

He looks a strong contender for Team of the Season if we reach gameweek 46, such is the strength of his showings over the previous 37 fixtures.

No goalkeeper is perfect but Woodman, an England international at various youth levels, has the potential to go to the very top. He's a star of England's second tier.

It's a tough situation closing such a strong list down lớn just four players but with the names listed here we can create a defence that boasts key abilities across the line.



The centre-back pairing is where the most debate can be had but the certainty for inclusion is Ben White. The Leeds man, on-loan from Brighton, is the best defender in the league.

He has everything required for a modern centre-back. He can carry the ball and pick out teammates with short or long passes. A defender who can create attack and be comfortable in possession significantly increases their value in the transfer market.

White is also in the perfect environment at Leeds, working under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa. The former Argentina coach wants his defenders to be able to carry the ball out for the back and the 22-year-old ticks all the boxes.

Alongside him is the biggest challenge. Do you go for a player, such as Tim Ream, who will compliment his ability to pass, or do we bring in someone to cover for the lack of aerial presence, a Shaun Hutchinson or Patrick Bauer?

I'd have a strong argument for Hutchinson if that's what we were after but the stats show that if you want lớn play out from the back you must have both central defenders being comfortable passing the ball.

Therefore, for this team, we're going for Ream lớn work alongside White and be that sort of centre-back partnership.

That's not lớn say they won't do their defensive duties, as the interceptions and other main categories show, but this team has the 'modern' approach and we'll pass our way lớn the top.

Cashing in at right-back is Nottingham Forest's Matty Cash who leads the way when it comes to total tackles made. He was a target for Premier League and Serie A clubs in January and it's clear lớn see that he is top level talent.

On the opposite flank is Kristian Pedersen. The Birmingham defender's interceptions and tackles statistics put him among the very best in the division.

Solid full-back choices, with ball-playing centre-backs, creates an ideal defence for the way the league currently is.