Players from Barnsley, Blackburn, Bournemouth, Fulham, Huddersfield, Millwall, Nottingham Forest and Reading all feature as WhoScored.com run through their 2021/22 Sky Bet Championship Team of the Season.
Monday 9 May 2022 10:00, UK
With the regular Championship campaign done and dusted, WhoScored.com take a look at their team of the season. The top four take up six of the 11 spots, with Fulham and Bournemouth the dominant pair in the best XI with two players apiece.
The Championship's busiest goalkeeper features between the sticks. Lee Nicholls made more saves (138) than any other shotstopper in England's second tier, while a save success rate of 76.2 per cent was the third-best in the division. The Terriers number one also ranked second for clean sheets (18) to help earn a WhoScored.com rating of 6.86.
After joining on loan from Middlesbrough, Djed Spence became a key man in Nottingham Forest's successful playoff finish. The 21-year-old completed more dribbles (76) than any other Championship defender in 2021/22, while 40 key passes was also a respectable return. Premier League suitors have been keeping tabs on Spence, who ended the season with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.04.
Barnsley may have finished the season bottom of the Championship, but their fate would have been sealed far sooner were it not for the exploits of Michal Helik. The Pole made more interceptions (96) than any other player, and ranked second for clearances (207) and despite Barnsley's relegation, the centre-back makes the team of the season with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.12.
Blackburn's late-season collapse saw them miss out on a playoff spot by six points, but a return of 50 goals conceded was one of the better returns in the division. Darragh Lenihan was key in that solid defensive resolve as he landed a WhoScored.com rating of 7.10. The 28-year-old won the fourth most aerial duels (209) of centre-backs to contribute towards his inclusion.
Like Blackburn, Millwall also missed out on a playoff place by six points, but Murray Wallace was a key performer for the Lions across the season. Wallace defended well when needed, ranking 10th for tackles and interceptions combined (149), and was a real goal threat for Millwall as he scored four and provided one assist to make the team of the season with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.05.
The first of two representatives for champions Fulham, no player made more key passes than Harry Wilson (105) in England's second tier, while the Cottagers winger made more assists (19) than any other player. Wilson was one of five players to finish the season with double figures for both goals and assists as the Welshman features on the right flank with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.38.
Bournemouth have two players make the team of the season, with Philip Billing crucial to their successful promotion campaign. The Dane, like Wilson, ended 2021/22 with double figures for both goals (10) and assists (10), and ended 2021/22 with an aerial success rate of 67.5%, that the 21st best of those to contest 100 or more aerial duels to help Billing to a WhoScored.com rating of 7.14.
Joining Billing in the middle of the park is Reading sensation John Swift. He, too, ended the season with double figures for goals (11) and assists (13) with the 26-year-old central to the Royals' survival. He finished the season level with Wilson on 105 key passes, and out of contract this summer, Swift won't be short on potential suitors this summer.
QPR's disappointing end to the season cost them a playoff spot and Mark Warburton his job at the R's helm, but Chris Willock was a key performer for the west London outfit. Willock was directly involved in 18 of their 60 league goals this season, scoring seven, while of his 11 assists, 10 were form open play, that the third best return, to help Willock to a WhoScored.com rating of 7.15.
A WhoScored.com rating of 7.72 was - shock - better than any other player with Aleksandar Mitrovic enjoying a record-breaking campaign for champions Fulham. The Serb hit the back of the net a whopping 43 times, scoring at least 14 more goals than any other Championship player, and more than Hull (41) and Barnsley (33). In addition, Mitrovic ranked first for shots (198) to fire Fulham back to the Premier League as title winners.
Joining Mitrovic on the frontline is Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke. The Cherries striker finished second in the race for the Championship Golden Boot, netting 29 times as Scott Parker's side finished second. In addition, Solanke finished second for shots (164) and clear-cut chances scored (21) to round off the XI with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.15.
