Players from Rotherham, Ipswich, Wycombe, Oxford, Peterborough and Blackpool feature in the WhoScored.com XI...
Friday 15 November 2019 08:39, UK
WhoScored.com run through their League One Team of the Season so far...
With WhoScored.com this season launching full statistical coverage of EFL League One and Two, player performance ratings across all of England's top four divisions are now available.
We asked their data analysts to run through their team of the season so far using their unique statistical ratings and the reasons behind each player's inclusion...
Rotherham currently languish in 10th place in League One but only one of their five defeats has been by more than a one-goal margin. Goalkeeper Iversen and his defenders have kept things solid at the back this season, illustrated by the fact only leaders Ipswich (10) have conceded fewer goals than the Millers (13). The Leicester loanee has saved one penalty this season and has not committed a single error leading to shot or goal.
Signed from local rivals Colchester at the start of the campaign, Vincent-Young has proved a shrewd pick-up by Ipswich. The 23-year-old has already demonstrated clear attacking qualities from full-back in only nine appearances for the club. A return of 2.6 successful dribbles per game is the best in League One this season, while Vincent-Young has scored two goals from two shots on target.
Iversen has done his job between the sticks for Rotherham but there have also been invaluable contributions in front of him from the likes of Ihiekwe. The 26-year-old has a nose for danger and has played a significant role in limiting Iversen's workload. Rotherham have conceded the second fewest shots per game (9.7) in the division this season and it's no surprise with Iversen ranking top for most aerial duels won by defenders (119) and joint-top for clearances (97).
Ipswich have the best defensive record in League One this season (10) and Chambers has been key to that, making more last man tackles than any other player in the division (two). Furthermore, only one defender has managed more WhoScored Man of the Match awards in League One this season than Chambers (three), who has also netted one goal in 13 league appearances. A return of 5.8 clearances per game and 6.8 aerial duels won per game also rank in the top-10 in the division for each statistic.
Jacobson has endured a remarkable start to the campaign and is currently the second highest WhoScored rated player in League One this season. The 32-year-old is the top-scoring defender in the division (four), in part due to his stunning hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Lincoln. The veteran scored a hat-trick of set-pieces against the Imps, including direct from a corner, not once but twice! He earned a perfect WhoScored 10 rating in the process and is the only defender in the division to manage the feat this season.
Henry has played a direct hand in 10 goals in 16 league appearances for Oxford this term and has won the WhoScored Man of the Match award on three occasions. He has a 100 per cent record from penalties this season, converting all three spot-kicks taken - the joint-best return in League One this season.
Peterborough have scored at least six more goals than any other team in League One this season (39) and it's no surprise with the likes of Maddison and Ivan Toney linking up on a weekly basis. More on the latter shortly. Maddison, meanwhile, has remarkably played a direct hand in 15 goals in 16 league appearances from midfield this season (nine goals, six assists). Furthermore, the 26-year-old ranks second in League One this season for both clear-cut goalscoring chances created (eight) and crosses attempted (141) in the division.
Liverpool academy graduate Brannagan has enjoyed an eye-catching start to the season in League One with Oxford, who currently occupy a play-off spot. Brannagan is one of only two players, along with Marcus Maddison, to register at least five goals and five assists in League One this season. With Brannagan finding a team-mate in the box from corners more often than any other player in the division (30 occasions), Oxford need to improve their set-piece conversion and they will add even more goals to their game.
Fosu-Henry completes an Oxford-dominated midfield. The 24-year-old has scored seven goals and registered one assist in 12 league starts this season but is much more than simply a finisher. He has completed the most dribbles in League One (34) this season and has unsurprisingly been fouled more times than any other player (48).
Toney is the highest WhoScored rated player in League One this season and is also the joint-top scorer in the division (12 goals). Of those goals, six have been scored with his right foot, two with his left and four with his head. The 23-year-old's ability to score with all parts of his body has made him a nightmare for defenders and that has showed this season. His relationship with Maddison has also made Peterborough's attack the best in the league. In fact, Maddison to Toney is the best assist-to-goalscorer combination in League One this term, yielding five goals.
Blackpool need striker Gnanduillet to be at his best for the remainder of the season to boost their chances of promotion. It would be slightly unfair to label Blackpool a one-man team but it's not far from the truth. In fact, the gap between the first and second best WhoScored rated player for Blackpool (0.46 rating points) is the biggest of any team in League One this season. Gnanduillet has scored 36 per cent of the goals Blackpool have scored this season (eight of 22) and his contributions have been worth nine points to the Tangerines. Without his goals, Blackpool would be three points above the bottom four.
