Top 3, Combined XI

[CaptainMorgans]

Saw the below pod and it got me wondering what other's thoughts might be on a combined XI of the league's 3 standout teams.

I'd go for the following...

.........................Cooper
Bogle.....Estevé......Egan-Riley....Firpo
................Tanaka....Brownhill
......Edwards....Hamer....Solomon
.....................T. Campbell

Subs: Trafford, Roberts, Burrows, Strujik, Souza, Fleming, BBD, James, Piroe.

Perhaps I'm being a bit ignorant, but I honestly don't think many players outside of the top 3 really trouble this XI?


Link to the pod.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Saw the below pod and it got me wondering what other's thoughts might be on a combined XI of the league's 3 standout teams.

I'd go for the following...

.........................Cooper
Bogle.....Estevé......Egan-Riley....Firpo
................Tanaka....Brownhill
......Edwards....Hamer....Solomon
.....................T. Campbell

Subs: Trafford, Roberts, Burrows, Strujik, Souza, Fleming, BBD, James, Piroe.

Perhaps I'm being a bit ignorant, but I honestly don't think many players outside of the top 3 really trouble this XI?


Link to the pod.

Good post Capt. I think a fit Souza gets in any side in the division but that might be me looking through my red and white glasses!

Anel in the squad too.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Good post Capt. I think a fit Souza gets in any side in the division but that might be me looking through my red and white glasses!

Anel in the squad too.

I found it difficult to leave him out, but Tanaka has been fantastic for Leeds whilst Souza has missed loads of football for us.

Brownhill has to be in there, as he's absolutely carried Burnley at times.

 

[Balham]

I love Cooper as much as the next Blade but you can’t leave Trafford out of the team. He’s been unreal.

Souza gets in over Tanaka too. When fit he’s the best CDM in the division by a distance.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

I love Cooper as much as the next Blade but you can’t leave Trafford out of the team. He’s been unreal.

Souza gets in over Tanaka too. When fit he’s the best CDM in the division

Tanaka has been fantastic for Leeds and is a really tidy footballer.
Souza was the hardest one to leave out, but he could easily slot in there.

Cooper over Trafford all day for me.
Trafford has conceded very few goals, but Cooper would have conceded even less behind that defence.

 

[dc_blade]

When fit, Souza is the best player in the division, let alone best defensive midfielder.

Doughty possibly an outside contender for the LB spot?

 

[Balham]

Tanaka has been fantastic for Leeds and is a really tidy footballer.
Souza was the hardest one to leave out, but he could easily slot in there.

Cooper over Trafford all day for me.
Trafford has conceded very few goals, but Cooper would have conceded even less behind that defence.

Take off the Bladey Bladey specs.

Trafford has conceded 11 goals this season against an PSxGA of 21.7. That means for every two goals he should have conceded, he's conceded one. No-one else gets close to that in the Championship. What's remarkable is how he's turned it around from last year when he was at 62 conceded against a PSxGA of 54.1.

Cooper is doing well on the same measure: he's in 4th with 26 conceded against a PSxGA of 31.5: he's letting in 5 goals when he should expect to concede 6.

You may also be surprised to learn that the shots on target faced by Cooper are statistically the least likely to result in a goal (0.24) with Trafford second (0.25). That would suggest that our defence does a pretty good job of protecting the goalkeeper.

For what it's worth, the list is
1 Trafford (Burnley): 50.6% conceded against expected
2 Johansson (Stoke): 75.9% conceded against expected
3 Hazard (Plymouth): 76.9% conceded against expected
4 Cooper (United): 79.4% conceded against expected
5 Dovin (Coventry): 82.2% conceded against expected
...
17 Meslier (Leeds): 100.9% conceded against expected
...
23 Beadle (Yesterday FC): 108.5% conceded against expected
25 Gunn (Norwich): 121.0% conceded against expected

xx Trafford (Burnley 2023/24): 110.9% conceded against expected
xx Grbic (United, 2023/24): 156.5% conceded against expected

2024/25 Championship data from fbref, based on Opta source data

 

[ThirdGenBlade]

Tanaka has been fantastic for Leeds and is a really tidy footballer.
Souza was the hardest one to leave out, but he could easily slot in there.

Cooper over Trafford all day for me.
Trafford has conceded very few goals, but Cooper would have conceded even less behind that defence.

If you look at the ucandomagic Matchday 38 Graph thread you will see that Trafford has 11.4 goals prevented to Cooper’s 6.2. This is the most relevant goalkeeper stat, as each goal prevented is probably worth 1 or 2 points. So Trafford is probably worth around 17 points to Burnley compared to Cooper’s about 10 for us.

UTB & FTP!

 

[Pintor75]

When fit, Souza is the best player in the division, let alone best defensive midfielder.

Doughty possibly an outside contender for the LB spot?

He plays for Luton!

 

[dc_blade]

He plays for Luton!

Perhaps I'm being a bit ignorant, but I honestly don't think many players outside of the top 3 really trouble this XI?

I think he's a player from outside the top 3 that might trouble this XI, or at least contend for a place on the bench.

 

[bakeblade]

Take off the Bladey Bladey specs.

Trafford has conceded 11 goals this season against an PSxGA of 21.7. That means for every two goals he should have conceded, he's conceded one. No-one else gets close to that in the Championship. What's remarkable is how he's turned it around from last year when he was at 62 conceded against a PSxGA of 54.1.

Cooper is doing well on the same measure: he's in 4th with 26 conceded against a PSxGA of 31.5: he's letting in 5 goals when he should expect to concede 6.

You may also be surprised to learn that the shots on target faced by Cooper are statistically the least likely to result in a goal (0.24) with Trafford second (0.25). That would suggest that our defence does a pretty good job of protecting the goalkeeper.

For what it's worth, the list is
1 Trafford (Burnley): 50.6% conceded against expected
2 Johansson (Stoke): 75.9% conceded against expected
3 Hazard (Plymouth): 76.9% conceded against expected
4 Cooper (United): 79.4% conceded against expected
5 Dovin (Coventry): 82.2% conceded against expected
...
17 Meslier (Leeds): 100.9% conceded against expected
...
23 Beadle (Yesterday FC): 108.5% conceded against expected
25 Gunn (Norwich): 121.0% conceded against expected

xx Trafford (Burnley 2023/24): 110.9% conceded against expected
xx Grbic (United, 2023/24): 156.5% conceded against expected

2024/25 Championship data from fbref, based on Opta source data

What about George Long, he's played a few for Norwich

 

[DronnieBlade]

Leeds wanted to pay £20m for Hamer.

Someone will be paying £20m plus for Souza in the summer.

Anel is the best RCB in the division. 2nd place is not close.

Cooper shoe in for me - loads of reason why.

These 4 nailed on IMO. Also harsh on Burrows not to get the LB / LWB slot.

As well as he has done for us, Ty can’t get the up top slot ahead of a few others.

UTB

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Leeds wanted to pay £20m for Hamer.

Someone will be paying £20m plus for Souza in the summer.

Anel is the best RCB in the division. 2nd place is not close.

Cooper shoe in for me - loads of reason why.

These 4 nailed on IMO. Also harsh on Burrows not to get the LB / LWB slot.

As well as he has done for us, Ty can’t get the up top slot ahead of a few others.

UTB

It's a straight shootout between Campbell & Piroe for CF, I don't think Burnley have an out & out CF.

Campbell all day for me.

As for Anel, impossible to make a case with Burnley's defence.

Leeds' full backs by far and away the best in the league.