Who Should EFL Clubs Be Casting Their Eyes Over? Part III
The season is reaching its conclusion and clubs up and down the country will preparing lists of players they would like to sign in the summer to enhance their prospects ahead of a year that promises to be better than the last.
Ah, summer dreams. The world looks so bright before a ball is kicked.
Towards the end of the last two seasons, I’ve compiled a team of 11 players I believe will be playing in the EFL sooner rather than later. I’ve linked these below:
The idea is not to pick the best 11 players in the league. After all, everybody knows that Macaulay Langstaff and Paul Mullin will play EFL football at some point. And there has to be an element of realism here – Chesterfield or Oldham Athletic, for example, selling a key player to an EFL club is unlikely to happen given their financial strength.
As ever, there is no insight here. I don’t know if these players are available or even whether they are out of contract in the summer for the most part. My aim is to shine a light on players who haven’t held as many headlines and who I see as capable of making the step into League Two or above.
As ever, there are rules:
- Maximum two selections per club
- Only players permanently contracted to National League clubs allowed
- The XI chosen had to work as an actual team, rather than just a collection of 11 names – otherwise, what’s the point in doing 11 players
- No player chosen previously for this list could be chosen again
I’ve also added one more rule this year. The England C squad that was named was superb and included dead certs for this list including Tyler Cordner, Josh Lundstram, Ryan De Havilland and Emile Acquah. Playing for England C is the highest acclaim for non-league talent and it felt pointless including them in this team.
That’s the rambling over with. Hopefully the selections are agreeable enough and if I’ve missed anybody out, please feel free to let me know via @nlmusings.
GK: Collin Andeng Ndi
Club: Southend United
Age: 19
Season: 21 (21)
Every time I watch Andeng Ndi, I’m impressed. The most striking thing is that he doesn’t have the physique of a teenager. He looks prime and ready, able to spring off those stocky legs and get across his goal and keep the ball out of his net with his giant hands - not always the case for young goalkeepers. This is backed up by raw numbers such as him conceding 17 in 21 matches with 13 clean sheets, compared to Steve Arnold and Blondy Nna Noukeu, who have conceded a combined 24 in 21 with 5 clean sheets. The xG numbers favour Andeng Ndi too, conceding 9.51 under the combined xG against his team compared the others, who have conceded 2.48 under the combined xG against. This isn’t to say Andeng Ndi is the perfect goalkeeper yet. There is work to do with his decision making and distribution. He also isn’t the most orthodox of goalkeepers, not that it should matter given his ability to keep the ball out of his net. His rise may have come out of necessity given Southend United’s issues but he has firmly established himself as a competitor for Steve Arnold’s number one position and has an EFL career ahead of him.
RCB: James Clarke
Club: Solihull Moors
Age: 23
Season: 40 (40) - 0G & 0A
Last season, Solihull Moors came close to gate-crashing the party of EFL-sized clubs to win promotion, finishing third and losing in the play-off final. A number of young players helped them along the way, most of whom have now got moves up the ladder. James Clarke has remained in the Midlands but the ex-Mansfield Town man must be sought after by those above now. He’s a wholly committed footballer, never one to shirk a challenge or do a job for his team, as his versatility has proven. He’s fine technically, capable of playing short or long and happy to take possession on the touchline or inside. But most importantly, Clarke is reliable. He has started 69 of 70 league matches since joining the club and never seems to run out of steam.
CB: Shaun Hobson
Club: Southend United
Age: 24
Season: 40 (39) - 2G & 0A
Size often matters when it comes to centre-halves and few are as tall and powerful as Southend United’s Shaun Hobson. The giant defender has gone through the good and bad during his time since turning professional, the Bournemouth academy graduate winning promotion with Weymouth into the National League and being part of Southend’s relegation into non-league. It hasn’t deterred him, however, Hobson showing up regularly and learning on the job to become a key part of a youthful but strong defensive unit. Hobson often plays on the right-hand side of their back three, not the most orthodox in possession but capable of stepping forward and finding a team-mate. However, his strength lies in his literal strength, defending his box and denying the opposition. Leyton Orient were linked with a move this season and he’s more than deserving of the chance to step up after three seasons in which he has started 116 matches.
LCB: Corey Panter
Club: Eastleigh
Age: 22
Season: 22 (21) - 0G & 5A
Corey Panter probably hasn’t had the career start he would have hoped for, a mixture of injury and lack of opportunity thwarting his progress from the ranks of Luton Town via loan spells at Hendon, Biggleswade Town, Dundee and Kidderminster Harriers. He was a successful trialist at Eastleigh this summer and earned an opportunity to play the football he’s been craving. He’s taken that opportunity. My description of Panter isn’t far off how he described himself in the summer, the 22-year-old claiming he is “confident on the ball”, “don’t mind putting a tackle in”, “aggressive when defending” and “week in and week out, I’ll try and do my best for the team”. He’s capable of shifting his legs when required and the qualities mentioned above have helped him settle into the Eastleigh side either at centre-back, left-back or wing-back when required. That he’s a competent set-piece taker and possesses a long throw only enhances the reasons club will be watching him. Injury did disrupt a positive start to the season but he’s done enough to prove he’s worth a gamble this summer for a club in the EFL.
RWB: Micah Obiero
Club: Wealdstone
Age: 22
Season: 27 (23) - 7G & 3A
A late addition to the Wealdstone side this season, joining in early October with Stuart Maynard’s side injury ravaged and sliding down the table after a phenomenal start. He was one of three signings to make their debut from the bench in the same game and while the other two have struggled for various reasons, Obiero has remained a constant in the Stones XI, his breakthrough campaign a real success. Obiero has spent most of this season playing at right wing-back, a role that allows plenty of attacking freedom under Stuart Maynard, and the ex-Huddersfield Town youngster has made the most of that, registering 7 goals and 3 assists, eight of those contributions coming in his last 16 matches. The 22-year-old is agile, fleet-footed, happy to float across the pitch, always looking to run forward and gets into the box too.
RCM: Charlie Carter
Club: Eastleigh
Age: 26
Season: 43 (41) - 9G & 8A
Charlie Carter will be a familiar name to some, a stellar campaign with Woking seeing him move on to Chesterfield then Stevenage to minimal success. However, a fully fit Carter has been one of the best things about an Eastleigh side that have been something of a surprise package in their return to the National League’s top 7, Lee Bradbury finding a way to get the best out of a forward-thinking midfielder by giving him license to support the attack as much as possible. Carter has played as an eight, a ten or a winger this season, his game about hard work, setting the tone for the press and making decisions quickly in the final third to find his strikers or fellow midfield runners. Despite Eastleigh’s exploits this season being predominantly about their defensive prowess, Carter has 17 goal contributions.
LCM: Matt Worthington
Club: Yeovil Town
Age: 25
Season: 34 (34) - 4G & 5A
Every team needs a gritty, tenacious midfielder who leads by example and Matt Worthington has certainly grown into that player. The 25-year-old has taken time to establish himself at Yeovil but became a regular last term and, along with Josh Staunton, was seen as their best chance of avoiding the drop this term. He hasn’t done himself any harm despite the Glovers’ struggles, never giving up the ghost, standing up for himself and also being let off his leash by Mark Cooper, playing a slightly more advanced midfield role to show off his athleticism and get into the opposition box. It hasn’t been the year he would have hoped for but Worthington has improved year upon year at Yeovil Town and deserves the step up now.
LWB: Idris Kanu
Club: Barnet
Age: 23
Season: 34 (29) - 7G & 5A
Idris Kanu has been a name on lips for a while now but has struggled to truly establish himself, an exciting breakthrough at Aldershot Town followed by indifferent years at Peterborough United and Northampton Town. A speedy, direct winger, Kanu appeared a fine replacement for Ephron Mason-Clark on paper and he has proven to be just that, excelling either as a winger, forward or wing-back in Dean Brennan’s flexible system, often designed to get Kanu involved as much as possible in dangerous areas to benefit the team. The 23-year-old has more than proven his worth with seven goals and five assists, pivotal to their hopes of a top seven finish.
RW: Justin Amaluzor
Club: Aldershot Town
Age: 26
Season: 38 (29) - 8G & 6A
Justin Amaluzor isn’t in this list because I see him as a totally reliable footballer but because he is a player that provides strong attacking numbers. Despite being 26, this is the most football he has played in a season so his inconsistency is understandable. However, he has made the most of his time on the pitch with eight goals, six assists and also winning three penalties from 38 matches, 29 of which were starts. The forward hasn’t nailed down a specific role, spending time on either flank or centrally, but wherever he pops up, he has an impact. Amaluzor is quick, strong and possesses a left-foot that packs a real punch. His best moments have come with strikes from distances but he isn’t afraid to get into the box and on the back post either, always important to contributing to a team in the final third. The ex-Barnet youngster is a wildcard selection but a player I’ve enjoyed watching this year.
LW: Reece Smith
Club: Maidenhead United
Age: 20
Season: 35 (24) - 5G & 6A
Maidenhead United, on the face of it, replaced Josh Kelly and Nathan Blissett with Koby Arthur and Adrian Clifton. I was concerned. Where would the spark come from? Why, oh why, do we ever doubt Alan Devonshire? Emile Acquah stepped up. The signing of Ashley Nathaniel-George has been inspired. But Reece Smith has also come on leaps and bounds. He started the season as a bit-part player, then spent some time in wide roles before making the spot behind the striker his own. He’s sharp out of the blocks, excellent in 1 v 1 situations, able to drive the team up the pitch and has made huge strides in his ability to win seconds. And his goal contributions have increased with more responsibility, adding five goals and six assists since November.
ST: Aaron Jarvis
Club: Torquay United
Age: 25
Season: 33 (30) - 12G & 4A
When Aaron Jarvis was brought in to replace Danny Wright this summer, I felt for him. Here’s a guy that had yet to make more than 20 league starts for a single club in a league campaign replacing such a reliable, experienced campaigner for Gary Johnson’s Gulls in recent years despite their regression. And he was doing it on the back of two difficult years at Scunthorpe United. It was a tough gig. Torquay United have got a lot wrong in the last couple of years but Aaron Jarvis is one of their few recruitment successes. The ex-Luton Town youngster has shouldered a lot of responsibility but has never shied away from the battle, providing much-needed physicality and a delicate touch up top to give his side a platform to play from. He has gone beyond double figures for the season with a number of important goals along the way, and a couple of spectacular ones too.
For next season...
Oscar Rutherford
Club: Eastleigh
Age: 18
Season:
A breakthrough campaign for the winger-turned-right-back who has stepped up admirably in the absence of Brennan Camp to establish himself as a regular for a play-off chasing outfit.
Kellen Fisher
Club: Bromley
Age: 18
Another enjoying a breakthrough campaign, the skinny but technically gifted and tenacious full-back making a place his own for a defensively sound Bromley side.
Joe Cook
Club: Dorking Wanderers
Age: 23
It’s not easy for youngsters to step into the Dorking Wanderers XI with few issues but Cook has done just that, able to handle himself physically but play confidently. A full season at the level is important now.
Eddy Jones
Club: Altrincham
Age: 21
Another defender. Has had around 18 months of first-team football under Phil Parkinson and is developing nicely. A competent defender who has grown physically and adds an attacking outlet down the left. Another season of full-time football should do him plenty of good.
Ryan Glover
Club: Aldershot Town
Age: 22
It’s not always easy for a diminutive figure to make a name for himself but Glover’s acceleration, versatility and technical prowess has made him an important figure for The Shots. Time to nail down a position now.
Statistics taken from Soccerway, Fbref, Soccerstats and personal notes. Assists data correct of 09/04/2023.
Comments
Post a Comment