It clean in Tykes’ tyros
CARDIFF City’s defensive enforcer Sol Bamba is currently the best-performing player in the Championship.
That’s according to numbers compiled by popular stats site Whoscored. com , who have placed the Ivorian in their current line-up for the Championship’s Team of the Season as the most highly-rated performer.
Using various lines of stats, the website has handed Bamba a total rating of 7.6 for the season, just ahead of Bristol City defender Joe Bryan and Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Diogo Jota, both of whom have been handed ratings of 7.4 and 7.5 respectively.
The former Leeds United man was typically solid once again during Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brentford — a victory that keeps the pressure on at the top of the table.
Star winger Nathaniel MendezLaing is the only other Cardiff player to be represented in the XI, racking up a solid rating of 7.4, with Jota, Millwall’s George Saville and QPR ‘s Luke Freeman making up the rest of the midfield.
The inclusion of the former Rochdale ace will come as little surprise to anyone that has been fortunate enough to watch the Bluebirds this season, with the pacey wideman netting an impressive tally of four goals and four assists in 17 appearances this season.
The contribution of Bamba has arguably proved just as valuable, with the 32-year old’s average of 6.7 clearances and 2.7 interceptions per game well ahead of his Team of the Season peers.
And, when it comes to tackles, Bamba’s average of 2.5 is second only to Bryan in the Championship’s current best XI.
Interestingly, Bamba’s tackling ability is actually joint-second when assessed on a club basis, behind Aron Gunnarsson (2.6) and level with Lee Peliter.
Such figures go some way to explaining Cardiff’s fine defensive record so far this season, with Neil Warnock’s side currently boasting the best defence in the league, having conceded just 13 goals.
The 2-0 win over Brentford saw Cardiff not only preserve their unbeaten home record this season, but also secure a tally of just four home goals conceded this term, the best such record in the Championship.
Nevertheless, Bamba is Cardiff’s only defensive representative in the Team of the Season so far, taking his place alongside Bristol City duo Bryan and Aden Flint.
Middlesbrough full-back Cyrus Christie completes a four-man defence, in front of Ipswich goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
Another Ipswich player, Joe Garner, partners Bristol City’s Bobby Reid up front.