Gab Sutton's EFL Team of the Week: Blackett-Taylor star performer, Draper impresses

Gab Sutton is a football expert who specialises in the Sky Bet EFL.

GK: Mark Travers - Stoke

After winning the Championship golden glove in 2021-22, helping Bournemouth win automatic promotion, Travers only managed 11 Premier League starts last season due to the form of Neto, and thus demanded a loan move to new boss Andrea Iraola even after a positive pre-season.

Iraola has been monitoring Travers form at Stoke this season closely, especially with Neto struggling, and could be tempted to recall the goalkeeper in January, especially after an outstanding performance against Sunderland.

The 24-year-old made six saves in a 2-1 win for the Potters, all inside the six-yard box.

RB: James Hill – Blackburn

From one Bournemouth loanee to another…

Perhaps the biggest testament to James Hill is that, in a Blackburn starting XI featuring Callum Brittain and Joe Rankin-Costello, both recognized as a right-back by trade despite being versatile, it’s still him who gets the nod in that position.

Ironically, Hill is a centre-back by trade but he tucks in to forge a back-three in possession, so left-back Harry Pickering can drift into central midfield and pair with Sondre Tronstad, so Rankin-Costello and Sammie Szmodicz can push on: perhaps Hill and Pickering are almost the Blackburn equivalent of Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

As aggressive in the challenge as a conventional right-back, yet as comfortable in possession as a progressive centre-back, Hill’s unique range of qualities makes Rovers’ system tick.

RCB: Dael Fry – Middlesbrough

Having first been spotted by Middlesbrough playing for Cleveland Juniors at the age of 7, Dael Fry has now had a 19-year association with the club, eight of which playing first team football, and is maturing into a crucial leader.

The 26-year-old produced a solid performance in Boro’s 1-0 win over Birmingham, winning three aerial duels, and defended intelligently against the theoretical threat of Siriki Dembele.

Having looked suspect defensively for the first few weeks, Michael Carrick’s side have won five consecutive league games, the last three to nil and Fry has been a huge part of that.

LCB: Chey Dunkley – Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury’s strength in central defence has been a key reason why the Shropshire club haven’t been embroiled in a relegation battle in any of their previous five seasons, despite being one of the smaller clubs in the league.

From Toto Nsiala and Mat Sadler’s pairing in 2017-18’s underdog story, to the Ro-Shaun Williams, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Aaron Pierre trio of 2019-20 in an otherwise drab side, to the last couple of seasons, in which Matt Pennington, and now Morgan Feeney, have forged great understandings with Chey Dunkley and Tom Flanagan.

It’s an area Salop have got right in recent years, and Dunkley’s powerful, aerially dominant displays, like the one in the 1-0 victory over Derby, has been part of why they’ve been able to tick over points without setting pulses racing.

LB: Jack Sparkes – Portsmouth

Sparkes has never been great defensively, and some could have been forgiven for fearing whether his struggles might get exposed at left-back rather than left wing-back, and Portsmouth have played a back-four in all 13 league games this season.

The system, though, works so the two central midfielders stay very disciplined and provide lots of cover, which has freed up Sparkes to do what he does best.

Sure, the former Exeter academy graduate's relationship with Abu Kamara needs fine-tuning, but his deliveries in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Carlisle – and indeed so far this season – were consistently right on the money.

RCM: Ethan Hamilton – Lincoln

Whoever replaces Mark Kennedy at Sincil Bank will inherit an outstanding midfield.

Ethan Erhahon has shone brightly since joining from St Mirren in January, but it was Ethan Hamilton who won all the plaudits in the weekend’s 1-0 win at Fleetwood, under Tom Shaw’s interim guidance.

Hamilton was the beating heart of this Imps side at Highbury, driving the team forward single-handedly at times, as 26 (63%) of his 41 passes were played forward, with the former Manchester United graduate also managed two dribbles and made six tackles as City’s Ethan compound remains in their element.

CM: Joe Powell – Burton

After we put Crewe’s Jack Powell in our previous Team of the Week, we wanted to give his brother some attention to balance things out.

Powell’s excellent form this season is just another example of Dino Maamria recognizing the strengths of his players, and having the vision to re-invent them.

After signing from West Ham in 2020, Powell had managed 23+ league starts each season, without ever quite hitting the heights he is currently.

Because the Canning Town-born midfielder is technical, he’s previously been deployed in more advanced and wide positions, but the problem has been that his ability has only tended to show when he’s had space to open his legs up – so while he can put in a great delivery, when he was closed down, he could be limited quickly.

In this deeper role, he has more time and space to bring his quality to the fore, but should be credited for adding the required defensive qualities to his game.

On top of that, Powell unleashed an absolute blockbuster in Saturday's 4-1 thumping of Bristol Rovers.

LCM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – Leicester

Leicester became the first side in the second tier to win their first six away games of a season, when they came from behind to defeat Swansea 3-1, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been crucial to that.

The 25-year-old has been arguably the best player in the Championship this season, and his role has required him to at times tuck in and protect his flank like Marc Albrighton used to do, but split wing-back duties with James Justin and Stephy Mavididi, whilst also be arguably the team’s driving creative force.

It’s a unique role, which only a player who has both an extensive skillset, and an incredible drive to deliver for their club could fill – and Dewsbury-Hall has.

RF: Kwadwo Baah – Burton

Bez Lubala could easily have been our second Burton player to gain recognition after his brace and one assist on Saturday, but we’ve given it to Kwadwo Baah.

The wide forward has been in sumptuous form of late, sitting many an opposing full-back on their backside, and was a joy to watch once again.

After starring under Brian Barry-Murphy at Rochdale, the youngster may feel he went for a bigger move too early, and subsequently had a quiet period, with just 50 minutes of competitive football in two years as his development stagnated.

Going to Burton has given the 20-year-old a new lease of life, though, and he lit up the Pirelli once again at the weekend, completing five dribbles, getting two shots away and scoring once, giving Harvey Vale and James Gibbons a torrid time.

CF: Freddie Draper – Walsall

Lincoln’s foresight to loan Freddie Draper to Walsall this season should be commended.

In a footballing era dominated by short-termism, City had the vision to compromise their immediate squad depth, to gain a more experienced player who can make a significant difference to them the following season.

Admirable though the call was, however, it’s arguably backfired as the injuries to Ben House, Tyler Walker and Jack Vale have left the Imps short of options up top, undermining what has otherwise looked a strong side.

All the while, Draper has ripped it up at Walsall, and took his league tally to eight goals with a hat-trick in Friday’s 3-3 draw against Newport, with a good first-time hit for his first, a quality finish for his second before showing fine movement for his third.

Unfortunately for Lincoln, they can’t recall Draper until January, by which point House, Walker and Vale will likely be back, and forward Jack Moylan will have signed from Shelbourne.

⭐LF: Corey Blackett-Taylor – Charlton

Over the last five years, Blackett-Taylor has represented the footballing equivalent of a trifle with just cream and custard: has the raw ingredients, but missing that final layer.

Under Michael Appleton, the lightning-fast wide man has added the metaphorical strawberries and blackberries on top, scoring four goals and making three since the Mancunian took charge, with each of the assists coming in Saturday’s 4-0 thumping of Reading.

Blackett-Taylor has looked a constant danger of late, and now he has that extra productivity, he should attract Championship interest as a fruitful season lies ahead.

More from Sporting Life

• Fixtures, results and live scores
• Expert xG analysis and features
• Transfer news and done deals
• Football and other sports tips
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.