Gab Sutton's EFL Team of the Week: Kamara brings the flash to Pompey

• Gab Sutton is a football expert who specialises in the Sky Bet EFL. After every weekend of action, he builds an EFL Team of the Week and picks out a Sporting Life Star performer.

Goalkeeper

Sam Tickle (Wigan): Wigan will begin preparations for what will almost certainly be a second season in League One this summer, with a fight to retain, or get the best price possible, for Sam Tickle.

The 21-year-old only started the dead rubber final day in 2022-23’s Championship relegation, but he’s since become the first name on the team sheet – literally and metaphorically – in 2023-24.

A product of a highly successful academy, the England Under-21s star has genuine long-term international potential, as he demonstrated in a man-of-the-match showing in the 1-0 victory at Shrewsbury.

Defenders

Jimmy Dunne (QPR): After a sensational second half of the 2017-18 season at Accrington Stanley, whom he inspired to the League Two title, Jimmy Dunne is yet to star at the higher levels.

After a tough first half of 2023-24, though, the 26-year-old has been transformed under Martí Cifuentes, with the defending filling in most recently at right-back.

The Irishman produced a rock-solid display in a 1-0 victory at Bristol City, making three crunching challenges, and performances like that will give him some hope ahead of the Nations League campaign commencing in September – Séamus Coleman isn’t getting any younger…

Anthony O’Connor (Harrogate): Harrogate’s 9-2 humiliation by Mansfield felt more like a flash-in-the-pan, than a red flag for a decline down the standings.

The Sulphurites had conceded just 10 goals in the previous 10 league games, their rise from 16th to 7th catalysed by defensive solidity and goalkeeper James Belshaw’s return from Bristol Rovers – they just had one off-night against a top side in the league, who happened to be insanely clinical.

In fairness to Simon Weaver’s side, they responded with a collective resolve to keep a clean sheet at Crewe, epitomized by a spirited defensive showing from centre-back Anthony O’Connor, capped by one or two highly courageous blocks.

“But that’s his job, isn’t it?”

Will Boyle (Wrexham): Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Notts County was arguably Wrexham’s best performance of the season, with the context that it came against familiar National League foes, and arguably the most enterprising attacking side in League Two.

The Red Dragons kept a clean sheet against the Magpies, a feat matched only by automatic promotion rivals Crewe Alexandra and Mansfield, and Will Boyle was key to the result.

The 6’3” defender is dominant in the air, and quick for his size: more performances like that will certainly help Wrexham’s automatic promotion chances.

Ryan Giles (Hull): For Hull to pull off Saturday’s 2-1 victory at a resurgent, organised Huddersfield, they needed their full-backs to be on their game.

Ryan Giles absolutely was: not only did he complete an astonishing 10 clearances, three recoveries, and had a 100% tackle accuracy, he also linked up superbly with wide man Anass Zaroury with an 87% pass accuracy, creating two chances.

Earlier in the season, the Tigers relied on right-back Lewie Coyle for attacking width, but Giles now gives them that threat on the other side to diversify their potency.

Midfielders

Lewis O’Brien (Middlesbrough): For much of the season, Middlesbrough have been a side oozing with creative potential, but one that had defensive frailties – especially in terms of closing down shots and crosses just in front of the box – and couldn’t always finish their chances.

Boro could have got away with having one of those problems this season, with the bar for the Play-Offs on course to be the lowest it’s been since Leicester snuck in with 68 points in 2012-13, but not both, which is why they’re midtable.

When O’Brien starts, though, it’s 10 points from six games, and it’s because his relentless energy and tenacity is something Michael Carrick’s side don’t have in any of their other midfielders, as he demonstrated in the 2-1 victory at runaway leaders Leicester.

Suffice to say, O’Brien staying available is essential to the Teessiders’ slim Play-Off hopes.

Marc Leonard (Northampton*): Retaining Marc Leonard on a second loan from Brighton could be the reason Northampton, after promotion last season, are sitting pretty in the top half rather than treading water at the bottom.

They’re not a one-man team – far from it – with almost the whole team establishing an admirably consistent 7/10 base performance level.

And yet, it’s hard to underestimate the importance of the class, composure and intelligence that Leonard brings to their midfield: League One Pirlo, dare we say?

Now the 22-year-old is adding wild strikes to his game like the final goal of Saturday's 3-1 victory over Bristol Rovers, Premier League opportunities surely await – be that next season or the one after.

⭐Abu Kamara (Portsmouth): Portsmouth now have more attacking depth than they had earlier in the season, thanks to the signings of Callum Lang and Myles Peart-Harris.

The additions have not only improved Pompey as individuals, and allowed them to transition from a crossing-heavy style to crisp, fluid, incisive stuff in the final third, they’ve also rejuvenated other personnel.

Abu Kamara is one beneficiary, with the Norwich loanee having produced a sparkling showing in Saturday’s 4-1 thumping of Reading – he was quick and direct, but also interpreted space well, spun his opponent once or twice, and cut inside superbly to link up with Lang and Paddy Lane.

Connor Jennings (Tranmere): When Connor Jennings first signed for Tranmere, some feared it a signing driven by convenience, sentiment and indicative of a lack of imagination in the recruitment team – who, moi?

Jennings has defied his doubters, though, and been arguably Rovers’ player of the year – he’s been a destructive #10 or midfielder when asked to be so, but he’s also been an auxiliary reference point in the absence of target man Luke Norris, and his impeccable application has been crucial to the turnaround.

It’s been quite some turnaround, too, by the way: top three form from the Wirralians since Nigel Adkins was handed the permanent job in November.

Hakeeb Adelakun (Doncaster): When Hakeeb Adelakun came through the ranks at Scunthorpe, he was a raw wide forward with searing pace, without loads in the way of end product.

On that basis, Adelakun earnt a move to Bristol City but, for various reasons, it didn’t work out, and what ensued was a five-year period in which he struggled for form and momentum.

It may have taken dropping down to League Two for the 27-year-old to rebuild his career, and he seems to be doing just that at Doncaster: he has two goals to his name already, and grabbed a hat-trick of assists in a 5-1 victory at Grimsby.

Forward

Josh Sargent (Norwich): Few Norwich fans offered much sympathy to boss David Wagner for the absence of Josh Sargent, as a factor behind the Canaries’ autumnal plummet.

Rightly so? Maybe – it was grim at that particular point.

In fairness to Wagner though, since Sargent’s returned from injury, his impact has been transformative, bringing fresh energy and raw aggression against the ball, as well as good link-up play and an eye for goal – what else could you ask for from a Championship centre-forward?

Manager

John Mousinho (Portsmouth)

It’s hard to believe that 13 months ago, John Mousinho was still on the books as a player at Oxford, such is his impact on the managerial scene.

Some felt it too soon for the U’s player-coach to take on the number one job at Portsmouth, but clearly Mousinho pulled off the interview of a lifetime, and Sporting Director Richard Hughes’ subsequent instincts have served him superbly.

Mousinho’s modern leadership and positive framing has been key to turning Pompey from perennial bridesmaids to the real deal, and after grinding out results in the first half of the season, they’ve got stronger as the pressure increased.

The PO4 outfit have responded superbly to setbacks, be them an injury crisis or the odd heavy home defeat, and they’ve recruited expertly – Tom McIntyre, Owen Moxon, Myles Peart-Harris and Callum Lang are all up-and-running.

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