Gab Sutton's EFL Team of the Week: Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz shines

• 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

James Beadle – Sheffield Wednesday: James Beadle has been key to Sheffield Wednesday’s push for safety after joining on loan from Brighton mid-season.

The 6’5” ‘keeper’s dominant command of area, rangy shot stopping and quality distribution was much in evidence when the Owls beat West Brom 3-0 to take a giant stride towards safety.

The 19-year-old made eight stops against the Baggies, keeping out Grady Diangana’s header from close range, saving John Swift’s curler and getting low to deny Kyle Bartley from point-blank range – all within a few second half minutes!

Defenders

Pol Valentín – Sheffield Wednesday: Sticking with the Owls, Valentín might have come second in the man-of-the-match Pol, but the Spaniard enjoyed his best game in blue and white.

The 27-year-old displayed an impeccable work ethic at right wing-back, and inspired a second half counter-attack that led to a glorious opening that Josh Windass just missed the contact on.

Dion Conroy – Crawley: Grimsby struggled to convert control into chances at Broadfield on Saturday, but that was partly down to Crawley’s defensive work in a 2-0 victory that got Scott Lindsey’s side into the Play-Offs.

Dion Conroy was crucial to those efforts, completing two clearances and four interceptions.

Ryley Towler – Portsmouth: Lesser fancied earlier in the season, Ryley Towler has stepped up recently due to absentees at the back nudging him up the pecking order, and the former Bristol City academy graduate grabbed his opportunity in the 2-0 final day victory at Lincoln.

It remains to be seen whether Towler will be trusted to be part of next season’s Championship squad, but commanding showings like the one at Sincil Bank will certainly help his cause for 2024-25 loan in League One rather than League Two, where he impressed at Wimbledon last season.

Lewis Shipley – Accrington Stanley: Brad Hills won Player of the Season at Accrington Stanley, but it’s his fellow Norwich loanee – with whom he’s played at various age groups since childhood – that we’re giving the plaudits to this time around.

Lewis Shipley missed much of the first third of the campaign through injury, but has started six of the seven games he’s been available for under John Doolan – the other being his first back after a lengthy suspension – and has gone on record to praise his head coach for his role in his development.

The 20-year-old has gained plaudits from Stanley fans for his excellent application, not always a given with loanees, and is hoping his stint in East Lancashire – which finished with a goal in the 4-1 victory over Tranmere – will help his cause for a new contract at Norwich, where his existing deal expires in 2025.

Midfielders

Max Bird – Derby: The Rams' final day 2-0 victory over relegated Carlisle ensured a return to the Championship at the second attempt, and Max Bird was key to a duly controlled performance.

Saturday’s game was Bird’s last at Pride Park, where he returned on loan after signing for Bristol City in January, and the 23-year-old has been through a lot with the Rams.

The homegrown prospect is strong on either foot, which allows him to dictate games at times with ease, and against the Cumbrians he set Derby on the way with a stunning left-footed drive.

Josh Laurent – Stoke: A tireless work ethic was always likely to be key to Stoke getting any sort of result at a possession-dominant Southampton side on the penultimate Championship afternoon, and Josh Laurent delivered.

The 28-year-old covered every blade of grass for the Potters, who pulled off a 1-0 victory at St Mary’s thanks to Tyrese Campbell’s first half strike.

Bobby Pointon – Bradford: Bobby Pointon has attracted Championship interest, so it’s plausible that Saturday’s 4-1 over Newport was the last Bradford have seen of his talents.

As such, there may be a tinge of regret for the Bantams that, had the 20-year-old been given more than his 173 league minutes between mid-November and late March, they might have capitalised on 2023-24’s low Play-Off bar.

Pointon hit a spectacular left-footed effort from the edge of the ‘D’ against the Exiles, after a similarly impressive strike at Barrow on Tuesday.

🌟 Finn Azaz – Middlesbrough: Finn Azaz has managed to break double-figures in the Championship this season for both goals and assists, with 11 and 10 respectively, dividing his productivity between Plymouth Argyle and Middlesbrough having made the move in January.

The 23-year-old is a high-risk, high-reward creator, and when he’s on his game – like he was in Saturday’s 4-1 victory at Cardiff – he really is a joy to watch.

Strikers

Malik Mothersille – Peterborough: Jonson Clarke-Harris has taken more of a back-seat at Peterborough this season, with Darren Ferguson favouring a centre-forward who creates space for other attackers, more than someone who’s prolific themselves.

Ricky-Jade Jones was the initial beneficiary of this change in policy, but Malik Mothersille has made himself difficult to overlook for a starting XI spot for next Saturday’s Play-Off Semi-Final 1st leg at Oxford, with the physical striker finishing the regular season with three goals in his last four – including a brace in the 3-3 draw with Bolton.

Omar Bugiel – Wimbledon: Omar Bugiel’s primary role in the first half of the season had been to supply Ali Al-Hamadi, both aerially and creatively, whilst doing a lot of the legwork to free up the athletic poacher.

After the Iranian departed for Ipswich, though, and Solihull Moors recruit Josh Kelly struggled with the step up, Bugiel has taken on more of a goalscoring remit.

The Lebanese target man has bagged nine of his 14 goals in 2023-24 after Al-Hamadi’s departure (technically one of those was against Mansfield while he was at the club but away at the AFC Asian Cup) – including a hat-trick in the final day 5-1 thumping of Walsall.

Manager

Paul Warne – Derby: After facing question marks over his side’s inconsistency following defeat at Stevenage in late October, Paul Warne has defied his doubters by overseeing 22 victories in the subsequent 31 league games.

Efficient, well-organised and ruthless in transition, the Rams have relied on the defensive consistency of Curtis Nelson and Eiran Cashin, and the quick, strong outlet of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing going forward.

Warne’s motivational qualities have helped, too – he’s an open, vulnerable modern leader who brings people together.

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