The Sky Bet Championship, long a byword for chaotic football, has, by January 2026, cemented its reputation as Europe’s most compelling theatre of tactical evolution and high-stakes football.
This season’s narrative has been singularly defined by the relentless, high-pressing machine of Frank Lampard’s Coventry City, whose dominance is the central axis around which the team of the season so far is built.
Goalkeeper
The foundation of this side is anchored by a blend of technical mastery and defensive steel. In goal, Carl Rushworth (Coventry City), in my opinion, is the epitome of the modern goalkeeper. Averaging 43.25 touches per 90, he is a core component of Coventry’s high-press system, yet he retains an elite shot-stopping ability, with a Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed (PSxG-GA) statistic that sees him statistically prevent a crucial 9-10 goals over a full season.
Defence
Ahead of him, the centre back pairing provides a perfect duality. Bobby Thomas (Coventry City) is the uncompromising “Enforcer,” dominant in the air with a 91st percentile ranking for aerials won. He provides the non-negotiable physicality necessary in this division, even if his aggression occasionally spills into recklessness. His partner, Cédric Kipré (Ipswich Town), is the “Quarterback,” a Rolls-Royce of a defender whose elite metrics in progressive passes (97th percentile) and carries allow him to bypass the opposition midfield and launch attacks with a simple, crisp vertical pass.
The attacking impetus, a hallmark of all successful Championship sides, is delivered with frightening consistency by the wing-backs. Milan van Ewijk (Coventry City) is a “Flying Dutchman,” a throwback to the overlapping dynamo whose raw pace and athleticism yield a staggering offensive output, including six assists and key progressive carries that relieve pressure.
On the opposite flank, Ryan Giles (Hull City) is simply “the assist king,” a cheat code whose league-leading creative output from defence is defined by his 5.7 expected assists (xA). A figure rivalling most creative midfielders. These two players are the primary transition outlets, demonstrating that modern Championship excellence is built from the wing backs!
There are notable absentees from Championship XI in defence for sure. Ben Wilmot and Ashley Philips (both Stoke City) can count themselves as unfortunate in the centre back spots as can left back Leif Davies (Ipswich Town).
Midfield
The midfield trio provides the engine room, balancing control, flair, and statistical excellence. Matt Grimes (Coventry City) is the “Metronome.” His 98th percentile ranking for passes attempted highlights his role as the safety valve, dictating tempo and suffocating oppositions with possession dominance.
Alongside him, Imran Louza (Watford) stands as the statistical Player of the Season so far. With the league’s highest FotMob rating (7.70), Louza is an all-action MVP who combines defensive tackling with crucial goals and creation, embodying the all-encompassing demands of the second tier. For me, and many more, currently the Championship’s best player.
Completing the midfield is Marcelino Núñez (Ipswich Town), “The Magician” who links play with progressive passing but whose unique superpower is a supreme technical ability on the dead ball, exemplified by his rare free-kick brace against QPR.
Notable absentees in the midfield but certainly warrant a shout-out…Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) and Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City) can count themselves unfortunate not to be included in my XI.
Attack
Finally, the attack guarantees goals through a combination of brute force, flair, and clinical instinct. Joe Gelhardt (Hull City), the “Scouse Messi,” has exploded in the attacking-midfield role, scoring ten goals through his ability to dribble and drive at defences. He stepped up for the Tigers in their time of need, when they lost Oli McBurnie earlier in the season.
Up front, the pairing of Carlton Morris (Derby County) and Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City) offers a classic and contemporary striking partnership. Morris is “The Beast,” a proper number nine who uses brute force and hold-up play to occupy centre-backs and before his injury, saw a return of ten goals in 16 appearances.
Thomas-Asante, “The Poacher,” is the electric, clinical tip of the spear for the league leaders, whose 0.66 Non-Penalty Goals per 90 places him in the 99th percentile—pure instinct in the box.
The main, glaring omission here? Adam Armstrong (Southampton). The reason I chose Carlton Morris over Armstrong is simply down to games played. Morris’ 10 in 16 gave him the nod for me.
The Full Championship Team of the Season so Far
In conclusion, this Team of the Season So Far is more than an honours list; it is a tactical blueprint, balancing the Championship’s gritty reality (Thomas, Morris) with the technical flair required to escape it (Kipré, Núñez).
Its composition, dominated by Frank Lampard’s table-topping Coventry City reflects the central narrative of the 2025/26 campaign so far. A season defined by the resurgence of a sleeping giant and the evolution of the full-back and centre-back roles into primary creative and transitional assets.
Listen to the full Championship Lowdown episode here
