Whether attempting to get to the untold riches of the Premier League or desperately avoiding the dreaded trap door to League One, something all Championship teams need in their side is a good defensive midfield player.
Images of Bobby Moore or Paolo Maldini always make the casual football fan believe tackles are solely the domain of classy centre-backs. In fact, more tackles are needed in the midfield and if a player is bad at it, there are many consequences; from conceding goals to being red-carded. Hence, a good ball-winning ability allied with a talent for then finding a colleague are necessary for a defensive midfielder and those are not easy qualities to find, especially in this division. Here are two midfielders who have been brilliant defensively:
Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town):
The ever-mobile Australian, on loan from Manchester City, has been an integral part of Huddersfield’s surprising promotion push this term. The 26-year-old has made an impressive 2.6 tackles per game and 0.8 interceptions. Add this to an 82.5% pass completion rate and you have a quality central midfielder on your hands.
Apart from the stats, visually, his performances have been really eye-catching. Positionally sound, he has proven to be a linchpin for the Terriers and could yet guide them to the Premier League before going back to the Etihad in the summer.
Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United):
Hayden arrived at Newcastle from Arsenal last summer with few fans on Tyneside even knowing who he was. However, he has quickly established himself in the team and has gone on from strength to strength. 3 man-of-the-match awards, 2 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game prove his defensive abilities. A 79% pass completion rate is not too shabby either.
Playing at a club like Newcastle United in this division, a player of good quality could get slightly lost in the crowd. Hayden, in fact, does not yet have the sort of following at Newcastle that he deserves. Fans on Tyneside, perhaps understandably, expect a lot and hence it’s easy to not see what a player is doing right.
Hayden has been excellent in his first full season as a first team professional, with Newcastle’s drop in form at home arguably coinciding with his absence. With Hayden set to return after the International break, Newcastle’s form is sure to turn around.
*Stats from Whoscored.com