Six of the Best: Loan stars lighting up the Championship this season
The Championship table is already starting to take shape after just six matches, with Leeds putting down an early statement as the side to beat in England’s second-tier this season. Nothing is set in stone at this point but we are able to take stock of the first month of Championship action, taking a closer look at some of the loan stars that have caught the eye. In order to assess more accurately, the six top-rated players ranked must have started more than half of the league games on offer.
Dwight Gayle (West Brom) - 7.54 rating
Dwight Gayle wasn’t sure about dropping back down to the Championship at one stage but eventually left Newcastle to join West Brom on a season-long loan deal deep into the summer transfer window. The 27-year-old is one of those players that performs at a higher level to most Championship players but then struggles to make any impact in the Premier League. His start to the season with West Brom has further emphasised that. Gayle has bagged three goals in five Championship appearances for the Baggies, including a wonderful solo effort against Stoke. He has hit the target with seven of the 11 shots he has fired off, earning Darren Moore’s side three points with his goals.
Lee Evans (Wigan) - 7.36 rating
Lee Evans made two appearances for Sheffield United at the start of the season but was deemed surplus to requirements by the Blades and secured a loan move to Wigan. Only two players have won possession in the middle third more times than Evans (27) in the Championship this season and he has played a key role in the Latics’ strong start to the campaign. Not only a ball winner, but the 24-year-old has also excelled going forward. An average of three key passes per league game for Wigan ranks third of all Championship players this season, while he is also drawing a lot of fouls (2.6 per game).
Harvey Barnes (West Brom) - 7.25 rating
For all of the youngsters from Premier League sides to drop down to the Championship over the summer, Leicester’s Harvey Barnes got the least airtime. The 20-year-old has made a thoroughly impressive start to his West Brom career, netting two outstanding goals from outside the box in six appearances. In fact, Derby forward Tom Lawrence is the only other Championship player to have scored multiple times from outside the penalty area this season. Furthermore, only Wigan’s Nick Powell (3.5) averages more shots per Championship game than Barnes (3.3) this season, while only three others are winning more fouls per game than the Leicester starlet (2.8).
Gary Gardner (Birmingham) - 7.15 rating
It’s remarkable that Gary Gardner is still an Aston Villa player and perhaps even more surprising that his latest loan stint, the seventh of his career, is at fierce rivals Birmingham. The Blues have endured a very tough start to the season and are only outside the bottom three on goal difference, but Gardner has at least been a positive for the club. Gardner, who has made four starts, is averaging 5.3 tackles and interceptions combined per game. He is also averaging more passes per game (40) than any other Birmginham player this season and the former England U21 international needs help around him in order for Garry Monk’s side to move up the table.
Reece James (Wigan) - 7.15 rating
Reece James is part of this season’s loan army from Chelsea, with the 18-year-old getting regular playing time for Wigan. The teenage right-back has featured in every league game for the Latics so far this season, starting on five occasions. Of the 22 teenagers that have made an appearance in the Championship so far this season, James has the best WhoScored rating (7.15). James is carrying out his defensive work diligently. An average of 2.2 tackles per game and 2.7 clearances per game is solid, while the novice has only been dribbled past three times - all the more impressive when you consider his position. Not only has James proved effective at the back, but he has also shown an appetite to get forward, completing 1.3 dribbles per game and registering 1.5 key passes per game.
Gil Dias (Nottingham Forest) - 7.14 rating
One of the more eye-catching transfers of the summer was Nottingham Forest’s ability to prise Gil Dias away from Monaco on a season-long loan deal. Forest have the option to make the switch permanent at the end of the season and his early season performances suggest that will be a foregone conclusion. Dias made 27 league appearances on loan at Serie A side Fiorentina last season, after all. Forest have proved hard to beat the season but now need to start turning draws into three points, having drawn four of their opening six games. Dias, who can play on both wings, have excelled more so without the ball than with it, and Forest will hope his creativity in the final third will help them get maximum points more often. Remarkably, only Joe Allen (4) averages more tackles per game than Dias (3.6) in the Championship this season. He ranks in the top-10 for dribbles per game (2.4), but is so far only managing 1.2 key passes per game.
