James has picked a team to line-up in a 4-4-2 formation, but how many Posh players did the data suggest he picked?
5.
CENTRE-BACK: ROB ATKINSON (Oxford United): Centre-backs are probably the hardest position to judge through data as it is hard to capture elements such as positioning and concentration. This is probably the case with Atkinson who is a data monster at centre back, but perhaps is prone to errors in positioning and concentration which are missed in the numbers. Atkinson has been aerially dominant for Oxford United winning 67.72% of his duels as well as 71.56% of his defensive duels. What really stands out though, and gets Atkinson into this team, is his ball carrying. He averages 2.61% progressive runs per 90 minutes, a figure bettered only by Haydon Roberts of Rochdale. Posh pulled out of a deal to sign Atkinson from Eastleigh for medical reasons. Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
6.
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: GEORGE HONEYMAN (Hull City): George ‘All Action’ Honeyman of Hull City was a shoo-in for this side and will likely feature heavily in player of the season discussions. Stats such as five more assists and a better expected assist per 90 minutes than any other central midfielder in the division would probably earn him a place in the side on their own. But Honeyman combines these attacking numbers with respectable defensive numbers including a defensive duel success rate of 61.08%. Were it not for Honeyman’s extraordinary performances this season MK Dons’ Scott Fraser and Lincoln City’s Jorge Grant could easily have found themselves selected in this XI given their excellent creative and goal scoring numbers this season. Photo: Pete Norton/Getty Images.
7.
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: ALEX GORRIN (Oxford United): I didn’t want to just include creative midfielders in this team as defensive midfielders are often overlooked in team of the year lists. Moreover, if Honeyman is to roam the pitch and do his thing then I need someone to anchor midfield and there is no-one better than Oxford United’s Gorrin, a player who has been a largely unheralded top performer in this division for the past two seasons. Oxford’s shaky start to the campaign coincided with Gorrin being out injured. No midfielder completes more successful defensive actions than Gorrin’s 14.96 and he boasts a good defensive duel success rate of 62.07%. These numbers become even more impressive in the context of playing for a possession-heavy side. Photo: Getty Images.
8.
RIGHT WING: MALLIK WILKS (Hull City): It is impossible to ignore Malik Wilks’ 18 goals for League One leaders Hull City this season. Of players to primarily play on the wing no-one has scored more and only Wigan Athletic’s Callum Lang, who could well have featured in this team himself had he played the full season in League One, has scored at a quicker rate than Wilks’ 0.42 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes. Six assists takes Wilks to a total goal contributions of 24, which again no wide player can match. With an expected assists ranking of 0.26 per 90 minutes, ranking him the third most creative player in League One out of players to play regularly, Peterborough United’s very own ‘assist king’ Joe Ward narrowly missed out on the right wing slot. Photo: Alex Davidson/Getty Images.