With the season coming to a close and Mansfield confirming their promotion after beating Accrington Stanley 2-1 on Tuesday night. The weekend before featured the English Football League awards ceremony in which the League Two team of the season was revealed. With Mansfield Town receiving three players within the team as well as Nigel Clough winning the manager of the season award.
But with all the detailed stats that are available, could the Stags have realistically had a clean sweep, let’s have a look to see how they compare (though the formations both plays differ slightly).
First of all, let’s start off with Mansfield’s number one Christy Pym. Pym had a difficult first season at Field Mill on loan from Peterborough United but since his permanent move in the summer he has not looked back. A very reliable goalkeeper and with previous League One experience Pym has shone for Mansfield, keeping 16 clean sheets, making 101 saves and has only conceded 45 goals.
In comparison, Wrexham’s Arthur Okonkwo has been a key performer for the Welsh side and has impressed in his debut season after signing from Sturn Graz in Austria. Okonkwo has only conceded 29 goals this term and has prevented 9. 43 xG (expected goals) proving why he has been so integral, below is a few stats on how they two-star number 1s compare.
I think I’ll just let Wrexham take it on this one they’ve got a quality keeper in their ranks though both very dependable.
Oknonkwo Pym
Games Played 34 44
Clean Sheets 13 14
Saves 105- 78.4% 101- 69.2%
Errors 1 0
Accurate long balls 196- 34.6% 227- 36.9%
Moreover, every good keeper needs a strong defence in front of them, that won’t give up easy chances to the opposition. For this position Flint is a standout candidate and has deservedly earned himself in the team of the season, I’ve been impressed by his leadership and his determination to prevent the ball going into the net. Having made 17 blocks and 40 interceptions he is a Rolls Royce defender who wins the majority of his aerial duels (69.2%) and despite a lack of pace this does not affect him one bit.
Due to the 3-5-2 the team of the season is lined up, there are two centre back which we can compare with Mansfield’s star loan player Lewis Brunt. The 23-year-old has impressed Clough and his parent club Leicester who, seem destined to return to the topflight. Despite his inexperience, Brunt has played 34 times and comes away with ball more times than not, 179 (56.4%) whilst being assured in possession.
On the other hand, the other centre backs that made it in was Stockport County’s captain, Fraser Horsfall and Crewe’s Mickey Demetriou. The former can not be disputed about his influence for the champions making 2350 successful passes, winning 68.4% of his duels and 73.3% of his aerial duels, showing his immense dominance over League Two strikers. Demetriou is a player who’s more impressive attributes have been going forward recording 8 goals and 6 assists, numbers impressive for an attacking player.
For me Brunt partners Flint and Horsfall in defence, bringing a blend of youth and experience.
Flint Horsfall Brunt Demetriou
Games played 44 43 34 44
Tackles 24 25 22 27
Interceptions 40 52 42 69
Duels won 380- 69.2% 379- 68.4 179- 60.3 369- 62.4%
Dribbled past 17 15 13 17
Recoveries 177 213 150 250
Furthermore, the full backs are an important aspect of any Clough team and players he can believes can put in a job and this season the two that featured the most are the versatile Jordan Bowery and Baily Cargil. Stags’ number nine has in truth only played a handful of games up top and has regularly been called into defence.
Boasting impressive stats in the process, playing 42 matches, creating 28 chances, holding a 81% pass accuracy and winning 51.7% of his duels. This shows he can do both sides of the game, with Cargil also posting impressive defensive stats almost 60% tackle success rate, 154 recoveries and being a goal threat as well with 5 goals, all in only 36 games.
The two players that are in the team of season are Notts County’s Jodi Jones and Bradford’s Bradley Halliday. Jones picked up the player of the season and recording 24 assists especially at wing back it is hard to question his place regardless of any other stats.
However, Halliday’s position is more at question, he’s played 41 matches and, in that time, created 49 chances, had 7 shots on target and won 61% of his tackles.
But I think Bowery just edges this contest for me. Have a think what you think, with these stats below potentially helping.
Bowery Cargill Jones Halliday
Games played 42 36 41 41
Goals 2 5 6 4
Assists 1 2 24 3
Chances created 28 19 72 49
Tackles won 44- 56.4% 37- 57.8% 24- 60% 72- 61%
Dribbled past 32 26 16 30
Next, is the engine room in centre of midfield and there has been no one better than Mansfield’s maestro Louis Reed, who has been the best in the League for setting the tempo of a game and giving it to the more creative players in front of him. He has simply been untouchable at times, making 80% of his passes successful, 74 interceptions and 352 recoveries, a staggering amount.
The other midfield spot is more debatable with Mansfield legend Stephen Quinn scoring the winner that took the Yellows up and George Maris, an underappreciated member of the squad. Up against them is Wrexham’s Elliot Lee who has seamlessly made the transition from National League to League Two.
The 29-year-old has 16 goals and 5 assists this season and while those number are similar with Maris and Quinn especially, with the latter picking up 11 assists while missing a proportion of the season through injury.
I’m sure you will agree with the stats below that the Wrexham man deserves a spot in the team of the season.
Maris Quinn Lee
Games played 41 30 44
Goals 10 4 16
Assists 6 11 5
Chances created 62 55 69
Successful passes 1058- 83.1% 764- 79.3% 1400- 79.9%
Poss won in final third 22 16 16
Tackles 46– 63.9% 22- 65.6% 42-63.6%
In the attack, there can be no debate about the inclusion of one man in Davis Keillor-Dunn. A star in every way this season for Clough and the Stags, perhaps being unfortunate to not win League 2 player of the season. The 26-year-old has been in impeccable form, scoring 21 times and supplying 10 assists, creating 98 chances and having 154 shots (64 on target) he has simply been Mansfield’s talisman.
However, the two in front of him are up for reasonable debate with Will Swan impressing in the second half of the campaign and Lucas Akins continually being a handful for League 2 defenders despite being 35.
But competing against them are 27 goal Macaulay Langstaff and 23 goal Matt Smith. Two forwards that are completely different in the way they play but both knowing where the back of the net is. Whereas, Mansfield have tended to share the goals with the exception Keillor-Dunn.
The stats below show there are more to Swan’s and Akins’ game though.
Swan Akins Smith Langstaff
Games played 35 43 44 44
Goals 9 12 23 27
Assists 5 2 3 6
Shots 51 93 55 168
Shots on target 23 36 56 68
xG 7.43 15.2 18 31.9
Dispossessed 28 65 22 29
Duels won 32.9% 42.5% 61.6% 29.6%
(Aerial) (16.1%) (43.9%) (64.4%) (24.3%)
Super Mansfield 