The Championship has once again failed to disappoint the hundreds of thousands of fans and outsiders who are captivated by the drama and tales that emerge from English football’s second tier.
In addition to the numerous matches that will go down in history for good or bad reasons depending on the fate of one of the Championship’s 24 teams, fans have been treated to several amazing individual goals and performances.
Of course, statistics do not count for everything, but in today’s game, they are increasingly important when analyzing the overall performance of a team or an individual player at any level.
That being said, out of the many strikers in the Championship, Football League World has looked at which 18 have statistically been the greatest, using WhoScored’s average rating system, and those players must have appeared at least 20 times for their team.
18Will Lankshear – Oxford United
Will Lankshear kicks off this list, having enjoyed a profitable loan spell with Oxford United from Tottenham Hotspur despite the club’s relegation to League One.
The 21-year-old forward has scored double figures for Matt Bloomfield’s team this season after a disappointing spell at West Bromwich Albion, earning an average rating of 6.62 for his overall efforts.
Regardless of whether Spurs are relegated to the Championship, his talents are expected to be in high demand this summer.
17Aune Heggebo – West Bromwich Albion
The Championship has once again failed to disappoint the hundreds of thousands of fans and outsiders who are captivated by the drama and tales that emerge from English football’s second tier.
In addition to the numerous matches that will go down in history for good or bad reasons depending on the fate of one of the Championship’s 24 teams, fans have been treated to several amazing individual goals and performances.
Of course, statistics do not count for everything, but in today’s game, they are increasingly important when analyzing the overall performance of a team or an individual player at any level.
That being said, out of the many strikers in the Championship, Football League World has looked at which 18 have statistically been the greatest, using WhoScored’s average rating system, and those players must have appeared at least 20 times for their team.
18: Will Lankshear of Oxford United vs Derby County.
Will Lankshear kicks off this list, having enjoyed a profitable loan spell with Oxford United from Tottenham Hotspur despite the club’s relegation to League One.
The 21-year-old forward has scored double figures for Matt Bloomfield’s team this season after a disappointing spell at West Bromwich Albion, earning an average rating of 6.62 for his overall efforts.
Regardless of whether Spurs are relegated to the Championship, his talents are expected to be in high demand this summer.
17 Aune Heggebo, West Bromwich Albion
Aune Heggebo celebrates with West Brom
West Brom’s Norwegian forward Aune Heggebo is ranked 17th on this list, having adjusted quite well to the Championship’s rigours despite initially struggling to hit the net on a regular basis.
The 24-year-old was signed from SK Brann for £4.75 million by Ryan Mason last summer, and he has been one of the club’s most consistent performances in a challenging season that has seen points deducted under three different head coaches.
A 6.66 rating is a reasonable depiction of his double-figure goal contribution total, albeit there have been periods of low output.
16 Tyrese Campbell – Sheffield United
Tyrese Campbell’s second season with Sheffield United hasn’t gone as planned, with the Blades finishing in mid-table following last season’s play-off final loss to Sunderland.
The guy who scored the game’s opening goal has only started in slightly more than 20 Championship games this season, having been sidelined since mid-March due to a knee injury, resulting in a 6.68 average rating.
A record of six goals in 34 previous games does not reflect scintillating form for the reputed Celtic and Rangers target, however he will undoubtedly be remembered for his brace in the Steel City derby at Hillsborough on November 23rd.
15George Hirst – Ipswich Town
Although Ipswich Town has started an instant promotion drive back to the Premier League, Kieran McKenna has struggled to score goals as a natural centre-forward.
Despite this, data shows George Hirst as the 15th-best striker in the division, with an average rating of 6.7 out of 10.
The Scotland international has scored double figures for Town this season, but it remains to be seen whether the club will seek an upgrade on his services in the summer window.
14Lewis Dobbin – Preston North End
Next up is Lewis Dobbin, who has impressed on loan at Preston North End from Aston Villa during a mixed season for the Lilywhites.
Paul Heckingbottom’s team has fallen by the wayside since January, with their previous play-off push a distant memory; yet, the 23-year-old has done everything he can with over 15 goals and assists, resulting in a 6.72 average rating.
As a result, transfer speculation has already begun, as Dobbin is unlikely to break into the first-team picture at Villa Park.
13 Colby Bishop – Portsmouth
Portsmouth’s Colby Bishop has an average rating of 6.72, despite a significant drop in front of goal from last season.
The 29-year-old’s 11 goals in 32 games helped John Mousinho’s side survive last season, and while Bishop has appeared more than 40 times this season, he has failed to impress on the goalscoring front, as have a number of his attacking counterparts at Fratton Park.
12 Jordan Ayew – Leicester City
Another curious selection is Jordan Ayew, who has received widespread criticism for his role in Leicester City’s recent relegation from the Premier League to League One.
The seasoned forward is set to be one of several high-profile departures at the King Power Stadium, despite having an average rating of 6.76 this season, despite appearing in fewer than 25 games for the Foxes.
11Luca Kjerrumgaard – Watford
Watford’s summer addition, Luca Kjerrumgaard, is in 11th place after joining on loan from the Hornets’ sister club, Udinese, after scoring numerous goals for Odense previous season.
In terms of metrics, the Danish forward has had a solid season in his debut stay in the Championship, with an average rating of 6.77.
However, since the turn of the year, the club has changed hands twice more in terms of head coach, and the goals have dramatically decreased.
10Yuki Ohashi – Blackburn Rovers
Yuki Ohashi of Blackburn Rovers has climbed into the top ten of this ranking, with an average rating of 6.81.
The combative Japanese international has been a consistent goal scorer in East Lancashire since his debut two summers ago, and he has reached double figures this season.
since a result, it is alarming to consider where Rovers might be without his attacking prowess, since only Sheffield Wednesday have scored fewer goals as a team.
9 Patrick Agyemang – Derby County
Halfway up this list is Derby County’s marquee summer signing, Patrick Agyemang, who has an average rating of 6.84 despite only appearing in half of the season’s matches due to injury.
The USMNT player has scored 10 goals in his first season at Pride Park, which has sparked lots of Premier League interest as the summer transfer window approaches.
However, those developments have slowed substantially since the 25-year-old had a sad achilles injury in April, forcing him to miss the 2017 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in his home country of Canada and Mexico.
8Mihailo Ivanovic – Millwall
Mihailo Ivanovic, Millwall’s highly rated Serbian forward, also has an average rating of 6.84.
At 21 years old, the Lions ace still has a lot of potential to fulfill, which is a tantalising possibility for everyone at The Den, given that he has already scored over 20 goals in less than 90 games for the club.
As a result, it would be unsurprising if the attacker appeared in the Premier League in some capacity in the near future.
7Josh Sargent – Norwich City
Josh Sargent, the only member on this list who does not currently play in the Championship, finished ninth with an average rating of 6.85 in his final 23 league matches for Norwich City.
The USMNT international was the division’s most-wanted striker for a while at Carrow Road, scoring 51 goals in just 121 games due to injury difficulties.
However, following a well-documented conflict with Philippe Clement, he joined MLS club Toronto FC in February, with the Canaries receiving a reputed £17 million starting price.
6 Tommy Conway – Middlesbrough
Tommy Conway, a Middlesbrough forward, is in sixth place with the same rating as Sargent.
The Teesside club has struggled to get goals from centre-forwards this season, with David Strelec and Kaly Sene particularly struggling in their first seasons at the Riverside Stadium.
However, Conway has unquestionably been one of the division’s most underappreciated players in terms of goal contributions and mobility both on and off the ball, particularly since the arrival of Kim Hellberg in November.
5Richard Kone – Queens Park Rangers
Richard Kone, Queens Park Rangers’ summer signing, is seventh, having had a solid debut season in the Championship after previously lighting up League One with Wycombe Wanderers.
Kone has reached double figures at Loftus Road, earning a 6.87 average rating in the process, despite the fact that his goals have dried up in recent weeks as Rangers’ season has stalled in mid-table.
4Zan Vipotnik – Swansea City
Zan Vipotnik of Swansea City is the Championship’s leading scorer.
The Slovenian has proven to be a great buy for the South Wales club, who might make a significant profit on his free move two summers ago.
Despite scoring 23 goals and appearing in barely three-quarters of the campaign’s games, the 24-year-old, who has undoubtedly drawn top-flight interest, has only received an average rating of 6.96.
3Haji Wright – Coventry City
Haji Wright, Vipotnik’s strike partner in the EFL’s Championship Team of the Season, is in third position and will also play in the Premier League with Coventry City.
Despite producing just shy of 20 goals in the Sky Blues’ title-winning season, the USMNT international has faced criticism at times, though those murmurs have largely subsided since his crucial hat-trick against Middlesbrough in February.
It’s unclear whether the 28-year-old will continue to play in the Premier League, but his performances have contributed to an average rating of 7.01.
2Kieffer Moore – Wrexham
Second on this list is Wrexham’s experienced forward, Kieffer Moore, who cost the Red Dragons £2 million last August.
The 33-year-old’s physical presence has been a welcome addition to Phil Parkinson’s side during their first season back at Championship level in almost 40 years, and he has also scored double-figure goals despite the occasional injury absence.
His hat-trick against Coventry on October 31st was unquestionably his best performance within a seasonal average rating of 7.11.
1Oli McBurnie – Hull City
The best-performing striker in the Championship, according to stats, is Hull City’s Oli McBurnie, who has an average rating of 7.26 out of 10.
Despite a transfer fee restriction, the 29-year-old was regarded as the Tigers’ star signing during Sergej Jakirovic’s debut season at the MKM Stadium, and that assessment has been confirmed.
McBurnie, along with Joe Gelhardt, has scored double digits for the East Yorkshire club and surpassed the 20-goal mark for overall contributions, all while gaining crucial second-tier experience.
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