SQUAD SELECTOR 25/26: League One
Ali Maxwell drafts a 24-man squad, picking only one player per club. For part two of three, we're in League One.
I really do take these far too seriously…
… but from what I can tell, you guys enjoy this series. So let’s go again. League One Squad Selector.
Three goalkeepers are compulsory. The rest is up to me, except for one strict rule: I can only select one player per club. The goal is to select a squad that provides a realistic tactical blend – a team that could actually make sense on the pitch, rather than just looking good on Fantasy EFL.
All this to compete in a fictional tournament: the Third Tier World Cup. Our main competition, per Opta’s League Rankings, comes from:
Spain’s Primera División RFEF
The German 3. Liga
The French Championnat National
Good on the Germans for being the only ones not trying to hide the fact that this is the third tier, by the way. “League One”. “Primera”. “Championnat”. Who are you kidding?
Got a better XI? Go on — back it up in the comments.
GOALKEEPERS
Liam Roberts (Mansfield), Cameron Dawson (Rotherham), Joe Gauci (Port Vale)
I’d like to be candid with you. This isn’t the strongest part of the squad. The League One goalkeeping cohort strikes me as solid, not spectacular this season.
Thankfully, Liam Roberts is excellent and - per Fbref - has the highest save % in the league. He’s faced EIGHT penalties, saving one, which is a small concern for any shootouts. It does mean that his save % for non-penalty shots on target is 95 saves from 122, a very healthy 77.8%. Cameron Dawson and Joe Gauci’s shot-stopping numbers are decent enough, even if their teams have had poor seasons. But please don’t get injured, Liam.
