It's July.... and that means the football season kicks off this month in the Football League.
To Coincide with this, the Fantasy Championship game has launched this morning on Gaffr.io
Being an avid Coventry City fan, I've dabbled a bit with Gaffr since our return to the championship, but haven't really immersed myself of the game and played it more as a casual, than a devoted player of the game, but this year I want to take it more seriously, and have pulled together a first draft, and will highlight some of the players that have caught my eye from my first look this season.
GK - Freddie Woodman - Preston - £5.0m
I think Woodman is an excellent signing for Preston, and they are a team I'm expecting to impress this season. Having kept 32 clean sheets in 88 Championship appearances, having impressed on loan at both Swansea and Bournemouth in recent seasons.
DEF - Harry Darling - Swansea - £5.0m
Graphic courtesy of the excellent @Foreseeaball on twitter
Another new signing that I'm impressed with. Darling scored 10 goals in all competitions last season for MK Dons, and I expect he will continue to provide an excellent attacking threat after stepping up a level this season.
MID - Scott Twine - Burnley - £8.0m
Another highlight of MK Don's season, Scott Twine has made the step up to the Championship with newley relegated Burnley. Twine first caught my eye in a pre-season friendly for Swindon Town against my beloved sky blues in 2021, scoring an absolute screamer. Last season though, Twine took his game to another level, with 20 goals and 13 assists from midfield in League One. Even if he can replicate a fraction of that form, he has the potential to be a snip at £8.0m
MID - Zian Flemming - Millwall - £7.5m
Millwall have broken their transfer record to sign the former Ajax Youngster, and have handed him the number 10 shirt, so fans can be rightfully excited by the prospect of seeing Flemming line up for them. With 27 goals and 11 assists for Fortune Sittard over his last two season and can play as a number ten or on either flank. Expect to see his trademark muscle flex celebration becoming a regular fixture in games at the Den next season.
FWD - Matty Godden - Coventry - £6.5m
Super Matty Godden. The most handsome man in all of English football. He's also a bloody good finisher. The only concerns with Godden are staying fit. In the three seasons he's been at Coventry, he's always missed good chunks of the season due to injury. If he stays fit though, he scores goals. With 0.69 goals per appearance last season, only Aleksandr Mitrovic, Dom Solanke (both promoted) and Ben Brereton Dias were more prolific than Godden.
FWD - Viktor Gyokeres - Coventry - £8.0m
Alongside Godden, Gyokeres was the Gaffr darling of last season. Despite a goal drought of nearly 4 months (which coincided with a rather nasty ankle knock which the Swede played through). He scored 17 goals, and combined them with 5 assists in his breakout championship season. Following a difficult loan spell at Swansea, where he struggled to get minutes, Gyokeres has seemed to find a home at Coventry, and long may it continue. His pace and power allows him to lead the line on his own, or play as a partner to Godden, and allows him to create shooting opportunities for himself.