The Debate: For and Against Ryan Sessegnon’s clean sweep of EFL Awards

Last night was one that Ryan Sessegnon won’t forget in a hurry, with the teenager picking up every trophy available to him at the EFL awards, most notably Player of the Season.

The debate at WhoScored.com this morning revolved around whether he was a worthy winner.

For: Ben McAleer

For 17-year-old Ryan Sessegnon, the sky is the limit and then some. On Sunday night, he mopped up at the EFL Awards, scooping the player of the season, young player of the season and apprentice of the year accolades. It was little more than he deserved after what has been a spectacular campaign. Indeed, Premier League teams continue to circle the Fulham star, who has scored 14 league goals this season, two fewer than every other teenager in the Championship combined.

On Saturday, he became the first ever player outside of the Premier League to be nominated for the Young Player of the Year award, with his Fulham performances not going unrecognised in the club’s quest for automatic promotion. Either way, it’s likely that Sessegnon will be plying his trade in England’s top tier next term, be it with Fulham or elsewhere, and it’s richly deserved for a player who has rapidly outgrown the Championship. Any number of players can lay claim to the title of best player in England’s second tier, but the England hopeful pips them all to the finish line in my opinion.

Be it at left-back or on the left wing, Sessegnon has tormented opposition defences and made little mistake when handed the chance to score. Of the 97 players to have netted five or more Championship goals this season, the Fulham star boasts the fifth best conversion rate (26.4%), while he’s not one to have shirked his defensive responsibilities, as 1.5 tackles per game highlights.

After breaking onto the scene, Sessegnon is now a big fish in a small pond and the best of a very good bunch of Championship performers. With the potential to become one of football’s top players on the left, it’s impossible to find a better player in the league than the Cottagers’ teenage sensation.

Against: Martin Laurence

There’s no doubt whatsoever that Sessegnon is a special talent at his age and a potential star but the furore that his success this season has conjured is a little excessive if you ask me. A direct hand in 20 league goals is an outstanding achievement but too much has been made of the fact that the youngster has achieved such numbers from left-back.

That’s not the case after all, with just two of a superb 14-goal haul this season coming from 19 appearances in a back four, and what has become clear in this campaign in particular is that the 17-year-old’s future lies in attack. It’s his ability to pick up clear goalscoring positions from that left flank that is his greatest strength, with 13 of his aforementioned tally coming from inside the box, of which four have been from inside six yards. Being in the right place at the right time is certainly a skill, but a large proportion of Sessegnon’s goals have been somewhat scrappy, while 43% came in the month of January alone.

Indeed, the Fulham academy product tends to score in batches, with goals in nine of 43 appearances this season. That’s still a very good record, but 22 of his starts have come in advanced positions. Sessegnon hasn’t been as consistent as a number of Championship players this season by comparison, with Ruben Neves the obvious candidate having controlled proceedings for champions elect Wolves. Teammate Barry Douglas has picked up excellent figures from a left wing-back role while Cardiff’s Sol Bamba and Aston Villa's James Chester have been rocks all campaign but didn’t so much as earn a place in the team of the season.

Ryan Sessegnon has had a fantastic campaign in general, but he’s not been on his game as often as a handful of those overlooked by the EFL.

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