League One Centre-back of the Season: Ezri Konsa

Konsa shows promise – zimbio.com

Back in August, The Football Lab was on a train to Walsall and met two visiting Charlton Athletic fans. The name that kept cropping up was Ezri Konsa, a teenage centre-back who had been one of their best players in the first few games.

Konsa again impressed in a 2-1 win at the Bescot, his discipline and calmness standing out both that day and in the first half of the season.

Then came a tough moment for the academy graduate. He made one horrific error that led to a Millwall goal in the South London derby at the Den just before Christmas. A sympathizer might suggest that none of the other 10 players showed up that day, but that did not stop him taking the wrath of angry supporters.

The maturity of Konsa’s reaction to that night belies his 19 years, helping his side concede just six goals in the subsequent eight games. That run included a clean sheet in the next game at MK Dons, another against the Lions a month later, followed by a 10-man triumph at promotion contending Bolton.

The latter saw Konsa dominate Gary Madine, one of the best strikers in League One. The week after, he and the Charlton back-line kept out a free-scoring Fleetwood side for 94 minutes, before being denied victory by a sickening late leveller.

In an underwhelming campaign for Charlton, their defensive displays against some of the division’s best teams is a big part of why the club is not now fearing successive relegations. Not many players can take credit, but Konsa is one of them.