Tuesday night could not have got much worse for Morecambe. Not only did they lose 3-0 to Port Vale, their other relegation rivals won too. So far this season, they have looked overly reliant on the goalkeeping of Barry Roche. The long-serving stopper has turned in some important performances – most notably to preserve a… Read more →
When Mark Marshall and Billy Clarke swapped West Yorkshire for South London this summer, the former was tipped to be more important to Charlton Athletic’s promotion hopes. In fact, Marshall has only played 37 minutes of football due to injury, while Clarke has only missed 67. Karl Robinson’s decision to drop the latter to the… Read more →
This is Leeds United’s toughest period since Thomas Christiansen took charge. They have just lost four of their last five league games, the last against Reading, who began the weekend in the relegation zone. Central midfielders Kalvin Phillips and Eunan O’Kane have qualities, but they are not the most comfortable with the physical side of… Read more →
Fleetwood are one of just two League One teams yet to draw a blank this term. When we look at their performance at Plymouth last time out, it is hardly surprising. That’s not because they created lots of chances in that 2-1 win, but because they created three clear cut chances and finished two of… Read more →
After Norwich City concluded August with a 4-0 thrashing at Millwall, few predicted that they would concede just one goal in their next six and go joint-top of the Championship form table. Grant Hanley’s deadline day arrival was designed to improve a defence that had conceded 12 goals in five games. Improve it did, even… Read more →
Following news that Mansfield boss Steve Evans has dismissed speculation linking him with Gillingham, attention turns to on-field matters. In this Saturday’s trip to Colchester United, the Stags have the chance to pick up a second away win of the season that could take them into the top seven. Their confidence should be lifted by… Read more →
Jack Payne was a little unlucky not to get more game-time in the Championship with Huddersfield, but he has once again shown his class at this level with Oxford United. The ex-Southend number 10 excels at finding pockets of space in front of the defence to create openings. Although he didn’t score at Peterborough last week,… Read more →
Both teams lost last week but neither result was down to a lack effort as much of the quality of the strikers of their opponents, who were ruthless in front of goal. Stoke City might have shipped four goals against Chelsea, but the eventual scoreline did not necessarily reflect the nature of the contest. The… Read more →
The award for Tuesday’s shock result in the EFL goes to Bury’s 3-0 win over Oxford. It felt similar to their 5-1 victory over Peterborough in January last year, in that they had been on such a bad run of form – no wins since the opening day – that no-one expected it. Until that… Read more →
Ian Holloway described his side’s first half performance against Burton Albion last week as the worst he’d ever seen. The half-time arrivals of Matt Smith and Bright Osayi-Samuel inspired an improved second half, which saw Jamie Mackie and Luke Freeman both come close on more than one occasion, but they couldn’t find a way through.… Read more →