New faces, chasers and strugglers – what to look out for in the EFL.
as the cat is away, the mice will play, so as some EFL clubs look to the FA Cup this weekend, their opponents will try to steal a march by scoring points.
Middlesbrough and Coventry fans can spend the weekend pacing up and down in anticipation of their Championship duel under the Monday night lights, but for the time being, let’s focus on what happens on Saturday.
Ed Still takes command of Watford for the first time with the top six in mind, and there is a chance Millwall may push themselves into the automatic promotion debate.
Leagues One and Two feature two first-versus-third matchups, as well as play-off and relegation battles. Here are five things that have captured our attention.
Still steps into Hornets nest
Watford’s appointment of a new head coach isn’t very noteworthy. Watford’s hiring a third head coach in the same season is also not particularly surprising. But Watford’s appointment of Ed Still is undoubtedly news.
Having seen his brother Will flourish on the continent but then fail with Southampton in the Championship this season, his older sibling is determined to enter the tumultuous world of Vicarage Road.
The 35-year-old’s first game comes against fellow play-off contenders Preston (15:00 GMT), and the competitive nature of the Championship means that, despite going six games without a win, a win at Deepdale may propel the Hornets into the play-off places.
The problem for Still is that Watford likes to alter their cogs frequently, and getting off to a winning start will be difficult against a Preston side that knows a win will ensure they finish in the top six on Saturday.
Millwall aiming beyond play-offs?
Now, there may have been a few Millwall fans who hoped to be involved in the Championship play-offs, but how many expected automatic promotion?
There is a long way to go, but a win at doomed Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT) would put them only three points behind second-placed Coventry, who face leaders Middlesbrough at home on Monday.
Millwall have conceded only one goal in their last three games, with last Saturday’s victory against promotion rivals Wrexham setting the tone.
They still have games against Hull City, Ipswich, and Middlesbrough, but first they must travel to Hillsborough, which has boss Alex Neil concerned.
“We need to go there, attack the game, and win it. I don’t want us to think we’ll stroll up and score three goals before halftime; that’s not how football works,” he told BBC Radio London.
Trotters sprinting to stay in League One race.
Cardiff City and Lincoln City have set a fierce pace at the top of the League. One that has appeared to be a matter of when rather than if they will be promoted.
Bolton Wanderers are doing everything they can to avoid that occurring, with a run of four consecutive wins propelling them out of the pack and into contention as they prepare to face second-placed Lincoln on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
“I still believe there will be twists and turns,” Bolton head coach Steven Schumacher stated.
Both teams have 16 points from their last six games to lead the division’s form chart, although the Imps have a six-point advantage over the Trotters.
Regardless of what Schumacher says, even at this point, it feels like a critical meeting for the visitors if Lincoln is not to disappear over the hill and into the Championship.
Williams has Posh flying
Luke Williams admits that he is not the type of man who sits around doing nothing.
He spent some of his eight-month gap between managerial jobs working as a customer service assistant at Bristol Airport, accomplishing “something meaningful with my time”.
Peterborough fans will agree that he has not let the grass grow under his feet since arriving at London Road in October and is “doing something meaningful” with a previously struggling club.
Williams has led Posh from the bottom of League One to eighth place, just five points from the play-offs, after winning five of their last nine league games (but losing four).
Bradford City now holds the final play-off berth, and Williams’ team will face them on Saturday (15:00 GMT). The Bantams are struggling, having lost four of their last six games, and the pursuing pack is closing in.
Barrow wheeling into trouble
There is a lot to be said for getting promoted from the National League.
League Two leaders Bromley will visit another new EFL addition, third-placed Notts County, on Saturday (15:00 GMT), although the situation further down the table is less positive. For those of a certain age, Barrow’s return to the league in 2020 evoked a sense of romance and justice.
In the days before automatic promotion, the bottom four teams in what was then Division Four had to seek for re-election, and in 1972, despite finishing ahead of two other clubs, the Bluebirds were relegated and replaced by Hereford.
Forty-eight years later, Barrow was back. They were leading the National League table when Covid shut off the season, and they were named winners after winning a vote to finish the competition.
There have been a few close calls, including twice narrowly avoiding relegation to the non-league tiers, as well as a near miss in the play-offs when they fell out of the top seven on the penultimate day of the 2023-24 season.
This year is looking dismal, with manager Paul Gallagher ousted on Wednesday after losing all five games during his six-week term and replaced by Dino Maamria, the club’s sixth permanent manager in less than four years.
It moves Barrow three points clear of trouble, with play-off contenders Colchester United visiting on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Following that, Barrow will face bottom-placed Harrogate, and the last day will see a home game against Newport, who are second from bottom – Barrow will not want their problems to escalate.
Cumbria has been without an EFL team for 22 years; Maamria must act quickly if this is not to happen again.
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