Here is the first part in the weekly new feature – a look at the Championship form guide.
Each week, after the full set of games have been played, I will write an article showing how the form table has changed, and what that means for the clubs involved, and how it may affect upcoming Tigers matches.
The form guide doesn’t lie, and gives a reflection on how teams are doing based on their last six Championship league outings.
The busy festive fixture list saw four league games played over eight days, so positions in the form guide had the potential to change drastically in a short period of time. A good run over Christmas and you could be near the top within a week, rather than near the bottom. The results from the last outing in the Championship are shown below:
Monday 2nd January
Luton Town 1 – 2 Watford
Coventry City 2 – 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Crystal Palace 2 – 0 Leicester City
Millwall 2 – 1 Derby County
Norwich City 0 – 3 Preston North End
QPR 1 – 1 Burnley
Reading 5 – 1 Cardiff
Sheffield Wednesday 3 – 0 Crewe Alexandra
Southampton 2 – 1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Stoke City 2 – 2 Ipswich Town
Plymouth Argyle 0 – 3 Leeds United
Tuesday 3rd January
Hull City 1 – 3 Sheffield United
The Top Six
So what have these latest results meant for the form guide? Read on below to find out…
Reading continued their amazing run of form and went 27 games unbeaten. Since the form guide features the last six games, Reading are top picking up a possible 16 out of 18 points – the only points dropped were in a 2-2 draw at Derby County on New Years Eve.
Norwich City’s fortunes have taken a turn for the better – although they will be disappointed with the 3-0 home defeat. before that, five successive wins had seen the team move up the table, and have secured second spot in the form guide with 15 points from 18 possible.
Sheffield United have cemented there second place in the Championship with 13 points from 18, a run which has seen them remain 11 points clear of nearest promotion chasing rivals Leeds United.
Leeds United are close on Sheffield United’s tails winning all four games over the Christmas period. That came after a disappointing run of games where they failed to pick up any points – but they still find themselves fourth in the form table with 12 points from 18 available.
Crystal palace have made a surge into the play-offs with some impressive recent performances, meaning the side managed to pick up 11 points over the last 6 games.
Preston North End have moved into the play-offs with a run which has seen them pick up 10 points. The most impressive performance coming in the 3-0 victory over Norwich City – their only defeat in the last six games.
7th to 12th
Hull City are occupying seventh place in the form table, which shows a recent upturn in their fortunes. Picking up 10 points from their last six games looks impressive for a team near the relegation zone. Nine of those points have come at home, with the one away point coming at Crewe.
Queens Park Rangers and Coventry City have also both picked up ten points from their last six games. This is impressive for QPR who are struggling with injuries at the moment but now find themselves in mid-table safety. Coventry have also moved away from the relegation zone – the most impressive performance being the 2-0 home victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost their play-off position due to a poor run of games. The draw specialists will ultimately miss out on the play-offs if they can’t turn draws into victories – but are sure to still be a good bet for a play-off position at the end of the season.
Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town – two teams near the relegation zone have both picked up nine points from eighteen. Plymouth have had some good results, such as the 2-0 victory at Cardiff City, where as Ipswich recently beat Luton Town and picked up a good point away at Stoke City which have helped them move up towards mid-table safety.
13th to 18th
Derby County, Burnley, and Cardiff City have all picked up 7 points from the last 18. Derby are, for them, worryingly near the relegation zone and find themselves only four points clear of the drop zone.
Burnley had a difficult Christmas period and have fallen down the league table from at one time being in the play-offs. Cardiff City have also slumped down the division in recent weeks, and at times are rather unpredictable.
Brighton & Hove Albion have also picked up seven points, but hasn’t been enough to move them out of the drop zone. What will be most disappointing for them will be the home defeat in the relegation six pointer with Millwall.
Watford and Stoke City have had an awful festive period. Both teams have picked up only six points, yet this has been enough for Watford to remain in fourth place. The best moment for Watford will have been the derby victory over arch-rivals Luton Town.
Stoke City have slipped down the table to twelfth position.
The Bottom Six
Millwall have picked up six points over Christmas – the most important being over Brighton. The recent turn in results has been since the arrival of David Tuttle after Colin Lee left his managerial position – but it will still be a big ask to save them from relegation.
Surprisingly Luton, Sheffield Wednesday, and Southampton have only picked up four points from the last six.
Luton have slipped down the league, and continue to do so after losing to Watford. The appointment of George Burley as manager to Southampton hasn’t seen a change in results – but managed to get his first victory over Brighton 2-1.
Sheffield Wednesday suffered a goal drought, but after breaking that to win at Burnley, then scored three past Crewe in a vital relegation game which saw them move out of the drop zone, and plunge Crewe into further trouble.
Crewe Alexandra have struggled over Christmas and have only picked up 2 points from their last six available – a return which has seen them move to bottom of the league and in severe trouble of relegation.
And bottom of the pile is Leicester City who have only picked up one point from the last eighteen. They are in real trouble, and if Levein stays as manager then they will struggle. Now only one point from the bottom, a club of their stature is in real trouble and at the moment only heading in one direction.
Check back after next week’s fixtures to see how it has changed the form guide, and what it holds for the clubs involved…
