League 1 has made its
return and has brought plenty of goals, nice football, some surprising results
and a few managerial changes and we are only in the opening month of the season.
Peterborough and Portsmouth lead the way at the top having collected 16 points
from their opening 6 games while Sunderland, Barnsley and Walsall are not far
behind. While Plymouth prop up the table after another poor start to the season.
Shrewsbury, Oxford United and Bristol Rovers make up the bottom 4.
Peterborough and
Portsmouth have made excellent starts to the season and have won 5 of their opening
6 games. Both Steve Evans and Kenny Jackett are experienced promotion winners
at this level so its no surprise those two lead the way. Peterborough have had
a complete squad revamp and so far, it’s certainly Jason Cummings, Sikiri
Dembele and Mark O’Hara who have caught so far with Cummings smashing goals with
winger Dembele creating and scoring while O’Hara is bossing midfield and adding
a few goals to an already strong attack. While down on the south coast it has
been a wonderful opening month for Pompey and new signing Ronan Curtis has caught
the eye. The Irishman signed from Derry in the transfer window and has made a
wonderful start to his Portsmouth career scoring 4 goals in 6 league games. He
has pace and tricks in his locker and he can only get better as the season
progresses. Like the top 2, Sunderland, Barnsley and Walsall have all made unbeaten
starts but are 2 points further back. Both relegated Sunderland and Barnsley
have started well under new managers Jack Ross and Daniel Stendel. Ross has
revamped Sunderland and built a team capable of promotion and while they might
not be in full gear, they remain unbeaten and playing some nice football. While
the high pressing German philosophy has made it to South Yorkshire and Barnsley
have been exciting and rampant in front of goal in the opening scoring 4 twice
so far against Oxford and Rochdale. Kieffer Moore has had an excellent opening
month of the season notching 6 goals so far.
Some of the new managers
in League 1 have had mixed fortunes in the opening month of the season. Rookie
Joey Barton has had a good start in charge of Fleetwood collecting 11 points
from their opening 6 games. Barton is determined to be a success and slowly is
installing a winning mentality in the Cod Army. In contrast, it has been a slow
and disappointing start for John Askey at Shrewsbury with no win and 3 draws in
his opening 6 league games. While Shrewsbury’s squad is completely changed following
the play-off final defeat, the club has built a solid squad yet to really gel
as a team and Askey quickly needs to find a winning solution. However, Michael
Collins despite winning 2 of his opening 6 league games, he has been sacked by
Bradford. Despite lying in 17th place, its clear Bradford’s owners
are unhappy with their start to the season and have replaced Collins with
former Livingston manager David Hopkin. Hopkin has an excellent promotion record
having guided Livingston to back to back promotions to the Scottish Premiership
and Bradford’s owners will hope he can deliver promotion for the Bantams. Another
side with a new manager is Blackpool after Gary Bowyer resigned after the
opening day draw with Wycombe. While it is still unknown as to why he left, his
assistant Terry McPhillips has had a good spell in caretaker charge and will be
confident he can get the job full time.
The promoted sides
from League 2 have had mixed fortunes in their starts to the new season.
Accrington Stanley have had the best start in their first ever League 1 season.
Accrington have collected 9 points from their opening 6 league games and are unbeaten
since losing to Gillingham on the opening day of the season. Billy Kee has made
a good start and he is vital to John Coleman’s team and he has notched 2 goals so
far. Luton have also started well collecting 8 points from their opening 6 games
and have taken time to click after starting slowly but a solid finish to August
has seen the Hatters end the month in 9th. Its been a more difficult
opening month for Wycombe and Coventry. Wycombe are a point better off with 6
but have notched just 1 win so far. Likewise, Coventry have also notched just 1
win and are in 19th with just 5 points and Mark Robins has made
plenty of new signings so it is certainly a working progress at Coventry and
will take a few games for Coventry to click as a team.
Grant McCann has
certainly had a good impact at Doncaster in his opening month in charge of the
club. Doncaster are in 7th place collecting 9 points from their
opening 6 games and have lost just once against Burton. They are looking an enterprising
side and certainly McCann will want Doncaster’s momentum to carry into
September. Charlton will also be hoping to carry good momentum into September
after finally giving Lee Bowyer the full-time manager’s job after 6 months in
caretaker charge as the club continues takeover talks. On the pitch, Charlton
sit in 10th with 8 points and are starting to click into gear and
certainly their month ending win over Southend highlights Charlton’s
determination to succeed. Bowyer wants promotion and after finally been given
the job, he will be more determined than ever to deliver. Gillingham also sit
in the top half of the table after collecting 7 points from their opening 6 games.
However, they are on a run of 4 games without a win after starting brilliantly
with back to back wins. Steve Lovell’s side have played some good stuff but
since their opening 2 victories, they have struggled to find the winning formula
again. However, they pack a punch up front with Tom Eaves and Josh Parker who
have notched 6 between them so far this season.
The sides in the
bottom 4 are currently Plymouth, Shrewsbury, Oxford and Bristol Rovers. Plymouth
are becoming synonymous at starting a League 1 season slowly and the Pilgrims
find themselves bottom of the table without a win and 2 points. They are
struggling to see out games and score goals. Creative forces Graham Carey and
Ruben Lameiras are yet to shine so far this season and when they don’t, Plymouth
generally struggle. Oxford United have also started slowly. However, despite
losing their opening 4 matches, the U’s have picked up and secured a win and a
draw in their last 2 league games and that is certainly a good platform to take
into September. Bristol Rovers are also struggling and currently sit in 21st
after notching just 4 points. The pirates are lacking a winning instinct and
have threw away leads this season against Accrington and Shrewsbury which has
cost them points. Darrell Clarke is good manager and they have a decent team
but they must have an excellent September to dampen the worries of a potential relegation
battle this season.
Southend, Rochdale
and Burton find themselves in 13th, 14th and 15th
after the opening month of the season. Southend have been the most creative
side in the league in terms of shots on goal however, their conversion rate is disappointing,
and they haven’t been taking their chances and Chris Powell knows they have
quality firepower to put them in play-off contention and he will be hoping
September is the month where the strikers fire Southend to more victories.
Rochdale have been mixed with their performances with disappointing home defeats
to Barnsley and Peterborough conceding 4 in both games. While the fans may expect
them to lose to promotion contenders, they are unhappy with the manor of the
defeats and Keith Hill has even dared to be sacked which is a huge risk for any
manager to say. He will be hoping for a strong September to ease the fans’
major concerns. Burton have taken a while to get going having notched 2 wins at
home to Doncaster and AFC Wimbledon. The Brewers away form is their major problem
having lost all 3 of their away games so far carrying on their form from the
Championship.
The final two clubs we
are yet to discuss is AFC Wimbledon and Scunthorpe. It started brightly the new
season for Neal Ardley and Wimbledon having collected an opening day win
against Fleetwood. However, a run of 5 games without a win has left them dangerously
close to the bottom 4. They had an excellent start not conceding in their
opening 3 games but since conceding 3 against Walsall, Ardley’s men have been
severely leaking goals and Ardley must quickly address this issue to give his
side a chance in matches. Scunthorpe also started well with victory at Coventry
but a 4-game winless run seeing them lose heavily to Sunderland and Fleetwood
cost Nick Daws his job after 5 games in full charge. Former Motherwell ad
Bradford boss Stuart McCall is the man tasked with taking Scunthorpe to the
Championship. McCall’s first game didn’t end their winless run after they drew
with Accrington. McCall will be confident he can deliver promotion but must
start well to install belief in the Scunthorpe fans and win at Glanford Park starting
against Rochdale because Glanford Park hasn’t been its usual fortress self so
far this season.
League 1 has been
eventful in the opening month and no doubt September will be full of goals,
excellent football and more decisions both on and off the pitch for managers
and owners with some clubs under pressure to perform. While others need to
change their form and September is certainly a month that offers good
indications as to where a clubs season is heading.
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