League 1 continues to deliver excellent football, brilliant
goals, fascinating results and more managers facing the pressure and axe from
clubs. Two managers were sacked during November as Portsmouth continue to boss
League 1 with Sunderland hot on their heels. Meanwhile the bottom 4 are a
little bit cut off from the rest. Bristol Rovers, Plymouth, AFC Wimbledon and
Bradford just cannot get their seasons going on a consistent basis.
One side firmly in the groove is leaders Portsmouth who are flying at the top of
the table. Pompey have a 4-point cushion over closet rivals Sunderland and
despite playing just 3 games during November, Pompey won all 3 matches and
continue to boss the league. The likes of Ronan Curtis, Jamal Lowe, Oliver
Hawkins, Gareth Evans and Tom Naylor are in brilliant form. However, the secret
to Portsmouth’s success is their away form which is the best in the EFL. Kenny
Jackett is man who delivers in League 1 and he has firmly got Portsmouth in a
groove as he aims for a 3rd promotion from League 1. An experienced
manager at this level who right now has created an unstoppable force. One manager
at the other end of the managerial experience spectrum is Jack Ross who is in
his first managerial job in England after a terrific spell at St Mirren. Given
the task of getting Sunderland back
into the Championship, Ross is doing an excellent job so far with the Black Cats
sitting in the top 2 and have lost just once all season. Another unbeaten month
saw Sunderland collect 8 points from their 4 games and overall are unbeaten in
their last 11 league games. Sunderland’s young cats are pouncing towards promotion
and Jack Ross has certainly got them playing and like Portsmouth, they are extremely
tough to beat and are in imperious form right now. The sides making up the
play-offs are Luton, Peterborough,
Barnsley and Charlton. Nathan Jones is doing a sensational job with Luton with the Hatters lying 3rd
in the table following their promotion from League 2. They are exciting to
watch and picking wins left, right and centre. They’ve won 8 of their last 10
games including 3 of their 4 matches in November. Goals are flowing, and their
defence is one of the tightest in the league. Goals are spread across the whole
team with Elliott Lee leading the line up front with 10 goals so far while
defenders James Justin and Matty Pearson are also chipping in with goals. Meanwhile,
it hasn’t been the best month for Barnsley and Peterborough both struggling to keep
up with the top 2 sides. Daniel Stendel has undeniably made an excellent start
at Barnsley, but they are winless in
their last 2 league games after winning their previous 3. The Tykes are scoring
goals, but they are conceding more in recent weeks and their high pressing
style will be caught out on some occasions as they found out at Sunderland. The
tykes are 5th in the table 5 points behind Sunderland. Peterborough also endured a rough patch
winning just once in November that coming in their most recent game against
Wimbledon. A 3-match winless run saw Posh drop out the top 2 and into 4th
spot. Steve Evans has bemoaned his sides lack of potency and defensive lapses
which have cost his side. Despite that, Evans will be satisfied as they are
right where they need to be at this stage of the season. 6th place Charlton have a storming month winning
all 4 of their matches which has seen them take a firm grip on their play-off place.
Lee Bowyer will be delighted with his sides performances and he will believe automatic
promotion isn’t out of their reach. Lyle Taylor and Karlan Grant are forming a
dangerous partnership up top for the Addicks notching 19 goals between them so
far this season and with those firing, it would very hard to rule Charlton out
the promotion race.
Another side who enjoyed November was Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe after winning 3 of their 4
matches and drawing the other. Ainsworth has done a magnificent job with the Chairboys
and the transition from League 2 to League 1 has been seamless. They are efficient,
hardworking and resilient and they’re on a terrific run which has seen them
move from the relegation battle into 10th place just outside the
play-off places. 5 wins in their last 7 games has ignited their season and it’s
no surprise there is a real buzz around the football club. Even injuries to both
senior goalkeepers haven’t disrupted them with reliable keepers Matt Ingram,
David Stockdale and Stephen Henderson drafted in on emergency loans. Wycombe
are having a terrific season and there is no reason why it cannot continue
going into the hectic festive period.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, with Ainsworth
doing a terrific job, other managers are struggling and two this month have
paid the price. Neal Ardley, the 3rd longest serving manager in the 4
English leagues was sacked by Wimbledon
after a run of 7 straight defeats and overall 11 defeats in 13 with just 2 wins
in that time. Simon Bassey has been in caretaker charge throughout November
notching 1 win and losing the other two games under his stewardship. Wimbledon
are desperately struggling for goals just 14 scored in the league while their defence
is leaking far too many conceding 30 in their 20 league games. A big job ahead
for new manager Wally Downes. Downes a former Wimbledon player will be aware of
the task ahead, but he comes with experience having coached at the likes of
West Ham and QPR. However, he must start well and get them going from the off
starting at home to Rochdale this weekend with the club 7 points off safety and
in desperate need of a change of fortunes. While Downes’ appointment has been
met with trepidation and controversy with charity Kick it Out condemning the
appointment following Downes’ comments on Twitter a while ago. Downes comes
with a difficult task for his first managerial job but with the Wimbledon way
in his blood, he will be determined to drag them out of trouble. The other side
to part ways with their manager is Shrewsbury
who have sacked John Askey after a disappointing start to the season. Askey who
only took over in the summer, leaves following a run of just 4 wins in 17 league
games. His last game was an FA Cup draw to non-league Salford City at Montgomery
Waters Meadow. Askey joined Shrewsbury on a high after guiding Macclesfield to
promotion to League 2. But for one reason or another, things just didn’t work
out and Shrewsbury will move on to their new manager. Danny Coyne has been on
caretaker charge throughout November and won 2 of his 3 league games in charge
and safely saw their progression into the second round of the FA Cup. Askey’s
successor is the former Bolton, Wolves and Wales defender Sam Ricketts who
joins from National League side Wrexham. Ricketts leaves Wrexham after just 4
months in charge where he guided Wrexham to 4th in the table.
Ricketts inherits a side in 15th place and on a decent run of form
and has even kept all the backroom staff and Ricketts himself said ‘If it’s not
broke, don’t fix it’. Ricketts started well winning a cup tie against Walsall
in midweek but his first league game in charge is on the horizon. A trip to Burton
kicks off Ricketts’ tenure and he will be relishing the chance to get
Shrewsbury firing.
Wimbledon are in the bottom 4 and are joined by Plymouth, Bradford and Bristol Rovers.
All 3 clubs are struggling, and the pressure is mounting on their managers Derek
Adams, David Hopkin and Darrell Clarke. Plymouth
are struggling and just cannot gain consistency in their form. 1 win in their 4
league games during November with the Pilgrims losing the other three. Adams has
been critical of the players and the fans this season with Adams even telling
fans to stay away if they aren’t coming to support the team. Adams is under
pressure and a poor December could spell the end and they really need an improved
run of form with the club 5 points off safety. Meanwhile at Bristol Rovers, Darrell Clarke has already
been given the dreaded vote of confidence. They’ve lost their last 3 matches
and overall have won just twice in their last 11 league games. Rovers are
conceding poor goals and struggling to find the net themselves and their form
at home is poor for a side that was competing well last season. Clarke is under
pressure and the fans will demand improvement with the games coming thick and
fast throughout December. There is somewhat of a crisis at rock bottom Bradford. Things are very disappointing
on the pitch with just 2 wins in Hopkin’s 15 league games. However, things are
not better off the pitch with chairman Edin Rahic being sacked and the fans
protesting about their German’s owners running of the club. A fantastic
football club is having a nightmare season and with things not improving in any
part of the club, there must be radical changes whether that be getting rid of David
Hopkin or new owners to galvanise the football club. The managerial axe could
fall on three managers in discussion if things don’t vastly improve with the
season on the cusp of the halfway stage.
The festive period is upon us and it’s the most exciting time
for football fans with games coming thick and fast and opportunities for teams
to really get their seasons going. There are plenty of mouth-watering games to
come throughout December including Plymouth
vs Bradford, Walsall vs Coventry, Portsmouth vs Charlton, Doncaster vs Scunthorpe,
Barnsley vs Portsmouth, Shrewsbury vs Peterborough, Portsmouth vs Sunderland,
Wimbledon vs Plymouth, Barnsley vs Peterborough, Sunderland vs Bradford, Oxford
vs Bristol Rovers, Barnsley vs Charlton and Fleetwood vs Portsmouth. The
festive period will bring excitement, goals and more excellent football with
the most wonderful time just around the corner.
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