EFL power rankings

This is the latest edition of Playmaker’s EFL power rankings. There is one new entrant into the list but a familiar face sits at the top.

10th, Swindon Town

Form: WDWWDD

Victory away at Sutton United last night has moved Ben Garner’s Swindon Town into the top three and the automatic promotion places in League Two. 

The Robins had a tumultuous summer in which they were eventually saved by new ownership with Clem Morfuni taking over the club. The squad was thin and weak with many supporters worrying about back-to-back relegations and falling out of the EFL. However, some strong and surprising recruitment, none more so than the addition of Welsh international Jonny Williams, has led Town into a position where they can mount a serious title challenge. 

9th, Wigan Athletic

Form: LWWLWW

©Getty / Dave Howarth - CameraSport

Leam Richardson took his seemingly relentless Latics’ to the University of Bolton Stadium for a fierce South Lancashire derby at the weekend. They hammered their local rivals 4-0 to continue their serious title challenge but defeat at home to MK Dons last night was a bit of a frustrating set-back.

Wigan’s impressive summer of recruitment, that was tinged with lavish spending on wages for certain players, will mean they should remain in the top six, at least, for the rest of the season. Their performance at home to MK remained a strong one but they will be looking to bounce back against AFC Wimbledon at the weekend. 

8th, Coventry City

Form: DWLWDW

Mark Robins has arguably done the best job of any manager currently in charge of an EFL club at the moment. The former Manchester United player has the Sky Blues tucked inside the top six of the Championship after a fair chunk of the campaign.

They came back being 2-0 down at half-time at Ewood Park on Saturday to earn a 2-2 draw against Blackburn Rovers. They play tonight with the chance to move into the top two and the automatic promotion places, which, considering they were in League Two and collapsing with off-the-field issues, is incredible.

7th, Wycombe Wanderers

Form: DWWWWL

Rotherham United and Wycombe Wanderers played out a goalless draw last night. That was a game between two sides that are expected to challenge for the top two and the automatic promotion places in League One.

Gareth Ainsworth’s side are now unbeaten in their last five matches in a league in a run that stretches back to the end of September. The Buckinghamshire club will be battling for another third division promotion; their second in three years. 

6th, Fulham

Form: WLWDLW

Marco Silva’s reign at Fulham has been a strong one with the odd shocker thrown in so far this season. The Portuguese boss led his Cottagers side to a comfortable 4-1 win against West London rivals Queens Park Rangers at the weekend.

📈 Most league goals this season (top 4 tiers):

27⚽: 💥Fulham, 💥Ipswich
25⚽: Plymouth, Harrogate
24⚽: QPR, Sunderland
23⚽: MK Dons, Morecambe, Forest Green
22⚽: Liverpool, Luton, Wigan#FFC #ITFC pic.twitter.com/PGbctv5Eac

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 20, 2021

That victory was Fulham’s seventh of the campaign – only league leaders AFC Bournemouth have won more than them. They sit firmly inside the top six and have the opportunity to go above West Brom in second this evening. 

5th, Sunderland

Form: WWLWWD

Back-to-back away wins against Gillingham and Crewe Alexandra has left Lee Johnson’s Sunderland tucked inside the top two of League One and the automatic promotion places. They sit one point behind Plymouth Argyle with two games-in-hand.

The one prior concern for The Black Cats was poor form on the road. In their opening four away matches, they failed to win, but they have now won their last three and look certain for a long and sustained title challenge this season.

4th, West Bromwich Albion

Form: WLWWDD

Karlan Grant’s second-half stunner to give The Baggies a derby day victory at home to Birmingham City last Friday night maintains West Brom’s status inside the top two and the Championship automatic promotion places.

©Getty / Adam Fradgley - AMA

Valerian Ismael’s side have been an impressive and effective unit throughout the campaign as they reflect his similar-in-style Barnsley side from last season. 

3rd, Forest Green Rovers

Form: DWLWDW

Rob Edwards has been rightly viewed as one of the most promising up-and-coming coaches in the EFL so far. The former Wolves youth team boss has already instilled an impressive slick and aggressive style of play that creates chances at will but maintains a solidity that FGR will need to sustain their title challenge.

A 2-0 victory away at struggling Scunthorpe United at the weekend was backed up by a relatively decent 1-1 draw against Kenny Jackett’s Leyton Orient in London, last night. FGR sit at the top-of-the-table in League Two. 

2nd, Plymouth Argyle

Form: WWWDDW

Ryan Lowe had enjoyed a very successful young career. The former Bury striker led Bury to League Two promotion in his first season as a manager before leaving and performing the same trick with Plymouth Argyle. A terrible second-half to last season did leave Lowe under pressure at The Pilgrims.

This season, though, has been extremely impressive. Their 3-0 thumping of Bolton Wanderers last night keeps the Devon club at the top-of-the-table in League One after 14 games. That win extended their unbeaten run of form to 13 matches since they lost to Rotherham United on the opening day of the season.

1st, AFC Bournemouth

Form: WWWDWW

Scott Parker’s short managerial CV already has a promotion on it and he looks set to be, at the very least challenging to the end, for another one this time around. The Cherries defeated Stoke by a goal to nil, in Stoke, last night.

They sit at the top-of-the-table with a few points gap over their closest opponents, West Brom. They are unbeaten in 13 matches so far with a squad that boasts genuinely excellent experience in the likes of Gary Cahill as well as the genuinely excellent youngsters littered across the pitch. It has been an exceptional start to their campaign.

📈 Longest unbeaten league runs (top 4 tiers; 2021/22):

1⃣3⃣: 🔥Bournemouth*, 🔥Plymouth
1⃣1⃣: Exeter
1⃣0⃣: West Brom
8⃣: Liverpool*, MK Dons
7⃣: Man City, Millwall, Preston, Rotherham, Wigan

* unbeaten this season.#AFCB #PAFC pic.twitter.com/jR7H5ofPz6

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 20, 2021