Five things in the EFL: New year, new hopes, new fears

It’s much better to spend the night working out the various combinations that will get your team where you want them than it is on New Year’s Eve because it’s overrated.

What have Watford been drinking lately, and is it time to take Hull City seriously in the Championship?

In League One, surprise names appear at both ends of the table, while Huddersfield, a big dog, is a reality.

Hull City needs to be discussed. No, we actually do.

It’s time we took notice when four victories from a five-game unbeaten run come in handy, but when you factor in victories against Middlesbrough, Millwall, West Bromwich Albion, and Wrexham, it’s obvious.

Additionally, Joe Gelhardt, the Championship’s joint second-best scorer, may need to wait at least another fortnight before he can add to his 10 goals, while Mohamed Belloumi, a winger, has also been added to the list of casualties.

The Tigers have quietly slipped into fourth place, two points clear of the automatic promotion spots, under Sergej Jakirovic, a previously unknown boss.

After Monday’s victory at Middlesbrough, Jakirovic expressed his satisfaction that the team is playing well and that it will push this goal, but it won’t be simple because everyone is struggling with injuries.

He has won titles in his native Bosnia and Croatia, but his ability to sustain it with limited trading options in the January transfer window will put his skills to the test.

Also, before East Yorkshire fans get too excited, they might want to take a look at Thursday’s MKM Stadium opponent Stoke (15:00 GMT) before they get too excited.

The Potters are now in 10th place, four points off the top six, after falling behind in their previous seven outings, as they did at the end of November.

There is something about the Hornets and Javi Gracia that just works, despite the fact that it is not often the words “perfect fit” and “manager” and “Watford.”

Even though they only hired him four months after he had won the FA Cup final and had already held 12 appointments, he is now back on his feet as the Prince of, well, Vicarage Road.

Watford moved into the play-off places for the first time this season thanks to their dramatic late-game victory over Norwich on Monday, where they currently lead the Championship’s form guide with 14 points from an unbeaten six-game run.

“I adore Christmas working!” Never did I anticipate having the ability to say it. After Carrow Road won, Gracia described it as “extraordinary” to have three wins in a row.

It’s something to be proud of, the team, and the players who are also involved, “.

Although it is 17th vs. 12th in the context of a Championship season, which makes it seem like a big game (during the GMT period) and could be seen by those who aren’t directly involved, meh?

So why do we want to highlight something a little meh? Because it is a little meh and shouldn’t be, it is.

Sheffield United finished second in the table this year before falling in the play-off final, while Leicester, in the Premier League, had just lost to Liverpool and Manchester City in successive games.

Both were anticipated to be challenging this season, but they are not for a variety of reasons.

After six straight defeats to the season, the Blades realized Chris Wilder was the way to go, so they hired him back to take over as Ruben Selles.

Leicester have threatened to enter the promotion race despite the possibility of a points deduction, but sporadic defensive horror shows like a 4-1 hammering at QPR have prevented them.

Huddersfield Town have had nine managers since being dropped from the Premier League in 2019 to reclaim the position.

They come in all shapes and sizes: old people, club legends, Europeans, and now Lee Grant, a rookie in his first role as the top man.

The Terriers are a big dog in League One, with crowds of 18 000 and a squad that many people envy.

Three straight wins have given the impression that they may be about to end. It has been a stuttering season.

Last year, League One was home to two of the bottom four League Two players.

19 months ago, League Two’s leaders were a non-league team.

Some people lose out on opportunities, but no one respects reputation.

As Shrewsbury and Rovers of Bristol meet in Shropshire (15:00 GMT) with their heads just above the dreaded dotted line, they will not regret seeing the back of 2025 come to an end.

Rovers are currently the EFL’s worst performers after losing 30 league games. With their respective league standings in jeopardy, Shrewsbury lost 27 games, making them joint-second worst. Both of those losses resulted in relegation, so this might not be for the faint-hearted.

Bromley, in contrast, have embraced the EFL like a duck under Andy Woodman, who won 11th overall and is now leading the charge with a five-game winning streak.

They will want to extend that record to Newport, which is currently the only EFL team without defeat, at home (15:00 GMT).

Shrewsbury and Rovers of Bristol will be interested in helping the Ravens.