The EFL Championship has had many dramatic and entertaining matches this season as we reach the final few months of the season. With 33 out of 46 matches played, we have a look at what the second-tier table would look like if it was based just on the first halves of matches.
Whilst some teams in this modified table are somewhat expected and are not too far away from their actual current positions, there are some very eye-catching shifts up and down the table. So let’s have a look at the teams that start games on the front foot and go into the half-time interval with their tails up, as well as the sluggish starters who perhaps wait to perform better in the second period.
The Automatic Promotion Race
No surprise here, the top two in the actual table are the top two based on first-half performances – Leicester City and Leeds United. The Foxes have remarkably only conceded 10 goals across 33 first-half matches, and have only gone in behind at the break three times all season.
Similarly, Daniel Farke’s Leeds United have only been behind four times at half-time. Southampton are hot on their tails, both on 59 points but with United taking second position having scored four more first-half goals than the Saints.
The Play-Offs
The same four teams in the current table take up the play-off places based on first halves, but interestingly all in different places. As previously mentioned, it is Southampton in third, followed by Kieran Mckenna’s Ipswich Town in fourth.
The Tractor Boys have scored the most first-half goals compared to everyone else in the league, with their 36 first-half strikes equating to over half of their goals output this campaign.
Hull City in fifth place have the second-best defence in the league with just the 14 goals conceded, whilst West Bromwich Albion occupy the last play-off spot despite having 16 draws at half-time to their name this season. 17th-placed Plymouth Argyle would be in contention if they could hang on to their leads they build in the opening period.
Mid-Table
Perhaps some of the most surprising positions in the table are in the middle of the pack, particularly in 11th and 12th place. Occupied by Birmingham City and Millwall, two sides who are really struggling at the bottom of the table, the final two spaces in the top half deservedly go to both these teams as they have gone in at the break in front nine times each across the season so far. It is therefore clear to see that both the pair’s issues come in the second half of matches rather than the first.
Another surprise can be found in the form of Huddersfield Town, whose lowly league form leaves them in 20th place and in an intense relegation battle in the overall table, but are interestingly in a comfortable 15th-place position based on first-half performances.
Relegation
The most surprising placement in this Championship table based off the first half in matches this season comes in the relegation zone, where astonishingly Watford are second from bottom. 11th in the table, with play-off hopes still in the balance for the Hornets, they have surprisingly only been in front two times at half-time this campaign. But perhaps even more strange is the amount of draws they have had in the first half this season, going in level in 22 of their 33 matches.
Stoke City also drop three places from the overall table to take the last relegation place having only been in front five times at the break, whilst Middlesbrough would find themselves in a real battle to remain in the division.
Unsurprisingly, bottom are Rotherham United, who with 28 goals conceded, have shipped the most first half goals in the whole division.
‘First Half’ Table
