Championship Form Guide: 5 Key Stats from February
Before becoming a Sports Journalist for Free Super Tips, Aaron spent three years studying Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland while taking in the Black Cats' 'glory years' under Martin O'Neill. Now back in Northern Ireland he turns niche stats into predictions for FST, while he's one of the few people on this island who is equally comfortable at Windsor Park and the Aviva.
With a bumper February out of the way, the run-in is nearing. This month has set up huge battles at the top and bottom of the division. However, who have been the winners and losers in the Championship this month?
Our Championship form guide gives you an idea of what shape sides are in heading into March. We’ve also included our analysis of the March fixture list, having worked out who has the toughest and easiest run over the next few weeks. Those insights could be vital in the promotion and relegation betting.
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Championship Form in February
Most Points – West Brom (16)
West Brom lead the race for promotion, while they proved their worth again in February. The league leaders took more points than anyone else, showing they have shaken off their Christmas dip. Now the Baggies are just 10 games away from a return to the Premier League.
However, West Brom’s defeat on Saturday saw Wigan run them close for the month. Having started February four points from safety, the Latics have picked up 14 points from a possible 21 last month to leap to 19th. Only West Brom have secured more points in that time.
Wigan also posted the best away record last month, with 10 points from four trips. With three wins in those four, that’s a significantly better away record for a side who had won twice in 40 away trips at the end of 2019.
Fewest Points – Middlesbrough and Hull (2)
At the other end of the form table it has been a disastrous run for both Middlesbrough and Hull. These two have stumbled into relegation trouble after failing to win a game last month.
Jonathan Woodgate’s Boro have been in poor form all season, while they’ve now fallen into the bottom three thanks to Wigan’s surge. Their collapse has come despite conceding just nine times in six games, as they’ve been the second-lowest scorers across February.
Fewest Defeats – Birmingham (0)
This isn’t a run we expected to see, but Birmingham are proving to be the toughest side to beat in the division right now. The Blues are unbeaten in 10 matches, as they close in on safety. While they haven’t won quite enough games to match West Brom this month, Pep Clotet’s team have a solid 13 points from their last seven.
Most Goals Scored – Brentford (15)
It’s no surprise that the Bees are putting on a show, averaging over two goals per game. Only West Brom have outscored them this season, with their attacking style getting plenty of praise over their time in the second tier.
Of those 15 goals, 11 have come from their BMW strikeforce. Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have contributed 76% of Brentford’s goals this season, while the trio remains on form. That includes Watkins, who hit four goals last month. That’s left him just one goal shy of Aleksandar Mitrovic in the Championship scoring charts.
Most Goals per Game – Hull (3.85)
While Brentford’s attack is impressive, Hull is the place to go for entertainment of late – unless you’re a Hull fan that is. The Tigers have lost five of their seven games this month, conceding 20 times in the process. They’ve seen over 2.5 goals in five of their last seven, largely down to their awful defending.
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Looking Ahead to March
With four games for each side in March, we’ve used an average of opponents’ points at home or away to see who has the toughest schedule ahead. With a few big clashes to come, there’s a tough few weeks ahead for some of the division’s top sides.
On paper, Sheffield Wednesday have the toughest time across the four games. Brentford and Fulham – who meet on March 13th aren’t far behind them. Meanwhile, in form Wigan have the easiest run in prospect, with three meetings against teams in the bottom eight. That includes a seemingly straightforward meeting with bottom club Luton next weekend.
The Latics are closely followed by struggling Hull. While the Tigers have a favourable run, their terrible form could lead to some big outside prices over the next few weeks. Another side to watch this month is sixth-placed Preston. They have the joint-highest points per home game this season, with three of their four March games at home. They travel to Luton in between favourable clashes with poor travellers QPR, Cardiff and Derby, so Alex Neil’s men look good for the top six.
