Gab Sutton's EFL Winners & Losers - January 17
Our EFL pundit here at Free Bets, Gab Sutton, casts his eye over the EFL as it returns following the FA Cup third round.
Winners
Jovon Makama
The night before Norwich City’s 5-1 thumping of Walsall in the FA Cup, striker Josh Sargent texted boss Phillippe Clement to declare himself unavailable, amid transfer speculation.
When this was revealed in the post-match press conference, it caused plenty of anger among the Yellow Army, who are disappointed at their star striker, and a popular figure at the club, refusing to play.
The situation, though, has created an opportunity for Jovon Makama to grasp centre-stage, with the Lincoln recruit bagging a hat-trick against the Saddlers last weekend, and then finding the net again at Wrexham,
Dom Ballard
Dom Ballard has made himself top goalscorer in League One with a hat-trick for Leyton Orient, in their 3-1 victory over Reading.
Highly rated in the youth system at Southampton, the 20-year-old has needed a couple of seasons to find his feet in the senior game, but is now catching fire in E10 showing pace, excellent movement, and the ability to score all different types of goals.
On this form, Ballard will be the subject of offers from the Championship – this window or next.
Salford
Salford City furthered their automatic promotion ambitions with a statement result at Swindon, winning 3-2 at their promotion rivals to go level with the 2nd-placed hosts on points, as they find themselves outside the top three only on goal difference.
The Ammies are bang in form, as Karl Robinson has produced arguably the best team they’ve had since coming up to the level in 2019, with the pairing of selfless front-man Dan Udoh and January recruit Ryan Graydon looking especially potent.
A team full of energy and athleticism, with the ability to cut their opponents open at will, Salford are ones to watch.
Losers
Sheffield United
A run of seven wins in 10, combined with some sparkling performances, had Blades fans eyeing a late Play-Off charge, which would be some salvation given how the season had started.
Those hopes, though, took a hit with a 1-0 defeat at Charlton, with red cards for Djibril Soumare and Japhet Tanganga seeing Chris Wilder’s side play out the second half with 10 men.
Defeat leaves United 11 points off the top six with a game in hand.
Lee Grant
Lee Grant was sacked as Huddersfield Town boss after a 3-1 loss at Burton left his side inside the top six, on goal difference, but 10 points off the top two having played a game more than Lincoln.
Kevin Nagle is an ambitious and demanding owner; he sacked Michael Duff for a similar return with a much weaker squad, and so it follows that after a summer of signing Ryan Ledson, Marcus Harness and Alfie May among other star additions, the bar has been raised.
Grant is clearly a gifted in-possession coach, having been entrusted with attacking patterns coaching by Kieran McKenna at Ipswich, but maybe didn’t quite show those extra ingredients.
The indications are that Sporting Director Chris Markham will be appointing former Bristol City and Norwich boss Liam Manning to the helm, off the back of a mixed 12 months.
Harrogate
Harrogate’s 1-0 loss at Shrewsbury means Simon Weaver’s side are four points off one of their most immediate relegation rivals, having played a game more, even if Crawley’s form means they’re only two points off safety.
Town have just had the hit of losing goalkeeping stalwart James Belshaw to his boyhood Notts County, and hope to get around that by signing young defenders Chance Headman and Cathal Heffernan from Brentford and Newcastle respectively, with the duo flanking the experienced Anthony O’Connor.
The North Yorkshire outfit will have to act smartly in the window, with not much to play with, and a limited squad: having taken a meagre four points from a 16-match winless run stretching back to September, they’ll be up against it.
EFL Betting at Free Bets
Gab Sutton provides weekly football betting tips for Free Bets, featuring a thoroughly researched longshot acca alongside sharp analysis of the key talking points and standout moments from the weekend's action at the start of each new week.
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Belly gonna be a big miss. Weaver's red could be a blessing in disguise 👀 #ohHarrogateTown
