And then there were four... assessed and the chances
WEDNESDAY night saw the race for the Championship play-offs decided in incredibly-dramatic fashion.
But after 46 matches of football, spread over just under 12 months and going right down to the final few minutes, we have our four teams.
West London duo Brentford and Fulham versus the Welsh pair of Cardiff City and Swansea City.
How do the sides stack up and what are the chances of a south Wales derby in a Wembley final on Tuesday week?
BRENTFORD
Let’s start with the Bees, who had been the form team since football resumed, winning seven from seven to put them on the brink of nabbing an automatic promotion spot.
However, two defeats in their final two games saw dreams of a guaranteed spot in the Premier League dashed.
Now, they’re heading into the play-offs as the highest-placed club - which doesn’t always turn out to be the best position after narrowly missing out on the top two spots.
When it comes to their good points, there’s a lot to like with Brentford.
The club is synonymous with innovative thinking – with boss Thomas Frank placing emphasis on complex statistical data, allowing them to identify undervalued players.
It’s a good system that seems to be paying off.
Going forward, no team has scored more per game – with the Bees averaging 1.74 goals per match. The front three of Ollie Watkins, Saïd Benrahma and Bryan Mbeumo have 57 goals between them.
And defensively, they’re not too shabby either. Only Leeds have conceded less per game, with the Bees averaging 0.83 goals conceded each match. In fact, in the nine matches since football resumed, they’ve conceded just five times.
Weaknesses
So, where are the weaknesses for the Swans to get at?
Well, for starters, the run-in has shown that maybe this team of unheralded players isn’t built for the pressure that comes with going for promotion.
After seven straight victories following the resumption of football, consecutive defeats to Stoke and Barnsley consigned them to the play-off. That could be a hard pill to swallow.
And, while they may have beaten the Swans on two occasions this season, Steve Cooper did seem to have a decent plan for them the last time they met in December.
The Swans aimed to mark Watkins out of the game, giving Benrahma and Mbeumo time on the ball, but no target to cross to. They also pressed high, forcing errors from the Brentford back-four, while set-pieces are another facet of the game that they can be got at.
Key man: Said Benrahma While Watkins may be top-scorer, it’s Benrahma who can light up a match.
FourFourTwo magazine placed him third in their list of the top 50 players in the Football League, while Chelsea and Arsenal have been linked.
FULHAM
Finishing in fourth place were the Cottagers, who, like play-off opponents Cardiff, are looking to bounce straight back to the Premier League following relegation.
While they made a poor fist of top-flight survival compared to the Bluebirds, they certainly adjusted the Championship quicker than Cardiff.
Under former midfielder Scott Parker’s tutelage, the Craven Cottage outfit have soothed a large amount of defensive woes and put themselves into contention for promotion.
Strengths
It’s clear to see where the main strength for Fulham is and it’s up top.
In Aleksandar Mitrovic, they have arguably the best player in the Football League.
The Championship’s top-scorer with 26 goals, the Serbian’s link-up play gives Fulham flexibility with how they perform as a team.
Their football can also be easy on the eye, often starting from the back, while Tom Cairney remains a threat.
Weaknesses
While Parker has largely strengthened a defence that conceded 81 goals in the Premier League last season, there are still holes in the rearguard.
When it comes to being broken down defensively, Fulham look most vulnerable defending out wide or breaking down opposition counter attacks.
They can also struggle to limit opposition chances.
As shown by their recent 0-0 draw with West Brom, they can struggle to break teams down when their main weapons are shut out of the game.
Key man: Aleksandar Mitrovic FourFourTwo magazine ranked him the best player in the Football League and it’s hard to argue with that.
Sure, he’s got a nasty side to him – as shown by his recent elbow that should have been hit with a larger ban.
But, in footballing terms, he’s a thorn in the side of most teams he faces.
CARDIFF CITY
It’s been a dramatic season for the Bluebirds.
Neil Warnock’s wish to ‘do a Burnley’ and bounce back to the top flight didn’t exactly go to plan, with the former boss leaving in