- Home   > Â
- Football   > Â
- Championship   > Â
- Analysing attacks in a thrilling Championship race
Analysing attacks in a thrilling Championship race
The EFL Championship returns from the international break with, much like the Premier League, a three-horse tussle at the top.
Leicester City, having led for the majority of the campaign, now finds itself in second place behind Leeds United, albeit with a game in hand on the in-form Whites.
The Foxes are grappling with off-pitch issues, and a return to form when it faces Bristol City would go far to restoring some momentum.
Leeds, on the other hand, has won 12 of its past 13 Championship fixtures, dropping points just once in that run.
As for third-placed Ipswich Town, it is hot on the heels of its automatic-promotion rivals.
All of these sides have built fine campaigns on some brilliant attacking play, scoring 224 goals between them. Using the data, this is how their attacks stack up.
Ipswich Town
Of these three teams, Ipswich has scored the most goals, with Kieran McKenna's side netting 80 across its 38 matches – an average of 2.1 per game. That makes the Tractor Boys the leading scorers in the league, while they are also the leading team for non-penalty goals, with 78.
Ipswich has, however, greatly outperformed its expected goals (xG) of 64.2, while also greatly exceeding its non-penalty xG (61.8). When it comes to those metrics, it ranks fourth and second in the second tier respectively.
Its expected goals on target (xGOT) figure of 69.5 shows its finishing has been above the standard of what would be anticipated from the quality of chances, and it ranks third in the league in this aspect.
Unsurprisingly, Ipswich leads the way for shots (590), while it ranks second for shots on target (214). It is fourth in the Championship for shot conversion rate (13.5 per cent), big chances (94) and big chances scored (42). Its big-chance conversion rate, of 44.68, stands as the sixth best in the competition.
But how does Ipswich create its chances? Well, it isn't afraid to send crosses into the area, with its 114 successful open-play crosses ranking second. However, it's Ipswich's high press that really stands out.
It has forced 309 high turnovers – winning the ball back within 40 yards of the opponent's goal – at an average of 8.1 per match. It leads the league for shot-ending high turnovers, with 65, albeit it is tied for fifth when it comes to scoring goals from such scenarios (seven). McKenna's team is certainly able to go direct, too, given it ranks down at 10th for sequences of 10+ passes.
Don't bet against Ipswich if it goes behind, too. It has gained 28 points from a losing position, topping the Championship on that stat.
When it takes the lead, Ipswich typically holds on to it, with only two teams dropping fewer points from a winning position.
Leicester City
Ranking behind Ipswich for goals scored is Leicester City, with 74. The Foxes are also second in the Championship for xG (68) and for xGOT (73.5).
It is worth noting that Leicester has been more reliant on penalties, having scored 12 goals from the spot.
Leicester has mustered the fifth-highest tally of shots (525), while its 189 shots on target ranks it fourth in the division.
But in which metrics does Leicester top the Championship? Enzo Maresca's team leads the way for shot conversion (14.1 per cent), big chances (111) and big chances scored (50).
Leicester is hardly a pressing machine off the ball, having averaged just 7.4 high turnovers per game, but what the Foxes lack in quantity they make up for in quality. They have scored a joint league-leading eight goals from those situations.
Maresca's men do not particularly look to cross at a high volume, though when they do put deliveries in, they are often on point. Leicester is 19th out of 24 teams for total open-play crosses, yet ranks third for successful open-play deliveries.
If teams go ahead against Leicester, however, then the Foxes are not the best at coming from behind, having gained only 10 points from such positions this term.
Leeds United
Leeds, the league leader heading into the Easter weekend, has accumulated more xG than any other Championship team, at 68.4, while 62.9 of that total has come from non-penalty shots.
However, it ranks fourth for both goals (70) and non-penalty goals (65). Interestingly, the Whites' xGOT is 69.2, so they have been finishing slightly above what would be expected from chances they have crafted.
Daniel Farke's team is the Championship leader for high turnovers, with 319, while its average of 11 passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA), which measures how often a team presses its opponent, is the second highest in the competition.
Leeds has been exceptionally effective from this high press, too. It has had the third-highest shots (61) and, along with Leicester, leads the Championship for goal-ending high turnovers, with eight.
The Whites may only have got 201 of their 586 shots on target, with an 11.9 per cent shot conversion rate, but they are excellent at creating quality chances, ranking second for big chances (102), which are defined by Opta as an opportunity from which a player would be reasonably expected to score.
Should Leeds take a lead, then it is excellent at holding on to it. It has dropped the fewest points (four) of any Championship team from winning positions, while it ranks second for points gained from losing positions (21).
Unlike Leicester or Ipswich, there is no focus at all on crossing, or quality crossing, from Leeds. Farke's side actually ranks 23rd for both open-play crosses and successful open-play deliveries. Perhaps forcing it wide will be the only way its opponents can keep it from scoring in the run-in?