EFL Championship‘s league stage has come to an end after a nail-biting race West Bromwich Albion gained an automatic qualification in the Premier League along with the Champions Leeds United. But the spot for the third place isn’t over. Brentford, Fulham, Cardiff City and Swansea will fight it out at the EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20. As the dates are released for the play-off games look at the dates and analyse the strength and weaknesses of the teams participating in the playoffs.
Schedule of EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20
26th July Sunday Swansea City vs. Brentford 18:30(CET)
27th July Monday Cardiff City vs. Fulham 19:45(CET)
29th July Wednesday Brentford vs. Swansea City 19:45(CET)
30th July Thursday Fulham vs. Cardiff City 19:45(CET)
Final
August 4 Tuesday To be Decided 19:45
Analysis of the teams: Strength and Weaknesses
Brentford FC
Brentford are coming in the EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20 after narrowly missing out the automatic qualification spot to West Brom. But on the brighter side they looked like a very exciting unit throughout the span of the league. There attacking play has caught the eyes of every Championship fan. Thomas Frank follows an aggressive method of attacking football. Frank’s 4-3-3 method has seen much success.
He played stable starting 11 with rotation mostly in the defence. This strengthened the cohesion and chemistry in the team. His playing out from the back resisting the opponent press is a rare scene in the Championship but he pulled it off successfully.
His high pressing with a PPDA of 11 indicates his team’s high pressing mentality and their ability to win the ball higher up the pitch. Watkins and Benrahma have impressed everyone by scoring 25 goals and 17 goals respectively which is pretty commendable as many of the Premier League clubs are trying to poach the pair. But now their focus must be on the Play-Offs, Brentford fans are excited and so are we.
Strength: Understanding between the players, high-intensity pressing, Mixture of youth and experienced players in the starting 11.
Weakness: Crumbling in the pressure situation, Chinks in the defensive armour at crucial times.
Cardiff City
Second up in the EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20, Neil Harris’s Cardiff is a proper example of a team. With a bunch of excellent boys who are playing a very compact nature of football. Cardiff can spring a surprise and pull of promotion just after a season they were relegated from the Premier League. After the resignation of Neil Warnock in the midseason, the circumstances were destined to be tough for the new manager.
But Harris not only turned the whole thing upside down, now they are looking like a serious contender for the promotion bid. They were pretty much in the midtable even in the 36th game week they were sitting on a lowly 12th place. But with 7 wins in the last 10 games, the Cardiff side pulled off a big comeback and all the credit goes to the excellent team.
Strength: The team is in red hot form, excellent team play, not depending upon a single player to score the goal with Glatzel, Tomlin and Ward all are in the nick of goals.
Weakness: If anything that troubles Cardiff much is their inconsistent nature, with a single moment of complacency it can go all astray for the Cardiff side.
Fulham
The third team in the EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20, Scott Parker and his Fulham side missed the automatic qualification just by 2 points. The London side were always in the hunt for the Promotion from the beginning of the season, but could never break into the top two, but it is undeniable that they were consistent enough throughout the league, as they never fell out of the race.
Much thanks to Mitrovic, the talisman with 26 goals who is also the highest scorer of the league. But now they will have to buckle up for the final push. With a good team and intelligent yet beautiful playing style is the theme that decorates the Wall of the Fulham side. With the youth, the experienced guys like Mitrovic, Knockaert, Kongolo are making them a tough to break for the others in the fray.
Strength: Consistency, players are deftly handling the pressure, Mitrovic and his goalscoring form.
Weakness: Over-dependence on Mitrovic, performance against the other top 6 sides is average.
Swansea
Last but not the least, Swansea’s last-minute entry into the EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20 is nothing short of an intense drama. After a brilliant start and then slowly drowning in the mediocrity. Even with 5 matchdays left Swansea were not looking the side to making it to the play-off but the last moment push gave them the impetus to reach the play-off stage. Ayew and Brewster both seem to be in a good form. With Ayew banging in 15 goals it seems that he would be the man to watch out for the Swans. Peter Cooper will also be happy with Liverpool loanee Brewster whose arrival, the team found out a new lease of life in the attacking third. But luck won’t mean anything as the play-offs are knocking on the door.
Strength: Their mentality, Ayew and Brewster’s goal-scoring touch.
Weakness: Defence can be a big drawback for Swansea as they look fragile at the back.
Mention you thoughts about our EFL Championship Play-Offs 2019-20 in the comment section and don’t forget to mention your play-Off winner.
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