Former striker Sam Parkin has picked out his big talking points from the EFL weekend, and the headlines are clear: Huddersfield Town are top of League One, Derby County are sliding toward trouble, and Cheltenham Town’s revival under Steve Cotterill keeps gathering pace.
Huddersfield Town (Credits: BBC Sport)
Parkin, a Final Score pundit and former Swindon, Luton and Northampton striker, was full of praise for Huddersfield’s start under head coach Martin Drury, who has taken the Terriers to the summit despite a lack of managerial experience.
Huddersfield Top of League One as Sanches Fernandes Shines
Huddersfield are on a roll, having won four of their last five and gone unbeaten since losing to Bromley on September 19. A 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic kept them flying, with Derensili Sanches Fernandes scoring once again.
Parkin admitted he has been really impressed, noting that high hopes last season never materialised. Now, he says, the team looks like it has all the credentials to win promotion. Sanches Fernandes, he added, has been a revelation and looks far too good for the level, a class above League One with passing quality and awareness that stand out in recent games.
Cheltenham Third After Cotterill’s Remarkable Turnaround
Cheltenham Town are up to third after beating in-form Newport County 1-0 at the EV Charger Points Stadium, with Charlie McCann scoring the winner. Boss Steve Cotterill appears to have turned the club’s fortunes around since returning for a second spell.
When Cotterill took the job last season, Cheltenham were really adrift, Parkin noted, making the turnaround all the more incredible. McCann has become talismanic this season, with a goal record that makes him one of the stories of the campaign, and his recent suspension showed just how much the team misses him.
Parkin added that while Cotterill’s teams have always been difficult to play against, he has been equally impressed by Cheltenham’s work in possession this season.
Difficult Days for Derby as Norwich End Losing Run
Derby County, meanwhile, are struggling. The Rams sit 23rd in the Championship after drawing 1-1 with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, and John Eustace’s side have not won a league match since September 1.
Parkin said Derby will be bitterly disappointed to leave with only a point, though goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom performed heroics to preserve it. Injuries and a summer takeover that never materialised have left the squad thinner than hoped, but Parkin backed Eustace to turn things around.
There was relief for Norwich City, who ended a five-game losing run in the Championship by coming from behind to win at Charlton Athletic, easing the pressure on head coach Philippe Clement. With winnable games against Watford and Derby next, Parkin suggested this could be the turning point for the Canaries.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
