Nobody likes the International Break and if you say that you do, you are lying. Unless perhaps you support one of these teams because it means that you will get a break from watching them for the time being.
Sheffield United
Sheffield United are the biggest underachievers in the EFL so far this season, only picking up three points in nine games. Only three of those games and all three of those points have come with Chris Wilder at the helm.
The International Break will give him time to get his ideas across to his new players so that they can start to turn their season around. He shouldn’t need too much time to get his ideas across considering the fact that he was at the club last season but getting his players their confidence back after their disastrous start to the season, could take some time.
Watford
Similar to Chris Wilder, the international break will give Javi Gracia some time to implement his philosophy at Vicarage Road. Despite Watford being synonymous with sacking managers, the dismissal of Paulo Pezzolano was somewhat surprising given the fact that they sit eleventh in the table, just four points behind third place and they have taken seven points from their last three games.
Birmingham City
Despite being a newly promoted side, expectations of Birmingham at the start of the season were high given the signings that they made during the summer transfer window. Big names like Kyogo Furuhashi, Demarai Gray and Tommy Doyle all joined the club, surely setting the Blues up for a strong season.
This hasn’t quite been the case so far, with the club finding themselves in sixteenth place after nine games played. They did make a strong start to the campaign, taking seven points from their first three games but in the six games since they have only won once and lost three times.
A lot of players came into the club in the summer so this break will give them the chance to gel and hopefully they will begin to move up the table. If not, it won’t be long until manager Chris Davies is looking over his shoulder.
Norwich City
At the time of writing, Liam Manning is still the Norwich City manager, but he might not be for much longer. Much was made of Manning’s arrival given his performance last season with Bristol City, taking a side who usually finishes midtable into the playoffs.
But so far, things have not gone to plan. The Canaries currently sit nineteenth in the table, two points above the relegation zone.
Most recently, they lost their first East Anglia Derby since 2009, but they also failed to win the four games prior to that, losing to West Brom and Wrexham and drawing to Stoke and Coventry. So where has it gone wrong?
Summer Transfer Business
Over the summer, there was a lot of speculation around the future of two of Norwich’s prized assets, Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent. Last season, the pair scored a combined thirty-three Championship goals, but this was only enough for a thirteenth-place finish.
In the end, Sainz was sold to Porto whilst Sargent remained at Carrow Road. The American has still performed well this season, scoring five goals in nine league matches, but once again it seems as though he is a cut above the rest of the team.
Starting goalkeeper Angus Gunn left the club on a free transfer and midfielder Marcelino Nunez made the controversial move to Ipswich Town. These sales, as well as the sale of Jonathan Rowe who had been out on loan the previous season, left the club with a lot of money to spend, which they did, bringing in the likes of Mathias Kvistgaarden and Papa Diallo.
Norwich’s underperformance so far is certainly not down to a lack of investment.
Poor Home Form
So far this season, Norwich have played five games at home in all competitions, four in the league and one in the EFL Cup. They have lost all of them.
On the bright side, they have only lost by one goal in all four league games. Meanwhile in their six away games, they have won three and drawn two.
Their loss to Ipswich was their first away loss of the season.
