Not The Top Table (16 December 2025)
Every Tuesday NTT20.COM brings you updated xG form tables for the Championship, League One and League Two.
A double gameweek means we’ve had change aplenty, so it’s time to ask:
Who’s doing what in the xG form tables?
Charlton are bottom for expected goals ratio across their last 5 matches and their last 10, although drawing at Birmingham did end a run of 5 defeats.
Stoke’s 2-1 win over Swansea was crucial following 5 defeats in 6, but they’re still struggling to create chances; those two goals came from not a lot, and just look at those attacking numbers…
xG? PNE DGAF. Preston are near the foot of the 5-game xG ratio table despite not losing any of those 5 – the fact they took a battering in two of their three 1-1 draws and had to be clinical to beat Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford matters not a jot. But their xG ratio over a longer, less noisy period does raise the question of how much longer they’ll be 3rd in the only table that matters to Hecky & Co.
Watford and West Bromwich Albion can point to encouraging signs even if they are a bit mid-table. In a division where 3 points separate 8th from 16th, everyone’s a bit mid-table.
In League One, Reading have surged to 1st and 2nd respectively in the 5-game and 10-game xG form tables, with Leam Richardson making an instant impact.
Lincoln have dropped off due to injuries but still look relatively healthy long-term.
Wimbledon’s performances are continuing to deteriorate.
Cambridge have leapt to the top of the League Two table for recent xG ratio, putting up some very strong defensive numbers.
Could Bristol Rovers’ incoming gaffer have a new-manager bounce? Maybe not, but he inherits slightly better displays than 10 straight league defeats would imply.
Steve Cotterill came in at Cheltenham 10 matches ago, and although they’re still dead last for expected goals ratio in that time, those numbers have improved. More importantly, they’ve taken 17 points from those games, following 4 from the first 10, pre-Cotterill. Only four other clubs in League Two have picked up more points in that period.
I would be very interested to see home and away versions of these tables. I think they'd be illuminating.