Sheff Utd's identity crisis and 'optimism' at QPR - EFL takeaways

Another immense time successful nan EFL pinch astonishment results and emphatic victories.

Sheffield United didn't get disconnected to nan commencement they hoped for nether Chris Wilder arsenic they were beaten by Charlton, while Queens Park Rangers continued their resurgence pinch a triumph complete high-flying Stoke City.

Wrexham person continued to ruffle Championship feathers while Bradford City and Gillingham person group their stalls retired successful Leagues One and Two.

Sheffield United sacked Ruben Selles and rehired Chris Wilder for a 3rd spell arsenic head little than 2 months aft ending his second, but his squad were beaten 1-0 successful nan 90th infinitesimal astatine Bramall Lane by Charlton.

Parkin: "A batch of group were expecting nan crowd and players to respond to Chris Wilder coming back. There are intelligibly issues astatine Sheffield United. Not issues that can't beryllium flooded because it is truthful early successful nan season, but location is evidently a deficiency of assurance and chemistry.

"It is alarming to suffer 7 games consecutive astatine immoderate level of football. It wasn't going to beryllium a speedy fix.

"Creatively they are lacking. They've only scored erstwhile successful nan league; they didn't suffer loads from past twelvemonth but Jesurun Rak-Sakyi for one, Kieffer Moore, trying to rekindle what [Gustavo] Hamer did past twelvemonth will beryllium 1 of Wilder's main focuses. He is simply a crippled changer.

"They are a squad who don't cognize what they are correct now, whereas Charlton and Nathan Jones perfectly do cognize what they're about."

Wrexham hit Norwich 3-2 astatine Carrow Road to move level connected points pinch nan Canaries acknowledgment to Josh Windass' brace and Ryan Longman's strike.

Parkin: "There were wholesale changes for Phil Parkinson this season, not successful style but surely personnel. They've sewage a bully squad and has nan expertise to alteration things.

"That is nan motion of a bully manager; he has been getting criticised but to beryllium adaptable pinch his starting line-up is simply a start. It proved really productive.

"Norwich are astir apt a really bully squad for them to look because they are giving up truthful galore chances.

"Wrexham are creating chances but defensively they person not been bully enough. I've nary uncertainty they will people goals but it astir being amended astatine nan back.

"They conscionable astir sewage nan occupation done. I've nary existent concerns astir Wrexham because nan squad is truthful strong."

Queens Park Rangers looked hapless successful their 7-1 conclusion to Coventry a fewer weeks ago, but Saturday's 1-0 triumph complete Stoke was their 3rd successful a statement since.

Parkin: "The Coventry conclusion is astir apt nan earliest statement successful nan soil of nan play for QPR. The head had to rethink 1 aliases 2 things.

"The beforehand statement astatine QPR looks really bully now. Ruman Burrell and Richard Kone person sewage nan headlines successful nan past fewer games but Harvey Vale has been playing good and sewage his maiden extremity today. There is simply a batch of excitement and Julien Stephan has shown a grade of flexibility.

"They were losing possession a batch successful nan early weeks but that seems to person been fixed; nan instructions for nan players look to beryllium a batch much simplistic and they've sewage a batch of gait and value astatine nan beforehand of nan pitch. They managed things really good today.

"Three wins connected nan bounce aft a subdued commencement should beryllium origin for optimism."

Bradford went apical of League One aft a 3-1 triumph astatine Cardiff, nan Welsh side's first conclusion of nan play aft relegation from nan Championship this season.

Parkin: "I wasn't overly amazed by this consequence contempt Cardiff's promising commencement to nan season. Bradford are a really bully team; they play pinch an strength that was going to disrupt Cardiff.

"Cardiff person switched to being a really high-possession squad nether Brian Barry-Murphy. They've been really diligent successful nan build up and Bradford are nan benignant of squad that swarm each complete nan opposition.

"They are a beardown side, and they've value arsenic well. There is consistency pinch nan strategy from past season, continuity pinch nan manager, superb astatine Valley Parade.

"I've sewage nary doubts Bradford could beryllium a top-half side, possibly moreover better. I wouldn't beryllium amazed if they had a ace astatine different promotion."

Gareth Ainsworth's Gillingham came from down to hit Newport 3-1 and proceed their fantabulous commencement arsenic they beryllium apical of League Two.

Parkin: "It was different show of existent strength, coming from down early and could person gone 2-0 down. They showed resilience, scoring goals to move astir deficits has been a characteristic astatine nan commencement of nan season.

"They've sewage really value successful guardant areas, pinch 2 awesome options to play down nan striker successful Bradley Dack and Jonny Williams. Dack came up trumps today.

"Gillingham person momentum and a head who is truthful aggravated and demanding. I've sewage nary uncertainty they'll beryllium successful nan promotion reckoning travel nan extremity of nan season. Gareth Ainsworth deserves awesome credit."