League One focus: Peterborough setting the pace at the top

The Football League has been going since the beginning of August but there’s already a gap appearing at the top of League One.

A clutch of teams sit on ten points from four games, including newly-relegated Sunderland.

But it’s Peterborough United setting the template for how to get the job done in League One. They currently sit top of the table and are 13/5 for promotion.

We take a look at just how they are doing it…

High but smart turnover

At League One level there always seems to be an influx of incomings and outgoings every season.

The Posh recouped royalties on some of their prized assets which included 27-goal hit-man Jack Marriott.

The 23-year-old enjoyed his best scoring season last term which prompted a £5 million move to Derby County.

This meant Chairman Darragh MacAnthony could re-invest in some of the Football League’s biggest talent.

They lost the promising Leonardo da Silva Lopes to Wigan Athletic but the addition of Grimsby Town winger Siriki Dembele is already paying off.

Stevenage lynchpin Matt Godden has arrived at the club but the loan move for Nottingham Forest forward Wayne Cummings is the stand-out signing.

Early days, granted, but it appears the club’s business could be an inspired one.

An experienced gaffer

There are some young, exciting managers picking up points in the top six.

However in Peterborough’s Steve Evans and Pompey’s Kenny Jackett you have two seasoned gaffers that know what they are doing and have the CV to back it up.

Portsmouth, sitting in second place, may have only just come up from League Two but grabbing the job-less Jackett will ensure they are ready for the winter onslaught of fixtures.

The Posh have started strong in recent seasons but have yet to get over the line in Grant McCann’s first managerial position.

But Evans’ track record of promotions with Crawley Town, and promotion to the Championship with Rotherham United proves his worth.

The East-Anglian side like to invest in promising youth and Evans is very much on the same wavelength.

Points make prizes

The club have shot out of the blocks and had scored two goals or more in each of their three victories, before the 1-0 win at Charlton.

In Ryan Bennett and Ryan Tafazolli they’ve a centre-back partnership that has only conceded two goals in four league games.

They’ve kept the same starting eleven in each of those games and have been rewarded.

New signings Cummings, Godden, Dembele and Mark O’Hara all netting early in the season.

The match against a Charlton side that made the play-offs last season will be a sign of things to come.

Their next six league games include a home game against promotion chasing Doncaster Rovers, Portsmouth and tough tests against Gillingham and Southend.

This is when we see what the club can really do, but for now everything and everyone is looking up at the Posh.

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All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication