Weekend in Numbers: Middlesbrough’s volume, Birmingham’s accuracy — and Norwich’s drought

Middlesbrough produced the weekend’s biggest attacking volume, Birmingham paired a high share of shots on target with the best last‑five return, and Norwich sit at the bottom with five straight defeats. This feature uses the matchday rankings for shots, on‑target share, possession and recent five‑game form to explain what supporters should notice before the next round of fixtures.

Championship: most shots

Middlesbrough registered the tournament‑leading 36 shots on the day, backed by 57% possession and a dozen attempts on target; those three figures together explain why the fixture’s match activity stands out in the weekend rankings.

That volume matters because Middlesbrough travel to Bolton next: Bolton had 14 attempts in their goalless draw and lie midtable, so the upcoming away trip will show if Middlesbrough’s high activity from this match carries over on the road.

Shots

1. Middlesbrough	36 Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
2. West Brom	25 West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
3. Watford	22 Watford 2–0 Charlton

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. Wolves	20 Burnley 1–2 Wolves
5. Millwall	18 Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
5. Wrexham	18 Wrexham 4–1 Preston
7. Derby	17 Derby 0–1 Stoke City
8. Sheffield Utd	16 Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
9. Burnley	15 Burnley 1–2 Wolves
10. Bolton	14 Southampton 0–0 Bolton
10. Charlton	14 Watford 2–0 Charlton
10. Southampton	14 Southampton 0–0 Bolton
13. QPR	12 Birmingham 3–0 QPR
13. Stoke City	12 Derby 0–1 Stoke City
15. Birmingham	11 Birmingham 3–0 QPR
15. Preston	11 Wrexham 4–1 Preston
15. Swansea	11 Swansea 0–1 West Ham
18. Blackburn	10 West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
19. Lincoln	9 Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
19. Norwich	9 Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
19. Portsmouth	9 Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
19. West Ham	9 Swansea 0–1 West Ham
23. Bristol City	7 Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
23. Cardiff	7 Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff

One match per club · selected completed fixtures · 24/24 clubs ranked. Equal values share rank.

Championship: most shots on target

Birmingham topped the shot‑on‑target share with five on target from eleven attempts in a 3–0 victory, a ratio that put them at the head of the weekend accuracy rankings and fed directly into a big scoreline.

Watford matched that accuracy in a different guise — ten on target from 22 shots in their 2–0 win — and both clubs now face fixtures where creating chances again will be the clearest measurable lead‑in: Birmingham head to Cardiff while Watford visit Wolves next.

Shots on target

1. Middlesbrough	12 Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
2. Watford	10 Watford 2–0 Charlton
3. Wolves	8 Burnley 1–2 Wolves

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. Millwall	6 Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
4. Wrexham	6 Wrexham 4–1 Preston
6. Birmingham	5 Birmingham 3–0 QPR
7. Burnley	4 Burnley 1–2 Wolves
7. QPR	4 Birmingham 3–0 QPR
7. Stoke City	4 Derby 0–1 Stoke City
7. West Brom	4 West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
7. West Ham	4 Swansea 0–1 West Ham
12. Bolton	3 Southampton 0–0 Bolton
12. Cardiff	3 Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
12. Charlton	3 Watford 2–0 Charlton
12. Derby	3 Derby 0–1 Stoke City
12. Lincoln	3 Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
17. Blackburn	2 West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
17. Norwich	2 Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
17. Portsmouth	2 Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
17. Sheffield Utd	2 Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
17. Southampton	2 Southampton 0–0 Bolton
22. Bristol City	1 Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
22. Preston	1 Wrexham 4–1 Preston
24. Swansea	0 Swansea 0–1 West Ham

One match per club · selected completed fixtures · 24/24 clubs ranked. Equal values share rank.

Championship: highest possession

Millwall posted the highest possession share at 70% and combined that control with 18 shots and six on target in a 2–2 draw; their match is the clearest single‑game example of how overwhelming the ball can be without a win.

Possession leaders were not limited to Millwall: Swansea and West Brom recorded 69% and 64% respectively on the weekend, so several fixtures featured one side keeping the ball strongly even when results varied across the day.

Possession

1. Millwall	70% Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
2. Swansea	69% Swansea 0–1 West Ham
3. West Brom	64% West Brom 3–2 Blackburn

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. Southampton	62% Southampton 0–0 Bolton
4. Wrexham	62% Wrexham 4–1 Preston
6. Middlesbrough	57% Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
7. Norwich	55% Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
8. Bristol City	53% Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
8. Derby	53% Derby 0–1 Stoke City
8. Wolves	53% Burnley 1–2 Wolves
11. Birmingham	52% Birmingham 3–0 QPR
12. Watford	51% Watford 2–0 Charlton
13. Charlton	49% Watford 2–0 Charlton
14. QPR	48% Birmingham 3–0 QPR
15. Burnley	47% Burnley 1–2 Wolves
15. Sheffield Utd	47% Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
15. Stoke City	47% Derby 0–1 Stoke City
18. Portsmouth	45% Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
19. Cardiff	43% Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
20. Bolton	38% Southampton 0–0 Bolton
20. Preston	38% Wrexham 4–1 Preston
22. Blackburn	36% West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
23. West Ham	31% Swansea 0–1 West Ham
24. Lincoln	30% Millwall 2–2 Lincoln

One match per club · selected completed fixtures · 24/24 clubs ranked. Equal values share rank.

Championship: highest share of shots on target

Shot‑accuracy rankings put Birmingham and Watford jointly at the top of the weekend list, with Birmingham’s five on target from eleven shots and Watford’s ten from twenty‑two forming the highest shares of attempts that were on target.

That shared accuracy ties into form: Birmingham’s high on‑target share sits alongside the best five‑game return in the set, showing a clear matchday pairing between efficient shooting and the points haul over the last five matches.

Shot accuracy

1. Birmingham	45.5% Birmingham 3–0 QPR
1. Watford	45.5% Watford 2–0 Charlton
3. West Ham	44.4% Swansea 0–1 West Ham

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. Cardiff	42.9% Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
5. Wolves	40% Burnley 1–2 Wolves
6. Lincoln	33.3% Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
6. Middlesbrough	33.3% Middlesbrough 2–2 Cardiff
6. Millwall	33.3% Millwall 2–2 Lincoln
6. QPR	33.3% Birmingham 3–0 QPR
6. Stoke City	33.3% Derby 0–1 Stoke City
6. Wrexham	33.3% Wrexham 4–1 Preston
12. Burnley	26.7% Burnley 1–2 Wolves
13. Norwich	22.2% Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
13. Portsmouth	22.2% Norwich 0–1 Portsmouth
15. Bolton	21.4% Southampton 0–0 Bolton
15. Charlton	21.4% Watford 2–0 Charlton
17. Blackburn	20% West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
18. Derby	17.6% Derby 0–1 Stoke City
19. West Brom	16% West Brom 3–2 Blackburn
20. Bristol City	14.3% Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
20. Southampton	14.3% Southampton 0–0 Bolton
22. Sheffield Utd	12.5% Bristol City 0–1 Sheffield Utd
23. Preston	9.1% Wrexham 4–1 Preston
24. Swansea	0% Swansea 0–1 West Ham

One match per club · selected completed fixtures · 24/24 clubs ranked. Equal values share rank.

Championship: the last-five form table

Birmingham lead the last‑five table with 13 points from W‑D‑W‑W‑W; Stoke and Swansea follow on twelve points each, so the top of this short‑term table reflects recent winning returns rather than identical win/draw mixes.

At the bottom, Norwich have zero points from five and Preston just one, a lower‑table cluster that creates immediate context for next week’s fixtures: Norwich head to Charlton and Preston host West Brom, both games offering chances to alter those stark short‑term totals.

Last-five league form

1. Birmingham	13 pts · W4 D1 L0 · goals 12–3 · WDWWW
2. Stoke City	12 pts · W4 D0 L1 · goals 9–6 · WWWLW
2. Swansea	12 pts · W4 D0 L1 · goals 8–4 · WWWWL

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. West Ham	11 pts · W3 D2 L0 · goals 16–3 · WDDWW
5. Blackburn	10 pts · W3 D1 L1 · goals 10–7 · WDWWL
5. Bolton	10 pts · W3 D1 L1 · goals 9–6 · WWLWD
5. Southampton	10 pts · W3 D1 L1 · goals 7–3 · WLWWD
8. Middlesbrough	9 pts · W2 D3 L0 · goals 10–8 · DDWWD
8. Wolves	9 pts · W3 D0 L2 · goals 5–5 · WWLLW
10. Portsmouth	8 pts · W2 D2 L1 · goals 6–5 · DDLWW
11. Cardiff	7 pts · W2 D1 L2 · goals 11–7 · LWLWD
11. West Brom	7 pts · W2 D1 L2 · goals 6–6 · DLLWW
11. Wrexham	7 pts · W2 D1 L2 · goals 8–11 · LWDLW
14. Millwall	6 pts · W1 D3 L1 · goals 7–7 · DDWLD
14. QPR	6 pts · W1 D3 L1 · goals 8–8 · DDDWL
14. Sheffield Utd	6 pts · W2 D0 L3 · goals 7–6 · LLWLW
17. Burnley	5 pts · W1 D2 L2 · goals 9–8 · LDWDL
18. Bristol City	4 pts · W1 D1 L3 · goals 2–4 · LWDLL
18. Lincoln	4 pts · W1 D1 L3 · goals 4–13 · WLLLD
20. Charlton	3 pts · W0 D3 L2 · goals 4–8 · DLDDL
20. Watford	3 pts · W1 D0 L4 · goals 4–12 · LLLLW
22. Derby	2 pts · W0 D2 L3 · goals 4–9 · LDDLL
23. Preston	1 pts · W0 D1 L4 · goals 3–12 · LDLLL
24. Norwich	0 pts · W0 D0 L5 · goals 7–12 · LLLLL

Last five league games · oldest to newest · 24/24 clubs ranked. Equal values share rank.

League fixtures: what comes next?

Bolton host Middlesbrough on 23 October; Middlesbrough enter that away slot fresh from the weekend’s 36‑shot match and a run worth nine points from five, while Bolton recorded 14 shots in their recent 0–0 and bring ten points from five — the fixture therefore pairs the matchday’s highest volume with a midtable side that produced steady returns.

Charlton’s home match with Norwich on 24 October places a side with three draws in five against Norwich’s five straight losses: Charlton’s draw‑heavy recent form and Norwich’s zero‑point run are the clearest pre‑match facts for supporters watching the lower‑table story unfold.

Portsmouth travel to Millwall on 24 October after Portsmouth’s own weekend victory; Portsmouth earned eight points from their last five while Millwall combined 70% possession with a 2–2 draw. That contrast between Millwall’s ball retention and Portsmouth’s recent points return is the simplest lens for the upcoming fixture.

Lincoln welcome Burnley on 24 October; Lincoln recorded 30% possession and a low expected‑goals figure in their draw, while Burnley come off five points from their last five — the pairing sets a clear comparison between a low‑possession match and a side that has collected points in recent games.

Fri 23 OctBolton 15th v Middlesbrough 3rd

Sat 24 OctCharlton 17th v Norwich 21st

Sat 24 OctPortsmouth 13th v Millwall 12th

Sat 24 OctLincoln 18th v Burnley 22nd

Positions as of Sun 18 Oct. Fixtures may change.

Over to you

Your verdict

Which winless side will find a first league point next: Norwich at Charlton or Preston at home to West Brom?

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