Jack Goddard's EFL Review: Yáser Asprilla stars as Watford were held by plucky Preston

Another EFL gameweek has concluded and we are beginning to get a clearer picture of how England’s chaotic lower tiers will play out. Here are this week’s big talking points.

Asprilla appears, Boro unlucky, and PNE = Please No Entertainment

At first glance everything is rosy at Watford. The Hornets are second in the table after the first five games, and are one of just four teams (Preston, Rotherham, Watford and Wigan) yet to lose a Championship match this season.

And yet Rob Edwards’ side, who recently sold striker Emmanuel Dennis to newly-promoted Nottingham Forest, look likely to also lose Ismaïla Sarr and Joao Pedro in the coming days, leaving them woefully short of attacking options.

It’s a good job then that 18-year-old Yáser Asprilla stepped up to the plate at the weekend, playing Rey Manaj through on goal twice with two delicious, defense-splitting balls. Unfortunately, Manaj squandered both chances.

Asprilla spent last season on loan at former club Envigado in Colombia, but clearly looks ready for the Championship after an impressive performance against the most remarkably stodgy defence in the country right now.

Preston kept another clean sheet to make it five from five so far this season - if only they could do something at the other end! They’re clearly hard to beat, but if the Lilywhites start leaking a goal or two they could be in a spot of bother.

Speaking of bother, Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough surprisingly find themselves second-bottom after failing to win any of their opening games. A crumb of comfort for Boro fans though: only themselves and Norwich have won every game on xG this season (excluding penalties). 

Even if you think xG is a load of codswallop, that at least suggests Wilder’s side are creating chances and will begin to climb the table soon - just like Norwich, courtesy of Josh Sargent’s three goals in two games.

Jimmy Floyd on the Hasselbrink, Peterborough’s strikers make a statement

He might have been sacked by the time you read this but, at the time of writing, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is still Burton’s manager.

The Brewers have had a truly awful start to the season and slipped to the bottom of the table again after a 2-0 home loss to Port Vale, leading Hasselbaink to say he will walk away if he thinks he is ‘the problem’ at Pirelli Stadium.

At the opposite end of the table, a small breakaway group seems to be forming already as Ipswich, Peterborough and Portsmouth have won their last four, two and three games respectively.

The Tractor Boys brushed aside Shrewsbury at the weekend to keep them top of the table by a single point, while Peterborough defeated Lincoln by four goals thanks to a couple of braces from Jack Marriott and Jonson Clarke-Harris. Both strikers scored 33 goals in all competitions the last time they played at this level - similar returns this time around will result in Posh back in the Championship.

Stockdale leaves Rochdale, Sam keeps scoring

While Hasselbaink might be on thin ice, we have seen our first sacking of the EFL season in League Two as Rochdale ditched manager Robbie Stockdale just four games into the new season. Interestingly, his only win this campaign came against Hasselbaink’s Burton in the EFL Cup.

Stockdale left before the weekend, with Dale the only club in the EFL yet to pick up a point this season - a record that has continued following a 3-0 thumping at Swindon, who recorded their first win after three successive draws.

On a brighter note, there are still four unbeaten sides in League Two, and seven teams with ten or more points. For reference, the Championship only has one (Sheffield United).

Leyton Orient, Stevenage and surprise packages Barrow all won again at the weekend to round out the top three, while Sam Hoskins scored twice to earn Northampton a draw at Crewe. Hoskins now has seven goals from just five games this season from his left-midfield position. 

The versatile 29-year-old notched 14 goals last season from all over the pitch, so the Cobblers will be hoping that no vultures take notice of his form before the transfer window closes. If he stays, expect Northampton to be at the heart of another enthralling League Two title race.