The 2023/2024 EFL Championship Relegation Battle Finale – Tactical Preview

Unless you’re Ipswich Town or Coventry City, your club has one game remaining in the 2023/24 EFL Championship season, and the relegation battle is seriously heating up.

Rotherham United’s fate has been sealed for some time now – they’ll be playing League One football next season, but who will be joining them?

Five teams are in the frame for a potential drop, from Huddersfield Town in 23^rd to Blackburn Rovers in 19^th – Birmingham City, Plymouth Argyle, and Sheffield Wednesday join them on the list of potential relegation teams come the final whistle at the end of matchday 46.

This tactical analysis will provide a preview of the remaining fixture each team between 22^nd and 19^th has to play in this extraordinary relegation battle, providing insight into what each team can expect from their respective opponents.

In this tactical preview, we’ll examine the tactics they could encounter and highlight any of their own strengths they could tap into.

While Huddersfield could still technically avoid the drop, it would take a couple of freak results for them to climb their way to safety.

For this reason, they are not included in this tactical review.

Blackburn Rovers

1994-95 Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers go into their final game of the 23/24 campaign having won two of their previous six games – those wins coming away at Leeds United and Sunderland: two huge and somewhat surprising victories.

However, they recently fell to a 3-1 defeat to relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday – how important will that be in the long run?

Rovers travel to already-crowned champions Leicester City on the final day, needing just a point to ensure their Championship status.

What can Blackburn expect from the 2015/16 Premier League champions, aside from the fact that they’ll likely look to dominate possession?

Let’s take a look.

As mentioned, Leicester are a side that likes to dominate possession and play at a high tempo.

The image you have in your head is likely one that mirrors something we see from the likes of Liverpool or Manchester City, with the opponent sat deep and having to defend the opposition dictating the play, passing from side to side while looking for an opening.

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