League One: Peterborough Storming To Success
Peterborough United certainly have the recipe for success at London Road this season. With a manager who has previously taken the club to three promotions, two in League 1, a chairman willing to invest, and a team flying near the summit of the league, everything is in place for Peterborough to make a storming return to England's second tier. There is one noticeable difference to The Posh this season though. A difference that could be crucial in their hunt for promotion. In seasons gone by, Peterborough have certainly been labelled as high scorers with an extremely leaky defence. The stats back this up; despite finishing 22nd in last season's Championship, they finished as the league's 7th highest scorers. They conceded 75, third highest. There have been no major changes in the United defence - Zakuani, Brisley, Knight-Percival, Bostwick who has played there often, are all Peterborough players who have been at the club at least a season previous to this. Yet there seems to have been a turning point, identified by Ferguson, this season, which has led to a change in style. This has resulted in a host of clean sheets. After drawing away at Crewe in early September, Peterborough had picked up just two clean sheets from eight competitive matches. Ferguson knew something had to change. "Crewe have two attacks and score two goals. That's not good enough from our point of view," Ferguson stated. "I made some changes I felt would help the team. We need to keep clean sheets more often if we are to achieve what we want to achieve this season." Since then, Peterborough's back-line has helped them reach the best defensive record in the division, bar second-placed Wolves. They have kept seven clean sheets from eight league fixtures since the tie at Gresty Road. Highly-rated goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik deserves credit for this too. In addition to the defensive issues being somewhat resolved, The Posh have not let this affect their form in front of goal. In Britt Assombalonga, Tyrone Barnett and Lee Tomlin, Peterborough have three of the division's deadliest forwards. The club made it publicly known during the summer of interest surrounding Lee Tomlin, most notably from Scottish champions Celtic. However, holding onto Tomlin was arguably chairman Darragh MacAnthony's best piece of business throughout the summer months; yet not his only great move. The record transfer move for Britt Assombalonga has ensured that Dwight Gayle's move to Premier League Crystal Palace has had minimal effect on Peterborough. Having only played regular football as high as League 2, the Watford youth product was seen as a gamble buy, a panic buy by many. At £1.25 million, Ferguson was criticised for paying so much for Assombalonga. Since, the forward has seven goals in eight league games. He and Barnett have 13 between them. Peterborough play Leyton Orient this weekend, having not yet played either of the top two. With games on the horizon against the likes of Walsall, Wolves, Brentford and Bradford, as well as The O's, Ferguson and Peterborough certainly have the chance to state their promotion intentions in the coming weeks. Or they could be mid-table by Christmas. But with their form and a better solidity about them though, I highly doubt it. Oh, and the gaffer could always get a few tips from his dad... Follow @riggsy24 on Twitter