  We investigate the formation of red misfits (RM) using a cosmological,
hydrodynamical simulation from the $\rm \small EAGLE$ project. Similar to
observations, the RM possess less dust, higher stellar metallicities, and older
stellar populations compared to blue, star-forming galaxies (BA) at the same
$M_\star$. Lagrangian particle-tracking reveals that the older ages of RM have
resulted from a combined effect of higher star formation efficiency (SFE), and
the earlier onset and faster net depletion of their interstellar medium (ISM).
For the centrals, the latter was partially due to higher efficiency of escape
from ISM, driven by stronger stellar and/or AGN feedback (depending on the
mass). There was an additional contribution to this escape from gas stripping
for satellite RM, as suggested by the higher group masses ($\gtrsim 0.5$ dex)
and ${\rm H_2}/{\rm H\,{\small I}}$ ratios ($\gtrsim 0.3$ dex). Moreover,
accretion of circumgalactic gas (CGM) onto the galaxy has been less efficient
for the satellites. On the metallicity front, the offsets are largely due to
the disparity in SFE, causing varying degrees of enrichment through the
mass-transfers associated with stellar winds and supernovae. We ascribe this
SFE disparity to the lower specific angular momentum ($j$) of freshly accreted
CGM for RM, which ultimately manifested in the ISM kinematics due to
interactions with cooling flows. The impact on $j_{\rm ism}$ was further
intensified by poorer alignment with the flow's $\vec{j}$, particularly for the
satellites. Our results illuminate potential origins of RM, and motivate
further exploration of this peculiar class through a synergy between
observations and simulations.
