Tue Feb 16, 2016 1:31 pm
Cardiff City are the draw Kings of the Championship, and it could cost them a place in the play-offs
Tuesday 16th Feb 2016
South Wales Echo
Only Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers and Oldham have drawn as many games in this season's Football League
An inability to turn one point into three is stopping the Bluebirds from closing the gap on the top six
If you are looking for a reason why Cardiff City could be set to miss out on a Championship play-off place, there is one staring you right in the face.
The Bluebirds are the draw kings of the Championship, forget that, they are one of two teams to have drawn the most games not only in the second-tier, but in the whole Football League and the Premier League too.
Right now, with 31 league games played, Russell Slade’s men have had to settle for a point on 13 occasions. It is a largely unwanted record equalled only by Leeds, whose goalless stalemate with Middlesbrough last night saw them reach 13 having played the same number of games as Cardiff.
Blackburn, also in the Championship, have drawn 13 too, but have played two games less than the Bluebirds and Leeds whilst Oldham, mired in the League One relegation zone, have also earned just a point on 13 occasions, but with only 28 games played so far.
The fact the Bluebirds have drawn so many games really sums up the inconsistency Slade’s men have displayed in matches this term, not just from game to game, but during the 90 minutes of an encounter too.
It is a big reason too why Cardiff have managed back-to-back league wins just once this season and that was back in September.
The biggest concern of course, in that epic run of parity, is the number of times the Bluebirds have thrown away two points whilst in a winning position to take all three.
Slade’s men have done that in four games this term, pure conjecture, of course, but if they had managed to hold on, they would have an extra eight points and they would now be on 54 points, firmly ensconced in the play-offs in fifth place ahead of Sheffield Wednesday and Derby and within striking distance of the automatic spots.