Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 6:24 am
A top six finish might be impossible, but it shouldn't stop Neil Warnock's players busting a gut to make it happen
By Nathan Blake
17/02/17
Whisper this quietly, even in a subliminal manner, but inside the Cardiff City dressing room the players should start talking about reaching the play-offs.
Wow, that’s got you thinking, hasn’t it?
Heck, they are 13 points off at the moment, far too tall an order and far too big a gap to close.
I’m not saying for one minute the Bluebirds will get in there, but back to back away wins against Derby and Leeds — two stunning results — coupled with Neil Warnock’s masterful management has got us dreaming. Just a teeny bit, anyway.
Outside of the dressing room, in the glare of publicity, Warnock’s men need to trotting out the usual old cliches. One game at a time, see where that takes us.
Behind closed doors, however, I really hope the senior players are already taking a lead and that it is a completely different story.
It need only be in jest to start with. ‘You never know, we might be in the play-offs if we keep playing like this, so don’t book your summer holidays yet!’
That sort of thing. But suddenly, almost before you know it, momentum has been built up.
Cardiff have got to 12th much quicker than I anticipated and for the first time can start looking upwards.
These are the facts — they are 13 points above Wigan who hold the last of the relegation places and they are also those aforementioned 13 points behind Sheffield Wednesday in sixth.
That’s as mid-table as you can get, but there is only one direction in which these Bluebirds are heading and it’s not down anymore.
Is a top six finish mission impossible? Quite possibly. But in football strange things do happen. I’ve seen it myself in a Cardiff City shirt.
Neil Warnock celebrates with the fans after beating Derby County (Photo: Getty Images)
When we won the League under Eddie May back in 1993, we were down in 12th place at Christmas time. the very position Cardiff find themselves in today.
We embarked upon an incredible run and three months later we were top, never to be dislodged.
Okay, that can’t happen this time, but sixth is the most outside of possibilities.
It’s amazing what a sequence of wins does for you and Cardiff really do need to have an eye on hauling in Sheffield Wednesday.
What’s the alternative? To let the season fizzle out in mid-table mediocrity?
No, Cardiff need to adopt the mind-set that their season starts here. Aim for the play-offs , however unfeasible that sounds right at this moment in time, and even if they don’t make it the momentum will be there for a proper crack at promotion next season.
Cardiff will have a few new faces in the summer, come into pre-season training on a high and be battle-hardened for what’s ahead. Much better to be in that position than a Crystal Palace or Sunderland, who may come down from the Premier League and simply won’t be equipped to hit the ground running in Championship football.
Brighton are not in the top two by fluke. They have spend years building towards this moment. Cardiff need to close the gap, not just in the table, but also in terms of mindset and at least aiming for the play-offs with 14 matches still to go will help to that end.
When you look at the current top six, I think Sheffield Wednesday are vulnerable. Reading too, possibly Leeds.
Cardiff City captain Sean Morrison in action against Brighton
Norwich, in seventh place, will be looking to hunt down Wednesday in sixth. Cardiff are nine points behind Norwich and should be looking to hunt them down and see what happens then.
Just as a team like Cardiff can gain belief by winning and climbing, Wednesday and other sides above them will be looking over their shoulders nervously. I guarantee you that come the end of March, if that points gap has been closed significantly, funny things will suddenly start to happen.
The teams who have been up at the top the whole season, playing great football and scoring goals, will suddenly be wracked by nerves, look ordinary and struggle to score.
It will be the reverse on the other hand for the sides on the rise.
When it comes to a sequence of fixtures, Cardiff can’t complain too much about what is in front of them. It starts this weekend with rock bottom, cut adrift Rotherham at home, and City should win that at a canter.
Then come Fulham, again at home, one of those sides above Cardiff who Warnock’s men can look to haul in by beating them.
Other opposition coming up include Birmingham, Ipswich, Wolves, Barnsley, Brentford. Winnable matches. It’s not until mid-April, when they head to Sheffield Wednesday, that Cardiff play a team currently in the top six.
This is where those little asides inside the dressing room will help if they are delivered by players who have experienced promotions before.
Matt Connolly should tell the younger players ‘These games are winnable and the spirit here is even better than during our title-winning season under Malky’. It may be complete nonsense, but these little psychological things can make such a difference.
The other huge plus Cardiff have in their favour is their army of fans. Win another two or three games and they’ll be taking 3,000 fans with them to away games again.
It’s like a boomerang. The players believe in the manager, the fans get behind the players. At home 25,000 supporters are behind you as a player, you’re behind the manager, it enables everyone to dream.
There are positive things happening again at Cardiff City, and not before time. A 3-0 win over Rotherham this weekend will keep that momentum going.
By Nathan Blake
17/02/17
Whisper this quietly, even in a subliminal manner, but inside the Cardiff City dressing room the players should start talking about reaching the play-offs.
Wow, that’s got you thinking, hasn’t it?
Heck, they are 13 points off at the moment, far too tall an order and far too big a gap to close.
I’m not saying for one minute the Bluebirds will get in there, but back to back away wins against Derby and Leeds — two stunning results — coupled with Neil Warnock’s masterful management has got us dreaming. Just a teeny bit, anyway.
Outside of the dressing room, in the glare of publicity, Warnock’s men need to trotting out the usual old cliches. One game at a time, see where that takes us.
Behind closed doors, however, I really hope the senior players are already taking a lead and that it is a completely different story.
It need only be in jest to start with. ‘You never know, we might be in the play-offs if we keep playing like this, so don’t book your summer holidays yet!’
That sort of thing. But suddenly, almost before you know it, momentum has been built up.
Cardiff have got to 12th much quicker than I anticipated and for the first time can start looking upwards.
These are the facts — they are 13 points above Wigan who hold the last of the relegation places and they are also those aforementioned 13 points behind Sheffield Wednesday in sixth.
That’s as mid-table as you can get, but there is only one direction in which these Bluebirds are heading and it’s not down anymore.
Is a top six finish mission impossible? Quite possibly. But in football strange things do happen. I’ve seen it myself in a Cardiff City shirt.
Neil Warnock celebrates with the fans after beating Derby County (Photo: Getty Images)
When we won the League under Eddie May back in 1993, we were down in 12th place at Christmas time. the very position Cardiff find themselves in today.
We embarked upon an incredible run and three months later we were top, never to be dislodged.
Okay, that can’t happen this time, but sixth is the most outside of possibilities.
It’s amazing what a sequence of wins does for you and Cardiff really do need to have an eye on hauling in Sheffield Wednesday.
What’s the alternative? To let the season fizzle out in mid-table mediocrity?
No, Cardiff need to adopt the mind-set that their season starts here. Aim for the play-offs , however unfeasible that sounds right at this moment in time, and even if they don’t make it the momentum will be there for a proper crack at promotion next season.
Cardiff will have a few new faces in the summer, come into pre-season training on a high and be battle-hardened for what’s ahead. Much better to be in that position than a Crystal Palace or Sunderland, who may come down from the Premier League and simply won’t be equipped to hit the ground running in Championship football.
Brighton are not in the top two by fluke. They have spend years building towards this moment. Cardiff need to close the gap, not just in the table, but also in terms of mindset and at least aiming for the play-offs with 14 matches still to go will help to that end.
When you look at the current top six, I think Sheffield Wednesday are vulnerable. Reading too, possibly Leeds.
Cardiff City captain Sean Morrison in action against Brighton
Norwich, in seventh place, will be looking to hunt down Wednesday in sixth. Cardiff are nine points behind Norwich and should be looking to hunt them down and see what happens then.
Just as a team like Cardiff can gain belief by winning and climbing, Wednesday and other sides above them will be looking over their shoulders nervously. I guarantee you that come the end of March, if that points gap has been closed significantly, funny things will suddenly start to happen.
The teams who have been up at the top the whole season, playing great football and scoring goals, will suddenly be wracked by nerves, look ordinary and struggle to score.
It will be the reverse on the other hand for the sides on the rise.
When it comes to a sequence of fixtures, Cardiff can’t complain too much about what is in front of them. It starts this weekend with rock bottom, cut adrift Rotherham at home, and City should win that at a canter.
Then come Fulham, again at home, one of those sides above Cardiff who Warnock’s men can look to haul in by beating them.
Other opposition coming up include Birmingham, Ipswich, Wolves, Barnsley, Brentford. Winnable matches. It’s not until mid-April, when they head to Sheffield Wednesday, that Cardiff play a team currently in the top six.
This is where those little asides inside the dressing room will help if they are delivered by players who have experienced promotions before.
Matt Connolly should tell the younger players ‘These games are winnable and the spirit here is even better than during our title-winning season under Malky’. It may be complete nonsense, but these little psychological things can make such a difference.
The other huge plus Cardiff have in their favour is their army of fans. Win another two or three games and they’ll be taking 3,000 fans with them to away games again.
It’s like a boomerang. The players believe in the manager, the fans get behind the players. At home 25,000 supporters are behind you as a player, you’re behind the manager, it enables everyone to dream.
There are positive things happening again at Cardiff City, and not before time. A 3-0 win over Rotherham this weekend will keep that momentum going.
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 6:41 am
He is right! However improbable it is totally worth having a go! 
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 11:45 am
As they say while it is still mathemantically possible.
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 12:09 pm
Is anything impossible with Warnock the Warlock? Apart from Annis loving Tan to bits I don't think so 
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 12:32 pm
My pre-season prediction was promotion via the play-offs. That is as stupid as the statement that we can make the top six from our present position but I am a believer in stupid statements as history has shown 
and I still might be proved right
and I still might be proved right
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:07 pm
I stuck a tenner on promotion which was boosted to 20. I could win 4 grand if we go up!! Haha. Highly unlikely I know but regardless of the bet, we have to go for it. If we miss out we know we are ahead of the curve with planning for the next attempt.
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:09 pm
it may seem a bit far off but u have to believe, if trump can become president then anything can happen
Re: Nathan Blake: "A top six finish might be impossible" But
Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:58 am
What we have to be aiming for between now and the end of the season is Play-Off FORM.
If the last third of the season (last 15/16 games) see's us in the top 6 on form then it is good for going into next season.
Clubs who finish the season strong always start the next well and that is what we need.
If the last third of the season (last 15/16 games) see's us in the top 6 on form then it is good for going into next season.
Clubs who finish the season strong always start the next well and that is what we need.