" GUESS WHAT NO ONE FANCIES CARDIFF TO DO WELL / BUT "

BUT OUR OWN JOURNALIST / OUR FANS & NEIL WARNOCK HIMSELF


The bookies don't fancy the Bluebirds to go up, they don't think Kenneth Zohore will win the Golden Boot and now dozens of journalists covering the Championship have become the latest to dismiss Neil Warnock's hopes of a record eighth promotion.

A survey gathered by the Bolton News and published by the Middlesbrough Gazette asked 24 journalists covering the 24 clubs in the division who they thought would be promoted and relegated.

And only WalesOnline's Paul Abbandonato — buoyed by Warnock's optimism like many Cardiff fans right now — included the Bluebirds among the three sides to be promoted.



Of the 23 other journalists, 22 agreed with Paul that Middlesbrough would achieve promotion under Garry Monk while 17 concurred Steve Bruce could propel Aston Villa back to the Premier League. None believed Cardiff could return to the promised land this season.

Fulham, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Sunderland and Wolves were more heavily backed than Cardiff. Brentford, Birmingham, Norwich and Reading also received one vote, though thankfully — and sensibly — none of the journalists predicted the Bluebirds would be relegated under Warnock.


Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock talks to his players at Tavistock (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
There is just this belief running throughout the media and bookmakers that Cardiff will continue to sit in mid-table, as they have done for the past three seasons.

Burton Albion — Cardiff's first league opponents — led the way in terms of who journalists backed to be relegated. Millwall, Barnsley and Bolton also featured highly in the list of clubs likely to go down.

It's certain that Warnock will pay no attention to these predictions... and if he does, he'll be determined to prove them wrong.








What the 24 journalists said...

Promoted

Middlesbrough 23 votes

Aston Villa 18

Fulham 9

Sheff Wed 6

Derby 5

Sunderland 3

Wolves 3

Brentford 1

Birmingham 1

Cardiff 1

Norwich 1

Reading 1

Relegated

Burton 18 votes

Millwall 15

Barnsley 12

Bolton 10

QPR 7

Bristol C 3

Ipswich 3

Preston 3

Sheff Utd 1

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Be brutally honest we have improved the squad but have we improved the team I don't think so

I think Tomlin will be the key.
If he stays fit and gets us ticking he could make the difference imho

I think it's a fair reflection of where we are right now. It is unlikely that we will be one of the three Championship clubs who will be playing top flight football in 2018, but hopefully we can give it a good go this season, and perhaps if things go our way we can just about get into the top six. I think we have a real chance of a top ten finish, and with Warnock's experience possibly a little higher.

My memory is not as good as it used to be but weren't QPR similar when NW got them promoted?

They certainly were a tough side and were not anyone's fancy. Can he do it again? Well there's definitely a vibe about us so who knows!!!

That is just how Warnock and us like it. Give us no chance. Let's enjoy this season lads it's gonna be a roller coaster

Well in all honesty what do I know and I'd have to concede this battery of sports journalists certainly know more than I do. However, in my humble opinion, we've already got a better squad than last year; we've got some younger, hungrier players with something to prove and we've got the best manager in the league. I'm excited, and I think we may well surprise many

The OP makes sense to me and I've never thought we'd be promoted this season ...... but it's football, it's Cardiff City ... so you never know!!

We have the same defence as last year..and they gave away silly goals at times ...we haven t really strengthened midfield as much as i would have liked and i think we are still short up front.
Out of the 7 signings one is out injured and 2 are goalkeepers darmour is the only midfield recruit and if he is injured we have the same midfield as last year which was not good enough.. mid table for me..i would like to be proved wrong but....

If NW had arrived 8 weeks earlier we would have been very close to a play off spot, so with a good start this term plus the good vibe it's gonna be close again. I know it shouldn't be said on here but we've actually got a very good squad ..

We have the same defence as last year..and they gave away silly goals at times ...we haven t really strengthened midfield as much as i would have liked and i think we are still short up front.
Out of the 7 signings one is out injured and 2 are goalkeepers darmour is the only midfield recruit and if he is injured we have the same midfield as last year which was not good enough.. mid table for me..i would like to be proved wrong but....

Kimble, Wouldn't you count Tomlin as a central midfielder if we play 5 in midfield?
I think the squad we have is much better than last seasons.
We'll make one or two loan signings and potentially another player purchased.
If we are anywhere near the top six at Christmas I think Tan may make more funds available.

Meat and drink to the likes of Warnock!

If I am trying to acheive something personaly I find it 10 times more motivational to be written off than told it is nailed on. I think we have all seen what expectation does and it has been all too visible in this league over the last couple of seasons.

Light the BLUE touch paper and watch us fly!!

We have the same defence as last year..and they gave away silly goals at times ...we haven t really strengthened midfield as much as i would have liked and i think we are still short up front.
Out of the 7 signings one is out injured and 2 are goalkeepers darmour is the only midfield recruit and if he is injured we have the same midfield as last year which was not good enough.. mid table for me..i would like to be proved wrong but....

Yes but look at the points per game under warnock with last year's squad. If he had came earlier we'd be very close to the playoffs. We now have a similar squad but with slightly more strength in depth and a few more attacking options in ward and tomlin. I think we need another one or two players whether loan or perminant one up top and one in midfield.

We are CARDIFF CITY F.C. we love being the underdogs and I wouldn't have it any other way! Step up for the rollercoaster!

I can see goals in the City squad this season and that has been our Achilles heel for the past 4 campaigns. Therefore we have a punchers chance at promotion. If I had a concern it would be the silly goals we give away (as mentioned above) and maybe a weakness @ goalkeeper.