“ CCFC PROMOTION REALITY CHECK “ :

PROMOTION REALITY CHECK MY VIEW :


Like many Bluebirds I have my sights set on Wolves and I remain like that for the time being. Our destiny is now totally in our own hands. It is always said that the 1st 12 games are the "run-up" to the season where the table takes shape. Well - we are now with 12 games remaining in the "run-down" to the season where our destiny of automatic promotion or play-offs will be decided. We have seen how 4 consecutive losses last Chrismas saw us drop like a stone and how 3 consecutive wins last week cemented our position in 2nd.


The truth is we have to be REALISTIC & always hope for the best - but be ready for the worst. We - fans and players should not get carried away (look @ Wolves). I am certain Warnock is not. - Yes we can catch Wolves who are 6 points above us (and we have yet to play them @ home) . - but Villa , Derby and also Fulham are formidable sides (in the Championship) all of whom have spent bucket loads on excellent players.

These teams defintely have their eyes on us (and rightly so). I believe: (1) Wolves and us are battling for the top spot (I pick Wolves but hope). (2) Us , Villa , Derby + Fulham are battling fos 2nd spot (I pick us) (3) few others - all the way to mid table - are battling for 6th spot (I pick Middlesborough).


This is how it is today but come end March the picture will narrow down & will become more clear. However , today I want to dream but at the same time know that a dream is not reality.


The remaining fixtures are : 1- Home : Barnsley , Birmingham, Burton, Wolves, Forest and Reading - 2- Away: Brentford, Derby, Sheff U, Villa, Norwich & Hull. On paper the home fixtures look easier with the average team ranking being 17th while the away fixtures look more difficult with the average team being 10th. However , we know very well that the reality is not on paper but on grass and that the lower teams are fighting fiercely for their lives.


Finally in a very general way - winning at home and drawing away will do the business.



Opinions please

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" CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE AS IT STANDS "

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REMAINING CCFC CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES




Sat Mar 3 Brentford Cardiff City Crowd Away ( 1,650 )

Tue Mar 6 Barnsley H

Sat Mar 10 Birmingham City H

Sunday Mar 18th Derby County 12pm Sky Tv A

Fri 3pm Mar 30 Burton Albion H

Mon 7:45pm Apr 2 Sheffield United A Live on Sky

Sat Apr 7 Wolverhampton Wanderers H

Tue Apr 10 Aston Villa A

Sat Apr 14 Norwich City A

Sat Apr 21 Nottingham Forest H

Sat Apr 28 Hull City A

Sun 12:30pm May 6 Reading H

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I should think we will win four of those home games at least. Every one of those away games are going to take a gritty performance if we are to get results from any of them. They are all tough, but Warnock gets his tactics right more often than not, and hopefully we can get a few away points as well. Brentford will be a difficult one to start with, but every single away point gained could prove crucial at the end. All six of the top sides are going to drop points over the next 12 games , which one will drop the least? Not bothered with our style of football at this stage, the only thing that matters is results, however they are achieved.

Neil Warnock Insists Play-Offs Are Still The Target For Cardiff – Despite 15-Point Gap


Monday 26th February 2018

by Graham Thomas


Neil Warnock is still playing down Cardiff City’s chances of gaining automatic promotion, despite the mounting points tally and the fact that their chasers in the Championship are running out of matches.

The Bluebirds manager watched his team grind out a 1-0 victory at home to Bristol City in a game that was as numbing on the mind as it was on the fingers and toes.

But the hard-earned result – courtesy of Kenneth Zohore’s second match-winning goal in as many games – means Cardiff are again four points clear of Aston Villa and only six behind leaders Wolves.

Warnock, however, prefers to look downward to Middlesbrough in seventh place, the last play-off spot, who are now a massive 15 points behind Cardiff.


NEIL WARNOCK:

“We are now 15 points ahead of the team in seventh place and that has always been the target – to make the play-offs,” said Warnock.

“Anything else is a bonus, but we are pleased with our 16th clean sheet because that was the target we set ourselves before the season started.

“We don’t have the Rolls Royces that others have in this division, but what we do have are players with effort and endeavour.

“We knew this game was never going to be pretty. The pitch was terrible, the wind was lively, it was the coldest day of the year and it was a local derby. We said at half-time it would be a sloppy goal that settled it and we needed to make sure it wasn’t us who conceded it.

“But I thought we deserved to just about shade it because we had the better opportunities.”

Under Warnock’s guidance Cardiff have honed a number of useful attributes, one of the most significant being their ability to win scratchy, often awful matches.

This was a case in point – a contest neither side appeared likely to win with the combination of a swirling wind, a rock-hard and bumpy surface, and blinding noon sunlight making for conditions that seemed beyond their mastery.

But, much like their 69-year-old manager, Cardiff have a relentless energy about them and their appetite was rewarded with Zohore’s goal nine minutes from time.

Joe Ralls won the ball deep in Bristol City’s defensive territory, forced his way to the byline, and when his cross was deflected into the path of Zohore the Danish striker powered a shot high into the net from eight yards. It was the 24-year-old’s second winning goal in five days, following his only goal of the game at Ipswich.

It was also a goal that characterised the determined and single-minded nature of Cardiff’s promotion surge that offers few frills, but plenty of power.

“I’m disappointed with the way we conceded the goal. But I’m pleased with how we stood up to a physical Cardiff team, yet we were mediocre on the ball.

“We’re competing for a play-off place now. You can’t have delusions of grandeur now. We have to finish top of our mini-league table and we’ll do that by playing our way.

“We have to concentrate on ourselves and give ourselves the chance to be successful and have a good year. I just said to the players how it is important they pay the game I want to play, because I believe in it.

“The squad has been hit by three or four injuries but I believe we can still play the way I want to play.
I don’t want the players to be struck by fear with our league position, this plan is long term for Bristol City, I will take the blame if it doesn’t work.”

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2nd place is achievable with our present form villa derby & Fulham are our main rivals for it! but playoffs surely they are garaunteed given we are around 15 points clear. ..

Quite happy we do not have to play Fulham again, April is still the month that concerns me a bit, even Hull City who will be fighting for their Championship survival will be a huge game. We just need to keep picking up the points and not worry about anyone else. The last 5 minutes of the Bristol game was terrible, I did not know where to look.

At this moment in time I couldn’t give a toss about Wolves,they can win al their remaining games except for us and have top spot
For me it’s all about 2nd and staying in front of our rivals.
Win as many home games as possible and don’t lose to Villa and Derby awing see us far off

In all honesty I can't even let myself dream about auto promo yet as there are some tough games coming up and this is the business end of the season when games appear to come thick and fast and it's important to keep as many players fit and injury free as possible. I'm confident we shud get into the play offs - hopefully! From now on we just need to focus on one game at a time and not get carried away. We need to focus on making that gap in points between us and 3rd place bigger and bigger. If we can get to the point over the next 3-4 games that we are say 10-12 points clear than I'll start to dream then! It's exciting and not in a million years did I think we would be where we are now this point of the season - id guessed and hoped that we would be somewhere between 5-9th!

REMAINING CCFC CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES




Sat Mar 3 Brentford Cardiff City Crowd Away ( 1,650 )

Tue Mar 6 Barnsley H

Sat Mar 10 Birmingham City H

Sunday Mar 18th Derby County 12pm Sky Tv A

Fri 3pm Mar 30 Burton Albion H

Mon 7:45pm Apr 2 Sheffield United A Live on Sky

Sat Apr 7 Wolverhampton Wanderers H

Tue Apr 10 Aston Villa A

Sat Apr 14 Norwich City A

Sat Apr 21 Nottingham Forest H

Sat Apr 28 Hull City A

Sun 12:30pm May 6 Reading H

Home games are all winnable, Derby and Villa away are massive games !!!!

I honestly believe we are good for 24 more points from 36, means villa need 28 or 29 depending on goal difference derby 31 and so on. I think 24 points seals the deal or that is one hell of a run from Fulham derby or villa which would be deserved.

Fingers crossed but most games are against bottom half teams, we can do this!

I'll find it difficult to attempt to predict, until after the Villa game. So many twists and turns yet with the teams in contention still to play each other. We just have to keep it going ourselves. We are 4 points clear. It's all down to us. 8 cup finals puts us beyond the Villa game. Win them and we won't be far off, (with another 4 just to make sure) .

Both Derby and Villa need to beat us, we don't need to beat them; which is pressure for them not us.
Plus Derby and Villa have got to play each other, both can't win.
But it's one game at a time, starting with Brentford.

In the past We would always seem to mess up against teams we should beat but I have faith in Warnock to put the fear of god into any player not pulling his wait and so far we seem to be grinding the results out. tough games ahead some more than others. but I would not for a different manager

REMAINING CCFC CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES


Sat Mar 3
Brentford Away - D 1-1
Tue Mar 6
Barnsley H - W 2-0
Sat Mar 10
Birmingham City H - W 3-1
Sunday Mar 18th
Derby County A - L 1-0
Fri 3pm Mar 30
Burton Albion H W 3-0
Mon 7:45pm Apr 2
Sheffield United A - D 1-1
Sat Apr 7
Wolverhampton Wanderers H - W 3-2
Tue Apr 10
Aston Villa A - L 2-0
Sat Apr 14
Norwich City A D 1-1
Sat Apr 21
Nottingham Forest H - W 2-1
Sat Apr 28
Hull City A - W 1-2
Sun 12:30pm May 6
Reading W 1-0

Brentford A DRAW

Barnsley H WIN

Birmingham City H WIN

Derby County A DRAW

Burton Albion H WIN

Sheffield United A LOSE

Wolverhampton Wanderers H LOSE

Aston Villa A DRAW

Norwich City A DRAW

Nottingham Forest H WIN

Hull City A WIN

Reading H WIN


THATS 22 POINTS
6 WINS
4 DRAWS
2 LOSSES

PUTS US ON 89 POINTS
ITS GOING TO BE VERY TIGHT AT THE END

Brentford A DRAW

Barnsley H WIN

Birmingham City H WIN

Derby County A DRAW

Burton Albion H WIN

Sheffield United A LOSE

Wolverhampton Wanderers H LOSE

Aston Villa A DRAW

Norwich City A DRAW

Nottingham Forest H WIN

Hull City A WIN

Reading H WIN


THATS 22 POINTS
6 WINS
4 DRAWS
2 LOSSES

PUTS US ON 89 POINTS
ITS GOING TO BE VERY TIGHT AT THE END

I just went through these fixtures as well and came pretty close to what you have although I had us beat Wolves at home and draw with Hull.

I also did a similar quick back of the fag packet maths with Wolves fixtures and had them finishing 3 points above us. We are relying on them to have a shock defeat or two somewhere in the mix - maybe Bolton or Sunderland could do it as they will be fighting for survival.

Next three games are essential for Fulham another tough three games but if they win those they are right in the mix for autos but an 8 point swing is a big ask with just twelve games to go. One thing is for sure I really wouldn't fancy meeting them in the playoffs.

Villa have us Wolves and derby to play plus Bolton, Sunderland and Hull who are all scrapping down the bottom but probably the most similar run in to us in terms of challenges ahead of them -personally I think if we beat Villa we will finish above them.

Derby have arguably the toughest run-in of the lot of us with everyone they are playing from here on in either chasing promotion, playoffs or survival think they'll make the playoffs but autos is too big an ask.

Last playoff spot is anyones right down to Millwall who are in a rich vein of form and could be a dark horse to sneak into sixth.

The great thing is with this Warnock team, is that the defence is so strong, at any other time, you feel that your team need to score a goal to get anything from the game, but with this team we can quite easily go for a 0-0 and be confident that we will get it, which could be essential in the coming away games