Cardiff will likely finish in the top eight Says

This is Warnock-ball on steroids but if it works there is no reason why Cardiff City shouldn't get promoted

Cardiff will likely finish in the top eight Says Nathan Blake


By Nathan Blake

Thursday 15th August 2019


Like I always say, it's difficult to judge a team fully until you are 10 games into the new season.

Cardiff City are two games into the Championship campaign and have lost one and won one.

On first impressions, it looks as though the signings Neil Warnock has made and the style of play he is employing is very much what we have become accustomed to – route one.

But route one can work and we have seen it work many times before, especially at this level. As I football fan, yes, I want to be entertained, but how the team play is Warnock's decision and he has a great record in this league.

Cardiff were relegated from the Premier League last season and now they have a target on their back because people expect them to be in contention for promotion again when next May comes around.

The ultimate goal if you are a Cardiff City fan is for the team to be a top 10 or 12 Premier League side and to maintain that status over a period of time. They have an owner who is willing to back them financially so it is certainly an attainable target.

But, thinking longer term, will Cardiff be that sort of a team if they continue to play like this? Probably not.

With Warnock in charge this season, it has maybe added three or four years on to the timeline of when we have a team ready to challenge the top half of the Premier League consistently.

Personally I'd like to see someone like Chris Hughton in charge when Warnock steps down. He brings professionalism, employs a solid base and allows his side to play a little bit.

But you have to get there in the first place and while this is a Warnock-style team on steroids, it is set up to cope with the challenges of this tough league.

And there will be plenty of goals. Cardiff have so much size and power in that team and if they play to those strengths then we should see the ball hit the back of the net a lot this season.

Warnock's experience cannot be underestimated, either. We saw last year with Scott Parker managing Fulham in the Premier League, his inexperience showed a little bit and Warnock will jump all over him at this level.

Cardiff signed Marlon Pack and Isaac Vassell on deadline day and they could both add to this squad in a big way.

I was happy with Vassell, he is a good player. He has had his struggles with injury in the past but fingers crossed he keeps fit and carries on the way he started.

As for Pack, he almost makes Cardiff's back four a back five and having a sturdy defence is crucial in this league. Hopefully Joe Ralls might be able to learn a thing or two from him as well, because he has shown glimpses of what a quality player he can be with that lovely left foot.

There's no getting around the fact that Bruno Manga is a big loss, however, especially his pace. It might not be as exposed in this league but it might still prove a concern somewhere down the line.

It will be interesting to see what happens when Sol Bamba comes back, because Sean Morrison and Aden Flint are just starting to strike up a partnership.

That's fine when you're winning, but when you're losing that's when Bamba comes into his own and Warnock will swim across the ocean to get him playing if he has to.

My early prediction is that Cardiff will likely finish in the top eight, but if they execute their game plans and keep a watertight defence away from home as often as they can then there is no reason why they shouldn't end up in that top six.

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Top six definitely, probably top two when the team settles down, this team has much more power and speed and strength upfront then the team that got us promoted, what's he on about?

I think top 10 pushing into the playoffs.

I knew he'd pick out Vassell as soon as he signed.

Cant disagree with any of that tbh.

A good summary.

I think 6th-10th for you.

And us 8th-12th.

I think 6th-10th for you.

And us 8th-12th.

So You think you have a chance to finish ahead of us then? Admire your confidence

I think 6th-10th for you.

And us 8th-12th.

So You think you have a chance to finish ahead of us then? Admire your confidence

Of course we do. It will be close as I said.

I think 6th-10th for you.

And us 8th-12th.

So You think you have a chance to finish ahead of us then? Admire your confidence

Of course we do. It will be close as I said.

What do you base your assertion on? Your last 2 games or other factors? Because all pundits have a big gap between ourselves and you... ok pundits can be wrong so what makes you think have a chance?

A former swans expert on here said you lot will be ahead of us for next 30yrs that was 3 yrs ago !

What do you base your assertion on? Your last 2 games or other factors? Because all pundits have a big gap between ourselves and you... ok pundits can be wrong so what makes you think have a chance?

A former swans expert on here said you lot will be ahead of us for next 30yrs that was 3 yrs ago !

All factors really. Can you link me to any pundits claiming a big gap between the sides? I haven't seen or heard one.

I don't think you are starting with a great base, you have a team that struggled at the tier above and since lost a couple of your best players. If you had players that succeeded at that level and you still had them in your side then my answer may be different. Your opening 2 matches at this level against teams expected to struggle has been far from convincing and the Championship looks very technical this year where as Warnock is persisting with his style.

We are in a similar position too though. We had a side that got relegated and also lost some key players, but we have managed to keep players that have succeeded at the higher level. A big boost with the likes of Ayew and Borja looking like they will now stay, that's a 33.5m strikeforce. Our style of play is suited to this level and we look to have an excellent manager who has stepped up to the task well.

I would say you guys have the edge currently as we have a larger financial gap to close than yourselves as we were in the PL for longer. But there isn't much in it. Any supporters claiming landslide victories etc are just posturing, that goes for both sides.

No idea regarding the 30 year thing you are talking about. Although if you want my opinion, if you take the last 10 years and the next 20 years - we would have had the more successful 3 decades combined without question. I think it would be very brave indeed to disagree.

What do you base your assertion on? Your last 2 games or other factors? Because all pundits have a big gap between ourselves and you... ok pundits can be wrong so what makes you think have a chance?

A former swans expert on here said you lot will be ahead of us for next 30yrs that was 3 yrs ago !

All factors really. Can you link me to any pundits claiming a big gap between the sides? I haven't seen or heard one.

I don't think you are starting with a great base, you have a team that struggled at the tier above and since lost a couple of your best players. If you had players that succeeded at that level and you still had them in your side then my answer may be different. Your opening 2 matches at this level against teams expected to struggle has been far from convincing and the Championship looks very technical this year where as Warnock is persisting with his style.

We are in a similar position too though. We had a side that got relegated and also lost some key players, but we have managed to keep players that have succeeded at the higher level. A big boost with the likes of Ayew and Borja looking like they will now stay, that's a 33.5m strikeforce. Our style of play is suited to this level and we look to have an excellent manager who has stepped up to the task well.

I would say you guys have the edge currently as we have a larger financial gap to close than yourselves as we were in the PL for longer. But there isn't much in it. Any supporters claiming landslide victories etc are just posturing, that goes for both sides.

No idea regarding the 30 year thing you are talking about. Although if you want my opinion, if you take the last 10 years and the next 20 years - we would have had the more successful 3 decades combined without question. I think it would be very brave indeed to disagree.

I hope this post makes more sense now Allan as no doubt some of your fans will be having a moment of realisation.

I am not gloating, I promise you. But your fans clearly have over-estimated your team. I have absolutely no idea why, maybe its the age old trap of thinking there is a major difference between the Championship and the bottom 3 in the Premier League? Maybe its Warnock's record at this level? Who knows.

But what is clear is that the Championship has moved on, as I said in the post above - it has turned very technical and the days of physical sides like yourselves and Stoke having success with that style look like a thing of the past. Reading look very much a technical side and ripped your 11 to ribbons, 3-0 was very kind indeed, and this after losing their last 2 matches. That tells you that sides with a Warnock type approach get found out quickly.

This is why England went through a period of no success in Europe. The rest of Europe left them behind in terms of quality on the ball and when the styles meet there just is no comparison. Man City brought in Pep, Liverpool brought in Klopp and we have 2 of the best sides in Europe now in the PL as they have upped their technical game.

Warnock is dinosaur, a successful one, but a dinosaur none the less. There is no long term plan there, he is too old. The time to rebuild was in the summer, that includes a change in manager and approach. I think you will suffer for that lack of foresight from Tan. But that's always the risk when you have an owner that knows nothing about football, we saw the same with he Bob Bradley appointment.

Anyway, I am sure you get the point now and surely realise the gap is nowhere near as wide as you were claiming, or even there at all. I will always attract stick, and its water off a duck's back - but you will realise with time that I do speak sense.