" Our Season - The Final Review "

No review of the season would be complete without mentioning the Carling Cup Final against Liverpool in February. Having never appeared in a League Cup Final before at the start of this season most fans would have just hoped for a good run in the competition, well we had that and then some. For all those who watched our run to the Final, including extra time against Huddersfield, Leicester and Palace and the penalty shoot outs against Leicester and Palace, few would have believed that those games and the performance against Liverpool in the Final itself was remotely possible this season. But on the day we took one of the most successful clubs in England to the very edge of defeat only to be denied by a penalty shoot out.

If there is such a thing as a magnificent defeat then the day was just that and for me represented the best single performance I have ever witnessed by a Cardiff City team and one I will remember for the rest of my life. A huge thank you goes to Malkay Mackay, his backroom team, our players and our course our magnificent fans. Absolutely priceless memories and I hope there are more to come.

When this season’s fixtures were published and we knew our first game was away at West Ham how many felt we could go there and win. Given all the changes at the club during the summer with the change of management, big turnover in the playing squad with the loss of so many BIG players who would have believed that we would win at Upton Park? But we did and so started the road to what has been a remarkable first season under the management of Malkay Mackay.

Most fans would have taken survival this season and many were predicting a mid table finish at best. It was difficult to argue given the level of change at the club during the summer of 2011. History itself would show how difficult a challenge the Bluebirds faced this season as only 6 clubs have ever made the playoffs 3 seasons on the trot in the history of playoffs at this level. Well after the completion of today’s game there are now 7 as we confirmed our place in the annual playoff lottery.

After the completion of the game we stand 6th in the Championship with 75pts out of the 138 available. We are now in our 9th season as a Championship club so how does this points haul compare to the eight previous seasons;

Well our highest points total was 80 during season 2010/11 with the lowest being 54 in season 2004/05. From being just 2 pts off setting a new club record for points collected at the halfway stage we have now dropped back to the 3rd highest points total. Having said that since our return to the Championship our highest return during the second half of the season was 40 points during season 2010/11, and our lowest being 26 points during season 2006/07 with an average of 34 points. So having taken 36 points we actually achieved our 2nd best points haul for the 2nd half of the season.

What is truly remarkable about our performance this season is that it is generally agreed that any NEW manager needs at least 3 seasons to put his mark on a club, to develop his team and to maximise the performance of his team. This season MM, his backroom team and our players have blown that theory out of the water and as a result we find ourselves in an absolutely fantastic position and real opportunity to gain promotion through the playoffs.

Within our performance statistics for this season are actually a couple of all time records for our club. They are as follows;

We reached our first League Cup Final.
We equalled an all time club record of 9 away League games without defeat.
We set a new all time record of only 4 away defeats in a 46 match League Season.

We have set a few best performance records since our return to the Championship. They are as follows;

We had a total of 19 different goalscrorers in all competitions this season.
We failed to score in only 8 League matches beating our previous best of 9 in season 2010-2011.
We scored the first goal in 30 of our 46 League matches beating our previous best of 29 in season 2010-2011.
We kept 15 clean sheets equalling our previous best set in season 2006/07.
We lost only 9 matches beating our previous best of 10 set in season 2009/09.
We drew 18 matches beating our previous highest of 17 set in season 2008/09.
We were undefeated in 37 League matches beating our previous highest of 36 set in season 2008/09.
We lost 29 points from winning positions during the season which is the highest total since our return to the Championship, our lowest is 10 during season 2006/07.
With only 25 players representing the club in League matches we equalled the lowest number set in seasons 2007/08 & 2005/06.
With a total of 412 we committed the fewest fouls in a season with our highest being 580 set in season 2005/06.
None of our players was sent off during our 46 League matches this season which is the only time since our return to the Championship. Our highest number was 9 in season 2006/07.

Other key performance indicators were as follows;

We scored a total of 66 goals in League matches this season and this was our 4th best performance since our return to the Championship. Our highest total is 76 scored in season 2010-11 and our lowest 48 in season 2004/05.
We won 269 corners during our 46 League matches which is our 2nd highest total behind the 288 won in season 2008/09. Our lowest total was 204 in season 2010-11.
We won a total of 19 of our 46 League matches which is the 3rd highest since our return to the Championship, our highest is 23 during season 2010/11 and the lowest 13 during season 2004/05.
We averaged 50.70% possession over the 46 League matches and this is our 5th best result since our return to the Championship. Our best result was 52.91% during season 2008/09 and our worst 49.5% in season 2004/05.
We managed a total of 543 attempts at goal during our 46 League matches this is our 3rd highest total, the highest being 574 during season 2003/04 and the lowest 462 in season 2005/06.
Our opponents managed 510 attempts at our goal which is the 2nd highest since our return to the Championship. The highest is 533 in season 2009/10 and the lowest 406 in season 2004/05.
A total of 17 players received yellow cards during League matches this season which is the joint 2nd lowest. Our highest total is19 during season 2005/06 and the lowest was 16 during season 2008/09.
Our opponents received a total of 67 yellow cards during the season which is the 4th lowest total since our return to the Championship. The highest total is 87 during season 2006/07 and the lowest 60 during season 2005/06.
We won 10 points from losing positions during the season which is the 3rd lowest total since our return to the Championship. Our lowest total was 5 during season 2006/07 and the highest 16 during season 2003/04.

I would like to make special mention of the contribution of Peter Whittingham to our season. We all know that he won the Football League goal of the season for his effort against Barnsley last season (surely his goal at Reading this year will be a contender next year), that he was our only player to make the PFA Championship team of the year and that he was in the top 3 nominations for Championship player of the season.

But this year Whitts has become the first outfield player to play every minute of every League match in a season since our return to the Championship. He has also contributed the highest number of assists (13) in a season, the 3rd time he has provided the most assists during his time at the club. Add to that the fact he was top of the goalscoring charts again with 13 and it tells you he has had a special season.

As far as I’m concerned he is the stand out player for the season, a quality player, a really nice man and surely approaching legend status.

There is a well known saying that it’s not the size of the dog that matters in a fight but the amount of fight in the dog. Well our squad has plenty of fight in it, (ask Liverpool) and no small amount of quality, and that’s the reason why we have made the playoffs. So what about the playoffs and can this be the year we achieve the dream of PL Football.

Many people believe that form or momentum going into the playoffs is vital if you want to succeed. Is that true? Here are the historical statistics for the last 10 years.

Within the Football League form is measured by the number of points won during the last 6 matches. Here is the standing of the form of the 4 clubs in the playoffs;

West Ham Utd – 14 pts
Blackpool – 12 pts
Birmingham – 10 pts
Cardiff – 14 pts

So West Ham and Cardiff are level with 14 points but West Ham have a goal difference of +12 against +6 for Cardiff, so West Ham are the form team. So how has “The Form Team” done in the playoff process during the last 10 years?

In the last 10 seasons the Form Team has been promoted on only 2 occasions, the team bottom of the form League has also been promoted on 2 occasions whilst the 2nd best form team has been promoted on 6 occasions. No team finishing 3rd in the form table has ever won the playoffs, we were the 3rd place team when we lost in the final and Blackpool were the 2nd best form team.

This season we are the 2nd best team in the form League, albeit on goal difference, so is this going to be our season?

Whatever happens in my opinion we have just witnessed a remarkable season and one which I will remember for the rest of my life. By the end of the away leg of the playoff semi final we would have completed 57 matches which will be the highest number since our return to the Championship.

Let’s make sure the CCS is packed out for the home leg and stick with the team for every single second of match and for as long we remain in the playoffs. The team deserve that for what has been a remarkable season.

Here is another good omen.
Last time we played a play off semi final at home first was in 2003. We beat Bristol City over 2legs and went on to win the final against qpr in extra time with Andy Cambell Scoring the winner. If i remember rightly andy had a season much like Millers or perhaps even lawrence. Is playing home leg first going to be lucky for us.

Here is another good omen.
Last time we played a play off semi final at home first was in 2003. We beat Bristol City over 2legs and went on to win the final against qpr in extra time with Andy Cambell Scoring the winner. If i remember rightly andy had a season much like Millers or perhaps even lawrence. Is playing home leg first going to be lucky for us.

castleblue, that's an excellent statistical rundown of the season - thanks. We should be proud of our team and club, anything more from here would be a bonus. Superb effort, great season.

As usual Gary(Castleblue) that is a superb review of our season, thanks for taking the time out to write it up.

How long will it be before someone quotes Castleblu's post?
Always one who want to make the page very difficult to read

Enjoyed those statistics - Thanks

From Facebook

Nigel Jenkins
Great review, shows how much we have achieved. Malky and the boys have done a fantastic job. We are underdogs like we were against Liverpoo. So anything is possible. IMWT. CTID.

AND the day of the Playoff Final is the same day as Eddie May's birthday!

Another piece of quality Mr Castleblue.

Your posts fill me with confidence

onwards and upwards

brilliant post thanks

Gary, that write up is concise and very informative, really appreciate the time you have put in. I would like to use some of your stats in my Echo column when I write the last one of the season if you don't mind.

Excellent & informative. Have you thought about writing a City stats book?
Now that would be interesting.

Gary, that write up is concise and very informative, really appreciate the time you have put in. I would like to use some of your stats in my Echo column when I write the last one of the season if you don't mind.

No problem Carl I can't wait to read your article.

Great read Gary Thanks for taking the time to put all that info together,just goes to show with those stats what a good first season under MM this has been