If we had a fully fit squad and maybe a goalscorer we would have won this league by now. I think we have lost important players at crucial times this season, unluckily, and have done well to keep the ball rolling.
We've been inconsistent in performance recently but over the season very consistent in picking up points. In fact, when you look at the table we've been outstanding. We all know how tight this league is and in honesty there are teams in the top half that could still get relegated should they have a bad run from now until the end. There's only a 7 point difference from Blackburn in 22nd to Derby in 10th. To say that we're 14 points clear of 7th placed Leicester at this stage in this league is pretty incredible. All these teams taking points off each other and us to rise above them in the way we have... Add the fact we've missed such key players for such large portions of the season and it really is impressive, regardless of how we've scrapped some of the points out (more recently). It's hard to put a marker on the team as we've not seen it at full strength even once this season, but it's definitely a great side regardless of what some might think having seen one/some of our performances recently. Our low goal difference proves that we're hard to beat. We could do with being much more prolific but to say we're 2nd under all the above circumstances shows how well managed we are as well. Basically I agree with neither point the OP raises. I think we are where we are because it's well earned.
Great team, great squad. Considering we have operated without key personnel for long periods, considering we had to suffer Amos in goal for a while - we're a bloody great team. You don't win over 50% of your games by being 'lucky', you win them because you've been great. We are, as the table indicates 2nd best in the league. I don't buy into the Championship been poor this year - I think it just hasn't had a real dominant force as all 24 teams have brought something to the table. Blackburn with a top £7m striker that has scored a lot of goals in this league in the bottom 3? Just crazy.
i agree glennons, at the start of the season people were harping about how wolves, bolton and blackburn were going to make it really tough for the other teams but then despite maintaining a core of their prem league players they have all struggled to varying degrees. it is a great standard and just because 2 or 3 aren't miles ahead doesn't mean they (us included) will automatically struggle in the premier league. look at how well bottom and mid table clubs in this league did in the FA cup this season as an example. over 41 games, fortune and overperforming are outweighed by merit and ability. we are where we deserve to be.
We are a good side but SB said that some the players were running on empty yesterday, due to 3 games in 6 days. Because of injuries there were not to many options to get fresh legs on the pitch, and the players had been also drained because of the intensity of the game against Watford, as well as the result. As he say players can play every day of the week if you want, but they cannot play at the top of their game, in all those games. Hopefully by Ipswich game they will have re-charged their batteries.
I never even hinted that we were not exactly where we deserved to be: after 41 games the league table does not lie. Nor do I comment on how good or bad the standard of this division is this year. Whether it's very high or very low, it's uncommonly even. People have said that this is the best football they've ever seen from a City side, and that Bruce is a great manager. Could it be that we have a great team and a great manager?
I think we're about where we ought to be, we've been very good in spells, especially that run in December where we won a lot of games playing good stuff. We're a well organised, well managed side and we've got it about us to see games out that we maybe don't deserve to win, but we've struggled a little bit against the top sides. So overall I don't agree with either of the questions in the OP.
You don't get to watch us,other than the fls,but that's irrelevant ? Quote of the season that mate. Made my ****ing day that one.
3) A decent side and manager with an attitude that helps them grind results out. That's what gets sides promoted.
We are the 2nd best team in the league on merit. We have been very consistent all season, playing the same formation and same style of football. We have a good manager and a good ethos amongst the squad. People who consider us to be an 'average' team i'd ask who other than Cardiff are better than us? There is no one below us who you could automatically say, they're brilliant I can't believe they are below us, there's no point in romanticising the standard of the Championship, it's not the premiership, there arent a load of teams playing in it to a consistently very high standard sweeping all in front of them aside. Bottom line is come the end of the season teams are where they deserve to be and as of now we deserve to be 2nd.
HAHAHAHAHA what a load of ****. Outperforming someone means nothing in this league. Also it is a very subjective debate. While you say we outperformed them the opposition will say exactly the same. You seem to consider lots of off target shots and superior possession ( yet losing 0-1) as outperforming someone (like vs watford) I see it as a failure to score and therefore a team that isn't as good as they seem. We lost 3 out of 4 of those away games fair and square. and the 3 we played at home could have gone our way but could very easily have gone their way also. You are basing your opinion on statistics, which everyone knows mean absolutely nothing in this league.
Considering there are plenty who go and watch every city game at the KC and yet think we should sack bruce or play proschwitz up front to give us something extra.... I would say it IS irrelevant. I've seen a handful of away games this season but according to your daft mind the more you see city= the more valid your opinion of the team is .
I agree stats mean nothing or can be made to support an argument. The only stat is the league table. Where are we in that? We don't beat top teams? Yet we beat Watford away. We bet forest away, we beat Brighton at home. All top 6.
Non of those teams were in top 6 or playing well when we beat them though? I'm not saying we're not worthy of our position but I really think we have been extremely fortunate with the downfalls of lester,boro,palace recently and so on. In the league format we have been consistent and a good team but if it came down to playoffs, that would be the only real way of confirming whether we are better than them. If a team finishes in the top 2 by winning all their games (away and home) against the teams in position 10th and lower (giving them 84 pts) but losing all their games against the top 9... does that make them a far superior team?
It's not luck mate, it's over a season. Maybe everyone in this league are ****. But we are the second least **** side in it. At the moment. Do you need some diazepam??
Is it fortunate though? Or is the fact we haven't crashed like those guys (touch wood) because we're a decent team with a decent manager? I don't see how you can be fortunate over 41 games.
