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Can't see why not. Manga and Morrison in the middle, solid and creative midfield, pace at long last and a hitman upfront.....appears to be a stronger team than the last lot who got us up, and of course we have the king of promotion leading us......
Ssshhhh....I won't tell anyone either.......
Racists, reported.
If we have a strong start, we can be in contention for play off spot. Not sure theres enough quality throughout the squad to consider ourselves genuine promotion contenders yet. We will need a good run with injuries and suspensions like any side who get out of this league. Im feeling pretty positive about the season either way as we are beginning to do things properly for the first time in a good while and Im sure NW has played a massive part in that
Keeping big Ken fit and Tomlin motivated will be crucial.
Im generally optimistic this time every year, this time though it feels very different. We have a man who knows what he is doing building a squad with a real purpose in mind. He has managed to win over the trust of the owner and board as can be seen by some of the decisions the club are making in backing him.
Whether promotion is achievable or not, only time will tell. But I feel that whatever the outcome, the club is certainly moving in the right direction. If I were standing back and looking in I think it would be foolish to write Cardiff off this season, especially when NW's contagious enthusiasm is clearly there for all to see.
We are not "a different colour horse " this season we are a full on stallion hard on type team.
""Hi ho silver " apollogies to all the ""silver " amongst us you must feel isolated , picked on , out dated , alone.
Plays off place is possible but the strength of the championship this year is massive and we are in the middle third of the league in terms of squad quality and may not have that bit extra we may need? Time will tell anyway
Here's a thought Chepstow , if Zohore improves 10% and Ward /Tomlin delivers wit our known pace out wide we may at least have the best defensive unit and one of the better attacks .Quote:
Originally Posted by chepstow
Galloping horses perhaps?
The bookies certainly see it that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by chepstow
Hopefully they haven't taken into account the Warnock factor.
Not a betting man but even I may have a punt on us for a playoff place.
Oh I say!Quote:
Originally Posted by life on mars
In the immortal words of Frankie Howard "" oòh misses "Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgt. Pepper
Never pay to much interest to the bookies, they didn't see Huddersfield coming, or Bournemouth, or Watford, or plenty of others who made it up. I think this squad is as good as last time we went up, probably better. The league was just poor before so we looked good. In reality apart from one amazing run mid way we stumbled over the line with bore drawers
Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
Dont try re write history we won the league by 8 points!!
Going back to the OP's question, I think we have the potential to achieve something this season but only if the TEAM gels quickly, and Zohore maintains his form from the end of last season. We also need our goalie to be exceptional, whoever it is.
I agree with Chepstow's assessment of our squad, but we showed last year towards the end of the season that we had learnt how to start moving the ball quickly and with purpose. If we can build on that and add some guile in the attacking third, then I think we are going to be very hard to beat and could start turning draws into tight wins. Then everything will be in the lap of the footballing gods.
My personal view is that we might just be able to challenge for the play-offs, and I will put my usual annual bet on this outcome with a bit more hope this year...
Judging by the comments from supporters of a few of the teams in our division we seem to be regarded as possible promotion candidates and certainly play off contenders.
Admittedly the data comes from limited numbers and all involved had been taking alcohol at the time but I would say we are less dark and more dappled horses for the upcoming season.
Were going up its a racing cert ,anyway they shoot horses that fall , don't they?
The lowest points total ever was it?? We were fortunate it was a very poor league
West Brom got 81 in 2008.Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
The way I saw it at the time, if we had needed to win a few more games in the run-in then I reckon we quite probably would have. We looked able to step it up when necessary.
Just looking at the tables, funnily enough the League 1 champs points total was unusually low in 12-13 too. It was the year Doncaster and Bournemouth came up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
Wrong!!!
I wouldn't be surprised if we loose the first match or draw etc - but then go onto win the next few! I love to dream of finishing in the top 2 but my head tells me - no chance! (But you never know I guess). Top 6 will be difficult but I'm predicting to finish 5-8th somewhere in there. If we do this the season will have been a very successful one. Even if we don't finish in the top 6 - if we come in just outside it will show our improvement.
We're overpriced at 25/1.
We should really be on par with Leeds and Birmingham at 16/1.
Shirley not? Leeds are a massive club aren't they? People have been telling us that for years!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by WJ99mobile
I don't think the question asked in the OP can properly be answered until december. If we are in a strong position and challenging then, and if Neil wants it, the cheque book may come out to boost the squad to push on. If we are not it won't.
And of course, the better the position the more the current players will want to be seen doing well in a possible promotion team, and the more likelihood there is that good players will be tempted to join the club for the push on, for the same reason.
You are correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by chepstow
Since the 1999/2000 season (using the millennium as a natural cut off point as I couldn't be arsed to go back further), West Brom's tally of 81 points in 2007/08 is the lowest, followed by Cardiff's total of 87. 94 points is the average points total of the Championship winners since 2000, so we were comfortably below that.
We won 25 games when we won this division (28 is the average), only West Brom (2007/08) and QPR (2010/11) managed less, while only QPR and Reading (2011/12) scored less. We also had one of the poorer Championship winning defensive records and the worst goal difference of all champions since 1999/2000. However, we were harder to beat than six other champions from that period and only three sides drew more matches than us.
Bamba and either of them two for me in the middle. Bamba better than both IMO. Bamba very much the unsung hero of our uplift in form last season.Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
Spedger
spedger
25/1? Best I saw was 12 which I thought was extremely stingy for a team supposedly finishing 8th from bottom. I throw $20 on at 25.Quote:
Originally Posted by WJ99mobile
Did you take a fence?Quote:
Originally Posted by itkman
Not dark horses. We should be challenging for atleast top6 imo. Our club has so much experience in the championship, so does our manager, so we should know how to mount a real challenge
Almost the poorest champs then......wooooh woooohQuote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
:hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
Manga and Morrison for me too. All three are prone to the odd mistake. Mind you, Morrison still might be sold if he doesn't sign a new contract so it would then be Manga & Bamba with Connolly as back up. Assuming we don't sell Connolly too!Quote:
Originally Posted by Sloop_Jon_Bee
Must be to win the league outright?Quote:
Originally Posted by WJ99mobile
I got us a while back at 10-1 for promotion before any signings, skybet got us 8-1 now..