One step forward, two steps back Cardiff finish their home season with another defeat.

[truthpaste]

With a half decent goal scorer we would have been comfortably in the play-offs right now. To get six places outside the play-offs when your full back is top scorer is no little achievment. Away results have been way above expectations.

Our 2024/25 list should include players in the mold of:-

* Mel Sutton to provide some steel in front of the back four/ five.
* Willie Anderson to provide quality balls from wide positions.
* Michael Chopra to guarantee 18+ goals.
* Jason Koumas to make the most of free kicks and the ability to run at defences and chip in with 12+ goals.
* Mike England to provide experience and defensive management for the back line.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

With a half decent goal scorer we would have been comfortably in the play-offs right now.

Sorry, but there's absolutely no evidence of that, whatsoever. We are 12th in terms of goals scored from number of shots taken.

If your suggestion that a lack of goals has cost us a shot at the playoffs, then consider that it's not that we don't take our chances, it's that we concede too many and don't create enough. Since December we're the 2nd lowest scorers in the Championship. That's not we're poor at converting our opportunities

[truthpaste]

Sorry, but there's absolutely no evidence of that, whatsoever. We are 12th in terms of goals scored from number of shots taken.

If your suggestion that a lack of goals has cost us a shot at the playoffs, then consider that it's not that we don't take our chances, it's that we concede too many and don't create enough. Since December we're the 2nd lowest scorers in the Championship. That's not we're poor at converting our opportunities

I'll agree to disagree, we are currently just 4 wins from being in the play-offs. Even feeding off scraps (as teams like Burnley have done for a number of seasons), does any City fan really believe that over 46 games a fit Kieffer Moore (for eg) wouldn't have converted at least 4 of our draws to wins?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I'll agree to disagree, we are currently just 4 wins from being in the play-offs. Even feeding off scraps (as teams like Burnley have done for a number of seasons), does any City fan really believe that a fit Kieffer Moore (for eg) wouldn't have converted at least 4 of our draws to wins?

I've read it all, now. 5 draws is an incredibly low number of draws over the course of a season. The reason that figure is so low is because of the number of games we've turned around and won that would normally have been draws.

Complaining about not turning enough draws into wins is just hysterical. Maybe if we'd turned some of our defeats into draws we might have had more of a chance, but then so many have been by more than a goal, comebacks have been very unlikely.

[truthpaste]

I've read it all, now. 5 draws is an incredibly low number of draws over the course of a season. The reason that figure is so low is because of the number of games we've turned around and won that would normally have been draws.

Complaining about not turning enough draws into wins is just hysterical. Maybe if we'd turned some of our defeats into draws we might have had more of a chance, but then so many have been by more than a goal, comebacks have been very unlikely.

Even when we had players who were approaching being natural goal-scorers we carved out individual points that looked unlikely, Leeds away (3-3) being a good example. And the confidence factor of a decent goal scorer getting a goal in the first 15 minutes and that confidence flowing down to all eleven players can't be underestimated. We've strived for most of this season without that.

Having said that, play-off success would have been disasterous; I am in my 58th season of following City and while I want to see them in the Premiership then we need to be ready, off the pitch as well as on it.
So let's trust that when we get success, we can sustain it.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Even when we had players who were approaching being natural goal-scorers we carved out individual points that looked unlikely, Leeds away (3-3) being a good example. And the confidence factor of a decent goal scorer getting a goal in the first 15 minutes and that confidence flowing down to all eleven players can't be underestimated. We've strived for most of this season without that.

Having said that, play-off success would have been disasterous; I am in my 58th season of following City and while I want to see them in the Premiership then we need to be ready, off the pitch as well as on it.
So let's trust that when we get success, we can sustain it.

Totally agree with your last paragraph. However, I think we could have had Ollie Watkins up front and he'd struggle to score, simply because of the lack of attacking talent elsewhere, lack of creativity and our negative tactics.

[truthpaste]

Totally agree with your last paragraph. However, I think we could have had Ollie Watkins up front and he'd struggle to score, simply because of the lack of attacking talent elsewhere, lack of creativity and our negative tactics.

Agreed, we need far more than a natural goalscorer for next season. Let's hope this summer the transfers prove to us they have the desire to push on from the very limited positives of this season.
Also that the youngers will be integrated into the mix and will gain confidence as part of a successful team.