Can I be slightly critical?

[the other bob wilson]

For me, McCarthy has done three things that have benefited the team. First, he’s made three at the back work better than it did at anytime under Harris and Warnock’s attempts at using that system, second, he’s rid us of our infatuation with playing two wingers which worked for a while, but had long since become something that was more often counter productive than productive. Finally, McCarthy has improved our attacking play by using the likes of Wilson, Ojo and Murphy in more central areas.

By using a 3-4-3 rather than 3-5-2, McCarthy has, for me, ensured that we’re still weak in central midfield, but Will Vaulks’ better form has, to an extent, covered this. At the back, the weaknesses we saw last season when Flint and Morrison played together are being covered to a degree by Nelson’s fine recent form, but the big question is will the advances of the last five games carry us through matches with the better sides, a few of which savagely exposed our limitations over the Christmas?

[The Lone Gunman]

..... the big question is will the advances of the last five games carry us through matches with the better sides, a few of which savagely exposed our limitations over Christmas?

This is indeed the big question.

Mick McCarthy's Cardiff City have thus far taken on only one side who are currently in the top half of the Championship table, and that was out-of-form Bristol City, who are in 12th position after being thrashed 6-0 at Watford yesterday - their fifth defeat on the trot. Meanwhile, the five league games on the bounce that were lost by Cardiff under Neil Harris included two against leaders Norwich and one against high-flying Brentford, who will go top if they beat Barnsley today.

The Championship table is crazy at the moment. City, who are seventh, are 17 points off the automatic promotion places but just 12 points above the relegation spots. That's nuts. After 29 games, just three points separate the side in 7th and 14th.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

They ran rings around us for pretty much all the second half. Desperate defending, midfielders out on their legs, it showed us up, especially when you consider they were league 1 last season. McCarthy's doing his job well, keeping City up, but to coin the old saying, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.