We’ve improved, but how?

[the other bob wilson]

I’ve had more than my fill of Bulut’s boring approach, but I have to acknowledge that we are a better team this season, but why are we better? There’s one clear difference between usin 22/23 and this season. we’ve got our old attacking set piece game back, but that cannot account for a ten place rise in our finishing position can it? I think we’re pretty good at soaking up pressure when we’re leading in away games, but, apart from that, don’t see what is that is getting some to call us the Championship's biggest over achievers. Players such as Grant and Siopis strike me as being small improvements on the players we had last season and Ng has improved under Bulut I reckon, so is it those small differences all taken together that explain why we’ve never really been too bothered about relegation this season?

[Father Dougal]

Yes isn't it just set pieces and late goals? Over the years we've let so many late goals and points slip. This season we've got a fair fee points and even wins from games when we've been losing in injury time! Take those couple of wins away and we with swansea looking over our shoulder.

And yes aren't we number 1 for set piece goals etc? Last season weren't we near the bottom?

So overall yes I think it is just some late late wins we probably didn't deserve, set piece goals plus some good home form at the start of the season.

Otherwise it's no different to under hudson and the football is definitely worse than it was under morison.

Edit and yes I appreciate it may sound like and what have the Romans ever done for us but the concern is the direction things are going in and most of the positives were towards the start of the season.

[Father Dougal]

Despite being the 6th highest wage bill in the league,not having the embargo in January and getting the likes of Ramsey and grant we are only 7 points better than what we finished with last season. So far 6 of those points came from games we were losing in injury time and 3 (shef wed) when losing late on.

That's 9 points this side has got when last season would have been zero. Take those away and it's basically the same as the 49 points we got last season. Plus the football is probably worse despite bigger wages and buying players like turnbull with cash

[olderblue]

I’ve had more than my fill of Bulut’s boring approach, but I have to acknowledge that we are a better team this season, but why are we better? There’s one clear difference between usin 22/23 and this season. we’ve got our old attacking set piece game back, but that cannot account for a ten place rise in our finishing position can it? I think we’re pretty good at soaking up pressure when we’re leading in away games, but, apart from that, don’t see what is that is getting some to call us the Championship's biggest over achievers. Players such as Grant and Siopis strike me as being small improvements on the players we had last season and Ng has improved under Bulut I reckon, so is it those small differences all taken together that explain why we’ve never really been too bothered about relegation this season?

The answer is obviously Bowler
Going on those marauding runs at defenders, pulling players out of position, his wizardry on the wings is a joy to behold!!

You can smell the fear in the opposition when the team sheets are handed in!!
The look of terror on the left back’s face yesterday when he lined up against him, he’s come on leaps and bounds in a few games, yesterday he managed to keep his gloves off all game!!!

I’m sure I saw the LB put he’s mug of tea down yesterday when Bowler had another of his mazy runs, he then stepped out with his right foot, causing Bowler to play on his right, and that was the end of that.

I don’t know how we have improved, we have so much dross out on the pitch

Maybe the opposition have been sent to sleep like most of the home fans.

Hopefully we can get to see a couple of the youngsters in the second half of the Rotherham game.

No point in rushing into things Erol

[TWGL1]

We have improved slightly, but the overall quality in the division is much lower than last year … the points total in the bottom half suggests the same thing.

[Moodybluebird]

Despite being the 6th highest wage bill in the league,not having the embargo in January and getting the likes of Ramsey and grant we are only 7 points better than what we finished with last season. So far 6 of those points came from games we were losing in injury time and 3 (shef wed) when losing late on.

That's 9 points this side has got when last season would have been zero. Take those away and it's basically the same as the 49 points we got last season. Plus the football is probably worse despite bigger wages and buying players like turnbull with cash

You can't compare last season's points total with what we've accrued so far because we still have 5 games left. It is possible (though unlikely) that we could end up with 71 points.

Regarding those late winners, you could have balanced these results with the points we lost by conceding late goals at Leeds, Leicester, Ipswich and Norwich at home. To some degree the same thing would apply to most clubs each season.

[llan bluebird]

Its set plays and having something to hold on to rather than chase a game.

Goutas is my Player of the season. He is made for the championship or a bit higher, I bet he is gutted he didn't get over here earlier as his age will probably stop a moneybags move. His ability to aggressively win a header from a corner is the difference for me. Kipre was a great positional ball thief of a centre half but just lacked that great header timing that some centre half possess.

We are also far more compact, the players barely move from their station, and that station is defensive.

With Perry I think the inverted full backs making the extra man in midfield max'd his skillset more than playing the outside of three centre half. McGuiness is improving as he now has 80 championship games and over 120 pro games, and has been shielded by five other players in front of him barely moving.

Wintle, Robinson,Colwill & Tanner appear to have gone backwards.

[Dave Blue]

There must be an element that many teams are much of a muchness ie. not particularly good. The defence seems much more solid. We have also stolen a few games which is very unlike City.
The overall spectator experience is pretty grim.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Despite being the 6th highest wage bill in the league,not having the embargo in January and getting the likes of Ramsey and grant we are only 7 points better than what we finished with last season. So far 6 of those points came from games we were losing in injury time and 3 (shef wed) when losing late on.

That's 9 points this side has got when last season would have been zero. Take those away and it's basically the same as the 49 points we got last season. Plus the football is probably worse despite bigger wages and buying players like turnbull with cash

You can't pick and choose like that

Over the season all clubs have gained points when they were lucky and should have lost

And lost games they should have won

We are mid table because we have done plenty of both

[Dembe]

We are higher up the table, I don't see how we are any better though, if that can even make sense.

[OurManFlint II]

Despite being the 6th highest wage bill in the league,not having the embargo in January and getting the likes of Ramsey and grant we are only 7 points better than what we finished with last season. So far 6 of those points came from games we were losing in injury time and 3 (shef wed) when losing late on.

That's 9 points this side has got when last season would have been zero. Take those away and it's basically the same as the 49 points we got last season. Plus the football is probably worse despite bigger wages and buying players like turnbull with cash

If my car had more seats it would be a bus you mean?

How anybody can suggest the football is worse this year than last year under 3 different managers, really needs to give their head a wobble lol.

6th highest wage bill is yet to be proved, and I do enjoy you using at every opportunity though. Agree we must be close (given the premier league season, parachute etc) but i would say its lower, not much. 3 that came down, West Brom (nearly went pop, wage bill sighted as biggest issue), Hull bringing in guys we could only dream of, Boro, Norwich, Watford, Stoke (89 players on their books!). Still, even if we are 6th, when the dust settles we might be only slightly underachieving if we finish between 8 and 11, equally given where we finished last season, thing going in the right direction wouldn't you agree?

The luckiest thing about our wage budget is that Bowler and Grant (north of 20k a week that they are trousering off us, if to believed) will be gone next season, Ramsey will retire. The biggest issue at Cardiff is not the wage budget, we literally have zero sellable assets, who is going to buy any off our players, the 2 Greeks, NG, McCGuinness....? If we are to survive financially we need to be paying 4k a week, imagine that!

Finally, to answer to Bob's question, that's football folks!

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I’ve had more than my fill of Bulut’s boring approach, but I have to acknowledge that we are a better team this season, but why are we better? There’s one clear difference between usin 22/23 and this season. we’ve got our old attacking set piece game back, but that cannot account for a ten place rise in our finishing position can it? I think we’re pretty good at soaking up pressure when we’re leading in away games, but, apart from that, don’t see what is that is getting some to call us the Championship's biggest over achievers. Players such as Grant and Siopis strike me as being small improvements on the players we had last season and Ng has improved under Bulut I reckon, so is it those small differences all taken together that explain why we’ve never really been too bothered about relegation this season?

We've gained a total of 12 points from the last few minutes of games this season. Without those we'd be in a similar position to last season. As I've said a few times, we've shown more grit and determination this season than before, but in terms of actual football, we haven't improved one bit.

[Father Dougal]

If my car had more seats it would be a bus you mean?

How anybody can suggest the football is worse this year than last year under 3 different managers, really needs to give their head a wobble lol.

6th highest wage bill is yet to be proved, and I do enjoy you using at every opportunity though. Agree we must be close (given the premier league season, parachute etc) but i would say its lower, not much. 3 that came down, West Brom (nearly went pop, wage bill sighted as biggest issue), Hull bringing in guys we could only dream of, Boro, Norwich, Watford, Stoke (89 players on their books!). Still, even if we are 6th, when the dust settles we might be only slightly underachieving if we finish between 8 and 11, equally given where we finished last season, thing going in the right direction wouldn't you agree?

The luckiest thing about our wage budget is that Bowler and Grant (north of 20k a week that they are trousering off us, if to believed) will be gone next season, Ramsey will retire. The biggest issue at Cardiff is not the wage budget, we literally have zero sellable assets, who is going to buy any off our players, the 2 Greeks, NG, McCGuinness....? If we are to survive financially we need to be paying 4k a week, imagine that!

Finally, to answer to Bob's question, that's football folks!

The 6th highest wage bill is a direct quote from our chairman. He is the one putting it out there.

And yes of course you can say ifs and buts do the question was how have we improved? I'm saying we haven't. We have however got those 12 points Eric says from the last minutes of games. Take those away and we are probably bang on where we were this time last season if not lower.

Now obviously I'm not saying we should lose those points or this team don't deserve them. Of course they do.

But asking the difference and how we have improved- that's my belief- we have improved on set pieces and late goals. Everything else is as shit or worse.