In the event that Cardiff defeats Rotherham on Saturday—and let’s not forget—they will have 20 victories and 21 losses for the season. That is unique in the Championship, most likely due to its peculiar nature. Cardiff is rarely quite so clear-cut, but they’re always a little bit Jekyll or Hyde.
When they perform well, they appear as though they might push for the top six, but when they falter, all the telltale signs and wounds from the previous several years of relegation struggle are evident. It’s obviously a coin toss whether Cardiff wins or loses, but when they do, it’s always somewhat of a surprise, and when they don’t, it’s usually by a significant margin.
You anticipate that going forward, their outcomes will begin to skew either way.
Improved players ought to contribute to converting close losses into draws and draws into victories, but there’s no assurance and it could go the other way as well. Spending your way up the table is never the easiest thing to do. Although there are a lot of other things that need to get better, it always helps.
Cardiff’s goal differential of -14 is more than one might anticipate for a side that sits in the middle of the table. Normally, it would be closer to zero, but the significant losses have had an impact. Cardiff also doesn’t exactly destroy opponents. Perry Ng, who was just named Player of the Year, and Kahlan Grant share the team lead in scoring with a pitiful six points apiece.
Their strikers don’t perform well enough. Although Kion Etete has a lot of promise, he frequently gets knocked down. It’s unlikely that Famara Diedhiou will rejoin his parent club Granada, and Yakou Meite isn’t exactly a striker. But these days, you can’t just go out and purchase a striker who can score 20 goals. Although it is easier to try to form a front three that all record double digits in goals, you can develop one over time.
Cardiff needs to revamp their entire assault since both Josh Bowler and Grant, their first-choice wingers, are expected to depart. I am convinced that pace is the one attribute that will, more than anything else, turn Cardiff’s fortunes. That would be my top priority, even above a goal scorer who is known for his or her prolific output, since goals would unavoidably come if they were anything more than pedestrian in their transitions, which they have been for a very long time.
Cardiff creates extremely few chances, which leads to a very low goal total. They labor really hard merely to survive on scraps; they do not have wasteful forwards. Their opponent has already regrouped and is waiting for them when they reach the pitch. Attack speed will increase opportunities, which will lead to more goals.
For Cardiff, Kieffer Moore scored twenty points, but he’s a unicorn. With pure willpower, he creates opportunities and remains an effective focal point for the assault. Usually, scoring is a team effort that requires sharing responsibility. It also tells a story of its own that Joe Ralls leads the team in assists. In order to create more opportunities from open play, Cardiff needs players like Aaron Ramsey, Callum Robinson, and Rubin Colwill. They are far too dependent on set pieces.
Robinson’s reputation may not be as great as it once was—his recent disciplinary problems haven’t helped either—but his absence has been noticed because of how many goals and assists he racks up. The cameo and astute pass for Bowler from Robinson during last week’s crushing loss to Middlesbrough was one of the few bright spots. If he stays at the club—which is not a given—he adds an element of surprise to an otherwise very predictable approach, and his fitness will once more be crucial.
Cardiff has the foundation of a formidable Championship team when everyone is fit. Horvath, McGuinness, Goutas, Collins, and Ng—who has his fans—form a strong team. Midfield alternatives are provided by Ralls, Manolis Siopis, Ryan Wintle, and David Turnbull; Joel Colwill and Eli King also contribute. As a 10, Colwill, Ramsey, and Robinson are all excellent choices. There is a lot of attacking potential in Cian Ashford, Oli Tanner, and the returning Isaak Davies. Callum O’Dowda, Etete, and Meite should all be fit and well.
Cardiff can build on their success this season and reap the benefits of the stability that should soon follow from having Erol Bulut in charge for another pre-season provided they can add to what they already have with shrewd loan acquisitions and attacking enhancements.
Cardiff has a remote chance of overtaking Coventry for ninth spot if they defeat Rotherham. In what will probably be a lesser division, that would be a really impressive finish and set the bar for a realistic, sustained shot at the play-off spots the following season. Progress is defined as an equal distribution of wins and losses; however, the objective is to accumulate more victories, which calls for more speed, greater creativity, and an offensive strategy. They now need to build upon the basis that this season has given them.
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