17/18 Promotion Charge

[holteend1982]

1 hour ago, Demitri_C said:

It is no secret we are one of the clubs, lets be honest 

how?

[rubberman]

11 minutes ago, holteend1982 said:

how?

We are one of the clubs complaining. 

[Demitri_C]

32 minutes ago, holteend1982 said:

how?

Xia did a twitter about wolves a few months ago. Clearly he is unhappy about it. Personally if this was me, I would getting on the phone to a super agent like Mendes and get him to be on board if wolves are allowed to do it so should we!

[AntrimBlack]

47 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Xia did a twitter about wolves a few months ago. Clearly he is unhappy about it. Personally if this was me, I would getting on the phone to a super agent like Mendes and get him to be on board if wolves are allowed to do it so should we!

Provided there is no come back, it has been a brilliant move by Wolves.

[John]

3 hours ago, villan-scott said:

Keith Wyness has liked this tweet. I guess our thoughts are the same as Leeds on the matter. 

The EFL knew about this at the start of the season and did nothing so i see little point in moaning about it now unless of course there is some chance of a 20 point deduction in it. 

[TRO]

14 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said:

Provided there is no come back, it has been a brilliant move by Wolves.

if you want to challenge the top six, you have to do something, not necessarily the norm.

Villa was always know for innovation in our early tenure, maybe we should take a leaf out of Wolves book and do something similar.

 

[sexbelowsound]

Wolves are kind of following the Watford model.

Instead of having a top Italian club as a feeder team to get out of the Championship Wolves are using a top Portuguese agent to do so.

[Demitri_C]

23 minutes ago, sexbelowsound said:

Wolves are kind of following the Watford model.

Instead of having a top Italian club as a feeder team to get out of the Championship Wolves are using a top Portuguese agent to do so.

having a club and a super agent who represents them are completely different though.  

[sexbelowsound]

1 minute ago, Demitri_C said:

having a club and a super agent who represents them are completely different though.  

I said 'kind of'.

It is a similar model, but yes, Wolves are getting better players than Watford did.

[Demitri_C]

Quote

 

Cardiff City, Aston Villa, Wolves, Derby or Fulham — the expert verdict on who will go up into the Premier League

The Championship top two race is hotting up, and Bluebirds legend Nathan Blake delivers his verdict on the promotion battle

It was in this column a few weeks back that I caused something of a stir by suggesting Cardiff City could overhaul Wolves and win the league.

As recently as February 3 — just a month ago — the points gap between the two teams was as much as 16. Suddenly, courtesy of Cardiff's win over Barnsley, it was down to three.

Wolves extended that back up to six with their excellent 3-0 win at Leeds on Wednesday night, but they have to go to Aston Villa on Saturday.

They could easily lose that, while Cardiff should beat Birmingham. So it would be down to three again.

The Bluebirds for the title doesn't seem quite so ridiculous any more, does it?

There are 12 games to go, the business end of the season, and for me automatic promotion has boiled down to two from four - Wolves, Cardiff, Aston Villa and the emerging force Fulham.

Of those, personally I want Cardiff and Wolves to go up. In that order. As my two former clubs, that's where my loyalties are firmly leaning.

But, unfortunately, I'm not sure that will happen. Here's my take on the teams at the top and how it will play out in the closing weeks of the season...

WOLVES

My old club have been rampaging away at the top for most of the season - and playing some lovely football whilst doing that. Wednesday night's win over Leeds took their lead at the top back up to six points, but even that is still way down on what it was.

And it's a lead that could get eaten into further by the end of March, with Wolves facing really tough games away to Villa and Middlesbrough - whilst, of course, they still have to come to Cardiff City Stadium early in April.

When you crash, see a massive lead eaten up, the psychological effect can be damaging. It can be hard to come back from that and go on a winning streak again.

I've been through that experience myself as a player, ironically in Wolves colours during the 2001-02 season. We were rampaging away at the top most of the season, but suddenly hit a brick wall at the beginning of March.

We only won two of our last nine games, ended up in the play-offs and lost out to Norwich in the semi-finals.

You feel the pressure from the fans, one player tries to calm down another who is moaning about criticism, the manager attempts to settle the whole squad.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo (Image: PA)

We made amends the following season by going into the Premier League via the play-offs, but what happened the previous year did hit us mentally at the time. It's hard to suddenly kick start the winning habit again.

The current Wolves players probably won't even know what happened to us back at the start of the millennium, but I guarantee the fans will remember it. That's why what has been happening recently will resonate with them, they'll talk about it on social media, it will filter down into the dressing room.

A six point lead looks great at the moment, but the pressure will be on Wolves to maintain a gap. If they suddenly drop out of the top two, see Cardiff, Villa or Fulham go above them, I will take my hat off to them if they can then bounce back up again.

Win over Leeds or not, the invincibility has gone a little. With that the confidence dips a little. Suddenly even teams scrapping down at the bottom fancy their chances against you.

The other concern I have for Wolves us that they have a large number of overseas players who are used to taking a winter break. They are not accustomed to the kind of battering your body takes over the course of the Championship season and that too takes its toll.

It's akin to a boxer who has dominated a title fight for 10 rounds, but suddenly runs out of steam, is dropped by his opponent. Can he come again, or is he so demoralised he gets KO'd?

With Wolves we'll see. They reacted superbly against Leeds at Elland Road, but I still have my doubts.

CARDIFF CITY

The Bluebirds are the ones who can capitalise upon Wolves' stutter. Their football is not pretty to watch, but it's pretty effective.

If Wolves and Fulham play a beautiful brand of football, Cardiff under Neil Warnock play a get the job done brand of football.

It's not one-touch, through the lines stuff, but there is a real togetherness with this side and Warnock is making each and every one of them feel a part of this promotion push. You can see that with the way Greg Halford and Matt Connolly have fitted so seamlessly into the team to cover injuries in recent matches.

From day one I have backed Cardiff for the top two, arguing the Championship is about power and pace. Qualities they displayed in abundance at the start, with Kenneth Zohore and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on fire, and Junior Hoilett supplying the stardust.

The power will never go. Cardiff won't lose the physical battle to anyone, while Mendez-Laing could return with a vengeance after hitting the post against Barnsley the other night. I just sense he's on the brink of doing something special once more.

With Cardiff it will be a battle. They'll scrape past teams like Barnsley, Birmingham, Burton by the odd goal, often not playing anywhere near their best.

Cardiff Manager Neil Warnock celebrates with fans at full time after the Barnsley win

But woe betide anybody writing them off for the bigger tests to come. Away to Derby and Aston Villa, at home to Wolves.

Cardiff really step up for those major challenges and that's when we see them at their very best, as witnessed in victories over Wolves and Villa earlier this season.

They will have no fear in those defining matches because they haven't been found wanting against them previously. Technically, they have been brilliant.

It's easy to label Cardiff a route one side, but that does a disservice to the moments of genius we have seen at times from Hoilett. Zohore and Loic Damour have also demonstrated class, Joe Bennett has produced some wonderful touches from left-back.

Suddenly, after five wins on the bounce, Cardiff's players will be starting to believe they can get a Championship winner's medal. Previously they would have been hoping to sneak into second place. With Wolves' dip, top spot is up for grabs too.

Cardiff are saying the right thing in public. They're aiming for the play-offs, exceeding expectations, that type of approach. Privately, as a player, you will be setting your sights higher than that.

ASTON VILLA

They are under more pressure than anyone - and could crack under the weight of expectation, too.

Villa are a massive football club, with a massive fan base. They are a Premier League club in everything but name and their fans won't like the fact they are spending another season in the Championship.

They are demanding Villa go back to what they regard as their rightful place in the top flight. It is different with the fans from the other clubs, who will be hoping.

Warnock greets Bruce before the game.

Cardiff, Wolves and Fulham haven't spent anywhere near the amount of time in the Premier League as Villa. Nor have they won the European Cup.

Villa have to embrace that huge club pressure they are under, but will they? Villa Park should be a really intimidating venue for visiting sides in the closing matches of the season, a real fortress for Steve Bruce's team.

But equally, because of that pressure, it could work against the team. If they don't get an early goal, the murmurs of discontent will filter down from the terraces.

READ MORE

The entire Cardiff City team of injured outfield players and how it affects the drive for the Premier League

FULHAM

They are coming up like a steam train, having won 11 of their last 14 games - including triumphs against Cardiff, Wolves, Villa, Derby and Boro.

Wow, that is some record. I watched them beat Wolves on TV the other day and they were totally comfortable.

What they did to Cardiff on Boxing Day, totally outplaying them to win 4-2 , wasn't easy.

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic

No other side has done that to Cardiff, other than Manchester City. Fulham just passed them off the pitch, could have scored even more than four goals, and I thought then it looked pretty ominous.

They have got wonderful players and they can clearly play the same way, and win, against the lesser teams in the league and the top sides, too.

Many reckon Fulham play the best football in the division. They do - and they win with it. That's some combination.

DERBY AND MIDDLESBROUGH

As the fifth and sixth placed sides they will feel they are in the mix, but it's a remote chance at best because they are too far off the pace.

They will need at least three of the four teams above them to go on simultaneous bad runs. It may happen with one, might even with two, but it just won't with the four of them.

So it's between the quartet I mentioned for the automatic spots.

 

The Welsh on their view for  race for Promotion

[VILLAMARV]

On Cardiff.

All season they've been a lot of people's pick for 'the team that will drop away'. Others have pointed at Warnock's record there being pretty damn consistent.

I think last week they announced a £20m loss for last year, bringing the total debts of the club to around £115m - mostly owed to Tan - and he's already converted some of the overall debt into equity. Now where have we heard that sort of thing before? This is their last year of receiving parachute payments. Basically they have just as much (if not more) financial pressure to go up this year as us. But Warnock is playing down all the expectation along the lines of making the play-offs would be an amazing season for them and how the expectation at Wolves, Villa, Fulham and Derby is much higher. They are leading the chasing pack and he's painting them as the underdogs. Wily I would say.

The Barnsley game has the natives a bit restless. They were 2-0 up and cruising. Grujic picked up a yellow and Warnock hauled him off to protect him. Paterson then picked up a knock and they found that Barnsley got back into the game and they were hanging on a bit at the end. Now season defining sort of result/performance to some - those are the games you draw or lose when it's not falling for you - but in light of the massive injury problems they are having they are well happy that they are grinding out results. Warnock is holding his cards close to his chest on revealing to much about the extent of their injury list. But Jazz Richards(RB), Lee Peltier (RB), Sean Morrison (CB c), Armand Traore (LB), Arun Gunnarsson (CM), Joe Ralls (CM), Jamie Ward (LW), Danny Ward (ST), Frederic Guonongbe (ST), Gary Madine (ST), Rhys Healy (ST) are all out. Paterson (RB) coming back from injury and went off the other night, Harris is returning from a long term injury - basically they are down to the bare bones right now and while that may only be 3 or 4 of the first team and a load of squad filler they are getting close to needing to use a few round plugs in square holes.

I can't see anything but a win against SHA but they aren't at full strength and SHA have already beatern them once this season. Brentford and Derby after them looks tricky though. But like us and the QPR game it might just have given them a few days to get some walking wounded back. Morrison, Gunnarsson and Traore aren't far away apparently. Ralls and Paterson are having scans/tests this week apparently. 4 wingers, a goalie, a centre back and a central midfielder on the bench against Barnsley tells it's own tale really. Like i've said before though, an injury to Bamba or Zohore or Grujic would hit them really hard. Kind of like us with Grealish or Terry or Kodjia. RB, CM and ST are looking pretty thin on options right now.

I just can't see them having everything their own way in the run in. The next 5/6 games are massive for everyone and we all have our injury problems but theirs are really biting now. I'm holding on to the idea that Blackburn did the double over Newcastle last season - this league throws up some weird results. Unlike us and Fulham he's playing a 5-4-1 type system and giving little away, grinding out 1-0 wins. Can they come back when they are on the ropes? is a question I'd like to see asked over the next few weeks. Not that they can't - they came back from 2-0 down to 2-2 against Reading for example but basically I think Fulham and us are a bit more resillient towards going a goal down and I think our more attacking set up is more geared towards chasing things if they are not going our way.

1-0 to the Arsenal though right, I can remember the Graham years there and they ground it out almost every time. If Cardiff can honestly keep it up through the run in they'll certainly have earned 2nd.

Also, just on a Villa note, they (the fans) are still a bit miffed about Grabban - especially as Madine has come in and broken a rib or two - as they were linked heavily with him all window and he's come here and started knocking a few in.

I also think it's worth noting the teams Cardiff have lost to this season - Bristol City [a] and Fulham [h]. Oh and Preston (twice), QPR [a], Bolton [a] and SHA [a]. Only 2 games at home there but plenty of teams on their travels that you would 'expect' them to beat.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

No matter our thoughts and opinions.

Definitely time for us to get behind the team.

We need to push them over the finish line.

 

[KSV]

Nice to be involved in a title race though. Exciting!

[Nigel]

4 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

No matter our thoughts and opinions.

Definitely time for us to get behind the team.

We need to push them over the finish line.

 

The value of this can't be underestimated!

We really could make the difference if we are struggling.

[Andy81]

2 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Xia did a twitter about wolves a few months ago. Clearly he is unhappy about it. Personally if this was me, I would getting on the phone to a super agent like Mendes and get him to be on board if wolves are allowed to do it so should we!

This is the right attitude in my opinion.

[villa82]

People say 90 points will get us promoted, and almost every season 90 points are enough. If so:

Wolves are in the PL next season. They are ten points above third placed team, us. Might end as number 2. A good team, no reason for them not to get 14 points from the last 11 games, or from ten games if we beat them saturday. 98% chance of getting 90 points.

Cardiff, needs 20 points from 11 games. Have 2 points pr game so far, could end on 92 points if this form continue. If they beat B'ham saturday its only 17 points from 10 games. Favorites for the 2nd place, and get 90 points. 60% chance.

Villa: need 24 points from 11 games. If we beat wolves, its 21 points from 10, and I think we could make it. But if we need 24 points from 10 after the wolves game, it is mostly a slim hope. 7 points after cardiff saturday if results goes against us. Even if we make 90 points it might not be enough..35% ( 55% saturday, if we win over wolves)

Fulham: need 25 points from 10 games. 8 wins, one draw and only one game lost. Even harder than for us if we lose vs wolves. Can be done in the form they are in, but then they would have a fantastic run this year. They could go above us, but hard for them getting above Cardiff, as that would take a great run for Fulham and a bad run for Cardiff. 25% 

Derby needs 29 points from a maximun of 30 points..

[terrytini]

Ok be honest it can’t just be me ?

I know we’ve all got full, interesting, and busy lives....but is anyone else finding time is going excruciatingly slowly just now ........worse ( or better ?) than waiting for Christmas Eve.

(Although tinged with the terror that Santa might steal all your toys instead of bringing new ones)

[omariqy]

This is such a weird part of the season. A team will go on a run of winning 2 or 3 games for the rest of the season, a team will go on a late run where they win most of their games and get near or in the playoffs and another team could easily overtake Wolves to go top or even us and Cardiff to go second (Fulham). It's pretty exciting. Pressure and mentality are two of the most important factors (apart from injuries) in these last two months. They can completely change a team who, previously, have been winning consistently. I really hope it's not us and I don't think it will be based on what I have seen thus far. We just need to Cardiff/Fulham crumble enough for us to benefit.

[Rob182]

I've felt that the atmosphere at Villa Park has been a little flat lately. Which is strange, considering how well we've been doing.

 

In the article posted above, there are comments made about Villa Park needing to be an intimidating place for teams to visit, a fortress. I agree with that wholeheartedly, and just hope that the atmosphere picks up for these remaining, and important, home games.

 

I wonder whether having a few more 'party' style days, like we did in our relegation season, would help the atmosphere? Or one of the 'bring a scarf/ balloon/ flag' days that we've done before?

[fightoffyour]

1 hour ago, terrytini said:

Ok be honest it can’t just be me ?

I know we’ve all got full, interesting, and busy lives....but is anyone else finding time is going excruciatingly slowly just now ........worse ( or better ?) than waiting for Christmas Eve.

(Although tinged with the terror that Santa might steal all your toys instead of bringing new ones)

Yep..I'm on here more than ever. Checking when all the matches are. Trying to make sure I'm not busy at those times. Looking for something to do on the weekend with the international break.

Certainly the most exciting times in years!