The 2015/2016 season for Cardiff City has been positive – for the majority – as the club attempts to win back its loyal supporters with the ‘return to blue’, significantly reduced season tickets for 2016/2017 and the clubs debt being halved by owner Vincent Tan. On the pitch, can they reach the play-offs?
Cardiff City: Nine Championship games to go
Despite the positives taking place off the field, the start of this season was a struggle for the Bluebirds, sitting in the top of half of the table failing to push for a play-off spot with inconsistent results away from home. Saturday’s 1-0 home victory against Ipswich Town was their tenth home win of the season, off the back of only their second home defeat of the season against Leeds United.
The Leeds United fixture has always been greatly anticipated since the Bluebirds famous 2-1 FA Cup victory in 2002 when Leeds sat at the top of the Premier League. Until this season, Cardiff City had not lost to Leeds in 31 years with ‘The Whites’ winning 1-0 at home in November and 2-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite the 2-0 victory against a fierce rival – although not geographically – something changed amongst the fans. The support and belief in the team was back. The defeat was harsh with the Bluebirds dominating the play, even with 10 men. It was not the skill and ability of the players that roared the fans on it was their desire to get forward and give their all, an element lacking since Malky Mackay was dismissed in the Bluebirds Premier League debut.
With nine Championship games to go, Cardiff City are just one point from sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday and three points behind fifth-placed Derby County.
Cardiff City’s remaining fixtures:
Sat 19 Mar – 15:00 – Reading v Cardiff
Sat 2 Apr – 15:00 – Cardiff v Derby
Tue 5 Apr – 19:45 – Burnley v Cardiff
Sat 9 Apr – 15:00 – Fulham v Cardiff
Sat 16 Apr – 15:00 – Cardiff v QPR
Tue 19 Apr – 19:45 – Brentford v Cardiff
Sat 23 Apr – 15:00 – Cardiff v Bolton
Sat 30 Apr – 15:00 – Sheff Wed v Cardiff
Sat 7 May – 12:30 – Cardiff v Birmingham
Cardiff will have to improve on the five away wins, six draws and seven defeats against the likes of Burnley, Fulham, Brentford – and in the penultimate game of the season – Sheffield Wednesday which looks to be as important as the last league game of the season against Birmingham City at home, who are also in with a chance of snatching the last play-off place as they currently sit behind the Bluebirds in ninth place and three points with a game in hand.
It will be an exciting end to the season if Cardiff City can keep up with the chasing pack and they will have to improve their consistency agains the top teams with three out of the nine fixtures being against teams fifth-placed and above.
Sheffield Wednesday’s fixtures would seem a little easier with only one fixture against a team above them when they face Derby County away on Saturday 23rd April before facing the Bluebirds at Hillsborough on the following round of fixtures. ‘The Owls’ also have three figures against teams in the bottom six in their end-of-season run-in.
Birmingham City’s run-in includes their game-in-hand which takes place against Leeds United at St. Andrews on Tuesday 12th April. Gary Rowett’s men also have games against Middlesbrough, Burnley and Brighton in their attempt to reach the top six.
Reaching the play-offs will be a tough ask for the Bluebirds and their home form will be key in their chase for promotion.
