“The Racing Post pundits fancy City's chances”

On Wednesday morning I picked up a copy of the Racing Post's Big Kick-Off - an in-depth, 72-page betting guide to the new football season which the paper produces each year during the week before the campaign begins.

This year, the Post's leading Football League correspondent, Dan Childs, has selected the following as his best bets for the Championship:

Fulham to win the league - 1 point at 11/2
Cardiff to finish in the top six - 3 points at 2/1
Hull to be relegated - 2 points at 9/2
Reading to be relegated - 1 point at 9/1
Cardiff to win the divisional handicap with a +12 points start - 1 point at 18/1
Birmingham to finish in the top half of the table - 4 points at 6/4
Dominic Solanke to finish as top scorer - 1 point at 18/1
Cardiff to finish above Swansea - 5 points at 4/5

Childs predicts City will finish second and makes much of the team's improved form last season after Mick McCarthy took over. In his seasonal preview, he says:

"McCarthy's had a few issues to contend with, including the loss of loanees Harry Wilson and Sheyi Ojo, but the experienced gaffer has recruited well. He's added energetic midfielder Ryan Wintle from Crewe, while his attacking options have been boosted with the season-long loan singing of exciting winger Ryan Giles from Wolves and the free signing of Irish international striker James Collins from Luton.

"Those additions add further firepower to a team who scored 66 league goals last term - the fourth-highest in the Championship - and Cardiff will be hard to beat thanks to the powerful presence of Sean Morrison, a member of last season's team of the year, at the heart of their defence."

The pundit's prediction for the Championship's top ten is as follows:

1 - Fulham
2 - Cardiff
3 - West Brom
4 - Bournemouth
5 - Sheffield United
6 - QPR
7 - Birmingham
8 - Middlesbrough
9 - Nottingham Forest
10 - Millwall

Childs believes Swansea will finish 14th. His is a very positive outlook as far as City is concerned, but I should point out that he predicted the Bluebirds would finish third in each of the last two seasons. His main bets in those campaigns paid dividends (Fulham to be promoted in 2019/20, Norwich to win the league in 2020/21), but his bet on Cardiff to be promoted last year didn't.

Elsewhere in the betting guide, stats expert Kevin Pullein also backs City for promotion at odds of 11/2, but it's notable that none of the representatives of the eight major bookmakers who were asked to give their seasonal predictions for the Championship selected Cardiff.

Meanwhile, the paper's leading football writer, Mark Langdon, captures my feelings perfectly when he says: "In terms of quality, this season's Championship looks absolutely dreadful."

City are rated as fifth-best in almost all of the bookmakers' pre-season lists and it's easy to see why. If you remove Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United and Bournemouth from the equation, who else looks capable of mounting a promotion challenge? For me, given the nature, experience and depth of the squad, the Bluebirds are fifth-favourites almost by default in a division that was desperately short of genuine quality last season and looks even more so this.

If I had to bet on City's finishing position for 2021/22, I'd opt for fourth on the basis that at least one of the relegated sides is likely to disappoint. It promises to be an interesting campaign as nothing looks clear cut at either end of the table, but I'm expecting the quality of the football to be the poorest we've seen in the Championship for many years.

On Wednesday morning I picked up a copy of the Racing Post's Big Kick-Off - an in-depth, 72-page betting guide to the new football season which the paper produces each year during the week before the campaign begins.

This year, the Post's leading Football League correspondent, Dan Childs, has selected the following as his best bets for the Championship:

Fulham to win the league - 1 point at 11/2
Cardiff to finish in the top six - 3 points at 2/1
Hull to be relegated - 2 points at 9/2
Reading to be relegated - 1 point at 9/1
Cardiff to win the divisional handicap with a +12 points start - 1 point at 18/1
Birmingham to finish in the top half of the table - 4 points at 6/4
Dominic Solanke to finish as top scorer - 1 point at 18/1
Cardiff to finish above Swansea - 5 points at 4/5

Childs predicts City will finish second and makes much of the team's improved form last season after Mick McCarthy took over. In his seasonal preview, he says:

"McCarthy's had a few issues to contend with, including the loss of loanees Harry Wilson and Sheyi Ojo, but the experienced gaffer has recruited well. He's added energetic midfielder Ryan Wintle from Crewe, while his attacking options have been boosted with the season-long loan singing of exciting winger Ryan Giles from Wolves and the free signing of Irish international striker James Collins from Luton.

"Those additions add further firepower to a team who scored 66 league goals last term - the fourth-highest in the Championship - and Cardiff will be hard to beat thanks to the powerful presence of Sean Morrison, a member of last season's team of the year, at the heart of their defence."

The pundit's prediction for the Championship's top ten is as follows:

1 - Fulham
2 - Cardiff
3 - West Brom
4 - Bournemouth
5 - Sheffield United
6 - QPR
7 - Birmingham
8 - Middlesbrough
9 - Nottingham Forest
10 - Millwall

Childs believes Swansea will finish 14th. His is a very positive outlook as far as City is concerned, but I should point out that he predicted the Bluebirds would finish third in each of the last two seasons. His main bets in those campaigns paid dividends (Fulham to be promoted in 2019/20, Norwich to win the league in 2020/21), but his bet on Cardiff to be promoted last year didn't.

Elsewhere in the betting guide, stats expert Kevin Pullein also backs City for promotion at odds of 11/2, but it's notable that none of the representatives of the eight major bookmakers who were asked to give their seasonal predictions for the Championship selected Cardiff.

Meanwhile, the paper's leading football writer, Mark Langdon, captures my feelings perfectly when he says: "In terms of quality, this season's Championship looks absolutely dreadful."

City are rated as fifth-best in almost all of the bookmakers' pre-season lists and it's easy to see why. If you remove Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United and Bournemouth from the equation, who else looks capable of mounting a promotion challenge? For me, given the nature, experience and depth of the squad, the Bluebirds are fifth-favourites almost by default in a division that was desperately short of genuine quality last season and looks even more so this.

If I had to bet on City's finishing position for 2021/22, I'd opt for fourth on the basis that at least one of the relegated sides is likely to disappoint. It promises to be an interesting campaign as nothing looks clear cut at either end of the table, but I'm expecting the quality of the football to be the poorest we've seen in the Championship for many years.

Said previously relegated teams are going to be in top 6 add Bournemouth and there is not a lot space left for rest of championship to be in top 6 which this article aspires to.... going to be tuff season for teams to break into top 6

Makes some good cases there.

I do think we'll do better than a lot of our fans expect.

Not so sure about top two, but top six is definitely achievable.

The Blues are going up

guy must be on drugs

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlike you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

Rog, I'll gladly take 'stick' outing the ne'er-do-wells on here. I can take a decent argument/debate but some on here (they know what they're doing) go beyond the pale...

Personally, I think the first 10 games will shape our season and if we can 'do a Malky' getting off to a flyer, the top 6 is not an unreasonable expectation

Don't think many maybe no one had us going up as champions in Malkys second season in charge and very few had us going up automatically in Neill Warnocks second season. It not out of the question we could finish second but it would need quite a few thing to happen.

Tomlin would need to come back and be fit and up for it for most of the season. Murphy would have to be consistently good for most of the season,he won't be for all of it. We would need most or all of the new signings to be as good as it is suggested they are. Looking good in the case of Giles and Collins already. Moore would have to avoid any serious injury and ideally form a good partnership with Collins.Lastly a couple of the youngsters from the youth team will need to be good at this level again signs are promising.

Not all of the above need to be happen but if most of it did we could be in for a very good season. That said 2nd is too optimistic for me.

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

I have supported the club through thick and thin for 55 years and the last 15 years have been the most successful. I would be delighted if we went up. You don't have to be a miserable sod to think that anyone who has City in for a top two finish is being overly optimistic. I fancied us to do have a top 4 finish when we went up last time based on who we had signed and the way we had finished the season before. I don't have that feeling this year and I know that most of my mates don't either. That doesn't make us negative or not 100% behind the team, just realistic. Why you cant have that type of opinion without being slagged off on this forum god only knows.

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

I have supported the club through thick and thin for 55 years and the last 15 years have been the most successful. I would be delighted if we went up. You don't have to be a miserable sod to think that anyone who has City in for a top two finish is being overly optimistic. I fancied us to do have a top 4 finish when we went up last time based on who we had signed and the way we had finished the season before. I don't have that feeling this year and I know that most of my mates don't either. That doesn't make us negative or not 100% behind the team, just realistic. Why you cant have that type of opinion without being slagged off on this forum god only knows.

Who (quote) "slagged" you off or said you can't have an opinion...?

Funny how you omit to mention (your quote again) "guy must be on drugs" for having an opinion different to yours...

If you're going to whinge, make sure you cover your bases and keep things balanced

Don't think many maybe no one had us going up as champions in Malkys second season in charge and very few had us going up automatically in Neill Warnocks second season. It not out of the question we could finish second but it would need quite a few thing to happen.

Tomlin would need to come back and be fit and up for it for most of the season. Murphy would have to be consistently good for most of the season,he won't be for all of it. We would need most or all of the new signings to be as good as it is suggested they are. Looking good in the case of Giles and Collins already. Moore would have to avoid any serious injury and ideally form a good partnership with Collins.Lastly a couple of the youngsters from the youth team will need to be good at this level again signs are promising.

Not all of the above need to be happen but if most of it did we could be in for a very good season. That said 2nd is too optimistic for me.

you can never be over confident but Malkys 2nd year ? in over 50 years watching that season would have been the most disappointing to not have gone up...

Makes some good cases there.

I do think we'll do better than a lot of our fans expect.

Not so sure about top two, but top six is definitely achievable.

I hope Im wrong - but I cant see us challenging for promotion, unless of course Mick has done some amazing transfer business and a lot of team bonding etc.

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

I have supported the club through thick and thin for 55 years and the last 15 years have been the most successful. I would be delighted if we went up. You don't have to be a miserable sod to think that anyone who has City in for a top two finish is being overly optimistic. I fancied us to do have a top 4 finish when we went up last time based on who we had signed and the way we had finished the season before. I don't have that feeling this year and I know that most of my mates don't either. That doesn't make us negative or not 100% behind the team, just realistic. Why you cant have that type of opinion without being slagged off on this forum god only knows.

Who (quote) "slagged" you off or said you can't have an opinion...?

Funny how you omit to mention (your quote again) "guy must be on drugs" for having an opinion different to yours...

If you're going to whinge, make sure you cover your bases and keep things balanced

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

I have supported the club through thick and thin for 55 years and the last 15 years have been the most successful. I would be delighted if we went up. You don't have to be a miserable sod to think that anyone who has City in for a top two finish is being overly optimistic. I fancied us to do have a top 4 finish when we went up last time based on who we had signed and the way we had finished the season before. I don't have that feeling this year and I know that most of my mates don't either. That doesn't make us negative or not 100% behind the team, just realistic. Why you cant have that type of opinion without being slagged off on this forum god only knows.

Who (quote) "slagged" you off or said you can't have an opinion...?

Funny how you omit to mention (your quote again) "guy must be on drugs" for having an opinion different to yours...

If you're going to whinge, make sure you cover your bases and keep things balanced

Did you have something (preferably constructive) to say...?

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

I have supported the club through thick and thin for 55 years and the last 15 years have been the most successful. I would be delighted if we went up. You don't have to be a miserable sod to think that anyone who has City in for a top two finish is being overly optimistic. I fancied us to do have a top 4 finish when we went up last time based on who we had signed and the way we had finished the season before. I don't have that feeling this year and I know that most of my mates don't either. That doesn't make us negative or not 100% behind the team, just realistic. Why you cant have that type of opinion without being slagged off on this forum god only knows.

Who (quote) "slagged" you off or said you can't have an opinion...?

Funny how you omit to mention (your quote again) "guy must be on drugs" for having an opinion different to yours...

If you're going to whinge, make sure you cover your bases and keep things balanced

My comments were aimed at the guy from the Racing Post not the person who posted before me and meant as a light hearted comment but was followed by the all too predictable flurry of activity from the usual lot on this forum eager to put down anyone who doesn't have rose tinted spectacles with regard to the side. Time to move on I think and spend less time on what was once a very useful and informative forum.

guy must be on drugs

At least, unlije you, he is positive about our chances and I'd rather him be right than you...

We all start from scratch tomorrow and I'll be 100% behind the team...

Chris there is always one, Oh! hang on a minute, I mean quite a few negative posters on here, I really don't know why they bother to get out of bed in the morning, to greet another terrible day
Myself a top 6 finish is what i think we will do, possibly a bit better

I have supported the club through thick and thin for 55 years and the last 15 years have been the most successful. I would be delighted if we went up. You don't have to be a miserable sod to think that anyone who has City in for a top two finish is being overly optimistic. I fancied us to do have a top 4 finish when we went up last time based on who we had signed and the way we had finished the season before. I don't have that feeling this year and I know that most of my mates don't either. That doesn't make us negative or not 100% behind the team, just realistic. Why you cant have that type of opinion without being slagged off on this forum god only knows.

Who (quote) "slagged" you off or said you can't have an opinion...?

Funny how you omit to mention (your quote again) "guy must be on drugs" for having an opinion different to yours...

If you're going to whinge, make sure you cover your bases and keep things balanced

My comments were aimed at the guy from the Racing Post not the person who posted before me and meant as a light hearted comment but was followed by the all too predictable flurry of activity from the usual lot on this forum eager to put down anyone who doesn't have rose tinted spectacles with regard to the side. Time to move on I think and spend less time on what was once a very useful and informative forum.

It certainly didn't come across like that but you have the right to change your tone...

Bit tetchy, are you...?

This is still a great Forum and the vast majority enjoy what it offers, whilst not taking it to heart, fella