Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:08 pm
If you believe in statistics, Cardiff City are going up.
And as champions, too.
A WalesOnline survey into the points tally it has taken over the past decade to get into the Premier League reveals Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds are well and truly on their way to the big time.
At this stage of the season, the 30 game mark, the Bluebirds have a better record than any other team which has gone up as champions over the course of the last 10 seasons.
Mackay’s City “class of 2013” stand on 64 points. The only side which has bettered that was the Reading team of 2005-06, led into the top flight by Steve Coppell.
That Royals side, splendidly marshalled on the field of play by Steve Sidwell and fired by the goals of Dave Kitson, were on 73 points after 30 games.
They finished as champions with a final points haul of 106, comfortably the best in recent times.
But none of the other nine teams who have gone on to finish as champions were able to match the 64 points margin already reached by the Bluebirds.
In 2002-03, Portsmouth finished top under Harry Redknapp. After 30 games, they were on 63 points, one behind City’s current tally.
The following season Norwich, led by Nigel Worthington, were only on 59 points, but also went on to finish the season in first spot.
Sunderland twice triumphed as champions, under Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane. In the first of those seasons, 2004-05, they were on 56 points and down in third spot at the 30-match mark.
In Keane’s season at the helm, 2006-7, Sunderland were only on 47 points... fully 17 behind the Bluebirds’ current tally.
West Brom, under Tony Mowbray and fired by the goals of top scorer Kevin Phillips, were champions in 2007-08, but were only on 54 points at this stage.
Mick McCarthy’s Wolves of 2008-09 were on 62 points, the Newcastle side led by Chris Hughton the following season were on 60 points.
More recently, Neil Warnock’s Queens Park Rangers outfit, inspired by the genius of Adel Taarabt, led the Championship after 30 games in 2010-11. They stood on the 59 points mark, five behind Cardiff’s 2013 tally.
Last season, Reading under Brian McDermott were actually in sixth place on just 51 points. They had a barnstorming run-in, pipping Southampton to the title and emerging as champions on 89 points
Some of those aforementioned teams not only had top managers at the helm, but quality players at Championship level, too.
For example, the Newcastle team which went up three seasons ago boasted the goals of Andy Carroll, the midfield prowess of Kevin Nolan and Nicky Butt, the creativity of Jonas Gutierrez and the defensive brilliance of Fabricio Coloccini.
They are generally seen as the most formidable recent side to go up automatically.
Like Mackay’s Bluebirds, Hughton’s Toon terriers were also in first place at this stage of the season and clearly the best team in the Championship.
Yet, even that Newcastle side, who stood on 60 points, weren’t doing as well as Mackay’s current Bluebirds.
Read what you want into the figures, of course, but many will believe they are hugely significant.
First, because the history suggests the Bluebirds are going up. And, as I say, as title winners.
Secondly, because City have always had to look in from outside in their bid to reach the Premier League and have always cracked under the pressure.
This time they are very much on course and have their destiny in their own hands.
City, though, won’t worry about what has gone before. Mackay and his players are focused on Bristol City.
That is the only match that counts as they contemplate the next step towards their promotion goal.
Then, four days after , Cardiff are at home to Brighton, another test of their title credentials.
Because the simple fact is that while they are currently top City need goals. They are back home for the first time in a month and out to show their fans they can maintain momentum.
Craig Bellamy and his fellow Bluebirds will relish the chance to play at Cardiff City Stadium, where one of the best playing surfaces in Championship football helps teams willing to pass and move.
City playmakers, including Peter Whittingham and Kim Bo-Kyung, were certainly not helped in their cause by dreadful pitches at Blackpool, Leeds and Huddersfield, although seven points from a possible nine was a pleasing return.
The pitch at home is as near perfect as possible and fans will want to see a little more style and panache
“We know the onus is on us to score goals at home and that’s exactly what we will be trying to do,” says Mackay.
“Our aim is to try to win every match and that shows in our Championship record so far this season.
“We’ve scored 50-plus goals and that’s a decent return at this stage, but it’s also true we are looking to improve at every stage of this season.”
Our survey of the last decade in the Championship shows the average number of points required to win the league is 92.
With 64 points to their name, that means another nine wins and a draw from their last 16 matches would send the Bluebirds into dreamland.
Given the way their leading promotion rivals continue to shoot themselves in the foot, City may need even fewer points to go up this time.
Whichever way you look at it, the figures look good for Mackay’s 2012-13 high-fliers.
And as champions, too.
A WalesOnline survey into the points tally it has taken over the past decade to get into the Premier League reveals Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds are well and truly on their way to the big time.
At this stage of the season, the 30 game mark, the Bluebirds have a better record than any other team which has gone up as champions over the course of the last 10 seasons.
Mackay’s City “class of 2013” stand on 64 points. The only side which has bettered that was the Reading team of 2005-06, led into the top flight by Steve Coppell.
That Royals side, splendidly marshalled on the field of play by Steve Sidwell and fired by the goals of Dave Kitson, were on 73 points after 30 games.
They finished as champions with a final points haul of 106, comfortably the best in recent times.
But none of the other nine teams who have gone on to finish as champions were able to match the 64 points margin already reached by the Bluebirds.
In 2002-03, Portsmouth finished top under Harry Redknapp. After 30 games, they were on 63 points, one behind City’s current tally.
The following season Norwich, led by Nigel Worthington, were only on 59 points, but also went on to finish the season in first spot.
Sunderland twice triumphed as champions, under Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane. In the first of those seasons, 2004-05, they were on 56 points and down in third spot at the 30-match mark.
In Keane’s season at the helm, 2006-7, Sunderland were only on 47 points... fully 17 behind the Bluebirds’ current tally.
West Brom, under Tony Mowbray and fired by the goals of top scorer Kevin Phillips, were champions in 2007-08, but were only on 54 points at this stage.
Mick McCarthy’s Wolves of 2008-09 were on 62 points, the Newcastle side led by Chris Hughton the following season were on 60 points.
More recently, Neil Warnock’s Queens Park Rangers outfit, inspired by the genius of Adel Taarabt, led the Championship after 30 games in 2010-11. They stood on the 59 points mark, five behind Cardiff’s 2013 tally.
Last season, Reading under Brian McDermott were actually in sixth place on just 51 points. They had a barnstorming run-in, pipping Southampton to the title and emerging as champions on 89 points
Some of those aforementioned teams not only had top managers at the helm, but quality players at Championship level, too.
For example, the Newcastle team which went up three seasons ago boasted the goals of Andy Carroll, the midfield prowess of Kevin Nolan and Nicky Butt, the creativity of Jonas Gutierrez and the defensive brilliance of Fabricio Coloccini.
They are generally seen as the most formidable recent side to go up automatically.
Like Mackay’s Bluebirds, Hughton’s Toon terriers were also in first place at this stage of the season and clearly the best team in the Championship.
Yet, even that Newcastle side, who stood on 60 points, weren’t doing as well as Mackay’s current Bluebirds.
Read what you want into the figures, of course, but many will believe they are hugely significant.
First, because the history suggests the Bluebirds are going up. And, as I say, as title winners.
Secondly, because City have always had to look in from outside in their bid to reach the Premier League and have always cracked under the pressure.
This time they are very much on course and have their destiny in their own hands.
City, though, won’t worry about what has gone before. Mackay and his players are focused on Bristol City.
That is the only match that counts as they contemplate the next step towards their promotion goal.
Then, four days after , Cardiff are at home to Brighton, another test of their title credentials.
Because the simple fact is that while they are currently top City need goals. They are back home for the first time in a month and out to show their fans they can maintain momentum.
Craig Bellamy and his fellow Bluebirds will relish the chance to play at Cardiff City Stadium, where one of the best playing surfaces in Championship football helps teams willing to pass and move.
City playmakers, including Peter Whittingham and Kim Bo-Kyung, were certainly not helped in their cause by dreadful pitches at Blackpool, Leeds and Huddersfield, although seven points from a possible nine was a pleasing return.
The pitch at home is as near perfect as possible and fans will want to see a little more style and panache
“We know the onus is on us to score goals at home and that’s exactly what we will be trying to do,” says Mackay.
“Our aim is to try to win every match and that shows in our Championship record so far this season.
“We’ve scored 50-plus goals and that’s a decent return at this stage, but it’s also true we are looking to improve at every stage of this season.”
Our survey of the last decade in the Championship shows the average number of points required to win the league is 92.
With 64 points to their name, that means another nine wins and a draw from their last 16 matches would send the Bluebirds into dreamland.
Given the way their leading promotion rivals continue to shoot themselves in the foot, City may need even fewer points to go up this time.
Whichever way you look at it, the figures look good for Mackay’s 2012-13 high-fliers.
Re: Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:09 pm
no one cares, havent you heard about the scarf 
Re: Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:13 pm
CraigCCFC wrote:no one cares, havent you heard about the scarf
Re: Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:14 pm
CraigCCFC wrote:no one cares, havent you heard about the scarf
What Scarf ?
Re: Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:52 pm
Personally I think this thead should be deleted as it is not about the scarf..........propostorous
Re: Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 1:26 pm
Those statistics just show that any team around the 47 points mark are not out of it, so we are not going up as champions....yet
Re: Going up as champions
Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:02 pm
At this stage of the season, the 30 game mark, the Bluebirds have a better record than any other team which has gone up as champions over the course of the last 10 seasons.
Mackay’s City “class of 2013” stand on 64 points. The only side which has bettered that was the Reading team of 2005-06, led into the top flight by Steve Coppell.
So the Bluebirds havent got a better record then any other team which has gone up as champions in the last 10 seasons??
Mackay’s City “class of 2013” stand on 64 points. The only side which has bettered that was the Reading team of 2005-06, led into the top flight by Steve Coppell.
So the Bluebirds havent got a better record then any other team which has gone up as champions in the last 10 seasons??