Bluebirds have a better record
Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:22 am
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.
CCFC
Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2KxCMxVno
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.
CCFC
Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2KxCMxVno
Re: Bluebirds have a better record
Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:51 am
Did they just point out that on a few occasions the Champions were actually below 2nd place at this point of the season?
Thanks South Wales Echo for making me feel more concerned that teams quite often come out of the pack.
Thanks South Wales Echo for making me feel more concerned that teams quite often come out of the pack.
Re: Bluebirds have a better record
Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:59 am
Wayne S wrote:Did they just point out that on a few occasions the Champions were actually below 2nd place at this point of the season?
Thanks South Wales Echo for making me feel more concerned that teams quite often come out of the pack.
We get some f*cking ridiculous threads on here. Sometimes (myself included) people are bored
and just come out with a load of shite!!
You'd expect better from the Echo though eh? allegedly professional journalists
Re: Bluebirds have a better record
Fri Feb 15, 2013 11:27 am
Newcastle only dropped 6 points from the remaining 48 on offer. Going unbeaten in the last 16 games. Winning 13 and drawing 3.
Can we do the same?
Can we do the same?
Re: Bluebirds have a better record
Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:43 pm
Ackers wrote:Newcastle only dropped 6 points from the remaining 48 on offer. Going unbeaten in the last 16 games. Winning 13 and drawing 3.
Can we do the same?
No