Are Cardiff more of a threat to us than Brum?

[Silver Fox]

They're not doing quite as well as us and if you believe everything you read on here we're absolute toilet

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

Well seen as brum have more points, not really

[Snowball]

Bearing in mind they're supposedly a bunch of over-paid no-hopers run by a manager who apparently hasn't got a clue, Birmingham aren't doing too badly really.

Hmmm, not sure about that. 8-9 weeks ago they were six points clear of us

We have caught them and are two points clear of them, yet we've had a fairly sticky patch ourselves
of W2 D3 L1 7-4 (1.5 points a game) in the last 6 (and the cup defeat) so what have they been doing?

[AlexY25]

Cardiff offered 3 mill for a striker

reported to be Steven Fletcher.

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

That's what I'm saying. For a side that's so horribly out of form that seems to be despised by even its own fans, 2 points behind auto promotion at the beginning of Feb is a not a bad return.

I'd love to share your confidence that they've given up and are happy to wave us off into the premiership.

[Franchise FC]

Readings destiny is in their own hands. If I was a Brum supporter I would be more worried at the moment........

There are four teams whose destiny rmains in their own hands

Wolves - win their remaining games they are promoted (even a loss to Birmingham wouldn't have any effect)
Reading - win their remaining games they are promoted
Birmingham - win their remaining games (including vs RFC) they are promoted
Cardiff - win their remaining games they are promoted

Clearly, not all four can happen, but for each they remain in control of their own future.

I don't think you are right about Cardiff. They only have Wolves to play in the top 3 so even if they won that they would not catch Reading and Wolves if they won all their other games

You're right, of course.

[Wycombe Royal]

Joe Ledley going to Stoke is the current strong rumour. Someone who said Beattie was signing for Stoke two hours before it happened has said this one will happen today.

That will weaken the Bluebirds midfield a bit........

[Arch]

Well seen as brum have more points, not really

If how much of a threat you are is entirely down to how many points you've got, neither is a threat since we've got more points than both.

[AlexY25]

Cardiff got Chopra back on loan.

[runrunrunrungilksey]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 864662.stm

Although I think he is a complete tosser following his cheating at Madjeski this season, this is a good buy for cardiff and with Bothroyd and McCormack as well I think they will be a threat for the Championship title.

[howser]

Could be a real threat now Chopra is back there, wait for Cardiff's penalty count to rise rapidlly !!

[LoyalRoyalFan]

I think that Birmingham pose a greater threat.
Cardiff are a threat,don't get me wrong,however i believe that out of Cardiff and Birmingham, Birmingham have the better players and pose a bigger threat.The players they have brought are in are good. Sinclair is an excellent signing. Cardiff played well against us and i can see them in the playoffs,however i don't think they are such a big danger to us.

[rhroyal]

I don't know if people have noticed, but if Cardiff win their 2 games in hand then they are level on points with Birmingham and consequently 2 points behind us, as well as 6 points behind Wolves with another game in hand. Considering the sheer size of the gap between the top 3 and the rest at the start of December or so I think it goes to show how we have all lost our way recently. Thankfully we still have matters in our own hands, but we need to start finding the net again quickly and picking up points or the race for promotion could become wide open for a number of teams. I think Wolves could have lost momentum and 1st place is there for the taking in no time if we sort ourselves out.

One possible argument is the recent fixtures. Our poor record of 1 goal (an OG) in 4 matches has come against:

Swansea away, the team to beat at the moment

Wolves at home, who are top of the league

QPR away, who have been one of the best teams in 2009 so far

Preston at home, who are very hard to beat and showed what they are capable of at Molinuex.

However the truth of the matter is many people consider us the best team in the league, as do many of our players. There is no team in this league who we can't beat on our day. At the same time for the team to have an off day so frequently at the moment is very worrying and hints at a deeper problem.

[Row Z Royal]

I don't know if people have noticed

They did.

Last month.

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=84602

[Stooper]

2 Reading 31 32 59
3 Birmingham 31 10 57
4 Cardiff 29 15 51

Same points as Sheff U and three games in hand on them for Cardiff.

[glass half full]

I don't know if people have noticed

They did.

Last month.

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=84602

We may have hit a goal drought but our goal difference will still be a major factor compared with Cardiff and others.

[Victor Meldrew]

I don't know if people have noticed

They did.

Last month.

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=84602

We may have hit a goal drought but our goal difference will still be a major factor compared with Cardiff and others.

Don't forget that goal difference only matters IF teams are level on points.
I really do hope that it doesn't come down to worrying about that AGAIN.
Mind you wasn't goal difference important when we played THAT game at Brentford when we got promoted?

[RobRoyal]

We may have hit a goal drought but our goal difference will still be a major factor compared with Cardiff and others.

Don't forget that goal difference only matters IF teams are level on points.

Seriously? Bugger, I thought we were home and dry

[Rusty royal]

Cardiff may have games in hand but one of those is against Wolves, plus they are still in the cup, rearranged replay date with Arsenal to play yet Just sit back and enjoy the roller-coaster ride

[Nobby]

Cardiff are definitely looking stronger than Birmingham.

At the same time we are looking pretty ineffective.

I don't think we have played well in more than two or three games recently. The players look nervous and I don't fancy us to win many of our away games.

Wolves just need to do their annual screw up, then we'll be ok. Looks like they have started, too.