Although their destiny is entirely in their hands, Cardiff City fans (and manager and players if they're honest) will take an interest in other results.
Two Championship games were played today with contrasting fortunes from a Bluebirds perspective.
In a lunchtime game, Blackpool scored 3 late goals to win 4-2 at Scunthorpe and continue their recent impressive run as that was their third successive win. By way of total contrast, Leicester City suffered their fourth successive defeat to go from play-off certainties to the most vulnerable Top 6 side. Those results leave The Foxes just 1 point ahead of Blackpool with 5 games each to go.
Cardiff's lead over Blackpool has reverted to 5 points as their depleted side go into a massive Easter programme at home to 5th placed Swansea and away to 3rd place Nottingham Forest tomorrow evening and Monday evening with both games live on tv (Sky and BBC respectively).
West Bromwich Albion manager Roberto di Matteo explains to BBC Wales reporter Rob Phillips why he felt Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd went down too easily for the Bluebirds' penalty in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Cardiff City manager Dave Jones tells BBC Radio Wales reporter Rob Phillips why his team are "hanging in the promotion chase" after his team's 1-1 draw with West Brom.
CARDIFF CITY continued their play-off challenge – and it is a challenge rather than a push – with another hard fought, committed and spirited to draw 1-1 with West Brom, now Championship leaders, in an open and entertaining game but which produced few moments where either goalkeeper was tested.
Given CardiffCity’s continuing troubles and extreme lack of bodies in the squad, most fans would have settled for this result before kick-off and both sets of fans were pleased with a point apiece at final whistle.
Cardiff’s on field problems have not worsened but the threadbare squad meant the likes of Jay Bothroyd and Gavin Rae have to play on while unfit, sub options are minimal and to call midfield makeshift would be an understatement yet City weren’t too far off their strongest side.
West Brom moaned about players absent injured or suspended but oh to have a squad of the quantity and quality, they wouldn’t know how it is to compete at the top with our resources.They were not just out to seal their place at the top but avoid City landing a double over them for the first time in more than 80 years and had a strong line-up to boot.
The attendance was an excellent 20,785 including 1,200 from the West Midlands and it made for a vocal occasion and it was City fans who roared first as the Bluebirds strong start and liveliness produced its reward with an 8th minute PETER WHITTINGHAM penalty opener slamming home his spot kick, his 19th goal of the season.
This came after Jay Bothroyd latched onto a Burke ball over the top, cut into the box in front of a defender and was crafty enough to wait for the challenge behind him.There was not a single doubt in my mind that it was a penalty even if Jay played for it but the ref was hesitant and only gave it after the lino signalled it.The defender involved was neither booked nor sent off which was brought into more focus later when he was carded.
West Brom looked rattled for a long period and Cardiff were playing some excellent football but the visitors gradually turned the tide and showed what quality they had, running the show for a 10 minute period with Slory so unlucky to see his effort beat Marshall but came away off the inside of a post.Shots were peppered on goal but not on target while Cardiff defended strongly and fought to preserve their lead even if it wasn’t always pretty.
A blow came midway through the half as Whitts had to depart injured bring Ross McCormack on a sub.We need him back for the weekend.
Just as it looked as though City were taking an interval lead, The Baggies boinged boinged levelling it with the last kick of the half, a soft goal taken by Zuiverloon flicking home after Marshall saved his initial free header.
H/T: CITY 1 WBA 1
The second half was open and end to end and, as Dave Jones rightly remarked, it looked like two boxers slugging it out in the final rounds as they gave everything they had.
The amazing thing was that there were so few clear chances of the back of it and when they did arrive, the lines were fluffed.Final passes, blocks, luck, whatever it was but neither keeper was required to save.
City survived two goalmouth scares including Burke clearing a scramble off the line in the final minute while
Wood put a free header wide from 4 yards but with Chopra chasing every lost cause and Bothroyd showing quality, City always carried a threat too, Bothroyd and McCormack both went close, and should have won it when Chops’ cut back took a kind deflection and left Chris Burke with a free shot on goal in the last 5 minutes but he placed his effort wide.
Gerrard and Gyepes both limped through large chunks of the second period while there were gasps and groans as Jay Bothroyd pulled up sharply with a hamstring pull looking the problem but, thankfully, it turned out to be cramp.
Honours even then and neither side could complain.Cardiff’s efforts are quite heroic and given the depleted squad and players clearly playing when they would not in ideal circumstances, it is churlish to criticise those who had poor displays such as Mark Kennedy, Gavin Rae and Steve Gerrard.Instead, they need support and they certainly got it from the fans.City are playing with spirit and fight that you can only admire and applaud.
Reviews Cardiff's excellent performance in the weekend F.A. Cup defeat at Chelsea, looks ahead to tomorrow night's home clash with West Brom and includes an excellent interview with 'the Gaffer', Dave Jones.
In the final Championship fixture of the weekend, West Brom - the side immediately above Cardiff City - slipped up again at home. They, of course, lost 2-0 at home to Cardiff last Tuesday and had to fight back from going 2-0 again to QPR to grab a 2-2 draw with their leveller coming virtually with the game's last kick 4 minutes into added time.
It leaves them 7 points behind leaders Newcastle but, more pleasingly, keeps them within touching distance of the Bluebirds. Game on!
City's win at West Brom depleted of key resources was a fantastic result and performance, arguably Dave Jones' best ever since we don't turn over the top clubs on their own patch under his watch.
Unexpected as it was, I don't think any of us will ever learn that the only predictable in the Championship is that it will be unpredictable!
How can, for example, anyone legislate for Middlesbrough stuffing QPR 5-1 away last night then getting pasted 3-0 at home by Blackpool last night, the same Blackpool who themselves faltered at home on the weekend.
Or Crystal Palace getting dismantled at home by Doncaster last Saturday then doing the same themselves at Reading last night.
Or Leicester, who effortlessly moved into 3rd spot, getting dicked twice in 4 days as they just have.
I suppose that as long as our never ending inconsistency is not quite as inco0nsistent as others, then we're in with a definite shout!
An incredible night, a heroic performance and an amazing result as Cardiff City minus Bothroyd and Ledley or a recgonised midfield for the 2nd half yet triumphed 2-0 against 2nd place West Brom, the runaway leading scorers of the Championship and propelled themselves into 3rd spot. Simply fantastic!
City took the game to the hosts 1st half, edged it in play and lead 1-0 as Chris Burke, in red hot form, fired home another amazing goal. West Brom were out of sorts but give City all the credit for strangling the life out of them. Cardiff hung on for nearly all the 2nd half but were rarely in trouble when the game took an unbelieveable twist as Baggies ex-England keeper Scott Carson head-butted Michael Chopra full in the face with the ball on halfway. Not only was he red carded but City were awarded a penalty which, in a fuirther twist, was initially saved by sub replacement keeper Dean Kiely but Peter Whittingham atoned for that by smothering the bound and lashing it home.
Get in there!! Oh what a night and, make no mistake, victory was fully merited. The stats record that this was City's first league win at The Hawthorns in almost 53 years ... only the small print will mention we've only been there 8 times oveer that period!
1,200 City fans travelled to the West Midlands, West Brom's safety officer deciding to cut 800 tickets off the allowance despite refusing to give any valid reason and trying, unsuccessfully, to blame others. In protest, City fans met pre-game and conducted a friendly protest at the ludicrous decision outside the local Sandwell police station.
At the ground, City's cause was severely hampered by Jay Bothroyd being suspended for 1 game while Joe Ledley was absent too having had a scan on his troublesome hip and groin earlier in the day. Riccy Scimeca and Gavin Rae were, arguably, the only choice midfielders available. Kevin McNaughton was available however and so was Anthony Gerrard who looked like Pudsey Bear with a bandaged head after getting several stitches from a collison in the weekend Preston game and the bench contained three first year pros as City used what were the only resources they had available.
Dave Jones, stubborn to the end, stuck to his rigid 4-4-2 system when everyone thought we only had the personnel for 4-5-1 as he gambled with Etuhu and Chopra in attack.
West Brom went into the game unbeaten in 6 since losing at home to Swansea (they must really hate the Welsh sides) and having scored 17 goals in their last 5 outings. They could not have been more confident despite not having the services of pacy, exciting forwards Luke Moore and Jerome Thomas was was a huge relief to Cardiff.
West Brom: Carson; Cech-Zuiverloon-Olson-Mulumbu; Meite-Dorrans-Jara-Brunt; Bednar-Cox.
The crowd was 20,742 and most expected to see City under the cosh from the off which appeared to be confirmed as David Marshall had to make a big save inside the first 2 minutes.
However The Bluebirds were soon returning fire with interest as Rae fired just over then forced Carson to make a great save tipping over his vicious rising volley before a breakthrough on 21 minutes with a superb individual CHRIS BURKE goal.
Getting the ball on halfway, he ran staright at the heart of the Baggies defence, the lively Etuhu peeled away taking defenders with him, defenders held back so Burke ubnleashed a 20 yarder which flew low and true, beating Carson comprehensively.
The remainder of the half was lively with the home side trying to exert pressure but looking vulnerable to the counter-attack as Cardiff held onto what they had for the interval. The home side were very fortunate to go in with 11 men still on the pitch after Jara gave Gavin Rae a blatant elbow but ref Paul Taylor opted for a yellow card only, a decision which drew protests.
Half-time: WBA 0 CCFC 1
A hard task for City was made even harder as Riccy Scimeca playing his 2nd game in 4 days after no league start for 16 months was exhausted by his efforts and the pace of the game so on came 17 year old Aaron Wildig for his league debut.
Pressure from WBA was now relentless, City's forward could not get hold of the ball and Cardiff could not get near halfway, let alone over it. Etuhu was taken off too, similarly knackered after a long injury absence, so Rioss McCormack came one.
Cardiff's defending was quite magnificent with every man standing up and being counted, led by the maligned skipper Mark Hudson who is in current strong form. However Albion missed chances with Dorrans and Bednar twice screwing efforts wide.
It was a case of counting down the minutes and that clock was moving far too slowly until that late drama unfolded, the Chopra/Carson incident coming moments after Chops almost connected with a cross on a rare break.
Once it was 2-0 with an extra man, there was no way back for the home side leaving City fans to start the Xmas tune of "Jingle balls, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to see City win away". What an outstanding performance.
Cardiff manager Dave Jones looks ahead to Tuesday's Championship clash with West Brom at the Hawthorns.
He confirms there are doubts over Quinn, McNaughton and Ledley while Bothroyd is suspended giving a likely opportuinity to Kevin Etutu. Ledley's injury is discussed as well as Michael Chopra's current goal drought.
However the win has come at a cost as Cardiff head to high fliers West Brom on Tuesday evening without Jay Bothroyd who has a 1 game ban for his 5th booking of the season and have major doubts over Michael Chopra who is unwell and Joe Ledley who suffered a groin injury in the victory.
It's a tough enough contest as it is but to go without 3 key players would be doubly damaging to their hopes.
With City preparing for the visit of Ipswich to South Wales tomorrow - the game moved back a day so it didn't clash with Wales egg chasers getting booed and outclassed at home to the Aussies, bless'em - fans were left to wonder how destructive Saturday results would be. The answer is, they weren't bad at all.
On the downside, Cardiff now find themelves outside the play-off spots as QPR and Nottingham Forest overtook Cardiff in the table while Newcastle and West Brom in the automatic spots are currently threatening to run away with those places.
However it could have been much worse. A draw tomorrow will return City to 5th (and back above Swansea albeit on goal difference, a win will bring up 30 points and see Cardiff in 4th spot).
Leaders Newcastle made mince meat of The Swans beating them 3-0 with all the goals coming in the opening 25 minutes before they declared. West Brom in 2nd went goal crazy winning 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday (Current on loan Bluebird Warren Feeney was a non-playing sub for The Owls while skipper and former City man Darren Purse is out of their squad). Leicester who started and finished the day in third will have been disappointed to have been held 1-1 at Scunthrope, the home equaklising in added time.
Although QPR leap-frogged Cardiff, they won't have been plased to have been held 2-2 at home by Coventry but Nottingham Forest, now 4th, pummelled Doncaster 4-1 at home.
It was only a couple of weeks ago thaty Cardiff City missed successive chances to go top of the league but the cost of the latest poor run is all too evident after Newcastle won at Preston in last night's game completing Championship weekend.
City now find themselves 9 and 7 points respectively behind Newcastle and West Brom and you have to wonder whether we have the ability to get back in touch, Cardiff certainly lack for resources.
Most City fans are wondering if it's also only a matter of time before we slip out of the play-offs with the club now down to 5th, sharing 27 points with teams down to 8th spot and only 3 points ahead of mid-table.
Cardiff's next game is home to Ipswich on Sunday, it's a fair bet they will start the day much further down the league as the Saturday matches are complete which will add pressure to the occasion ... as if they need it.
It's a big and telling period ahead for the club and may well shape the rest of this season.
The weekend's Championship programme was completed tonight with Barnsley, where Cardiff play next, being held 2-2 at home by Sheffield United.
Despite defeat at Liberty Stadium, Cardiff clung onto 3rd spot sharing 27 points with 4 sides but heading them thanks to goal difference. The top two - Newcastle and West Brom - have happened a 4 point gap and may pull away shortly.
Some fans are consoling themselves staying in 3rd but in an amazingly tight league, they're just 3 points off 12th and mid-table.
City, however, have a chance to consolidate their position with the next games at Barnsley then home to Ipswich and Preston gives them a great chance of more points on the board - it's a chance they must take.
Dave Jones has turned down West Brom despite neither Cardiff City or himself being approached for the role!
Newspapers have speculated that Jones was on a shortlist of two for the vacancy at The Hawthorns but with Preston's Alan Irvine believed to be the clear favourite, maybe that convinced Jones not to even think about it.
When approached by the media about it over the weekend, Jones commented, "The only place I am moving to is a new stadium with Cardiff. "You can never say never in football but as far as the West Brom job is concerned - no."
A couple of seasons ago, Dave Jones declined the opportunity to go to West Brom - the temptation of a wage increase and shares at Cardiff City did the trick - but you did get the impression he had his regrets about that as Cardiff floundered in the Championship while West Brom went to the Premiership.
Two years on, Tony Mowray who got the job instead has gone to Celtic so the position is open again and with West Brom having more finances than Cardiff, it's an attractive option.
If news reports are to be believed, Dave Jones' name still figures very highly with some suggesting it may be between Alan Irvine (Preston) and himself for the role with Irvine favourite as he is a younger manager who has made an instant name for himself.
With suggestions of an imminent approach, Peter Ridsdale is in fighting and bullish mood -“Dave Jones is staying with Cardiff City – I have no doubts about that.”
However Irvine is the favourite and their Chairman is making the same noises - "I want to assure supporters that as I give this interview we have not had any contact from West Bromwich Albion over the services of Alan Irvine – and we do not want any. If any calls came in then the decision would be down to the manager himself, if the terms of his contract were met, but this is something we would vehemently oppose."
The new season's fixture list was published and saw Cardiff City at home on 2009/10 Championship opening day to S****horpe United.
The consequences of their awful play-off collapse and ruin of Premiership Dreams are now abundantly clear. A few weeks ago, we were dreaming of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea visiting the new Cardiff City Stadium ... instead we open up to Scunthorpe and Dagenham & Redbridge!!!!
The fixtures offer Cardiff a chance of the flying start to the season as first away is Blackpool (can't believe we're going there in the main August holiday season) followed by Bristol City at home and Plymouth away. A good haul of points looks possible.
Newcastle is the keynote fixture as they visit Cardiff on September 12 with City heading to Geordie-land in February. Meantime, Swansea games correspond to last season with Cardiff off to Jacksville in late November with the return fixture at Easter.
One pleasing aspect is that there are 5 midweek away fixtures but all are close journeys meaning all can be made with an early finish rather than time off work when we visit West Brom, Bristol City, Coventry, Reading and Plymouth.
Cardiff City and all clubs are arsey about fixtures lists being published (citing copyright and similar crap) so I can't publish them here. However you can view them at this link (I'm being just as arsey as not directing you to the official site which also has them!).
Burnley, the cup team of this season are following up their Carling Cup exploits which took them to within 3 minutes of making the final, are repeating their Premiership slaying ways in the F.A. Cup having triumphed over West Brom at home in tonight's 4th Round replay thanks to a double (for the 2nd time in 4 days) by ex-Cardiff City striker Steve Thompson (Thommo).
Their 5th round reward will be a visit either to Ninian Park or The Emirates depending on the outcome of the Arsenal v Cardiff City 4th round replay, that game taking place the day after the 6th round draw!
This evening's draw for the 5th Round (Final 16) of the F.A. Cup provided Cardiff City with another home tie if they manage to overcome Arsenal at The Emirates in next week's replay.
Drawn out as the final tie, the winners of that replay will be home to either Premiership West Brom or Championship Burnley who replay as the same time as Cardiff having drawn 2-2 at the weekend. It presents City with a great chance of making the quater-finals shoudl;, of course, they produce an epic giantkilling at The Emirates first.
