EFL pundit, for leading online betting site BetVictor, Gab Sutton looks ahead to the upcoming domestic football season. He’s given his league table prediction for the Championship, giving in-depth analysis for Cardiff City.
With structural question marks hanging over the club, 21st and 18th-place finishes had Cardiff City fans fearing they’d become familiar with the Championship’s bottom eight. Erol Bulut changed that last season, however.
Building an aggressive team that showed fight in big games, Bulut delivered a top-half finish, and has established a template that, with the right additions, could take the Bluebirds into the top six.
Perry Ng is one of the most complete right-backs in the Championship, battler Dimitrios Goutas and cultured Mark McGuiness complement one another superbly in central defence, while Manolis Siopis’ tenacious ball-winning made him an instant hit in midfield.
With Ethan Horvath and Jamilu Collins proving dependable in goal and at left-back respectively (despite shipping in the 70 + goals last season), City have a solid sextet with which to go into 2024-25 – and that’s without the signing of Calum Chambers.
The main reason they conceded so many was the strain placed on their defensive unit, because City had neither the ball-carrying instincts in midfield nor searing pace in attack to keep opponents honest, whilst also giving the ball away cheaply at times.
As such, it’s crucial that, whilst broadly wanting continuity after a positive season, Bulut makes some brave alterations where required, like the number 10 spot.
Aaron Ramsey brings obvious quality but is coming to the end, whereas Rubin Colwill, at 22, may be ready for a breakout season – and has a dynamic skillset that might translate better to a transitions-based game.
Elsewhere, calls need to be made on prospects Eli King and Cian Ashford, who could benefit from a League One loan yet could also make a valuable contribution to the squad, in midfield and attack respectively.
Add dynamism, ball-carrying and creativity in midfield, then pace and quality in attack, and Cardiff could become a Play-Off prospect.
That, though, feels a big ask at this stage of the window, with doubts still lingering over the club’s recruitment processes. Chris Willock hopes to defy them after joining from QPR.
Willock showed immense talent at the start of his time at Loftus Road but has, in more recent years, faced question marks over his application.
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