EFL Championship Team Preview – Cardiff City
Having been relegated from the Premier League after a brave effort last season, Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City will be looking to bounce back to the big time at the first time of asking. The Bluebirds are one of the pre-season title favourites, with most bookies pricing them at 10/1 to win the league. Meanwhile, Coral are offering evens for the Welsh side to finish in the top six.
Who will win the Championship Title 2019/20?
| Team |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds | 9/2 | 7/2 | 9/2 |
| Fulham | 8/1 | 8/1 | 8/1 |
| Cardiff | 10/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 |
| West Brom | 12/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 |
| Middlesbrough | 14/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 |
| Stoke | 12/1 | 12/1 | 12/1 |
| Derby | 16/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 |
| Huddersfield | 20/1 | 14/1 | 16/1 |
| Brentford | 12/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 |
| Sheff Wed | 20/1 | 16/1 | 18/1 |
* (Betting Odds were taken from Bet365, Betvictor & Ladbrokes on July 15th, 2019 at 13:30 p.m.)
Cardiff City to win the Championship Title 2019/20 at Ladbrokes
Table of Contents
Premier League a task too far
Cardiff caused somewhat of an upset in the 2017-18 season when they followed Wolverhampton Wanderers into the Premier League as EFL Championship runners-up. The Bluebirds had a remarkable campaign, going on to accumulate 90 points and claim 27 victories.
However, Cardiff’s stay in the top flight lasted just one year, with the Bluebirds dropping back down to the Championship with Fulham and Huddersfield Town. Nevertheless, the South Wales outfit gave a good account of themselves in difficult circumstances, proving many doubters wrong along the way. In the end, they fell just short, finishing two points behind 17th-place Brighton & Hove Albion.
Cardiff have learned a lot over the past couple of years or so, which should stand them in good stead for another Championship promotion push this time around. The Welsh club are certainly one of the big boys in the second tier going into the new campaign.
Has Warnock still got the magic touch?
Make no mistake about it, outside of the Premier League, Neil Warnock is one of the greatest managers that the English game has ever seen. Like him or loathe him, the Yorkshireman’s record in the EFL is second to none.
Warnock’s promotion with Cardiff in 2018 was his eighth of his managerial career in the professional leagues. The charismatic boss has earned promotions with Scarborough, Notts County (twice), Huddersfield Town, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield United, Queens Park Rangers and, of course, Cardiff. Meanwhile, the Sheffield Utd, QPR and Cardiff promotions were all to the Premier League.
Even at the grand old age of 70, Warnock has not lost his appetite for the beautiful game. If he can guide the Bluebirds back to the Premier League again, it will be his ninth promotion, which is an astounding record by anyone’s standards.
- Cardiff picked up 90 points in the 2017-18 Championship season
- The Bluebirds won ten Premier League matches last term
- The Welsh side will be gunning for a third promotion to the PL this season
Arrivals and departures
Cardiff have been busy in the transfer market recently, bringing in the likes of Will Vaulks, Joe Day and Curtis Nelson. Vaulks, who captained Rotherham United, will bring steel to the midfield, while former Newport County man Day will put pressure on Neil Etheridge for the No. 1 spot. As for centre-back Nelson, the 26-year-old will be aiming to break into the first team this season.
Aron Gunnarsson was a mainstay in the Cardiff midfield for several years, but the Iceland captain left the Cardiff City Stadium this summer to seek pastures new in Qatar with Al-Arabi. Meanwhile, the popular Harry Arter and Victor Camarasa have returned to their parent clubs after loan spells. The Bluebirds will be hoping to keep hold of their best players before the window slams shut in August.
How will they fare this season?
Cardiff could be a force to be reckoned with in the Championship this season, especially with Warnock at the helm. The Bluebirds opened up their last Championship campaign with five straight wins – with some winnable games at the beginning of this season, the club will be looking for another fast start.
The Bluebirds have some top players within their ranks, with the likes of Kenneth Zohore, Bobby Reid, Junior Hoilett and Sol Bamba – along with a number of others – all proven at this level. With a couple more faces added to the team, City will have one of the strongest squads in the division.
Winning the league will be a tall order for the Bluebirds, although 10/1 is a very tempting price. At the bare minimum, Cardiff will be looking to finish in the top six, and Coral’s evens looks a very solid price. William Hill’s odds of 11/2 for Warnock’s troops to end their season in the top two are also attractive.
Cardiff City Tips & Odds
To be promoted at 4/1
To finish in the top 6 at Evens
* (Betting Odds were taken from Coral on July 15th, 2019 at 13:30 p.m.)
Predicted finish
Cardiff were very strong when they were last in the Championship, and they have a better team on paper this season. The squad is glittered with experience and talent, and I can see them finishing in the play-off places come May. I’m backing the Bluebirds to finish in fourth position.
