Cardiff City Set For Crucial Coventry Clash

Cardiff City play CCFC namesakes Coventry City tonight in a match of great importance for both sides. The two clubs have suffered hugely different plights in recent times with Coventry`s impressive form and meteoric rise up the Championship table matched by Cardiff`s loss of form and subsequent plummet from a comfortable 4th to a very dubious 6th. That City continue to occupy the final play-off berth is more down to the profligacy and stuttering form of the chasing pack after a dire run, punctuated by a decent win over Middlesbrough, threatens to waste the good early season work.

If Cardiff City lose tonight, we will drop out of the top six for only the third week of the season so far. Additionally, this will be confirmed as a complete loss of form, despite the returns to fitness of McPhail and Whittingham - two of our most creative outlets. Recent results have been woefully poor, the likes of Chopra, McCormack and Gavin Rae have been desperately short of form and the financial situation off the field has also taken a toll.

Coventry have lost just once in ten matches and are playing with the freedom and confidence brought by such a run. They have a decent squad and are more than capable of mounting a serious play-off challenge if they can maintain their form. The Sky Blues will see Cardiff City as an ideal opportunity to underline these credentials and with them at the top, and us in our worst run - there couldn`t be a better time as far as Chris Colemen`s men are concerned.

However, we are still sixth, and our destiny remains in our own hands. We have influential players returning from injury to provide a timely boost. The performances against Middlesbrough and Leicester City did at least hint that we could remain a force in this division and get over the loss of confidence that such a run inevitably brings. The rumoured £6m investment from Malaysian businessman Tien Ghee will not yet have a significant positive effect on the field, but it has certainly lifted the mood of the fans and hopefully the general mood around the club.

How Cardiff City would love an early goal to settle the nerves. That would in turn allow the likes of Burke and Whittingham much more space. At the least, Cardiff City should be aiming for a draw, if only to stop the rot and keep Coventry City at bay - they are currently 2 points behind and could leapfrog us. A little bit of luck can go a long way, hopefully we are owed some….

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