Cardiff City are unbeaten in the three games since the World Cup break. But, for some reason, it doesn't feel like that, does it?
Three games and three draws, the latest of which came in a scoreless, dull affair against QPR on Monday night. A game in which Cardiff probably had the better of the chances but never really looked like scoring.
Many supporters believed it was a good point against a strong team who are likely to be in and around the play-offs. But the vast majority of fans were left with their palms facing the air, angry at their team for not winning it. Both viewpoints are fair, but the problem is there is a cumulative effect at play here.
Fans could likely stomach the last three games in isolation. Three points from three; could do better, but palatable. But the truth of the matter is the season didn't start after the World Cup. City's poor form heading into the November break has done nothing to aid the mood on this bank holiday Tuesday. There was no running start heading into this stretch of games and fans were desperate to see their team hit the ground running after the World Cup, with two home games and an away trip to Stoke City in the offing.
Since the mid-season break finished, Cardiff have slid one spot down the table, from 19th to 20th, but unenviable trips to Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers await in the coming days.
It was noted that boos rang out at Cardiff City Stadium after the full-time whistle against the Rs, a chorus of frustration being vented by the 18,000 City supporters inside the arena. Given the team's poor home form, lack of goals and rotten league position, the fans who flocked to CCS in their droves must be applauded.
There will be another 2,000 travelling to Coventry City on Thursday, too, because that is the fantastic support this club has. A big fan base, the entirety of which is willing with all their might for this squad, who are performing to less than the sum of their parts, to click into gear.
The owner, the chairman, the manager and the fans believe this squad to have more than enough in it to be a mid-table team. There are no glaring weaknesses in terms of personnel, however there is a distinct lack of goals and clinical edge up front which is hamstringing them severely.
So, what's the solution? With Steve Morison at the helm, they were scrapping at the bottom, but maybe looked more composed and with a clearer style of play. With Hudson in charge, they look leakier at the back but perhaps have a little more endeavour going forward - even if they don't have the goals to show for it.
Would appointing Sean Dyche, or a similarly-experienced manager, be the instant change which sees it all align and results turn on their head? If the answer to that question is yes, what calibre of manager would want to take charge of a transfer embargo-hit, relegation-scrapping club with such little money to spend? It's a tricky one to navigate but everything appears to be coming to a head, as it always seems to at this time of year for Cardiff.
Against QPR, Cardiff, as ever, looked encouraging until they got to within 25 yards of the visitors' goal and suddenly appeared to run out of steam. A hopeful cross or shot from distance would often be the result, which were invariably easily defended. For context, Seny Dieng in the Rs goal made a grand total of zero saves on Monday night.
For what it's worth, no one thinks Cardiff are a million miles away from getting this right. But draws need to start turning into wins for Hudson and his players because this is a ruthless game and a jaunt down to League One is not a journey Vincent Tan will remotely entertain.
Hudson has called for more "belief", "confidence" and "ruthlessness" from his forward players in recent weeks, with Cardiff the worst attacking team in the league. No team has scored fewer goals than City's 20 this term. But is it all on the players, or is it tactical, too? As is generally the answer, it's probably a little bit of both.
It was encouraging to see Rubin Colwill get 83 minutes, the longest he has played since August, and he created two big chances, one for Kion Etete, who should have scored, and another for Callum Robinson, who blazed his shot over the bar.
The reason a more central role for Colwill would benefit this goal-shy side is that he can play killer passes behind the defence in a way that no other player can. Out wide he is largely reduced to beating his man and crossing, but any of City's many wingers can do that. Cardiff are so often pushed out wide and then their crosses are easily defended - with Colwill central it opens up another avenue for attacks and it's another problem for opposition defences to cope with.
But even when the chances were created, they should have been scored. Etete, who, to his credit, has looked more than capable over the last few weeks, should bury one chance which fell his way when Cedric Kipre square a ball to him on the penalty spot. Perry Ng and Callum O'Dowda might have done better with headed chances, too.
City have Isaak Davies coming back soon and Hudson seems excited by the prospect of having him available. Perhaps he can kick on from a decent rookie season in the back half of this campaign. Will Ebou Adams become a regular feature in City's midfield in the coming months, too? That spot next to Ryan Wintle might well be up for grabs.
Spots in this league are up for grabs, which is certainly a positive. In one sense it's frustrating the points have slipped Cardiff by in the last couple of games, but, looking at it more positively, when it does finally click Cardiff can still rocket up the ladder. There are eight points between fifth and 21st, which is cause for some optimism at least.
There is not much between the top and bottom sides in the Championship this season and there are points up for grabs in every game. Consistency is hard to come by at this level for that very reason. Cardiff are not great but they are not awful, unfortunately their results are falling closer to the bottom end of the scale than the top and that's why they find themselves in the situation they are in.
Hudson is confident he is the man who can lead that charge up the table in the new year and a lot of people in the Welsh capital hope that is the case, given the credit in the bank he has from his time with the club as a player. "We're happy to make him our manager until the end of the season - unless he does badly, of course," Vincent Tan said rather ambiguously last month.
Hudson knows he must do better. His record at Cardiff reads four wins, four draws and five losses in 13 games, with an average of 1.23 points per game. Add a couple of wins onto that, which they should have done in the last two matches, and Cardiff's position is so much healthier. It's such fine margins and Cardiff have to start turning the tide. The better teams at this level win the last two games Cardiff have played.
But with just two wins in 11 games, dating back to October 15 thanks to the World Cup break, fans are getting twitchy. Cardiff's record in the next 11 games has to be much, much better, because that is the period which will decide their season.
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