Having ran the rule over Hull City yesterday, our series of articles focussing on the promoted clubs turns to the Championship winners, Cardiff. Malky Mackay’s side recovered from the disappointment of losing to West Ham in the previous season’s play-off final to finish a comfortable eight points clear of their nearest challengers and make their way into England’s top-flight for the first time in over 50 years:

Subject of an infamous rebranding exercise last summer as owner Vincent Tan changed their colours from blue to red, the Welsh outfit have made headlines for all the right reasons this time round. Top of the Championship table since the end of November, the Bluebirds held their nerve and finally clinched their place in the Premier League, after suffering play-off disappointment in each of the previous three campaigns.

The Statistics

CS = Cleansheets

Cardiff finished last term as the third top scorers in the Championship, with 72 goals accrued over their 46 matches. The Welsh club’s attacking statistics were remarkably similar in front of their own fans and on the road – both at home and away, Mackay’s side scored two or more goals on 11 occasions and also failed to score just three times. As a result, they notched 37 goals at the Cardiff City Stadium and 35 goals on their travels.

At the back, however, Mackay’s side were far less resilient on the road. While they registered 10 clean sheets at home and eight away, they shipped double the number of goals (30 to 15) on their travels. Further analysis shows that Cardiff conceded more than a single goal just twice in front of their own fans compared to eight times on the road.

The Manager

The former centre-half began his managerial career at Watford back in November 2008 while still on the playing staff at Vicarage Road. Mackay took over the reins on a caretaker basis after Aidy Bothroyd departed the club but, after just five matches in charge, stepped aside for the incoming Brendan Rodgers. The latter’s resignation in June 2009 saw Mackay installed on a permanent basis but his time at the club was mainly spent battling the drop before Cardiff came calling in June 2011.

In his first season in charge, the Scot steered his new club to Wembley on two occasions. While the Welsh outfit were ultimately denied in the Carling Cup final and the Championship play-off finals, a batch of key signings last summer proved the difference, as the Bluebirds boss explained:

“Our aim was to be as competitive as possible and we were excited at the quality we had in the group. There was no doubt in our minds we would be able to compete with any team. Whether we could win the title at that stage was in the lap of the gods. But we knew we would challenge. The squad have stayed tight, they have worked together and worked for each other.”

Tactically, Mackay tends to alternate between a 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 in accordance with opponent, with the former shape particularly favoured on the road. A high work rate off the ball is key to his team ethic, as his side looks to press high up the pitch and restrict the amount of room opponents have to play in – from a Fantasy perspective, this comes at a cost, though, with squad rotation favoured in order to ensure freshness. Mackay’s predilection for a target man has, at times, brought criticisms of their style of play, with high balls into the box a feature of his side’s play.

The Promoted Squad

David Marshall (46 apps) nailed-on between the sticks, the former Glasgow Celtic keeper played every game in last season’s campaign. If Michel Vorm’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) price drops from last term’s initial 5.5, Marshall looks a real rotation option along with the Swansea stopper, with plenty save points looking likely.

Kevin McNaughton (28 apps, 1 assist) the club’s longest serving player, McNaughton lost his right-back berth to Matthew Connolly and has mainly relied upon injuries to others to bolster his chances of playing time.

Andrew Taylor (43 apps, 5 assists) Mackay is clearly a fan of the former Middlesbrough man. The Bluebirds boss has acquired the left-back twice, acquiring him on loan for Watford before signing him up at Cardiff on a permanent deal in July 2011 – having missed just three games last term, Taylor offers a decent source of creativity from the flank.

Matthew Connolly (35 apps, 5 goals) signed from QPR last summer for a mere £500,000, the former Arsenal man was a key member of Mackay’s first XI. Installed at right-back, his versatility also saw him cover at centre-half on occasion, with an injury in the final month of the season curtailing his number of starts. His eye for goal was somewhat surprising, given he’d only scored five goals in his career prior to last season.

Mark Hudson (33 apps, 4 goals, 3 assists) the club captain. Hudson also harvested five goals in the previous season from centre-half, with his minutes only reduced as a result of ankle surgery back in March, which forced him out for the remainder of the campaign.

Ben Turner (31 apps, 1 goal, 1 assist) started the season as first-choice centre-half alongside Hudson but picked up an injury and spent a couple of months on the sidelines. Turner finally won his place back and, as the season progressed, played a key role at the back in light of Hudson’s absence. A lack of attacking potential compared to other defensive options is likely to see Fantasy managers give him a miss, though.

Aron Gunnarsson (45 apps, 8 goals, 5 assists) offers a real battling presence in the centre of midfield. Captain of his native Iceland, Gunnarsson chipped in with a strong attacking contribution and looks a guaranteed starter compared to many of his midfield team mates.

Peter Whittingham (40 apps, 8 goals, 7 assists) he may have finished the season as joint-second for goals but the former Villa man failed to find the net since October and was omitted from Mackay’s starting line-up for the last few matches due to a real loss of form. Whittingham no longer looks the nailed-on option he once was for the Bluebirds and may struggle to nail down a regular role, judging by Mackay’s thoughts towards the end of the season.

Craig Noone (33 apps, 7 goals, 8 assists) signed from Brighton last summer, his acquisition looks a canny piece of business by Mackay. The wide man was prone to Mackay’s rotation habits, particularly away from home – while his returns were decent, a lack of guaranteed starts is likely to deter many. Like Whittingham, has a share of set-pieces when on the pitch.

Craig Conway (28 apps, 2 goals, 1 assist) able to play on either flank, Mackay’s rotation policy caused him to hand in a transfer request early on last term, which was later withdrawn. Mackay – who brought him to the club from Dundee United – praised his response as “magnificent” but Conway looks like he’ll have to get used to his manager’s policy next term once again.

Bo-Kyung Kim (28 apps, 2 goals, 3 assists) took his time to settle since arriving from Japanese outfit Cerezo Osaka. Became more influential as the season unfolded and his touch on the ball and keen eye for a pass could make him a crucial member of Mackay’s central midfield over the campaign ahead.

Don Cowie (23 apps, 2 goals) played under Mackay at Watford before making his way to the Welsh club. The central midfielder seems likely to play no more than a squad role next time out, though, having slipped down the pecking order over the final few months of the previous campaign.

Jordan Mutch (23 apps) signed from Birmingham last summer, much of the first few months were blighted by a foot problem. A current England U21 player, he’s highly-regarded and his driving runs from the middle of the park could be a real asset for the Bluebirds – if he stays injury-free.

Heidar Helguson (39 apps, 9 goals, 6 assists) snapped up from QPR prior to the previous campaign, the forward was released by the club earlier this month. His subsequent departure will force Mackay into the market for an experienced replacement to lead the line.

Craig Bellamy (33 apps, 4 goals, 10 assists) whether on the flank in a 4-5-1 or up top in a 4-4-2, his experience and drive were crucial to Cardiff’s cause. Has the majority of corners and a fair share of free-kicks in his locker, though he had a tendency to pick up injuries last term, with knee, ankle and calf complaints all restricting his game time. If he’s classified as a forward in Fantasy games, he could struggle to garner our attention, with Mackay utilising him on the flank on many occasions.

Joe Mason (29 apps, 6 goals, 1 assist) the 22-year-old was used sparingly, with many of his appearances arriving from the bench. Mackay turned down numerous loan offers for Mason and reckons the forward has “a big future” at the club, though whether he’ll afford him the platform in the Premier League is perhaps debatable.

Rudy Gestede (27 apps, 5 goals, 3 assists) standing 6 foot 4, he has the height, power and presence required to fill the target man role. Gestede is more likely to rely on game time off the bench, though, as Mackay moves from a lone forward system to two up front when chasing games late on.

Also worth a mention here are Fraizer Campbell and Nicky Maynard. Purchased in January from Sunderland, Campbell racked up seven goals from 12 appearances but his game time was limited due to ankle and shin problems – given his impact, he could play a significant part if he can remain out of the treatment room. Maynard arrived from West Ham last summer but played three games before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury – he returned on the final day of the season to score against Hull; his lack of action last time round is likely to earn him a budget price across the Fantasy games.

Potential Targets

Although Mackay is expected to be handed a substantial budget by Tan this summer, he’s already suggested he will keep faith in many of last season’s main protagonists. Rather than a major overhaul, then, it appears he’s looking to fine-tune his team:

“We need to bring in some quality players, but there are a lot of players who helped us win the Championship who now will be able to go on and play in the Premier League. The standards we already have in training here means players have to be of a certain level of fitness and have to be comfortable on the ball. So we’ve got all that and then it is all about tweaking. I’ve no doubt we are going to need to add quality, but there’s a lot of guys who are already here who have very good quality and who will be able to play in the Premier League.”

While Campbell’s strike rate has impressed, it remains to be seen whether Mackay would utilise him as a lone forward in the top-flight. A more physical presence could be targeted up top, with Stoke’s Kenwyne Jones apparently on the radar – certainly, he’d offer top-flight know-how and could be set to depart the Potters after his off-field indiscipline prior to the final match of the season.

Another centre-forward doing the rounds is Bafetimbi Gomis, who has racked up 16 goals for Lyon so far this term. Former Chelsea man Salomon Kalou is also being linked with the Welsh club and, like Bellamy, would afford plenty Premier League experience on the flanks.

Reading skipper Jobi McAnuff is also said to be on Mackay’s radar. He played under the Scot at Watford and could be tempted by a return to the Premier League, while Nottingham Forest’s out-of-contract midfielder Lewis McGugan is also under consideration, having failed to nail down a starting berth under Billy Davies at the City Ground.