I think we'll drop more points than Cardiff before we play them, simply because I think Boro are now playing like the team so many people though they would be before the start of the season - general consensus here and elsewhere back in August was that they had a good argument to have the strongest squad in the division, and, regardless of Pulis' reputation, he's got them finally playing to the kind of level they should have been all along.
In the next three games for Wolves and Cardiff, we've both got Burton at home (you'd expect wins for both teams there). We should be fine against Hull, but I think Boro are as much of an objective threat as Cardiff are to us now based on form and talent, whereas neither Derby nor Sheffield United look that menacing from Cardiff's perspective.
I still think we'll finish champions because logic - statistical reversion to the mean at the very least - says a) Cardiff's run of wins has to end, and b) post-Cardiff our run-in looks nicer than theirs. But I'm expecting us to go into the Cardiff match in a position where it won't just be a loss for them to draw level with us, they'll probably be able to pull ahead, and that kind of thing would inevitably have a psychological impact on both teams, whatever the final result. The team that wins will inevitably feel the clouds lift and a sense of inevitability and momentum take hold; the team that loses will have to respond and try to pull through. We know that we can do that, which I why I'm not too worried for Wolves - but Cardiff haven't had that pressure this season, and regardless of Warnock's experience and mind games, it will be interesting to see them respond to that kind of event.
