Town boss Mick McCarthy believes that the most of the teams currently in the Championship’s play-off places will remain there for the duration of the season, making it tough to break into the top six.
Despite the recent winless run of seven games which ended with the 2-0 home victory over Bolton on Tuesday, the 10th-placed Blues (21 points) are only four points behind Birmingham (25) in sixth.
However, ahead of the Midlanders there is a five-point gap to fifth-placed Derby and Middlesbrough in fourth (both 30) with the top three - from the top, Hull City, Burnley and Brighton - all a further point in front of them (31).
"No we’re not [far off sixth],” McCarthy said. "There are a lot of games to be played and the dodgy run hasn’t seen us get beaten that many more times, I think we’re [joint-ninth] in terms of losing [the fewest] games.
"It was just that inability to win that we’ve had. It’s funny we’ve complained about not keeping clean sheets but we’ve had chances to win all those games, Birmingham, Huddersfield, Cardiff, Bristol City.
"In the Bristol City game we actually played well but we just gave two silly goals away. Despite the bad run [we’re not that far off].”
He says he sees most of the sides at the top of the table still being there come May: "There’ll be some who will march on and keep going.
"I think Burnley will, I think Hull will, I think Derby will, Middlesbrough seem to be one that are going to do the same.
"It’s going to be hard. If you think of those four occupying four positions in the top six, then it’s going to be bloody tough to get in it, but it was last year.
"I’m saying they’ll stay the course. But we know what it’s like, the league. Everybody thought Derby were going to win it at the start of last season and they ended up finishing eighth. They look strong at the minute, but it’s a long season.”
Casting his eye elsewhere in the division, McCarthy sees the team currently one place and one point behind the Blues as potential challengers.
"And Fulham have picked up, they’re the highest goalscorers,” he added. "They seem to have settled down, they’ve spent money, they’ve got money from the Premier League [parachute payments].
"It’s a tough league this year. I was asked the other day whether it’s tougher than it was and I think it is.”
Meanwhile, today's opponents Rotherham have signed Manchester City youngster Brandon Barker on a youth loan subject to the paperwork being rubberstamped.