"Cardiff Face Defensive Crisis Ahead of Blackburn clash "

Wedenesday 6th August 2014.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=145010

Cardiff City facing central defensive crisis for opening day Championship trip to Blackburn Rovers

As it stands, Matt Connolly is the only fully fit natural centre-half available for the match at Ewood Park
Ben Turner, Juan Cala and Mark Hudson all look likely to miss Friday's trip to Blackburn
Cardiff City face a crisis at the heart of their defence going into their Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Bluebirds open the new season at Ewood Park and are likely to be without three of their leading central defenders because of injuries and suspension.

Ben Turner, still on the mend from an ankle injury, and suspended Juan Cala will miss the match. while Mark Hudson is doubtful after sustaining a muscle injury in training which kept him out of the 3-3 draw against Vfl Wolfsburg.

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman is working flat out to add at least one defender to the squad over the next couple of days with Senegal international Lamine Sane and Vegard Forren, who has 11 Norwegian caps, both strongly linked with the Bluebirds.

They have made a Euro 3.5m (£2.8m) offer for Bordeaux’s 6ft 3ins Sane, who is out of contract at the French club next summer, while Solskjaer knows all about Forren, who plays for his former club FK Molde.

Forren, 6ft 1ins tall, moved from Molde to Southampton in a £4m transfer in January last year, but returned to the Norwegian club without playing a match.

Solskjaer could also move to sign young centre-back Michael Keane on loan now that Manchester United’s pre-season tour to America has ended.

The pressure is on Dalman to secure the right man quickly with Matt Connolly the only fully fit natural centre-half available for the match at Blackburn.

Frenchman Kevin Theophile is back in full training, but missed a big chunk of team fitness work when he had to leave the Austrian pre-season tour and return home because of a family bereavement.

Young centre-half Adedeji Oshilaja, a 21-year-old who has some Football League experience with Newport County and made two Championship appearances for Sheffield Wednesday could come into Solskjaer’s thinking as he plans for a big night at Blackburn in front of live Sky television cameras.

Is Hudson injured or is this an excuse pending Leeds transfer ?

Is Hudson injured or is this an excuse pending Leeds transfer ?

What ever it, i can also see him leaving sooner rather than later.

well all I'll say is I didn't expect to see Connolly, Hudson or Cala here this season.

I thought we'd clean the centre backs out and get much better foot hold of defensive material with a bit of pace.

Maybe we will and OLE is awaiitng the loan programme but your central defenders are your pivital point of your team, so we could be in for a bit of a rough ride for a while.

Yes, yes you mupeets all doom and gloom but hey, you lot have spent all last season moaning about a bloody colour instead of supporting your team - INCOMING!

Attack starts with defense - think Friday could be a big problem unless we sort out tomorrow - cant see it !

Should have kept Superkev - he could have played centre half.

Or delayed Medel's move by a few days and played him there.

Would never have risked a £9m deal by playing medel - McNuaghton situation is different as didnt know we would have injuries

Can't believe we still havent got Caulker replaced. We have known this for more than 2 months now. We have no chance at all to a flying start of the season with the lack of 2 cb's. It is 51 hours to kickoff ...

Can't believe we still havent got Caulker replaced. We have known this for more than 2 months now. We have no chance at all to a flying start of the season with the lack of 2 cb's. It is 51 hours to kickoff ...

Its a bit worrying. I can only suspect that OGS has some irons in the fire, & has had to wait until players are moved on, &/or new ones are available & at the the right price.

Three new players this week? We shall see.

This really looking like being caught with your pants down situation,OGS and the rest of the transfer team seem to be reacting to events rather than being more prepared for the unknown happenings that happen all the time in football....get a grip management !!

I believe Brayford can play centre-back, or at least played their several times for Derby in the past. What about Theophile? He played CB for us last season.

Not looking good for City
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viewtopic.php?f=2&t=145010

This really looking like being caught with your pants down situation,OGS and the rest of the transfer team seem to be reacting to events rather than being more prepared for the unknown happenings that happen all the time in football....get a grip management !!

As i said, its all a bit worrying. OGS seems to have built & prioritized the team from front to back,,,& with literally only hours to go, we find ourselves in a bit of a pickle. Even if we signed two CB's today, its a tall ask for them to start & gel in a new team on Friday night.

Cant believe they left it this late. Chaulker was always gonna go. It's a big risk even of they get a cb by Friday he won't know his team mates can't expect him to go straight in and perform miracles.

If i remember right wasn't Connolly signed and then put straight into the team away against the Wurzels a couple of seasons ago?

We lost 4-2 that day.

It's very difficult for any player to slot into a team with just a day or two's practice.

I know its one game then cup game but scary situation .

Like we didnt know this was comming oh well ole just sign another striker

mark hudson is fit he confirmed on twitter

https://twitter.com/M_Hudson5/status/497051399382126595

Is Ben Nugent with us or loaned out?

All tweets made by Hudson, another false story by media to scaremonger!


“@CBTS_Bluebird: Worrying that once again our captain @M_Hudson5 is hurt again. The lad just can't stay healthy #CardiffCity” wrong info soz

@CBTS_Bluebird more worrying is ur info

Training and fit..!

All tweets made by Hudson, another false story by media to scaremonger!


“@CBTS_Bluebird: Worrying that once again our captain @M_Hudson5 is hurt again. The lad just can't stay healthy #CardiffCity” wrong info soz

@CBTS_Bluebird more worrying is ur info

Training and fit..!

I hope he is fit, & i hope he has a stormer of a game.

Is Ben Nugent with us or loaned out?

Yeovil

Kevin Theophile-Cathrine is back from France after Bereavment and can slot straight in at Centre back and i prefer him to Connolly aswell as Connolly gets beat very easily by pacey players if Theophiles head is right he can make a real impact at centre back we saw what he's capable of the begining of last season but i feel he's a confidance player and by the end the amount conceded every week his confidance was shot if he can get himself fit and mentally right he could have a massive impact i really like the ability he has Big, strong and quick give him a go

Kevin Theophile-Cathrine is back from France after Bereavment and can slot straight in at Centre back and i prefer him to Connolly aswell as Connolly gets beat very easily by pacey players if Theophiles head is right he can make a real impact at centre back we saw what he's capable of the begining of last season but i feel he's a confidance player and by the end the amount conceded every week his confidance was shot if he can get himself fit and mentally right he could have a massive impact i really like the ability he has Big, strong and quick give him a go

Not sure i agree with you on this. KTC never really looked to me to be the part last season, & while he may come good this season, there were more than a few early games where it was glaringly obvious that he was out of his league. The Newcastle home game was one of these.

I'm surprised he's still with us.

Is Ben Nugent with us or loaned out?

Rather have Emily Nugent.

For 1 game I'd try big Kenwyn at the back with Huds. More than able to out muscle Rudy.
If needs be changing to 3 at the back and playing upfront.

For 1 game I'd try big Kenwyn at the back with Huds. More than able to out muscle Rudy.
If needs be changing to 3 at the back and playing upfront.

we're doomed I tell ya we're all doomed

we have had a defence crisis for the last 5 years so whats new?