' STUART O'KEEFE? ? '

Stuart O'Keefe deserves the chance to shore up this struggling Cardiff City side.


By - Scott Johnson -

Wednesday 7th December 2016

Neil Warnock may be holding out for the opening of the transfer window next month, but the players currently in his possession are no slouches either.

He inherited a squad with clear deficiencies, but there is plenty of strength in depth and a wealth of quality, available options.

In fact, there are around a dozen players that are on the periphery of Warnock’s favoured core that you could make a case for. Bruno Ecuele Manga looks set for the exit imminently, but while he remains at the club, he is still probably the best centre back at the club.

Jazz Richards offers more attacking thrust than Lee Peltier, while Lex Immers has the ability to provide the link between midfield and attack that is currently lacking.

Kieran Richardson and Marouane Chamakh have yet to be given the chance to earn a contract beyond the end of the year, while the whereabouts of Emyr Huws remain unknown.


Stuart O'Keefe in action against Shrewsbury (Photo: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Declan John and Kadeem Harris are both permanently on the verge of a first-team breakthrough, while Craig Noone and Matthew Connolly are particularly unlucky to be out of the side.

The unluckiest of all though is surely Stuart O’Keefe, who could also make a considerable difference in the heart of Cardiff’s midfield.

O’Keefe, like so many of his Cardiff peers, appeared to have been signed without any clue of how to utilise him. Having joined in January 2015, he made only a couple of starts in his first season and it took him until the following January to get a run in the side.

During the remainder of the campaign, O’Keefe made himself indispensable and was rewarded with a new deal last summer, tying him to the club until 2019.

O’Keefe broke his arm in August and his tenacity was sorely missed, as Paul Trollope’s Cardiff side became a soft touch in his absence. He returned towards the tail-end of Trollope’s reign, but could not prevent the inevitable, as he was dismissed at the start of October. O’Keefe has not featured since.


05.03.16 - Bristol City v Cardiff City, Sky Bet Championship - Stuart O'Keefe of Cardiff City heads celebrates his goal with Tom Lawrence of Cardiff City
Warnock has stuck by a midfield three of Peter Whittingham, Aron Gunnarsson and Joe Ralls since taking charge. Gunnarsson is playing out of his skin at present, recapturing the fine form he displayed when captaining Iceland at the European Championships.

Whittingham remains as important as ever, due to the consistency of his set piece delivery, even if he doesn’t have the same stamina that he exhibited during his prime.

Yet Joe Ralls’ spot is surely more vulnerable. Excellent under the tutelage of Russell Slade, he has not yet managed to reach those heights under Trollope or Warnock.

Ralls always puts a shift in, but his influence has waned somewhat. It sometimes feels like by being busy, he has sometimes managed to mask some relatively anonymous performances this term.

Under Slade, Ralls often went box-to-box, but under Warnock he is more occupied with fighting fires within an outnumbered midfield. If that pattern is likely to continue, then surely O’Keefe would be a better fit.

Cardiff’s defence and attack could both do with a bit more help, but you get the impression that attacking options will be arriving in January. O’Keefe deserves the chance to shore up the other end.

Not shy of a crunching tackle, O’Keefe would get stuck in where the trio ahead of him are content to close down opponents and merely put them under pressure.

The accusation is that another defensive midfielder would make Cardiff less attack-minded, but Chelsea are doing a decent job of shattering that particular theory. Playing with four in midfield, they station Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante centrally. Rather than make them dull to watch, it provides a solid base that allows their wealth of forward options to shine.

It’s unlikely that Cardiff will be resembling Chelsea any time soon, but incorporating O’Keefe might free up the likes of Anthony Pilkington and Junior Hoilett to inflict more damage at the other end of the pitch.

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LIKE OTHERS HE NEEDS TO WAIT AND FIGHT FOR HIS PLACE THEN WHEN HE GETS THE CHANCE HE NEEDS TO IMPRESS,SIMPLE AS THAT REALLY,HES NOT GOING TO TAKE GUNNARS PLACE THATS FOR SURE

LIKE OTHERS HE NEEDS TO WAIT AND FIGHT FOR HIS PLACE THEN WHEN HE GETS THE CHANCE HE NEEDS TO IMPRESS,SIMPLE AS THAT REALLY,HES NOT GOING TO TAKE GUNNARS PLACE THATS FOR SURE

Gunnarson may get a knock, or get suspended, though hopefully not. O'Keefe has been a model professional so far, and done exactly what you say above. Great bloke to have in the squad.

O'Keefe came on against Wigan, continued to lose his man,, looked a mile off the pace, and contributed to us losing late on. I'd rather see him nowhere near the first team right now.

O'Keefe came on against Wigan, continued to lose his man,, looked a mile off the pace, and contributed to us losing late on. I'd rather see him nowhere near the first team right now.

Haha

I'll probably get shot down for this but I think he's a better player than Gunnarsson. He's quicker, more mobile and keeps possession better.

We keep putting the blame on the defence but our midfield clearly arnt offering enough cover!

I'll probably get shot down for this but I think he's a better player than Gunnarsson. He's quicker, more mobile and keeps possession better.

We keep putting the blame on the defence but our midfield clearly arnt offering enough cover!

I like Gunnarsson but he's not a great footballer.
He gives 100%, does a job and is what you need in a relegation fight. His passing is poor to average but at he moment I'd certainly keep him in the starting 11.
O'Keefe has been unlucky not to get a start ahead of Ralls in my opinion.

I'll probably get shot down for this but I think he's a better player than Gunnarsson. He's quicker, more mobile and keeps possession better.

We keep putting the blame on the defence but our midfield clearly arnt offering enough cover!

I like Gunnarsson but he's not a great footballer.
He gives 100%, does a job and is what you need in a relegation fight. His passing is poor to average but at he moment I'd certainly keep him in the starting 11.
O'Keefe has been unlucky not to get a start ahead of Ralls in my opinion.

Mine too. For me was the find of last season and gave 100% in every game and a better footballer than many give credit.

Wouldn't like to see him go.

What planet is this guy on?

Chelsea play 2 DMs but the players in front of those 2 are superb technically and full of pace. They also play 3 at the back so need more insurance when their wing backs attack.

I'll probably get shot down for this but I think he's a better player than Gunnarsson. He's quicker, more mobile and keeps possession better.

We keep putting the blame on the defence but our midfield clearly arnt offering enough cover!

I like Gunnarsson but he's not a great footballer.
He gives 100%, does a job and is what you need in a relegation fight. His passing is poor to average but at he moment I'd certainly keep him in the starting 11.
O'Keefe has been unlucky not to get a start ahead of Ralls in my opinion.

Mine too. For me was the find of last season and gave 100% in every game and a better footballer than many give credit.

Wouldn't like to see him go.

I agree, and if he was off the pace it's expected as not played. Was immense last season when he came in where you thought we would struggle if he didn't play.

think you will find Warnock has got real problem with O Keefe he was first team player at Palace when the players went to the board and got Warnock the sack another thing against O Keefe Warnock and Ralls have the same agent