" MALKY TALKS ABOUT HIS STRIKERS "

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay insists he does not have "blind faith" in Kenny Miller "


Kenny Miller struggling to score for Cardiff City


CARDIFF CITY manager Malky Mackay insists he does not have “blind faith” in goal-shy striker Kenny Miller.

Scotland star Miller has not found the net in his last 13 starts for the Bluebirds and again missed out as his side were held 0-0 by relegation-threatened Millwall in the Welsh capital on Saturday.

The 32-year-old made his first start against the Lions after recovering from an ankle injury and, with six games of the season left and Cardiff just two points off the play-off places, Mackay will be hoping his main marksman regains the scoring touch so prevalent in his career.

And Mackay said he is prepared to persevere with Miller because of what the former Rangers and Celtic man brings to his side even when not scoring goals.


“I judge the players on what they are bringing to the team and the work-rate and appetite they show,” he said.

“Does Kenny look like someone bereft of confidence who does not want to hit the target?

“Does he look like someone who does not want to shoot? He does not look like that to me.

“I’m not blind to the fact he’s not scored in a while. I’m not too stubborn to say that come hell or high water that doesn’t matter.

“I’ve not just got blind faith. But you have to look at what he is bringing to the team.

“His work-rate, his ability to help others score. Every day we discuss it, I’m not blind to it.”

Miller’s barren spell – so surprising given his early-season impact – has thrust Bluebirds hero Robert Earnshaw back into the spotlight.

Many fans feel Mackay has under-utilised the Wales striker since his return to the club on a free transfer from Nottingham Forest last summer.

Earnshaw started the season alongside Miller in attack, but soon fell out of favour and went a long period without even making the Bluebirds bench.

The 30-year-old has made just eight league starts under Mackay as young talents Joe Mason and Rudy Gestede have risen above him in the pecking order.

Earnshaw has made more substitute appearances of late, including a late cameo against Millwall, but it has been a disappointing return for someone who earned hero status in his first spell at the club.

There had even been speculation that Mackay had fallen out with the but the manager, whose side head to Middlesbrough on Saturday, laughs off such suggestions.

“There’s nothing sinister in it at all,” said Mackay.

“Rob would tell you that himself. We’ve not had a minute’s problem since he’s been here.

“He’s a good pro.

“But there was a point in the season when the team clicked and was putting together a good run of results. The consistency was there.

“What happened was that Joe Mason and Rudy Gestede surprised me a lot.

“Rudy is a different type of player and someone I want in and around my bench.

“Joe has just surprised everyone with the way he has matured and the football brain he has.

“He’s scored and created things.

“And for a long while too Kenny was leading the line and scoring goals, so all that had an impact on Rob.

“The fact was that the youngsters were coming though and Rob could not make the bench.

“I’ve not had a spat with anyone since I arrived at this club.

“It’s calm and everyone always gets an honest answer from me.

“I don’t expect the player to agree with me, but what is important is that they understand that I am the manager and I make the decisions.”

I posted this after Saturday Annis...When your centre forward won't 'pull the trigger' from 6-8 yards as he did v Millwall, I'd say that is a huge lack of confidence- wouldn't you?
Malky is wrong here as we are not creating chances with Miller in the side up front on HIS OWN...Heaven help us if he doesn't change it over Easter..

I for one will be betting City 0 Watford 0 on Easter Monday!


Wiggy

P.S. I would have bust the net from where Miller was on Saturday, perhaps I should give the manager a call? If you're not shooting you're not in the raffle to score!....That's City's problem!!

So far this season our strikers have scored a combined total of 26 goals which with 6 games to go leaves us 23 goals down on the total scored by our forward players last season.

Since our return to the Championship the lowest total scored by our forwards was 34 during season 2005/06. At this moment our forwards need to score 9 goals in the last 6 games for this season not to become our lowest total goals from forwards since our return to the Championship.

Whatever your views on the Kenny Miller and Earnie situation was it to big an ask for these players plus two rookie strikers to get the goals needed this season. In October TG said we know what we have to do in January and MM said we needed at least 3 players in January. We actually got another rookie who at the moment hasn't had a minute game time.

You don't need to look much further than that when you talk about our strikers or maybe lack of experienced strikers.

Call for 442 at your own peril

I posted this after Saturday Annis...When your centre forward won't 'pull the trigger' from 6-8 yards as he did v Millwall, I'd say that is a huge lack of confidence- wouldn't you?
Malky is wrong here as we are not creating chances with Miller in the side up front on HIS OWN...Heaven help us if he doesn't change it over Easter..

I for one will be betting City 0 Watford 0 on Easter Monday!


Wiggy

P.S. I would have bust the net from where Miller was on Saturday, perhaps I should give the manager a call? If you're not shooting you're not in the raffle to score!....That's City's problem!!

Wiggy, I've done the half time challenge against you at ninian park and I was pretty good, but you!!!!!................. agree with your comments prior to that last bit tho

Does he look like someone who does not want to shoot? He does not look like that to me

No Malky he can't hit the target that's his trouble .

I judge the players on what they are bringing to the team and the work-rate and appetite they show

Sorry malky a 20k a week striker is mean to score goals , spare me the work rate load of shit that is getting us no-where fast ...

CARDIFF CITY manager Malky Mackay insists he does not have “blind faith” in goal-shy striker Kenny Miller

I thought April Fools day was meant to end at 12pm last Sunday . Keep the jokes coming Malky ,we all need a laugh with our dire form

all i can say to that is the rest of our strikers must be shit in training if miller is the best

Miller unlucky not to score his header was going in but hit gunnarson

Listen.

Kenny Miller's movement and anticipation had made him the reputable striker that he is, from that he can score goals.

Our service is terrible for him, how many clear cut chances have we given him recently??? Gunnarsson's passing along with others often nowhere near and go out for a goal kick. Whittingham found the gap vs Bristol City and Kenny did very well considering the defender was right behind him, how many of those type chances have we given him?

How many of the chances that he got e.e when he scored twice vs Saints, vs Blackburn and Birmingham.

Not very often at all.

Miller is head and shoulders above any other striker we have. He certainly needs to start scoring but I think this shows the lack of back up we have.

Miller isn't short of confidence, he's short of service! He runs his guts out for us and is given a thankless task with NONE of our current midfielders able to burst forward and offer support. When Miller does get a chance, it's usually something he has created by himself. People who say Earnie looks more dangerous don't understand that's because Earnie only ever plays with another player up front with him (usually Rudy) and Conway coming off the bench adds width and creativity for Earnie. If Miller was in a 4-4-2 with Rudy or Mason up front with him and Conway on one of the wings to create, he would score goals just like earlier in the season. The reason he's struggling to score is because of our system and the lack of support but although he hasn't scored in 13 games, he still leads the line better than any other striker we have at the club and I very much doubt Lionel Messi could score in Miller's position with the way we are playing at the moment, nevermind any other striker we currently have at the club!

Miller is head and shoulders above any other striker we have. He certainly needs to start scoring but I think this shows the lack of back up we have.

If we had signed Jason Roberts to play along side miller

We'd be scoring loads

Miller is head and shoulders above any other striker we have. He certainly needs to start scoring but I think this shows the lack of back up we have.

If we had signed Jason Roberts to play along side miller

We'd be scoring loads

I suggested Jason Roberts a number of times to sign on loan but to be honest I think he is a bit old for a perm signing but its certainly working for Reading

Miller is head and shoulders above any other striker we have. He certainly needs to start scoring but I think this shows the lack of back up we have.

If we had signed Jason Roberts to play along side miller

We'd be scoring loads

Who said Roberts would have wanted to come to us, or Wales? Anyway.....Perhaps he already knew where he would go a long while back.

IF (That's a big word) Kenny Miller can score (even if goes in off his rear end) I believe he will get his confidence back and bang a few in the net.

Considering he's playing so gash, I think it would help everyone to play two up front so another striker can share responsibility with Kenny.

Personally, watching him sulk around the pitch is driving me mental.

I think whether he sorts his form out is key to where we end up.

COME ON KENNY

agree with MM COMMENTS, WHAT Miller brings to the team through his movement and laying off of the ball is more than earnie or rudy can bring to the team.
What has been lacking is the level of passes to Kenny, he has not been helped one bit by the slowness of the passes from our midfield.
Yes he has lost a bit of confidence, and he has prob let the crowd get to him a bit at home, but he will come through it, just give him the service and he will be back on the score sheet.

Do have to laugh when you look at his playing history, yet still some of our supporters still question his ability..only at Cardiff

Miller would do this in a 442, Miller would do that..bullshit.

He is a lone striker. Just because our defenders and midfield can't comprehend that hitting high balls to Miller won't work.

Mason playing the support striker to Miller seemed to work well earlier in the season, I just can't understand why Malky is playing Joe out wide so often particularly when Conway is only given a few minutes off the bench.
If Miller gets one (yes if), he'll get a few, if Malky plays someone near to him particularly at home and they are given the service I think they'll deliver.

i know malky aint had a spat (as he calls it) with earnie for the simple reason he dont speak a word to him

Kenny Miller has scored goals everywhere he's been, including Cardiff City. He just needs a break. Once he gets one, he will get a few. He is not suddenly a bad player.