Blake: Conway deserves Kimbo's starting spot

CRAIG Conway got a big winning goal for Cardiff City to help beat Sheffield Wednesday and I believe he should be starting in the Bluebirds’ side.

The Scot has been very unfortunate, in my opinion, and he has shown that frustration by handing in a transfer request recently which the club turned down.

For me, Conway should start in the side ahead of Kim Bo-kyung. Nothing against the South Korean, but I think you just know what you are going to get from Conway.

He works very hard and has a directness about him that I think would benefit the side. That’s just my opinion, of course, and the decision rests in the end with manager Malky Mackay.

Either way, Conway’s goal was very welcome for the Bluebirds and moved them back up to the top of the Championship.


It wasn’t a great game by any stretch of the imagination, but you know what, sometimes those scrappy hard-fought 1-0 wins when you are not playing that well are better for you than any 4-0 win could ever be.

Let’s be honest, Cardiff City played nowhere near as well as they are capable of against Sheffield Wednesday.

It was a very scrappy affair, Wednesday had come to put everyone behind the ball and sit on things and it looked for a long time as if that was going to be enough to frustrate Mackay and his side.

But they stuck to it and showed real character to hang in there and keep going even though they weren’t playing well and get the winning goal via Conway.


What I mean about a result like that doing you good is that you can be sure the Bluebirds dressing room was buzzing after that.

That will really have brought them together and instilled team spirit. The players will know they have not played well, but the fact they took the three points will be a big confidence boost for them.

For me, the next two months are going to be absolutely massive for Cardiff and, with Christmas coming up, they could not be better placed at all.

They’ve taken 13 points from the last 15 on offer and they know now they can play below their best and take the three points at home and they are starting to be believe they can go away now and get wins on the road too.

The form they are in right now is indeed Championship-winning form. It’s the first time they’ve really achieved that this season and now they have to keep the momentum going, they have to keep applying the pressure.

Against Sheffield Wednesday, I think there were a couple of factors which meant the Bluebirds lacked the fluency and rhythm they have often shown during this campaign so far.

The first one was all the stuff about former manager Dave Jones coming back. It does change the focus of the game when something like that happens, it always does, but Cardiff managed to ride that out.

The other factor I think was that there was another change of personnel in the line-up.

Sure, it was players returning, but after recent performances, you change things around and it can take time to get back on an even keel. I think that is what we saw against Wednesday a bit.

There were not really any stand-out performances from Cardiff, but it was a good battling team performance and sometimes those are the best kind of displays to give.

One person I would like to single out, though, is goalkeeper David Marshall.

With the score at 0-0, the Owls had a really good chance when they were through on goal and Marshall pulled off a really tremendous save to deny them.

It was a very big moment and credit must go to Marshall for keeping his concentration and making the save because he’d had virtually nothing else to do up until then.

One thing for sure is that if that had gone in then Cardiff would have had a tough time getting back for a draw let alone a win with Wednesday sure to sit on what they would have had.

But it was a big victory in the end for the Bluebirds and a big confidence boost at the same time.

There’s been a few games now that Cardiff have had this season where they have played pretty averagely, but they’ve come away with the three points.

If you are a side which is going to get out of this division that is the kind of thing you are going to have to do.

I hope now this result sees Mackay and his men move on in a positive and confident frame of mind because it is games like the one against Wednesday that potential champions grab the three points from.



Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2DyLT9Cw9

I definitely agree with Blake on this one. I was chatting with a mate at the game yesterday and we both agreed that Cponway should be starting ahead of Kim based on yesterday's performance and what we've seen so far from Kim.
He looks really good technically but seems unwilling to take on responsibility, and always looks around for someone to pass the ball to rather than driving on to goal or shooting. The one time he did drive on to a ball yesterday he got through on goal but unfortunately could not control the ball and the keeper collected, though in fairness it was driven at him at an awkward height and came on to him quite quickly.
I think he should get a few more games in the development squad, and be briefed to take more responsibility especially in front of goal.

Conway did play well yesterday ,But give me kimbo any day we are a more stuctured and coposed side with him in , yes coway did attack yesterday but normally thats noones job and if noone was playing conway would not have had a look in

I think Kimbo is a good player, As for Conway he was one of my favorite city players last season. It's a shame he doesn't get much game time because he is a quality player. Any championship team would dream to have him in the their starting 11 or on the bench!

I think Kimbo is a good player, As for Conway he was one of my favorite city players last season. It's a shame he doesn't get much game time because he is a quality player. Any championship team would dream to have him in the their starting 11 or on the bench!

I agree , I wasn't having a dig at Conway Just sticking up for Kimbo ....We just seem more fluent we he's playing , he seem s to make himself available to recieve the ball no matter how tight the game

but he is so slow on the ball, reluctant to run with it and slowed the play down several times yesterday.

I would like to see conway and noone play on friday.

kimbo has been very poor the last 3 games for me he has got worse with every game ....it makes me wonder if the language barrier is a bigger problem than we think ....his agent goes every where with him and it cant help malky and the coaches to get there points accross

One goal and suddenly the whole team should be changed....I like Conway, good footballer but its not like he hasn't had chances before?

As for the kimbo thing, I would much rather Kimbo in our side, Bellamy was just as bad as Kimbo yesterday (in my opinion) no body seems to be slating off him

Probably cause "King Bellamy"

One goal and suddenly the whole team should be changed....I like Conway, good footballer but its not like he hasn't had chances before?

As for the kimbo thing, I would much rather Kimbo in our side, Bellamy was just as bad as Kimbo yesterday (in my opinion) no body seems to be slating off him

Probably cause "King Bellamy"

you havent read much on here then have you? plenty of people having a go at bellamys performance.

There wasnt much pace in the team yesterday. With noone on the other side it creates more space for kim. Remember Conway didnt have the best of games at Forrest. But it good to see he took his chance yesterday

One goal and suddenly the whole team should be changed....I like Conway, good footballer but its not like he hasn't had chances before?

As for the kimbo thing, I would much rather Kimbo in our side, Bellamy was just as bad as Kimbo yesterday (in my opinion) no body seems to be slating off him

Probably cause "King Bellamy"

I don't think anybody is "slating off" Kimbo, after all, we are all City fans and all want to see him and the team do as well as they possibly can. I just feel he looks a bit jaded and could do with a few games in the development squad to bolster up his confidence, as there is no doubt he slowed things down at the wrong times during yesterday's game, and was reluctant to take the opportunities he had to shoot at goal. He wasn't the only one as you point out!

also bellamy seemed to get better in the second half ...played more down the wing ....mason did better than bellamy up top when he came on .....

Blakes opinion.

Blakes opinion.

yeah......

He tries to speak on the behalf of everyone thats all, pisses me off.

He tries to speak on the behalf of everyone thats all, pisses me off.

it kinda comes with the territory of what hes doing though doesnt it?