' Absolutely Shocking/But Fair Play to Ole '

Cardiff City 2 Norwich City 1

I thought we were absolutely shocking for the first 30 minutes of the first half and if we had been playing a better side than Norwich we would of been dead and buried. Our defence was all over the place and we looked totally clueless.

But fair play to Ole he made the perfect substitution and saw what Ive been saying from day one of the season that Whittingham is lazy,goes missing and he may as well not be on the pitch(but 100% does not deserve to be laughed off or cheered of the pitch by our fans).

Once again David Marshall had kept us in the game with his saves and had kept the game down to only 1nil to Norwich City.

The minute Zaha came on the crowd came alive and most importadely the game came alive, what a class player he looked.

Ole must of totally reorganised us at half-time as the second half we started like a different team and looked far superior than Norwich. Bellamy who had,had a poor first half, was also now playing like the Bells we know from the past. We hit Norwich for six by going straight at them and finally looking organised with goals from Bellamy and Kenwyne Jones coming from these attacks.

I thought we then should of finished them off, but we never and thankfully Norwich had 2 goals disallowed,hit the post and again Marshall making some fantastic saves.

Fabio also had a good game as he worked his socks off, Kenwyne Jones looked very tired and needs a few games behind him.

What a relief when the final whistle was blown, Ole's first points and 3 very very important ones.

My man of the match David Marshall that says it all.

Now we go to the Jacks next Saturday full of confidence but Ole knowing we will have to improve on todays performance if we are to stay up.


Many empty seats today, that was sad to see and atmosphere poor

All in all we got the 3pts thats what mattered at the end of the day

Just my opinion of todays game as a fan

Annis, Zaha has run circles around us for the last couple of seasons (I still shudder at last year's capitulation up there when we were 2-0 up ) and it was a pleasure to see him 'getting at' another team's players for a change...

Hopefully, a Golden Nugget in our fight for survival at the top table

Sums it up perfectly Annis.

The atmosphere raised to another level when we scored and scored again. The reason for the dire atmosphere in the first half was because IMO not many felt like singing, we haven't had much to cheer at home for a while and people were getting abit down hearted with the realisation that we were going down. That win should lift the crowd for the next home game, empty seats were due to the rugs no doubt, still 26k there tho apparently.

Totally agree, atmosphere was shocking first half, Fabio considering I was asking why? Was superb, Nooney not up to his usual high standard, Zaha a pleasure to watch and jones tried his heart out.

We need to create the away atmosphere at home but god knows how!

Good post Annis.

But fair play to Ole he made the perfect substitution and saw what Ive been saying from day one of the season that Whittingham is lazy,goes missing and he may as well not be on the pitch(but 100% does not deserve to be laughed off or cheered of the pitch by our fans).

In defence of Whitts though I do think he's still playing too deep. We'd be better off playing Mutch there who has the energy to go box to box and then use Daehli further forward if needs be. Im hoping this Eikrem is the deep lying playmaker/metronome type of player we need and can dictate a game. If so then we will have a very good team.

whitts is poor, keep him out of the team and we may have a chance of staying up,

Annis, Zaha has run circles around us for the last couple of seasons (I still shudder at last year's capitulation up there when we were 2-0 up ) and it was a pleasure to see him 'getting at' another team's players for a change...

Hopefully, a Golden Nugget in our fight for survival at the top table

Thought it strange that so many on here labelled Zaha as shite and queried why we wanted to sign him .... Today might have turned a few heads. Made a massive impact, and golden nugget indeed, could be!

Medel did a great job tonigth aswell:) did you see thoose tackles?:) Fking Pitbull!:)

Annis, Zaha has run circles around us for the last couple of seasons (I still shudder at last year's capitulation up there when we were 2-0 up ) and it was a pleasure to see him 'getting at' another team's players for a change...

Hopefully, a Golden Nugget in our fight for survival at the top table

Thought it strange that so many on here labelled Zaha as shite and queried why we wanted to sign him .... Today might have turned a few heads. Made a massive impact, and golden nugget indeed, could be!

Annis, Zaha has run circles around us for the last couple of seasons (I still shudder at last year's capitulation up there when we were 2-0 up ) and it was a pleasure to see him 'getting at' another team's players for a change...

Hopefully, a Golden Nugget in our fight for survival at the top table

Thought it strange that so many on here labelled Zaha as shite and queried why we wanted to sign him .... Today might have turned a few heads. Made a massive impact, and golden nugget indeed, could be!

Three points were what that mattered today, of course it's disappointing to start like we did,
And if the atmo wasn't its best I guess it's the reality of going one nil down so quickly.

I was at work and in a right strop when I saw we were losing up n till half time then suddenly boom.

Pleased for Bellamy and although I think and ( I wasn't there) that Whitts coming off was right, I guess he deserved to be subbed but not booed.

But he will move on from that and hopefully if picked perform better next game

Annis only thing i need to add to that cracking summary of the game was ben turner has to go not once did he deal with any ball without letting it bounce first i thought fabio was average but if not for marshy big kenco was my man of the match he didnt lose a header he linked play up better than anybody ive seen since bothroyd used to he scored hit the post and cleared 5 consecutive corners in the dying embers mate zaha will and must start to terrorise the gypos on saturday and i would go 442 with frazier fresh for the party

How fickle & disrespectful some fans are a true servant to the cardiff city cause. whits respect buddy

I have said it for 2 seasons now. Whitts is not half as good as he could be he has lost his dead ball shots ( I think he thought he was playing with an egg shaped ball today)

I don't think that booing him was that bad tbh it's just that we are all fed up of his bad performance after bad performance and we just let him know.
Thank god Ole is not as stubborn as Malky was and quickly noticed that Whitts needed to be changed. Malky would have played him and maybe took him off with 10 minutes left.

Over all there was a massive improvement in the whole team once Zaha came on. Some thing needs to be done about the way we sit to deep in last 15 minutes of a game we could have thrown it all away today.

How fickle & disrespectful some fans are a true servant to the cardiff city cause. whits respect buddy

its a dog eat dog world of football. players might have been the flavour of the season last year , but life in the prem is living in the fast lane, with wages to match, you got to cut it. if you dont, your gone simple, no time for pussyfooting

Whitts will go down as a City Legend, I'm hoping that nobody honestly thinks otherwise.

His best position is in an advanced central position, passing and shooting from range. Along with his cracking ability with dead ball situations.

Playing him wide left, or deep and defensive is not his bag.

He does need a kick up the backside as he switches off far too easily. With our newfound strength in depth, making appearances from the bench might be good for us and him over the next few games.

In not sure you can make a defence of Whitts by saying he is played out of position. He seems to have no spark, no energy to his game this season. I think something is wrong with him and he needs a stint out of the team. This should've been the season where he really matured but he has been ordinary.

In not sure you can make a defence of Whitts by saying he is played out of position. He seems to have no spark, no energy to his game this season. I think something is wrong with him and he needs a stint out of the team. This should've been the season where he really matured but he has been ordinary.

Because he's out of position. Put Juan Mata in a holding midfield position and he'd be rubbish too. Good God some people just don't understand tactics and the logistics of how each position is deployed in certain formations.

In a 4-4-2 the centre mids are required to be box to box. In a 4-2-3-1 they are required to sit back as a solid unit in front of the back as the 3 attacking midfielders help and play off the lone striker. Whittingham is fine in a 4-4-2 as he has a license to go forward and become effective. In the 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 he is too deep meaning his qualities are redundant and his weaknesses are highlighted.

Manchester United don't put Mata in CDM holding, they put him attacking. Why people keep playing Whitts as a holding midfielder next to Medel I don't know. He's too slow for the wing but he's not too slow for CAM in behind the striker as a second striker sort of thing. He's definitely not too slow for that. Plus he can pick out a pass and play in the likes of Noone and Zaha as they go in behind their men.

Fully agree for once Annis. Whitts was at fault for their goal as he let them Midfielder have as much time as he wanted on the ball to make the pass. No effort by him to close the player down. Should never have been booed/jeered but he had to go off. We look shakey at the back but I think its down to confidence and that win will make a whole lot of difference

In not sure you can make a defence of Whitts by saying he is played out of position. He seems to have no spark, no energy to his game this season. I think something is wrong with him and he needs a stint out of the team. This should've been the season where he really matured but he has been ordinary.

Because he's out of position. Put Juan Mata in a holding midfield position and he'd be rubbish too. Good God some people just don't understand tactics and the logistics of how each position is deployed in certain formations.

In a 4-4-2 the centre mids are required to be box to box. In a 4-2-3-1 they are required to sit back as a solid unit in front of the back as the 3 attacking midfielders help and play off the lone striker. Whittingham is fine in a 4-4-2 as he has a license to go forward and become effective. In the 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 he is too deep meaning his qualities are redundant and his weaknesses are highlighted.

Manchester United don't put Mata in CDM holding, they put him attacking. Why people keep playing Whitts as a holding midfielder next to Medel I don't know. He's too slow for the wing but he's not too slow for CAM in behind the striker as a second striker sort of thing. He's definitely not too slow for that. Plus he can pick out a pass and play in the likes of Noone and Zaha as they go in behind their men.

Mata is in a different universe to Whitts sorry. Whittingham is not quick enough or mobile enough to play as an Attacking Midfielder hence him playing as a holding centre midfielder. However, playing in that role you have to track your players and put a tackle in which Whitts is too frightened to do and is a liability in a relegation fight that we are in. I feel sorry for him specially after today but he is not what we need right now

Mata is in a different universe to Whitts sorry. Whittingham is not quick enough or mobile enough to play as an Attacking Midfielder hence him playing as a holding centre midfielder. However, playing in that role you have to track your players and put a tackle in which Whitts is too frightened to do and is a liability in a relegation fight that we are in. I feel sorry for him specially after today but he is not what we need right now

Different levels I agree but Whittingham does have the ability to play there once his confidence is built back up and he's played in the right position. Whittingham is more than good enough.

Agreed Whits has been very poor however I respect him as a very good player going through a bad patch, he doesn't deserve to be booed off. However the game changed when he was replaced.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hailed the impact made by Wilfried Zaha after the loan signing inspired Cardiff's fightback to claim a 2-1 win over Norwich.

The Bluebirds had trailed when Robert Snodgrass gave the visitors the lead in just the fifth minute at Cardiff City Stadium.

But substitute Zaha teed up Craig Bellamy for the equaliser just after the break, with Kenwyne Jones firing home the winner on his debut just over a minute later.

It ensured Solskjaer secured a first Premier League win since taking charge of the Welsh club which, while not moving them out of the drop zone, got them off the bottom of the table at Fulham's expense.

And the performance of Zaha, whose introduction before half-time suddenly enlivened a Cardiff side desperately lacking a spark, will give Bluebirds fans real hope of surviving the drop.

Zaha joined from Manchester United until the end of the season on Friday, and Solskjaer opted to name him on the bench.

But with the Bluebirds struggling the Norwegian introduced Zaha after just 38 minutes in place of Peter Whittingham.

"Sometimes you just have to make decisions and do what you think is right," said Cardiff boss Solskjaer.

"I felt it was right to bring Wilf on, it lifted the crowd and the players. We needed a lift. It could have been anyone I took off, but I didn't have too many doubts.

"It maybe frightened the Norwich defenders because he is such a great and exciting talent.
"Going forward, he is one of the best I've seen. Defensively, I've got a few hours teaching ahead of me. But he's a young lad and you want him to give us what he can do.

"That's what he can do - lift us like he did today. It was a great debut."

Solskjaer also praised Jones as the former Stoke striker grabbed his first Premier League goal since December 2012.

He said: "He's a big target man, he gives us something different and it took us half an hour to realise what we can use him for.

"He gave us a foothold up top, like Andy Carroll for West Ham. We played too much nice football in the beginning. Sometimes direct football is better."

The transfer window may have closed but Solskjaer could yet add another player to his squad as the Norwegian hopes to bring in Spanish defender Juan Cala, who is a free agent after having his contract with Sevilla terminated.

This was Cardiff's first win in eight league games, and Norwich have now won just one of nine as they remain firmly in the relegation battle having wasted countless chances in a game they fully deserved something from.

Their failure to claim even a point was down to a mixture of poor finishing, bad luck and the endeavours of Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall who, as has often been the case this season, made a string of outstanding saves.

Green Arrow you are talking, as normal, complete and utter bollocks! Whittingham is not good enough for the Premier League, as simple as that! Not quick enough or inventive enough to play as an attacking midfield player, not fit enough or energetic enough to play as a central midfield player and not tough enough or aggressive enough to be a defensive midfield player.
Wrong player, wrong league!

Cardiff City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised on loan Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha after he helped the Premier League strugglers jump off the foot of the table with a comeback victory over Norwich City.

Craig Bellamy and new signing Kenwyne Jones scored the goals that cancelled out Robert Snodgrass’ early opener as they rose above Fulham into 19th, in turn dragging Norwich closer to the relegation zone.

Speaking after the game, Solskjaer was full of praise for substitute Zaha after providing the assist for Bellamy’s second half goal, the Metro reports.

“Zaha came on and made the difference,” said Solskjaer.

“He has pace, power and technique. We just have to teach him defending.”

The appearance was only Zaha’s third in the Premier League all season, having struggled to get a look in under David Moyes at Old Trafford.

Zaha could make his first Premier League start of the season next weekend as Cardiff take on major rivals Swansea in the South Wales derby, a match neither team can afford to lose, particularly after Swansea’s loss to West Ham United on Saturday.

Green Arrow you are talking, as normal, complete and utter bollocks! Whittingham is not good enough for the Premier League, as simple as that! Not quick enough or inventive enough to play as an attacking midfield player, not fit enough or energetic enough to play as a central midfield player and not tough enough or aggressive enough to be a defensive midfield player.
Wrong player, wrong league!

Wonderful post!

Wilfried Zaha rescues Cardiff victory and wins the praise of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer -

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrated his first win as Cardiff manager by saluting the stunning impact of Wilfried Zaha.

The Manchester United misfit joined Cardiff on loan just 24 hours before yesterday’s crucial win over Norwich.

And he stepped from the bench after 37 minutes to transform their fortunes against the Canaries.

Solskjaer said: “He’s a special talent. David Moyes trusted me by letting him come here on loan.

“He has so much pace and technical skills. Going forward, he’s one of the best I’ve seen.”

Solskjaer was able to celebrate his first Premier League victory.

And he added: “I brought Wilfried on because I felt we needed to change things.

“It gave everyone a lift, the players, the crowd. And maybe Norwich were a little bit frightened of his pace.”

Solskjaer also praised his Scotland keeper David Marshall, who defied Norwich’s late siege with a string of brilliant saves.

The new boss added: “I’ve seen already that he is one of the best keepers in the division. David showed it again today. He deserves a drink off his fellow players tonight!”

I was always in the Zaha would prove a great addition camp. He changed the game today. No one on one wing Zaha on other is trouble for most teams. Ive always been a supporter of whits and he is a legend at ccfc but he has to be dropped. For me we got a class act like daehli on the bench and he doesn't get on. Onwards and upwards we've played the top teams home and away beeeeelieve lads

Green Arrow you are talking, as normal, complete and utter bollocks! Whittingham is not good enough for the Premier League, as simple as that! Not quick enough or inventive enough to play as an attacking midfield player, not fit enough or energetic enough to play as a central midfield player and not tough enough or aggressive enough to be a defensive midfield player.
Wrong player, wrong league!

This coming from Roathie's boyfriend. He talks sense. You talk utter shite. You're like magnetic opposites, no wonder you attract one another. How very apt.