" Time for Cardiff City to Replace Peter Whittingham with "

Joe Ralls?

YOUR OPINIONS?

I don't usually agree with Tucker but I do on this


Time for Cardiff City to replace Peter Whittingham with Joe Ralls in the middle to give Bluebirds more drive and urgency



MONDAY 10 AUGUST 2015


BY STEVE TUCKER


Steve Tucker has the last word on the Bluebirds' draw with Fulham and argues Russell Slade keeps making the same mistakes over Whittingham



If, as they say, madness is defined by doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then Cardiff City manager Russell Slade clearly isn’t learning the lessons over Peter Whittingham.

The Bluebirds’ draw with Fulham was packed with some creditable things. The back four were solid, Craig Noone scored a wonder goal, Joe Mason was excellent. You could even argue the Bluebirds put in the most complete and fluid performance of Slade’s reign.

Yet the fact is Cardiff only drew at home against a side expected to languish in the lower half of the table and the age-old dilemma surrounding the midfield surfaced again.

Last season the Bluebirds barely won a midfield battle against any of their Championship opponents, constantly second-best in the possession stakes, and were affected in other areas of the pitch as a result.

The criticism of the almost constant central partnership of Peter Whittingham and Aron Gunnarsson grew so loud that it seemed Slade himself was the only man not to hear it. Or stubbornly refused point blank to listen, anyhow.

Fast forward to this season opener against Fulham men and, well, let’s be honest, not a lot has been changed really.



Slade seems wedded to his 4-4-2 system, with the more-modern idea of bringing more bodies into midfield or adapting the shape of the side clearly not an option.

Basically against the Cottagers it was a case of, the more things change the more they remain the same.



Whittingham, a brilliant and loyal servant to the Bluebirds down the years, was retained, but Slade played Kagisho Dikgacoi with him in the Gunnarsson role.

One of the personnel was different, but still the Bluebirds lacked the legs and energy needed to put them on the front foot at home to a Fulham side they really needed to beat in the season opener. Particularly with a tough sequence of away matches coming up.

Look, it is not even a case of do you love or hate Whittingham, is it? You love him quite rightly, but, despite improvements across the pitch, Whittingham looked to have brought his form from last season into this 1-1 stalemate.

Passes went astray, he failed to seize the game by the scruff of the neck (again). And although never renowned for his pace anyway, in my view he seemed even slower on Saturday, half a yard gone. Or is it just speed of thought?

Dikgacoi maybe does offer Whittingham more protection, or surely will do when he actually finally gets fit. The South African is too heavy right at this moment, although he is moving in the right direction and did play a few lovely little passes that indicate perhaps there is a lot more to come.



Whether that can be said of Whittingham is not as clear. How much more will Slade persist with him, even though many fans have made it clear they would like to see change.

Would you persist with Peter Whittingham in central midfield?

YES
NO

Tom Adeyemi, who could have provided the legs required next to the more solid Gunnarsson or Dikgacoi, has gone.

So is there a genuine alternative to Whittingham? Yes, Joe Ralls could light up the middle of the Cardiff midfield with his drive and urgency... qualities better suited to the heat of battle, rather than out wide.

Tuck him inside, that then gives Slade the chance to potentially bring in Sammy Ameobi on the wing, with the Newcastle man mysteriously sat on the bench despite all the razzmatazz surrounding his arrival in the first place.

Plenty of room for positives from Cardiff against Fulham then, but still mistakes being made.

And, worse than that, the same old mistakes too.

Totally agree. Ralls is a direct replacement for Whitts and definitely has more energy.

I'd be playing Ameobi out wide rather than Ralls, and possibly start rotating Ralls and Whitts in the centre of the park.

Personally i thought the midfield done ok, although i wouldn't argue if this change did happen.
I believe the mistake was starting Revell. We need a pacy player upfront if we are using the false left winger formation

couldnt disagree more on this one, Whitts had a good game on the weekend, i thought ralls was poor, sloppy and gave the ball away far too much

couldnt disagree more on this one, Whitts had a good game on the weekend, i thought ralls was poor, sloppy and gave the ball away far too much

agree with this , I really don't get why Whitts gets knocked all the time he does so many good passes in the game , but people seem to remember the 1 or 2 mistakes he makes in a game , Whitts is 1 of our best players

To be honest whitts has been stale in our set for a couple of years, since the beginning of the promotion season he hasn't had any influence on the attacking play, he finds space and does nothing with it, he can't tackle and his body language shows he has no energy or enthusiasm, the best thing is to either drop him or sell him imo.

I think Whittingham has gone past his sell by date as far back as last season. Slade has to find someone to partner Dikgacoi in midfield possibly with Ralls or even Gunnarsson but it's obviously time for Whittingham to go!

I still believe anyone with half a footballing brain can see Whitts is absolute quality who is being used wrong, should he be given a free role behind the striker. And then have gunner in a box to box role and a defensively minded midfielder in front of the back four. I then think without defensive duties you will see the whittingham we all loved a few years back

couldnt disagree more on this one, Whitts had a good game on the weekend, i thought ralls was poor, sloppy and gave the ball away far too much

agree with this , I really don't get why Whitts gets knocked all the time he does so many good passes in the game , but people seem to remember the 1 or 2 mistakes he makes in a game , Whitts is 1 of our best players

I agree with this also. I thought Whitts played well on Saturday whilst Ralls was poor.

Why not play Ralls on Tuesday night with Dika alongside - to get him match fit - with Ameobi & Noone out wide?

Personally I think so, and would mean giving us more natural width out wide.

I agree with Tucker which is a rare occasion

Tucker is absolutely bang on. Its getting like we are starting any match a man down. Tucker is right, its nothing about loving or hating the man, no one can carry on forever and the modern game is changing fast. We need pace, incision, drive and urgency and at the moment Ralls is our best hope to provide it in the absence of a new, swashbuckling midfield general. Why on earth our leader doesn't just even experiment with Gunnarsson and Ralls as CMs and Digkakoi behind as defensive cover/sweeper I'll never know. He could always recall Whittingham at any time if he wanted to.

I think whitts done ok Saturday and Ralls I thought would of made way for ameobi as he clearly not a winger. And the bleating about mason, he done ok but missed 4 opportunities.

been banging the drum for two years, whitts and gunnarsson need to be shipped out, new blood, new ideas, new start in the middle.

been banging the drum for two years, whitts and gunnarsson need to be shipped out, new blood, new ideas, new start in the middle.

I agree. Both good players but not together, unless part of a three

Not yet, but eventually yes. I think the team did ok on Saturday as it was. Whitts did nothing wrong but is not as effective when he's too deep. He is still a very good playmaker, so needs to be more forward.

the ability of whitts hasn't changed over the years, just the system. Play him more forward in the middle and we'll see the best of him.

Ralls will eventually replace him, but now is too soon.

Thought Ralls was poor on Saturday, gave possession away a lot, didn't seem to be reading the game, Whitts is quality, a matter of building the midfield around him so he can be left to have a ' free role '.

I must've been watching a different game. I thought Whitts had a decent game, even got caught offside which is a rarity these days. He also made a burst through the centre without the ball but wasnt picked out by whoever was on the ball. He may get abit more freedom with Dika next to him as the season progresses. He hasnt past it, we just havent played to his strengths the last 2-3 years. As for Mason, i thought he was bang average. I would be surprised if he gets anywhere near 15 goals this year. Ralls will replace Whitts at some stage but to call for it to happen on saturdays performance is abit premature. The mistake on saturday was to start with Revell

Whitts made some very good passes on Saturday. He is our playmaker and imho should be kept in the team . Hey ho it's all about opinions, and rightly so.

Whitts was too deep AGAIN. He had a couple of good passes but there was a time we were attacking and he was the furthest player back to Moore - I was trying to take a photo of our attacking midfielder but didnt come out.

We have to try something - Whitts is an attacking liability for me

I must've been watching a different game. I thought Whitts had a decent game, even got caught offside which is a rarity these days. He also made a burst through the centre without the ball but wasnt picked out by whoever was on the ball. He may get abit more freedom with Dika next to him as the season progresses. He hasnt past it, we just havent played to his strengths the last 2-3 years. As for Mason, i thought he was bang average. I would be surprised if he gets anywhere near 15 goals this year. Ralls will replace Whitts at some stage but to call for it to happen on saturdays performance is abit premature. The mistake on saturday was to start with Revell

Spot on. Whitts is quality but is being used poorly. Mason is far too lightweight. How the echo hack can claim he was excellent on Saturday I just don't know.

What about this box to box midfielder, we've agreed terms with?

What about this box to box midfielder, we've agreed terms with?

jody morris?

I don't think Ralls is anywhere near good enough to replace Whittingham yet, to be honest. Far from effective out wide, and not good enough to play centrally and do Whitts' job. Hopefully, when Dikagcoi is fully fit and had a few games, we can rely on him just to sit there and break things up and allow Whitts' to go forward and give him a free role. Still unbalanced in midfield, three central midfielders and one winger, not going to work I'm afraid. Drop Ralls, bring in Nooney or Ameobi and see how we get on. Change Revell for Doyle, give them a run of games and I reckon we'll click.

I agree, Whitts has been a great player for Cardiff but has had his day. He is way off the pace now, just doesn't have the legs or energy. We can't carry an extra player just to take free kicks and corners, i'm sad to say it's time to move on. He's looked the weak link for the last couple of years.

I thought Whitts was quite good on Saturday playing with Dikagcoi lets see how he is like in more games before we write him off.

How many more times must it be said "Slade will not drop Whittingham" in fact Slade is looking to reunite the Whittingham Gunnerson axis in midfield asap

How many more times must it be said "Slade will not drop Whittingham" in fact Slade is looking to reunite the Whittingham Gunnerson axis in midfield asap

is he? says who?

When Revell was replaced in the 2nd half, he stormed off the pitch, took off his boots and threw them down in anger when he sat back on the bench. They narrowly missed City goalkeeper goal Martyn Margetson who turned around and screamed at him "HAVE SOME F****** RESPECT!"

To be fair, I didn't even notice that Revell was on the pitch until I seen him being replaced

I thought that the team played well but Whittingham was lazy all game. He looks so bored on the pitch and really isn't the player that he used to be. I really don't understand what managers believe he brings to the game. Pilkington is more than capable to take over set-piece duties in my opinion!

Whittingham in a 442 centre midfield role drags this team down massively imo. I said it all last season he gives us a mid table finish and was right, same goes for this season whitts in the side in centre mid 442 we will lose battle in midfield fail to get on the front foot and end up mid table once again.