" ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH OUR JANUARY BUSINESS? "

The main point here should be the fact Ole had to go out and get 6 players in a January window and that he certainly also tried to get a central defender and striker and if successful that would have been 8 players in. Quite an indictment on the squad assembled in the first place by Malky and his staff. However Ole has tried to put things right. Has he got enough time to rescue us? We will all know that after the next 15 Premier League games. It's going to be a close run thing but we as fans have to do our thing now and get behind the players, Ole and his backroom staff. This red/blue stuff needs to be put on the back burner until the end of the season as it is only a distraction at the moment and we have to use all our vocal energy in shouting the team forward not chanting about a colour. Get behind the players instead of slagging off the kit they are wearing, that is a subject which can be addressed at the end of the season if we as fans could get organised enough.

Come on Ole, the squad and fans, let's give it our all

The key to the defensive performance is the performance of the midfielders in front of them.
The defence starts there.
The midfield protect the full backs and passes through the middle. Quality strikers will always find space, so the midfielders must stop the passes to them.

playing 1 up front is fine if the likes of medel, wolff and Whitts can work the ball and get any 3 from Zaha, Daehli, Noone, Bellamy, Kim or Berget in close support to Jones or Campbell.

It becomes a problem when the lone striker is isolated and we are hitting hopeless balls to him which is pretty much what we saw 1st half of the season.

Agreed. It is more and more common these days to play with one striker so you have a 4 -2- 3-1 formation but you need to have 2 defensive midfielders capable of passing the ball, 3 attacking midfielders/wingers who will constantly provide support to the lone striker and fullbacks capable of both defending and pushing on. The likes of Liverpool, Man Utd and Man City are able to play this system using 2 strikers because their strikers are world class and are so versatile. Malky's team was full of defensive minded players and it whilst it worked early on it was soon found out and we nosedived. Ole knows whats required and has brought in the Norwegian ball players, an attacking winger, a striker to get on the end of crosses but unfortunately failed to get that CB, DM and goalscoring striker this side of the window

The main point here should be the fact Ole had to go out and get 6 players in a January window and that he certainly also tried to get a central defender and striker and if successful that would have been 8 players in. Quite an indictment on the squad assembled in the first place by Malky and his staff. However Ole has tried to put things right. Has he got enough time to rescue us? We will all know that after the next 15 Premier League games. It's going to be a close run thing but we as fans have to do our thing now and get behind the players, Ole and his backroom staff. This red/blue stuff needs to be put on the back burner until the end of the season as it is only a distraction at the moment and we have to use all our vocal energy in shouting the team forward not chanting about a colour. Get behind the players instead of slagging off the kit they are wearing, that is a subject which can be addressed at the end of the season if we as fans could get organised enough.

Come on Ole, the squad and fans, let's give it our all

Spot on, one of the main reasons we are in this mess is because malky has been playing virtually a team full of championship players in the premiership week in, week out, the majority are clearly not up to it (uncomfortable with the ball at their feet etc) hence why qle has shipped most of them out. My biggest fear from the start is that ole will not have enough time to turn this car crash around, not the amount of games we have left but the transfer window catching up on him, after now watching what he has at is disposal for a month ole could have done with the transfer window opening today not closing.

Overall, yes.

A back up striker might have been handy, but I think we did well enough. We've been playing well enough but can't put the ball in the net - people bang on that 4-4-2 is outdated, but I think we really need more presence up front to help FC out.

That said, with Zaha on the left and the prospect of more crosses coming in from that side, I reckon we'll stand more of a chance now.

Ole knows his team best, but if he's sensible with how he plays the new signings and doesn't throw them all in at once, I think we'll be okay.

Vital that we start beating the Norwich's, Villa's and Sunderlands of this world though.

The interesting bit about the defense is how good or not it'll be when the defenders aren't constantly under pressure. With a midfield in front of them that both take the pressure off the defenders by getting the ball before them and capable of using the ball for attacking purposes so that the number of attacks the defenders have to cope with is reduced as well there are other skillsets required of the defenders than when they are under a constant barrage by the opposition.

As for how well or not the Cardiff defense is suited to that is something the match today will give an indication of I guess.

Not sure if he's injured or not but Connally was signed as a centre half he is far more comfortable with the ball at feet than Turner and Hudson. So the cover is there. Just who ole thinks is the best partner for caulker. Wether they are going to be good enough is another thing. I think the biggest problem we've had is our full backs falling asleep and not picking up runners if this can be addressed it will stop our centre half's being pulled out wide leaving gaps in the middle.

I think OGS has done a remarkable job during January given the time available to him and it seems to me that he has dealt with a couple of the areas where we were most lacking, wide players with pace, a target man with loads of PL experience and a talented attacking left back.

All of this has also been done at a fraction of the price that MM & IM spent during the summer. Is it going to work ? well we are going to find out.

But for me one thing is certain the days of boring, sterile football served up by MM during the first half of the season are over. No more playing the ball sideways and backwards in front of our opponents and whatever happens over the next 15 games I'm right behind OGS, his backroom team and of course of the different philosophy they are going to bring for the rest of the season.

Not sure if he's injured or not but Connally was signed as a centre half he is far more comfortable with the ball at feet than Turner and Hudson. So the cover is there. Just who ole thinks is the best partner for caulker. Wether they are going to be good enough is another thing. I think the biggest problem we've had is our full backs falling asleep and not picking up runners if this can be addressed it will stop our centre half's being pulled out wide leaving gaps in the middle.

Connolly recently had an operation so will be out for a while, he's best forgotten

No - it was obvious to see that a strong CB is needed in our squad, especually after he brought in some attacking players

Some fans were not happy with Malky's defensive approach which is fair enough but..

My worry is that the attacking players we have got are still not good enough to be scoring 2+ goals a game as a team - and I feel our back four are going to take a battering

I hope that isnt the case - but I dont think that OGS has got enough cover in defense and he had the opportunity to do so

Malkys defensive approach which wasnt working post September so we might as well have a go.

Absolutly nothing wrong with playing attacking football - its more enjoyable to watch aswell

But it is so obvious that we need someone to step into that turner/hudson role and I really think we will suffer for not getting any cover in this transfer windon

I think we have taken a big gamble by not bringing in more Yes we did bring in some BUT we are bottmom of ther league and needed them and more From what i can see this was more of a cost cutting excercise and if being honest not really convinced that Tan wouldve spent much money on players Now for those who are about to tell me that he spent ex amount in the past (ITS IRRELIVANT) It does not seem to have been spent wisely and not worked

I think we should try Gary Medel in cb where he plays for chile,thought we needed a new cb to partner caulkler and another cf as cover for Campbell! But happy with Zaha,fabio,jones and the Norwegians!hope it's enough but we are light up front!

First of all, I am very happy with all the signings that have been brought in by Ole this Transfer window.

I know some people may be upset, but to be honest people really need to look at the positives as suppose to the negatives.

Remember, premier league rules only allow a 25 man squad (excluding the under 21's)
- We had to ship players out before we can bring players in.

In my opinion we have really strengthened, because the players who left never really played and just needed game time. Secondly we have brought in 6 potential first team players. The only player I am really disappointed in leaving us was Craig Conway, but end of the day he just wants to play football.

I think we have a fully flexible squad; with great ability to rotate, with options of players playing up front and on the wing, namely Bellamy, Zaha and Berget.

I would have been happier with a new CB
6 players in and a few out. Let's hope the team gels quick. As time is a luxury we don't have.

Hope we win today. But draw looks likely

Time will tell of course but I hope the Jones boy proves me wrong.
I see him as being one of the laziest players in the PL. Hopefully OGS can motivate him enough because on his day he can be pretty good.

I'd like to see Fabio & Zaha start today with Jones & Daehli on the bench. Tell Zaha to go flat out for 45 -60 minutes & if he tires replace him with Bellamy.

Can't wait for the game today to see which new players are trusted with a start, how they gel together and whether that means Cardiff play a different style of football! Positive, attacking, goal attempts against Nowich today will be a good indicator of our likelihood of staying up (as well as a win!).

But why leave it until the last minute to go in for Cisse/MacCormmack?
Couple of days ago would have made more sense surely?

Because it became clear on transfer deadline day that our first choice better quality and better value overseas targets were not going to be signed

Well OGS was saying that Cisse was his first choice so why not try to sort it out weeks ago & move on.

agree with your comments .Dont forget we have some players in the development team and it looks like this Rhys Healy could be an absolute diamond !! . Ole's done his best its now down to the team and the crowd to get behind them !

We needed a striker and a centre half, but otherwise happy with the signings

Don't know if previously posted - apologies if it has - Although we officially missed getting a CB prior to the deadline, there is talk on the other Board that we have got a CB from Seville, currently playing in La Liga, (is a former team mate of Gary Medel),who has started 19 games this year and whose contract is out in the Summer and who had originally told Seville he wanted to leave in the summer. Apparently the player and Seville have agreed an immediate contract termination making him a free agent who can join Cardiff immediately even though deadline has passed (loophole?). We would need to include him in the squad 25 by tomorrow if this is true - watch for it happening!

As Guerra (Striker) is in the same contract situation as the CB - same option there perhaps?

Only what I've read elsewhere - not ITK - great win today - much needed first 3 points for Ole - Keep the faith and now is the perfect time to get that double over the Jacks who must be shitting themselves at the moment - just 3 points ahead!!