Whittingham has not scored for City in 20 matches But Malky

Cardiff City boss Mackay unconcerned by Peter Whittingham form


' Peter Whittingham has not scored for Cardiff City in 20 matches '


CARDIFF CITY manager Malky Mackay believes Peter Whittingham is a more complete player than ever, even though the midfield creator has gone his longest spell ever without a goal for the club.

Whittingham has not found the net in 20 games and last registered a goal when he fired home from the penalty spot in the Bluebirds’ victory over Watford on October 23.

But, along with frontman Heidar Helguson, the play-maker remains Cardiff’s joint-top scorer in the Championship with seven strikes.

Furthermore, he has missed only one league game so far this campaign, a victory at Birmingham on New Year’s Day.

But Mackay is unconcerned by Whittingham’s lean spell.

“Peter is someone who over the whole of this season has been incredibly consistent for us,” said Mackay.

“He’s not a forward, he’s a midfielder and if you get the bonus of some goals from a midfielder then that is great.

“But that is not the first thing I look for from Peter. Every Saturday I don’t look to see if Peter Whittingham has scored.

“Maybe I differ in that view from a few other people.

“I see the value of him. I see his maturity now. I see the difference in the boy now from the boy I spoke to the first day I took over at Cardiff. They are completely different people to be honest.

“Both myself and him realise now that he has improved as a player over these last 18 months.

“There’s a lot of sides to his game now compared to someone, who before maybe sat on the periphery of a team and when it got into his area he did something with it.

“Now he is in the middle of everything that goes on for the whole 90 minutes. Now he’s even more of a team player than he ever was.”

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Since his arrival from Aston Villa for £350,000 back in January 2007, Whittingham has seen the role he has been asked to play for Cardiff evolve.

At first, he was employed out wide before being tucked inside by former Cardiff boss Dave Jones in a role that was still very much a forward-thinking one.

In the 2009-10 campaign Whittingham was the Championship’s joint top-scorer with 20 league goals in the regular season. Ironically enough, he shared the honour with Nicky Maynard who was then with Bristol City, but is now at Cardiff, although he saw his season decimated by injury.

Under Mackay though, Whittingham has been asked to occupy a deeper position with more defensive responsibilities.

Many maintain the new role is nullifying the 28-year-old’s renowned creative flair and stopping him finding the net as often as he should.

And his 20-game barren spell is his longest in his six years in the Welsh capital.

But Mackay insists the lack of goals is of little concern and it is the overall performances that Whittingham brings to the Bluebirds which are important.

“I see the overall job that he does for our team both on the attacking side and the defensive side of things,” added Mackay.

“The few goals we have conceded over the last nine or 10 games, Peter has played a massive part in that. That is maybe something that people, choose to gloss over, but it is maybe something that people do not find sexy. It’s not the kind of thing that people talk about. He has been a major part of the lack of goals we’ve conceded.

“Also in that midfield area, Peter is someone who has built the game for us in the middle of the pitch. Again it might not be sexy, but I think back to the Bristol City game where Peter controlled the last 20 minutes and just slowed it down when he wanted to.

“He saw a lot of the ball and just dampened things down. Peter controlled the tempo of that game and there are not a lot of players around who can do that.”



Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2M3T9NJNl

I thought he played well at wolves, better than recent weeks.

He will prob get one goal them get a load.

Dont think we are going to see Whitts score many if any from free kicks now.
Most of the teams & there keepers know where he is going to put the ball and they have it covered.
The problem is whitts don't see it, and he still tries to put it in the same place every time. Also to be honest if it wasn't for his passing of the ball up to the front players ,hes not offering much more. I reckon hes lost a fair bit of his confidence infront of goals, also even his corners are not as good as they were at one time.

Don't think it's time to panic just yet lads....

I did mention on a thread a few weeks ago that I think maybe he is just down a wee bit in confidence......maybe!

Both he and Bellers are not getting the best of corners into the box...not beating the near post defender.

However, he spread the ball around very well in the first half at wolves, and I'm sure as soon as he gets his next goal, he'll get a few more in quick succession.....he has genuine quality.

It ent the goal scoring that bothers me it's the lack of creativity he ent creating.. He hasn't been consistent either.

MM played him forward at Wolves (Home).

I thought he done well Sunday.. he was a lot more forward in the first half and playing some great balls out wide and forward.

But the defensive facts are spot on and it's hard to disagree.

It is sad not seeing Whittingham hitting his full potential and ability though in a game.

I don't care what Malky says , we are totally wasting Whittingham's talents. Not only is he not scoring goals he is not creating any either. When did he last set up a chance we scored from? Far less talented players, like Cowie or Mutch or even the excellent Kim could carry out Whittingham's current role.Our most gifted and dangerous player should be playing further forward. Opposition players must be delighted to see him fannying about on the edge of his own box instead of terrifying them on the edge of theirs.

I don't care what Malky says , we are totally wasting Whittingham's talents. Not only is he not scoring goals he is not creating any either. When did he last set up a chance we scored from? Far less talented players, like Cowie or Mutch or even the excellent Kim could carry out Whittingham's current role.Our most gifted and dangerous player should be playing further forward. Opposition players must be delighted to see him fannying about on the edge of his own box instead of terrifying them on the edge of theirs.

Have to agree with this.

You cant expect Whitts to score when he is playex so deep. Give him his attacking central role and he will bang them in again.

Running around his own 18yd box ain't doing him any favours!

He's at his most dangerous sitting on the opponents 18yd line off the strikers.

Dont think we are going to see Whitts score many if any from free kicks now.
Most of the teams & there keepers know where he is going to put the ball and they have it covered.
The problem is whitts don't see it, and he still tries to put it in the same place every time. Also to be honest if it wasn't for his passing of the ball up to the front players ,hes not offering much more. I reckon hes lost a fair bit of his confidence infront of goals, also even his corners are not as good as they were at one time.

That's because Malky is f*cking making them play those awful short corners time and time again rather than making full use of his capabilities

I think it may be down to MM playing him so deep. (Intentionally or not)

I just find lazy whittingham from a few years back has returned in the last 2 months, worsing out of shots and 50/50s!

I think dropping him for a game or 2 will be the kick up the arse he needs!

Form is temporary, class is permanent!

No matter how much Malky sugar coats it, he has turned Whitts from...

one of the most feared and dangerous attacking players in the Championship. A player as rare as rocking horse shit = a regular goalscoring midfielder. Every away match day programme highlighted him as "the one to watch" danger man. An excellent dead ball specialist and corner taker.
To....



Steve McPhail.

Now he's completely wasted. Pirouttes and 360 turns now a specialty along with tippy tappy rubbish until closed down by the opposing centre forward leaving it to either Turner or Hudson to hoof it 50 yards and give possession away. The opposing managers must be laughing as Whitts will be no threat inside his on 18 yard box.
Steve McPhail is better at being Steve McPhail than Whitts. Kimbo's tackling and distribution is in my view also better than Whitts. Leave Whitts to play a free role supporting the front 2.