Sat Jan 04, 2014 8:07 pm
If you’ve paid any attention to football news in the last few weeks, you’ll know all about the civil war at Cardiff City, with chairman Vincent Tan demanding the resignation of manager Malky Mackay, before pulling the trigger himself.
While some of Tan’s criticisms – such as claiming the results aren’t good enough and that the style of play isn’t entertaining enough – sound like nonsense for a newly promoted club, criticism of the Scot’s spending seems more concrete.
Tan criticised Mackay for spending £50 million when the budget he was given only allowed £35 million, and also claimed that the spending (in a summer when Cardiff broke their own transfer record three times, and were the 7th biggest spenders in the division) was not value for money.
So, how have Cardiff’s summer signings fared so far?
Stephen Caulker
Unlike most of his team-mates, Caulker has a positive amount of Squawka Awards, and it’s an overwhelmingly positive figure – 11 Squawka ‘Best’ Awards, and not a single Squawka ‘Worst’ Award. Judging by our Squawka Performance Score, the former Spurs man was both the ‘Top Man in Team’ and ‘Man of the Match’ against Fulham, Swansea, Stoke and Crystal Palace – among other awards.
Just as impressively, Caulker hasn’t picked up a single Squawka ‘Worst’ Award – you may expect most players in a team near the bottom to have an occasional off-day when they are noticeably bad in one of the three categories (Attack, Defence, Possession) but this hasn’t been the case. Given that inconsistency was a problem at Tottenham, this seems to be a sign of growing maturity.
Caulker has been useful, if not outstanding aerially, winning 68 of 121 headed duels (56% success). His slightly more experienced team-mate Ben Turner, who has won 81 of 128 headed duels (63% success). Having made 28 interceptions and 31 blocks (compared to Turner’s 21 and 16) Caulker’s game is slightly more sophisticated than his defensive partner’s.
Caulker has also been useful going forward. You would expect a centre half to be useful at set-pieces and this is the case, with Caulker contributing two goals – bettered only by Jordon Mutch and Fraizer Campbell.
Surprisingly, Caulker has also been credited with creating eight chances. Only eight players have created more chances for team-mates, and Caulker is only two assists behind Aron Gunnarsson in fourth place.
Media coverage suggests that Cardiff paid a £8.5m fee, with £2m more to come if the Bluebirds survive relegation, and 50% of any profit made. At that price he was certainly no bargain, but given his impact in defence, scoring, and chance creation, there’s a decent argument to be made that he’ll ultimately prove worth it.
Peter Odemwingie
Odemwingie is probably the biggest name of Cardiff’s summer arrivals, and certainly the best established in the Premier League. Despite his experience, Odemwingie certainly hasn’t been used as a star player, having been subbed on four times in Cardiff’s twenty league games so far, and starting but being subbed off ten times, being unused in the other six.
Odemwingie has had a mixed record in duels. He’s won 11 of 48 headers, successfully dribbled past an opponent in 18 of 30 attempted take-ons, and been fouled slightly more than he’s committed fouls (14 to 13).
Critically for a forward, Odemwingie has only one goal, in the defeat to Newcastle.
The former West Brom man spent time working the wings as well as being deployed as a main forward, but overall, the Nigerian has been less than impressive, picking up six Squawka ‘Worst’ Awards and a Squawka Performance Score of -89. Only six players in the Premier League have a lower Score than the summer arrival, and only two outfielders.
In Odemwingie’s defence, even Fraizer Campbell, who’s won some praise for his performances, has two Squawka ‘Best’ Awards and a massive seventeen Squawka ‘Worst’ Awards, so it may be that something in the demands asked of Cardiff’s strikers has resulted in Odemwingie’s unimpressive stats.
Kevin Theophile-Catherine
Kevin Theophile-Catherine, signed from Rennes at the end of the transfer window, is not a player that’s set the world alight.
Though not an eye-grabber, the former Rennes full-back has made 29 interceptions as part of his average of 7 defensive actions per match. He’s won 35 of 57 attempted tackles, beaten opponents a massive 15 of 18 times attempted, and even won a respectable 32 of 66 headed duels – not necessarily what you’d expect from a full-back.
During that time he’s created nine chances for team-mates, all from high up the right-wing – making him Cardiff’s joint fifth most creative player.
His pass accuracy however, at just 64% is one of Cardiff’s poorest, contributing to Theophile-Catherine’s Squawka Performance Score of -10.
Gary Medel
Despite starting regularly for Chile at centre half, Medel has started nineteen of Cardiff’s twenty games in midfield – the only exception being the 3-0 defeat that saw Malky Mackay sacked. Medel was subbed off in seven of his appearances – three of those in the last five minutes.
Despite his physical reputation, “The Chilean Gattuso” has been sophisticated in his defensive play – making 39 interceptions in nineteen matches, while being successful from 33 of 75 tackles.
His 90% pass success rate is by far Cardiff’s best – Craig Bellamy’s 84% in fewer minutes on the field is City’s next nearest. Despite the picture this may paint of a steady-eddy, the Chilean has also been incisive going forward, completing 96 of 121 long passes.
There have been claims in the media that Medel might have been available for a few million less, but his importance to the side is clear.
Andreas Cornelius
Despite being one of the three players to break Cardiff’s transfer record in the summer, Andreas Cornelius has hardly represented the club. Partially that’s down to the hard work of Fraizer Campbell; mainly it’s down to injury. Ankle injuries suffered in pre-season and then against Accrington Stanley in the League Cup meant that Cornelius didn’t complete a full minute of football until coming on against Manchester United in November, and Campbell or Odemwingie have been preferred in attack since.
Despite Jamie Redknapp and Ray Wilkins’ bizarre attempts to play devil’s advocate on a festive edition of Saturday Night Football, arguing that the price tag means he should play, physically impossibilities be damned, most people would understand the lack of immediate impact.
Cornelius’ record has been unimpressive – two shots, one on target; he’s created no chances and failed both attempted dribbles during his 99 minutes of Premier League football. Though that is of course far too small a period of time to draw any judgment from.
The rest
John Brayford, signed from Derby for £1.5m in the summer – can safely be labelled as a flop. Mackay preferred Matt Connolly at right-back for the first three games, and then signed Theophile-Catherine, prompting rumours of a return to Derby on transfer deadline day. The 26-year-old, too old to really be considered a prospect, has yet to be selected for a single Premier League minute.
Simon Moore, the 23-year-old keeper signed from Brentford, and Uruyguyan U20 international Maximiliano Amondarain also have yet to appear for the first-team, but those signings weren’t necessarily made for the first team.