Nathan Blake Says " Ole's game plan did not work "

Nathan Blake: Cardiff City never got into the South Wales derby tempo as Swansea City ran riot
10th Feb 2014


Nathan Blake watched the South Wales derby and says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s game plan simply did not work at the Liberty Stadium


Blake " When you’re playing well as a player you expect to play and I’m sure most people would have had Mutch and Noone in their side at the Liberty. "



Blakey says Swansea's start shocked Cardiff

They say speed kills in boxing and it was the same on derby day at the Liberty Stadium.

Cardiff never got into the tempo of the game and were caught cold from the first minute. It was an average Bluebirds performance at best.

What I found baffling was that you knew Swansea would start like a house on fire after what had happened down there in the week with Michael Laudrup leaving the club.

They had a new manager that most people in Swansea have total respect for and they were always going to come out to try and prove a point.

But it was almost as if Cardiff didn’t expect them to start at such a high tempo.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side rode the early storm but Swansea still had all the momentum and all I can remember in 90 minute is three Cardiff chances: a Peter Whittingham shot comfortably saved, a Kim shot on the spin and Craig Bellamy hitting the crossbar.


The game plan simply didn’t work. Trying to adopt a different style of football is all well and good but you’ve got to start on the front foot.

There’s always pressure on a South Wales derby but I felt that Swansea had more pressure on them going into the game.

They had a new and inexperienced manager and there was a lot of talk of the first double in league history between the two clubs after Cardiff won the first derby in November.

But Cardiff came out too slow and missed a great opportunity. Swansea had a chance in the first minute when Wayne Routledge shot straight at David Marshall and that set the pattern for the game.

I talk a lot about momentum and that’s the reason why because when once you’ve got it you’re in the driving seat. Cardiff had a good move here and there but I never felt they were in the driving seat or had a sustained spell of pressure.

The problem is still working out his best XI, he’s got a mix of Malky Mackay’s signings and players that he’s brought to the club and he’s still trying to find the right balance. That was evident against Swansea.

In his quieter moments this week Soslkjaer will wonder whether he made mistakes in team selection and I would certainly have started with Jordon Mutch and Craig Noone because they’ve played so well that I believe you should play them until you’re a flogging a dead horse.

Noone has played really well in four or five games, he scores a worldy goal against Man City, Pablo Zabaleta’s bigging him up and some people are even talking about him in the same breath as England.

If he plays and has a couple of shockers then fair enough, but I don’t see the point in dropping him unless his confidence has been affected by a bad game or two.


When you’re playing well as a player you expect to play and I’m sure most people would have had Mutch and Noone in their side at the Liberty.

Peter Whittingham has not hit the heights in midfield – and whatever you make of his performance against Norwich when he was substituted befor ehalf-time – it seemed that he wasn’t best suited for a derby down at Swansea.

Swansea will look to do it, but Cardiff are not going to be popping around 20 passes in midfield, Whittingham’s not firing at the moment and his confidence appears to be suffering, so Aron Gunnarsson might have been a better bet to provide that solidity in midfield.

With Noone absent, Wilfried Zaha was the one man who offered the ball over the top because Kenwyne Jones, Kim and Bellamy – who was playing in a deeper role – were not going to do that, but he failed to deliver.

I think we’ll see a better Zaha when we see a fitter Zaha as the game passed him by. There was nothing wrong with him starting but he was never going to last the 90 minutes at that high tempo.

What was really disappointing is that all three goals were easily avoidable from City’s peresepctive. Fabio was beaten by an inside ball for the first goal and he needs to be doing more in his positional play after being caught out against Norwich and Swansea.

Declan John could have prevented the second by hooking away Routledge’s cross but Nathan Dyer nipped in and it shows once again than no matter how talented the boy is someone needs to work on his defensive instincts because the Premier League is a harsh environment to learn your trade.

Ben Turner lost Wilfried Bony for the third goal and it all added up to a sorry evening.

Solskjaer has spoken about the bouncebackability but we’ve got to see it now because 13 games soon becomes eight and then five and if you’re not careful you’re relegated by the end of March.

You have got to give yourself a fighting chance when it comes to the final few weeks of the season but it’s looking increasingly difficult.

To me usually Nathan Blake talks nonsense, but this time he is virtually spot on.

Ole got everything wrong, team selection & tactics and I'm only a fan.

Remember Ole has only been managing in Norway, not Championship football or even Premier League, he is still learning and very Naive. But to be fair he is a big name as a football player.

The two above posts, sum up how much you know about football, and why thankfully Blake will remain a second rate pundit or columnist and not a professional football manager. dear oh dear.

To be fair, Ole hasnt got many subs wrong so far in his short Cardiff career.

The funny thing is, if the subs changed the game like in previous games we'd all be sitting here calling him a legend and saying how well his decisions worked.

The truth is swansea are & were better than us, they have had a 2 year head start in the PL. Ole has come in and is trying to change the way we play and the difference between Malky's style and Ole's is like comparing a dog to an elephant.

That game isnt going to define our season, Villa is massive but they all are at this stage of the season and we are still with a chance of safety.

To be fair, Ole hasnt got many subs wrong so far in his short Cardiff career.

The funny thing is, if the subs changed the game like in previous games we'd all be sitting here calling him a legend and saying how well his decisions worked.

The truth is swansea are & were better than us, they have had a 2 year head start in the PL. Ole has come in and is trying to change the way we play and the difference between Malky's style and Ole's is like comparing a dog to an elephant.

That game isnt going to define our season, Villa is massive but they all are at this stage of the season and we are still with a chance of safety.

Your right its not all over,plenty of games to play and plenty of points available, its all in our own hands

Hes full of crap as usual.

Noone had a knock. Mutch had one in the previous game.

He expects us to risk them in a game away from home, a game we're expected to lose at the sacrifice of them being injured or not fit for 2 very winnable games at home vs Villa and Hull....he's off his rocker sorry.

How the heck he got a job as a pundit I don't know. He should go play for County or something and do something useful. Im fed up of reading his crap on WalesOnline. How can he slate a student of the game and a person who's won honours at player and managerial level? He's deluded.

It was obvious that Noone had a knock, I even put it in my post before Solskjaer revealed it today, that much. Why? Because hes been our best player under Ole and he didn't even come on as a sub. Solskjaer is not a moron. He's a clever footballer and a manager who's won honours, albeit in a less prestigious league. However, he can understand the game.

Im happy Solskjaer picked that team as we now have Mutch and Noone raring to go vs Villa. If we beat them tomorrow at home then a lot of fans will suddenly be signing his praises. Fickleness at its finest.

The two above posts, sum up how much you know about football, and why thankfully Blake will remain a second rate pundit or columnist and not a professional football manager. dear oh dear.

Ok.

So then did Ole get it right?

Were Ole's tactics right on this game?

Was Ole's team selection right?

The two above posts, sum up how much you know about football, and why thankfully Blake will remain a second rate pundit or columnist and not a professional football manager. dear oh dear.

Ok.

So then did Ole get it right?

Were Ole's tactics right on this game?

Was Ole's team selection right?

In my opinion yes Annis.

We need to be realistic and I understand your frustration. I am frustrated too, its a derby game, but our long term goals must go before our hatred of them down West.

Firstly, do we risk further injury to Noone or Mutch? I say no. We have 2 winnable home games coming up.

Do we expect a win away from home and to make history and do the double? I again say no. Our team is going through transition with Ole's new signings and Swansea were up for it with Monk in charge. I did not expect a win. I'd rather Mutch and Noone saved for the Villa and Hull games, two games I believe we can win at home in front of our own fans.

We also have 3 games in 7 days (wigan in the cup) which makes it tougher and squad rotation is needed. I think Ole called it right but certain players let him down and thats where our frustrations lie. I also believe more are frustrated because it was our rivals. Im not concerned on them to be honest as it is and I'm more concerned on the long term aims.

The two above posts, sum up how much you know about football, and why thankfully Blake will remain a second rate pundit or columnist and not a professional football manager. dear oh dear.

Ok.

So then did Ole get it right?

Were Ole's tactics right on this game?

Was Ole's team selection right?

In my opinion yes Annis.

We need to be realistic and I understand your frustration. I am frustrated too, its a derby game, but our long term goals must go before our hatred of them down West.

Firstly, do we risk further injury to Noone or Mutch? I say no. We have 2 winnable home games coming up.

Do we expect a win away from home and to make history and do the double? I again say no. Our team is going through transition with Ole's new signings and Swansea were up for it with Monk in charge. I did not expect a win. I'd rather Mutch and Noone saved for the Villa and Hull games, two games I believe we can win at home in front of our own fans.

We also have 3 games in 7 days (wigan in the cup) which makes it tougher and squad rotation is needed. I think Ole called it right but certain players let him down and thats where our frustrations lie. I also believe more are frustrated because it was our rivals. Im not concerned on them to be honest as it is and I'm more concerned on the long term aims.

James,

If we go on and beat Villa and Hull home, then Ole will have proven that his rotation of the squad is right.

James,

If we go on and beat Villa and Hull home, then Ole will have proven that his rotation of the squad is right.

Of course. If we had risked Noone and Mutch and they had got injured we'd be as good as down. Mutch is the driving force we need and Noone is a crafter who can go down the line or come inside and not only create but score. His squad rotation was spot on but people are angry because it was a loss against Swansea which made the loss that much worse. Solskjaer should be forgiven for it in this instance and thankfully, we'd already won one derby at home so they had no chance to do the double over us. That would have been a killer blow but a share of the points I can take if it means our long term aims are achieved.

no shit sherlock by george i think Nathan Blake has got it !!!!! you might be a City legend but it doesn't take the weatherman to tell you when its pissing down can't see Blakey getting on match of the day at this rate

OGS said they were both carrying knocks so he didnt really have a choice but to play Kim and Whitts.

I thought the same when I seen the lineup but apparently with noone n mutch having slight knocks I can see what he was thinking.Hopefully winning our 2 home fixtures this month,ole can come out smiling and the same people who want him out after 7 games can go back to football manager n up their game

The two above posts, sum up how much you know about football, and why thankfully Blake will remain a second rate pundit or columnist and not a professional football manager. dear oh dear.

Ok.

So then did Ole get it right?

Were Ole's tactics right on this game?

Was Ole's team selection right?

its fine lines......had we scored and we had a few half chances, the crowd with them { not convinced by the Monk appointment } would have rolled over....once they went a goal up..the jack fans stepped it rite up tbf..........it wouldnt have been my selection,but im not a pro manager either...........the one thing i get least tho is right back for right back..two games on bounce..has to be seen as a waste of a substitution.

Showing more promise than MM in terms of potential and MM been in the trade for managing in England/Wales long enough to be ahead of him, cruel truth.

Many knew that when we saw the team line up.
StT.

To me usually Nathan Blake talks nonsense, but this time he is virtually spot on.

Ole got everything wrong, team selection & tactics and I'm only a fan.

Remember Ole has only been managing in Norway, not Championship football or even Premier League, he is still learning and very Naive. But to be fair he is a big name as a football player.

Agree Blakey usually talks big bollocks but he got it right this time. Even if Noone wasnt fit Gunnarsson would have been a better fit in midfield rather than Whittingham for this particular game.

Blakey has it bang on the minute i saw the teamsheet i felt we had given them the game Noone and Mutch for me have been the star performers of late for us and i can not understand what the blody hell was ole's thought process with whitts and kim. Medel had to run his bollocks off to cover for whitts and kim as tidy a player as he is wasnt going to take the physical approach the jacks were obviously going to bring certainly in the opening 20/25 mins. I think ole should shoulder the blame for this one head up and admit he got it wrong, but we now need to be 100% right with everything we do and we can not make the same mistake again tonight we must get 3 points or i feel that may be the beginning of the end.

However enough misery

Come on Bluebirds

Lets get behind the boys tonight

Maybe the choice to omit Noone and Mutch wasn't the worst decision if they were not 100% fit. I still then think OGS should have taken the consequences of the situation and started more defensively. It was not a surprise that Swansea would have a lot of possession. If we were not going to create much anyway, why not pick more defensive oriented players to start with and rehearse some offensive patterns on the break or set-pieces in the match preparation? The substitutions he made must have been a bit cynical the way I see it - he sees the match lost and he wants to prevent fatigue for new signings given the tight schedule ahead.