' Tighten up defence and get 9 more points '
Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:38 am
Nathan Blake: Cardiff City must tighten up defensively and aim to reach 34 point mark
Monday Mar 24th 2014
BY NATHAN BLAKE
The Bluebirds legend is cautiously optimistic as a run of season-defining fixtures is set to get underway
Welcome to the Premier League mini-season. It starts for Cardiff City at West Brom on Saturday.
After two titanic tussles against the Merseyside giants, this is where City’s fate – and the relegation issue – will be decided.
It was always going to be a huge test coming up against a team like Liverpool. City weren’t great but the Bluebirds will probably feel they did quite well considering the quality of the opposition.
Liverpool have scored 82 goals in the Premier League this season – a club record I’m told – and they have thumped the likes of Arsenal and Spurs and scored three at Manchester United only last week.
It’s a remarkable tally and they’ve just got so much firepower it’s frightening for teams coming up against them.
When I analyse the game I feel the Bluebirds can be satisfied with their attacking play, but defensively they might admit that some of the Liverpool goals could have been avoided for all the Reds’ offensive power.
If they had gone in at half time 2-1 ahead instead of being pegged back at 2-2 then City would have had a real chance of achieving an upset, but Martin Skrtel’s equaliser was a hurtful blow.
Liverpool can really hurt you, as Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge showed, but some of the defending from set-pieces was not good enough, be it with nine or 11 men. It must improve in the closing weeks of the season.
I’m sure most people will say Cardiff’s performance was reasonable and the result was to be expected. I predicted 1-1 on Blakey’s Boot Room last week, but I must admit that was more down to hope than anything else.
But now this seven-game season is about to start and the pressure is on. Big style.
City are at West Brom on Saturday and then entertain Crystal Palace the following weekend. Lose those two matches and it really will be mission impossible, but if they can come out with four, even maybe six, points then don’t rule out a real Harry Houdini act.
This may yet be a season when a team stays up with 32 points and I believe 34 will certainly be a decent tally to achieve.
Three wins would put City there and there is still a lot to play for, but it’s going to take a huge effort from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players to do that.
One defeat could send City spiralling into even deeper trouble, while a couple of wins would really lift optimism levels around the club. City haven’t managed back-to-back wins all season but relegation battles often tend to throw up odd results.
Looking at the Liverpool game most people leaving the stadium at the end of an extraordinary 90 minutes were in awe of the title chasers’ attacking qualities. They were talking about Luis Suarez and his hat-trick, rather then looking at the defensive ineptitude shown at times by Cardiff.
Young Declan John, for instance, was caught out by a ball played inside him for the first equaliser.
I have an awful lot of time for Declan and he is a fantastic talent, but his positional play is culpable at times and you can’t afford this when every point is precious.
Liverpool kept attacking down their right because they sensed a weakness and went for it, Suarez’s first goal was evidence of that.
Cardiff played five at the back and when you have three central defenders no team should be able to find space inside a full-back. It’s a back five, not three plus two, and there should not be gaps anywhere.
Both full-backs have had problems since January and Solskjaer’s arrival, I’ve counted six or seven goals conceded from passes played inside the full-back and it’s not good enough.
Cardiff must make sure things are tight at the back because you’re not going to score three every game.
Defending set-pieces and making sure full-backs are alert to that ball played inside them are two of the priorities right now. Fail to address that and relegation looms.
The Bluebirds have seven matches left now and there is no question in my mind they have a chance of surviving.
The last four matches has seen the Bluebirds play better, they pushed Spurs, beat Fulham and had a right good go at Everton and Liverpool.
It was heartening to see Jordon Mutch score twice and Fraizer Campbell take his tally for the season to nine, it showed once again that there are goals in this City team.
So if City can work on their defensive frailties and become more consistent in those areas, they have every chance of picking up points from those crunch games against West Brom and Palace.
Take the final match out of the equation – Chelsea at home – and City probably have the best run-in of the teams battling to avoid the drop. Clearly, there is plenty of spirit and belief among the players. They are buying into the way Solskjaer wants them to play and there is a consistency coming through, which you need in these times.
It’s a strange thing to say after losing a game 6-3 but the opportunity is there to do it. Three points at West Brom would be a fantastic place to start, but the consequences of defeat doesn’t bear thinking about.
Monday Mar 24th 2014
BY NATHAN BLAKE
The Bluebirds legend is cautiously optimistic as a run of season-defining fixtures is set to get underway
Welcome to the Premier League mini-season. It starts for Cardiff City at West Brom on Saturday.
After two titanic tussles against the Merseyside giants, this is where City’s fate – and the relegation issue – will be decided.
It was always going to be a huge test coming up against a team like Liverpool. City weren’t great but the Bluebirds will probably feel they did quite well considering the quality of the opposition.
Liverpool have scored 82 goals in the Premier League this season – a club record I’m told – and they have thumped the likes of Arsenal and Spurs and scored three at Manchester United only last week.
It’s a remarkable tally and they’ve just got so much firepower it’s frightening for teams coming up against them.
When I analyse the game I feel the Bluebirds can be satisfied with their attacking play, but defensively they might admit that some of the Liverpool goals could have been avoided for all the Reds’ offensive power.
If they had gone in at half time 2-1 ahead instead of being pegged back at 2-2 then City would have had a real chance of achieving an upset, but Martin Skrtel’s equaliser was a hurtful blow.
Liverpool can really hurt you, as Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge showed, but some of the defending from set-pieces was not good enough, be it with nine or 11 men. It must improve in the closing weeks of the season.
I’m sure most people will say Cardiff’s performance was reasonable and the result was to be expected. I predicted 1-1 on Blakey’s Boot Room last week, but I must admit that was more down to hope than anything else.
But now this seven-game season is about to start and the pressure is on. Big style.
City are at West Brom on Saturday and then entertain Crystal Palace the following weekend. Lose those two matches and it really will be mission impossible, but if they can come out with four, even maybe six, points then don’t rule out a real Harry Houdini act.
This may yet be a season when a team stays up with 32 points and I believe 34 will certainly be a decent tally to achieve.
Three wins would put City there and there is still a lot to play for, but it’s going to take a huge effort from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players to do that.
One defeat could send City spiralling into even deeper trouble, while a couple of wins would really lift optimism levels around the club. City haven’t managed back-to-back wins all season but relegation battles often tend to throw up odd results.
Looking at the Liverpool game most people leaving the stadium at the end of an extraordinary 90 minutes were in awe of the title chasers’ attacking qualities. They were talking about Luis Suarez and his hat-trick, rather then looking at the defensive ineptitude shown at times by Cardiff.
Young Declan John, for instance, was caught out by a ball played inside him for the first equaliser.
I have an awful lot of time for Declan and he is a fantastic talent, but his positional play is culpable at times and you can’t afford this when every point is precious.
Liverpool kept attacking down their right because they sensed a weakness and went for it, Suarez’s first goal was evidence of that.
Cardiff played five at the back and when you have three central defenders no team should be able to find space inside a full-back. It’s a back five, not three plus two, and there should not be gaps anywhere.
Both full-backs have had problems since January and Solskjaer’s arrival, I’ve counted six or seven goals conceded from passes played inside the full-back and it’s not good enough.
Cardiff must make sure things are tight at the back because you’re not going to score three every game.
Defending set-pieces and making sure full-backs are alert to that ball played inside them are two of the priorities right now. Fail to address that and relegation looms.
The Bluebirds have seven matches left now and there is no question in my mind they have a chance of surviving.
The last four matches has seen the Bluebirds play better, they pushed Spurs, beat Fulham and had a right good go at Everton and Liverpool.
It was heartening to see Jordon Mutch score twice and Fraizer Campbell take his tally for the season to nine, it showed once again that there are goals in this City team.
So if City can work on their defensive frailties and become more consistent in those areas, they have every chance of picking up points from those crunch games against West Brom and Palace.
Take the final match out of the equation – Chelsea at home – and City probably have the best run-in of the teams battling to avoid the drop. Clearly, there is plenty of spirit and belief among the players. They are buying into the way Solskjaer wants them to play and there is a consistency coming through, which you need in these times.
It’s a strange thing to say after losing a game 6-3 but the opportunity is there to do it. Three points at West Brom would be a fantastic place to start, but the consequences of defeat doesn’t bear thinking about.
Re: ' Tighten up defence and get 9 more points '
Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:03 pm
Cala & Caulker were terrible all game.
I appreciate Sturrigde & Suarez are world class but some of the defending was woeful.
On the other hand, City not helped by 2 of their goals coming from fouls, and criminally leaving a post wide open at a corner, 8 men or not.
Our defence is the 2nd worse in the league after Fulham.
Get Turner in for WBA. I cannot believe I have typed that after his terrible display at swansea.
I appreciate Sturrigde & Suarez are world class but some of the defending was woeful.
On the other hand, City not helped by 2 of their goals coming from fouls, and criminally leaving a post wide open at a corner, 8 men or not.
Our defence is the 2nd worse in the league after Fulham.
Get Turner in for WBA. I cannot believe I have typed that after his terrible display at swansea.
Re: ' Tighten up defence and get 9 more points '
Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:57 pm
Excellant football article. My view of cardiffs problem as well. 
Re: ' Tighten up defence and get 9 more points '
Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:23 pm
Declan and Fabio have been caught by balls inside the fullback on a few occasions recently. Surely they must be aware of this threat and with three central defenders surely the one closest to the flank the attack is coming down should also be on the alert with a view to helping out. Also, throughout this season we have seen on numerous occasions balls played across the six yard box and our defenders have allowed opposition forwards to get goal side of them by at least a couple of yards for easy finishes. Concentration and greater awareness of danger is definitely needed in the next 7 games. If our defenders can do their jobs properly I feel we have enough goals in us to stay up. 
Re: ' Tighten up defence and get 9 more points '
Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:13 pm
moonboots wrote:Declan and Fabio have been caught by balls inside the fullback on a few occasions recently. Surely they must be aware of this threat and with three central defenders surely the one closest to the flank the attack is coming down should also be on the alert with a view to helping out. Also, throughout this season we have seen on numerous occasions balls played across the six yard box and our defenders have allowed opposition forwards to get goal side of them by at least a couple of yards for easy finishes. Concentration and greater awareness of danger is definitely needed in the next 7 games. If our defenders can do their jobs properly I feel we have enough goals in us to stay up.
Agree
Re: ' Tighten up defence and get 9 more points '
Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:32 am
moonboots wrote:Declan and Fabio have been caught by balls inside the fullback on a few occasions recently. Surely they must be aware of this threat and with three central defenders surely the one closest to the flank the attack is coming down should also be on the alert with a view to helping out. Also, throughout this season we have seen on numerous occasions balls played across the six yard box and our defenders have allowed opposition forwards to get goal side of them by at least a couple of yards for easy finishes. Concentration and greater awareness of danger is definitely needed in the next 7 games. If our defenders can do their jobs properly I feel we have enough goals in us to stay up.
I agree.
I would also add that concentration is not just a defence issue. Several recent goals could have been prevented at an earlier stage in the play. Had the whole team been more alert to the danger, the first two Liverpool goals would have been snuffed out easily.