Championship Rubbish/Turner/Macheda/Le Fondre/Fabio/Slade

By Steve Tucker

Sunday 9th Nov 2014


THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS RUBBISH
OK, Cardiff did not have that great a time in the Premier League last season, but the drop to the Championship feels like a return to the Stone Age.

To be honest the word that best describes the Bluebirds’ clash at Birmingham is depressing.

Battling point and all that aside, for the most part this encounter looked like two deeply average teams locked in a battle to work out which one was slightly less mediocre than the other.

Truly one struggles to recall one moment of class or quality throughout the whole 90 minutes at St Andrew’s. But it’s not just Cardiff and Birmingham, the whole of the Championship, from top to bottom this season, is deeply average.




BEN TURNER THE COLOSSUS
Big Ben was back and straight away you realised what the Bluebirds had been lacking in the heart of their defence. The centre-half has his critics and in the top-flight last year Turner looked out of his depth although so did most of his teammates too.

But in the Championship Turner is just perfect. Big, strong, with not too many delusions of grandeur and a bravery that means the guy will stick his head in where most fear to stick their boot, you basically look up ‘good, honest defender’ in the dictionary and there is a picture of Turner there.




WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MACHEDA AND LE FONDRE
Under Russell Slade, Macheda and Le Fondre have been the preferred pairing up front and as the wins have rolled in at home and Macheda in particular has been banging the goals in at the Cardiff City Stadium then things have been fine and dandy, But away from home now there surely needs to be some kind of rethink.

The reason the Bluebirds are not winning at places like St Andrew’s is because their strikers aren’t burying very good chances when they have them. Against the Blues, Cardiff had the two best opportunities probably of the entire game. But when put through both Macheda and Le Fondre fluffed their lines and allowed home goalkeeper Darren Randolph to make the saves.





TO FABIO OR NOT TO FABIO?
Actual decisions about changes of personnel have been thin on the ground from Slade during his short time at Cardiff so far. Slade likes to stick with the same team with only injuries seeming to force his hand, but the manager stepped in to alter his defence after the 3-0 mauling at Bolton.

Fabio proved the fall guy with Slade suddenly noticing what many had seen for a while, namely that for a defender the Brazilian was not that keen on defending.

In came the ever reliable Matthew Connolly on the right with John Brayford switching to the Fabio-shaped hole at right-back. What can you say? It was brave from Slade and more than that, it worked. But what to do now? Play Fabio at home and not away?



SLADE’S END OF MONTH REPORT? COULD DO BETTER

A month in the job, six games done and it has been a strange introduction to life at the club for Slade. At home the record reads a perfect three out of three, but on the road, this point at Birmingham was Slade’s first out of the nine on offer to him so far.

It is a paradox and no doubt one the Cardiff boss has given a lot of thought to himself without quite putting his finger on the reason his side get so travel sick. But you would have to say under Slade in general the Bluebirds look a better, sleeker and more consistent unit now than they did before he arrived.

Don't usually agree with this guy but that was actually a good article and total sense

Disagree with the Fabio decision. He's been our best player so far this season and yes he likes to attack but we were playing Birmingham not Derby.
It's going to be a long hard season waiting for Slade to learn his trade at this level.

Fucking-Hell. And to think he gets paid for this? If you are seeking enlightened and considered insight from Steve Tucker, then I would suggest you stand a better chance of obtaining it by shitting into a carrier bag and placing it over your head. And if he continues to crawl any further up Blakey's arse, he will have to be surgically removed. Guffington Post.

I believe Fabio has worked like hell and ok he has made a mistake or two but show me a play that can play for 90mins without making a mistake. Last year I didn't think much of Fabio ,but he has won me over with his commitment and even won headers going up against guy that tower over him.

The first few words of the first paragraph I find amusing.." The Championship is rubbish", " a return to the stone age".
Certain people were and as far as I know still crave the good old days of league 1 etc etc as last season apparently there was a mass invasion of plastic looking people masquerading as football fans at our stadium, a return to the dungeon leagues they claim would soon separate the plastics from the true and loyal version.
The Championship thus far has been shite entertainment, Christ knows what League 1 etc would serve up. But there you go you pays yu money blah blah blah.

What a complete tw*t. Naive to think full backs are there to defend, games moved on and most fullbacks are not the best defensively these days, either they are good at one or the other.. don't find many who are quality at both but Fabio I believe is.

Let's remember who was the only guy committed to clearing Stevie May's shot off the line...