City have better players in the Reserves than Slades Firsts

Cardiff City have better players in reserve than in Russell Slade's first XI...Mats Daehli, Ravel Morrison and Javi Guerra

by Scott Johnson
Media Wales

Wednesday Nov 13, 2014

Cardiff City columnist Scott Johnson argues manager Slade must adapt his tactics and personnel for the Bluebirds to flourish.

Javi Guerra, Ravel Morrison and Mats Daehli could all get in the Cardiff City team

Do Cardiff City have better players in reserve?

After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tombola approach to team selection, Russell Slade’s more conservative, settled, old school 4-4-2 approach has been welcome on and off the pitch.

However, the concern is that there is a danger of it becoming a strait jacket.

Slade’s system has been very effective at home, but the demands of your typical Championship away fixture require a very different approach.

There is no one-size-fits-everything solution to the home and away challenges, they’re chalk and cheese propositions. Yet Cardiff continue to plug away in the same vein, without a win on the road this season and without a goal in their last four trips.

A 4-4-2 formation has created a solidity that was previously lacking, but whether it actually plays to Cardiff’s strengths is another matter.


Fortunately, Cardiff have a huge squad and in many respects, a solution to pretty much every conceivable problem is at hand.

Against Birmingham, Cardiff were resolute in defence, but the midfield and strikers were largely underwhelming. The solution to this problem is glaringly obvious to everyone except Russell Slade.

Mats Moller Daehli would bring pace, creativity and enthusiasm in the opposition half, vital components if you are to triumph on your travels.

Unfortunately, he can’t even get near the bench at present. The club claim that he is hampered by a hip injury, but he played almost an hour of Norway’s friendly defeat against Estonia on Wednesday and is set to start against Azerbaijan at the weekend.


If they’re in need of a little bit of ‘X-Factor’ they can also utilise Ravel Morrison, who offers less work ethic than Daehli but more razzamataz.

His arrival on the pitch will always give the team a lift and put the opposition on the back foot, a rare quality that Slade should utilise while he is at the club.

Kim Bo-Kyung offers a happy medium between Daehli and Morrison, but has lost his place after a listless performance against Bournemouth.

Caretaker Scott Young hauled off Kim and Javi Guerra in the first half, but in truth it could have been anyone. Young’s presence as Slade’s assistant may prove to be detrimental to their future opportunities, but each are too good to completely disregard. Especially Guerra.

In theory, Guerra is the best striker at the club. In his far too brief cameos, he has demonstrated the technique and intelligence that would set him apart at this level.

Unfortunately, he does not appear to be in Slade’s plans due to a lack of application. If Guerra is demoralised, it is hardly surprising.

This is not exactly what he signed up for and it is Slade’s job to inspire and get the best from his players. With too many players at the club, it would appear that this will instead be used as a reason to move him on.


Juan Cala, Magnus Wolff Eikrem and Guido Burgstaller find themselves in a similar predicament, having moved abroad to link up with Cardiff and found themselves promptly cast aside.

Each are good players in their own right and could reasonably claim that they are as good as the players that are currently picked ahead of them, but none of them are likely to get the opportunity to prove it to their new manager.

Adam Le Fondre and Federico Macheda are automatic choices up front home and away, but their recent form should not have exactly justified their places.

Le Fondre’s selfless running is a key component, but Nicky Maynard could perform a similar function and may prove more clinical in front of goal.

Macheda has upstaged his team-mate in terms of goals, but these strikes have sometimes masked rather average performances and space must surely be found for Kenwyne Jones in the foreseeable future.


Jones is Cardiff’s top scorer and offers a physical outlet that has been sorely missed up front in recent away games. I would like to see him paired with Guerra, but twinned with Daehli or Morrison would also be an exciting prospect.

When you also factor in Ben Turner and Matthew Connolly, who have been on the periphery, you have to ask whether Cardiff have better players in reserve than they do amongst their current first-choice.

With players sat in the stands that would be key performers at any other team in the league, Cardiff possess an abundance of riches and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeared paralysed by the variables at times.

Clearly they have too many options and they could afford to lose at least half a dozen players, but hopefully it will be the right players that depart.

Fail that, maybe Cardiff could register a ‘B’ team and see if they can fare any better.

I did a post on exactly that point a few days back. The reserve team could beat the first team!

Slade his ignoring quality players.

I did a post on exactly that point a few days back. The reserve team could beat the first team!

Slade his ignoring quality players.

Exactly my feelings, Something not right? ? ?

You have to ask if Slade is being told who to pick & what players we need to offload.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the January transfer window or is this the first signs of the club going backwards?

A lot of posters on this board seem to really have got it in for Slade already. What happened to the "I'll give him 12 games approach"?

And - surprise, surprise - its being turned into an anti-Tan topic too!

I won't give up this board because I see myself as a moderate voice of reason, and I'm pretty thick skinned so I can take the occasional abuse, but some of you really piss me off!


Rant over.

I'd like to say I'll leave it alone until the day before the Reading game but I won't make promises I can't keep!

A lot of posters on this board seem to really have got it in for Slade already. What happened to the "I'll give him 12 games approach"?

And - surprise, surprise - its being turned into an anti-Tan topic too!

I won't give up this board because I see myself as a moderate voice of reason, and I'm pretty thick skinned so I can take the occasional abuse, but some of you really piss me off!


Rant over.

I'd like to say I'll leave it alone until the day before the Reading game but I won't make promises I can't keep!

Def no abuse/opinions only


Would u like a Moderators job ?



I will personally judge Slade after 12 games

I did a post on exactly that point a few days back. The reserve team could beat the first team!

Slade his ignoring quality players.

Exactly my feelings, Something not right? ? ?

annis how many games since we won away in league????? 20 odd!!!!!

I did a post on exactly that point a few days back. The reserve team could beat the first team!

Slade his ignoring quality players.

Exactly my feelings, Something not right? ? ?

annis how many games since we won away in league????? 20 odd!!!!!

should have said any away game?

You have to ask if Slade is being told who to pick & what players we need to offload.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the January transfer window or is this the first signs of the club going backwards?

I don't know. But I know there were bundesliga scouts at blackpool travelled up there to see Daehli. That night he was dropped for the first time. I think that was the first time slade traveled with the team?
the scouts were very disappointed.
If slade or tan wants to sell Daehli for a big fee they better start giving him a chance to show what he is worth. Or else some club will get a bargain buy.

A lot of posters on this board seem to really have got it in for Slade already. What happened to the "I'll give him 12 games approach"?

And - surprise, surprise - its being turned into an anti-Tan topic too!

I won't give up this board because I see myself as a moderate voice of reason, and I'm pretty thick skinned so I can take the occasional abuse, but some of you really piss me off!


Rant over.

I'd like to say I'll leave it alone until the day before the Reading game but I won't make promises I can't keep!

Your completely wrong, people ARE giving Slade a chance be it 12 games or the season.
He's getting discussed on here because it's a forum that discusses football

He's made a lot of decisions & leaves a few of our best & most talented footballers not only off the bench but not even in the squad half the time so it's pretty obvious even to a blind man that he's going to take some stick for it.

As for Tan, it's no surprise as he's slowly ruining my club.

I'm supporting Slade as he's the football manager of my club but I'm not convinced he's the right man for it. I know one thing - to be successful, you need to play & keep your best players!!
Only time will tell.

I think Slades first 11 will find it challenging enough to beat this team Free flowing attacking, but perhaps a weaker back 4.

Team 2.png

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why the clamour for Guerra?

A lot of posters on this board seem to really have got it in for Slade already. What happened to the "I'll give him 12 games approach"?

And - surprise, surprise - its being turned into an anti-Tan topic too!

I won't give up this board because I see myself as a moderate voice of reason, and I'm pretty thick skinned so I can take the occasional abuse, but some of you really piss me off!


Rant over.

I'd like to say I'll leave it alone until the day before the Reading game but I won't make promises I can't keep!

I dont want to give him 12 games, I dont like him, dont like the way he manages the squad or speaks. The way he is forcing out anyone who isnt a work horse. The way he sets up his bench (ill say not more on that). I hope he is successful but nothing so far suggests to me he is the right man for this club or good enough at this level.

A lot of posters on this board seem to really have got it in for Slade already. What happened to the "I'll give him 12 games approach"?

And - surprise, surprise - its being turned into an anti-Tan topic too!

I won't give up this board because I see myself as a moderate voice of reason, and I'm pretty thick skinned so I can take the occasional abuse, but some of you really piss me off!


Rant over.

I'd like to say I'll leave it alone until the day before the Reading game but I won't make promises I can't keep!

I dont want to give him 12 games, I dont like him, dont like the way he manages the squad or speaks. The way he is forcing out anyone who isnt a work horse. The way he sets up his bench (ill say not more on that). I hope he is successful but nothing so far suggests to me he is the right man for this club or good enough at this level.

Unfortunately, workhorses are needed to get you promoted at this level, as when we got promoted 2 years ago.

A lot of posters on this board seem to really have got it in for Slade already. What happened to the "I'll give him 12 games approach"?

And - surprise, surprise - its being turned into an anti-Tan topic too!

I won't give up this board because I see myself as a moderate voice of reason, and I'm pretty thick skinned so I can take the occasional abuse, but some of you really piss me off!


Rant over.

I'd like to say I'll leave it alone until the day before the Reading game but I won't make promises I can't keep!

I dont want to give him 12 games, I dont like him, dont like the way he manages the squad or speaks. The way he is forcing out anyone who isnt a work horse. The way he sets up his bench (ill say not more on that). I hope he is successful but nothing so far suggests to me he is the right man for this club or good enough at this level.

Unfortunately, workhorses are needed to get you promoted at this level, as when we got promoted 2 years ago.

We certainly do exactly like Malkys team 2yrs ago

I am not judging slade already as 1 its too early and 2... 10pts from 18 is not drastic and 100%home record. Here's the but, but I am judging him on his personnel that can't get out of the team. I am in favour of keeping a winning team but when we lost to Millwall etc and draw with brum there were no options to change anything and having a go about that is not judging him just not understanding his reasons for having 3cbs etc

I think Slades first 11 will find it challenging enough to beat this team Free flowing is farttacking, but perhaps a weaker back 4.

Team 2.png

Good point. I think the first team's back 5 is much stronger but midfield and attack (with the exception of Gunnarsson and Noone) is better quality in the second 11!