' City players Not delivering and dont justify selection '

Hmmm???

Cardiff City's flair players are not delivering and don't justify selection Says Paul Evans
Nov 18, 2014 12:43

Cardiff City fans' columnist Paul Evans asks what the flair players at the Bluebirds have actually contributed this season when given a chance


Mats Daehli could be leaving Cardiff

The first thing I should say is that I’m throwing this out for debate a little here.

But, that said, in the wake of of the recent comment about the lack of “flair” players in Cardiff City’s team, I have to ask what have the likes of Mats Daehli, Ravel Morrison and Kim Bo-Kyung have done to justify first team selection this season?

With talk of a meeting between Russell Slade and Daehli’s agent being arranged to thrash out whether the player has a future at the club, reports emerging that Morrison’s loan deal may be cut short and Kimbo not having played a minute of league football this season, the possibility that the three midfield players many regard as the most skillful and creative we have will not be at Cardiff after January’s transfer window is a real one.

On one level, this is astonishing and deplorable. How could a Championship side contemplate getting rid of players who looked at home in the Premier League at various times last season and, respectively, are seen as Norway’s great young hope, one of the most naturally talented English players around and the man who was chosen by South Korean legend Park Ji Sung as his natural successor in the national team?

However, if you were to ask what these three players, who each have the talent and flair to be major performers at this level, have done to justify a future at Cardiff in the last few months, the answer has to be “not a lot”.



Daehli has had the most opportunities and has delivered assists against Huddersfield and Fulham, but, even his mentor Ole Gunnar Solskjær was leaving him out at times as he failed to make the impact expected of him at this level.

Morrison has had fewer chances, but, after a fine 30 minutes on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday, he has been pretty anonymous since then.

City have scored one goal (our third against Leeds) in the 200-plus minutes Morrison have been on the pitch for us... and he had nothing to do with it.

Kimbo has only played in the League Cup and was so bad in the loss to Bournemouth that he was, rightly in my view, withdrawn after just over half an hour.


Russell Slade would make himself popular with many City fans if he chose one or two of these players in the team for Friday’s game with Reading, but, if he did, he would have to be selecting on reputation rather than form.

I can almost hear every one of the “that’s what’s happening with Adam LeFondre” comments as I type that sentence and I will admit that it seems to me our manager is leaving himself wide open to such a charge by showing such confidence in our non-scoring striker.

However I daresay Le Fondre owes his place to the work he is perceived to be putting in for the team, whereas others currently out of the side are viewed as not doing enough on that score.



Speaking as someone who has argued that he should be left out of the team, I have to admit that the flair player who has done the most to justify selection this season has been the much criticised Peter Whittingham.

With four goals and, I make it, the same number of assists in league games, Whitts has contributed more than Daehli and Morrison combined and, Kenwyne Jones apart, they are better figures than any of his team-mates can boast.


However, with more than a third of the campaign gone, they are not outstanding by his standards and they tend to lend credence to the theory that our creative players are the ones letting the side down so far this season.

Besides those already at the club, City have brought in eight new midfield players and strikers since the summer and four more were signed by Ole last January.

This transfer activity has resulted in us having only the 14th best goalscoring record in the Championship.

Too few of our so-called flair players are stepping up to the plate and doing enough to merit a starting place.

I think the trouble with the so called flair playersis that they are not getting enough game time. Ravel has looke better than anything we have when he comes on but it's always difficult to get up to the pace of a game when you only get the last 15 mins....
Our 2 strikers that Slade keeps picking are just big good enough or at least are not producing the goods. Le F and Mac have had numerous chances this season and not only failed to score but on most occasions have even failed to hit the target. Work rate alone is not a good enough reason to keep getting picked.
Daehli, I'm sure would produce more if he got more game time. I think Slade has picked his team and is reluctant to change.

Yep
I think it's unfair to question their contribution when they haven't even been given a whiff of a chance.

I don't care how good you are you aren't going to set the world alight in the odd 20 minutes. They need a few starts to play themselves into form.

You've got to question the contribution of our current starters first. What has Noone, Pilkington and Le Fondre done, even though they are regular starters.

For me Daelhi and Ravel have more skill, flair and in Daelhi's case energy than any of those three.

Yep
I think it's unfair to question their contribution when they haven't even been given a whiff of a chance.

I don't care how good you are you aren't going to set the world alight in the odd 20 minutes. They need a few starts to play themselves into form.

You've got to question the contribution of our current starters first. What has Noone, Pilkington and Le Fondre done, even though they are regular starters.

For me Daelhi and Ravel have more skill, flair and in Daelhi's case energy than any of those three.

Excellent reply

I think the trouble with the so called flair playersis that they are not getting enough game time. Ravel has looke better than anything we have when he comes on but it's always difficult to get up to the pace of a game when you only get the last 15 mins....
Our 2 strikers that Slade keeps picking are just big good enough or at least are not producing the goods. Le F and Mac have had numerous chances this season and not only failed to score but on most occasions have even failed to hit the target. Work rate alone is not a good enough reason to keep getting picked.
Daehli, I'm sure would produce more if he got more game time. I think Slade has picked his team and is reluctant to change.

They need games,that will answer everything

Yep
I think it's unfair to question their contribution when they haven't even been given a whiff of a chance.

I don't care how good you are you aren't going to set the world alight in the odd 20 minutes. They need a few starts to play themselves into form.

You've got to question the contribution of our current starters first. What has Noone, Pilkington and Le Fondre done, even though they are regular starters.

For me Daelhi and Ravel have more skill, flair and in Daelhi's case energy than any of those three.

Totally agree it can take substitutes a good 10mins to get into the game so how can they be knocked for that

But which do you pick? To put all 3 in against Reading is one heck of a gamble. Its as if some people want Slade to fail, no matter what.

Pilkington works hard at his defensive duties, and Le Fondre has looked a much better player since Slade arrived. Noone has been very quiet and I wouldn't mind a swap for Daehli. Other than that I don't see the point of changing anything.

A solid defence and a team ethic is what will get us promoted. Our promotion 2 years ago was based on solid graft and organisation, not "flair" players. Remember, our leading League scorer that year was Helgusson with 8!

After complaining about a manager with a Tinkerman attitude, now people are complaining that this one is too inflexible!

The joys of being a football fan!

I'd rather see Noone and Pilkington on the wings than Daehli at the moment. Everyone bangs on about the odd game for Norway, but before OGS left he spent nearly the whole of the time on the wing and was generally ineffective.

If I would were to play Daehli, it would be behind the main striker and drop Le Fondre.

Problem is, we have Ravel Morrison, who I believe is a better player than Daehli, ready to play in that position too.

The fact that Daehli cannot even get on the bench, is ludicrous though - especially when we have 3 CBs on the bench at one point!

I strongly doubt that the best player in Norway aint good enough for this team.
Cardiff City, You aint that great!

I give f**k all about Cardiff but destroying a talent like Mats is a ... well!!! nuff said!

Best thing about this is that Mats is either in PL or Bundesliga by January.

This said; I feel sorry 4 You fans. The "right" owner can ruin a great club. Am afraid ur doing a Wolves here.

A silly article just to fill press space. How can Paul Evans question the flair players if they have not been given a proper chance to show what they are made of, particularly Ravel Morrison & Guerra. Neither has started a league game!

How does he expect them to show what they can do. There is two different things in what you do in training & what you do in a match particularly if the managers perception has been some how distorted/influenced by others. Guerra & Morrison were both outstanding in their first league appearances. when both got about 20 mins game time. A class above everyone else on the pitch.

Daehli has had a chance but not under Slade. I think that it is very disappointing and a flaw of the new manager not to go into a new club and give EVERYONE a fair crap of the whip. We need a bit of flair in the team to open up tight defences.

I cannot see how a reporter can question the flair players when they have not had a chance!

I'd rather see Noone and Pilkington on the wings than Daehli at the moment. Everyone bangs on about the odd game for Norway, but before OGS left he spent nearly the whole of the time on the wing and was generally ineffective.

If I would were to play Daehli, it would be behind the main striker and drop Le Fondre.

Problem is, we have Ravel Morrison, who I believe is a better player than Daehli, ready to play in that position too.

The fact that Daehli cannot even get on the bench, is ludicrous though - especially when we have 3 CBs on the bench at one point!

Not sure you can argue against Daelhi by saying he hasn't impressed on the wing. That's where he played almost all his football for us last season and he had most of our fans giving out comments like "he'll tear up the Championship" and "he'll be the player to lead us back to the Premier league".

Those comments didn't come because he looked or played crap. I'd lose all sense of faith if we let him go in January without giving him another go.

I also don't think we should be playing him anywhere other than in his favoured left wing position. If it's good enough for his country why not Cardiff City. After all replacing either of our current wide players will hardly weaken us much.

Last edited by Skewett on Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A silly article just to fill press space. How can Paul Evans question the flair players if they have not been given a proper chance to show what they are made of, particularly Ravel Morrison & Guerra. Neither has started a league game!

How does he expect them to show what they can do. There is two different things in what you do in training & what you do in a match particularly if the managers perception has been some how distorted/influenced by others. Guerra & Morrison were both outstanding in their first league appearances. when both got about 20 mins game time. A class above everyone else on the pitch.

Daehli has had a chance but not under Slade. I think that it is very disappointing and a flaw of the new manager not to go into a new club and give EVERYONE a fair crap of the whip. We need a bit of flair in the team to open up tight defences.

I cannot see how a reporter can question the flair players when they have not had a chance!

Absolutely agree.
You need a blend of both types of players in a successful team & Slade, at the moment, doesn't seem to grasp this.
Noone has done very little but keeps getting picked.
I hated the constant tinkering of OGS but all this team needs is one or two changes to find the right blend.

I know lets ask FIFA if Cardiff City can get dispensation to play 15 men in the team to give them time on the pitch.

Noone Back from injury - needs game time as some thought he should be in the England team
Pilkington - New to the club, late pre season, needs game time to adapt to our club
Guerra - Big reputation in a superior league, had injuries in the off season -needs game time
Morrison - Future England player, unfit and injured when he came, needs game time
Daehli - Some nice touches in the premier league, going to set the world alight,needs game time
Macheda - Scored that wonder goal against villa when a kid, done FA since, but he did come from united so needs game time
Maynard - Looked sharp for 3 mins against Brum but needs game time
Jones - Hasn't started since Slade got here (i think) needs game time


This is not semi pro's, these guys don't do 40 hours then play. If you don't do it in the daily training sessions or dev games why should you get a prime spot.

Matts may be playing himself back into form, kids can find it hard to adapt to a less technical more committed league ....

I think like most people above they have not had a run of games. Sorry but pilks or noone hasn't done much either.
And don't get me started on the forwards.
Macheda is a lazy b*stard who looks unfit,If slade can tolerate his lack of work ethic/fitness then why not ravel or guerra or matts? Matts in fact looks a lot fitter and more energetic than macheda ever did.

Can't knock lefondres work ethic but he looks like a man that doesn't know where the goal is if it bit him in the ass.

Ravel should be starting instead of one of those two.
And instead of trying to knock matts performances for Norway people should be asking why is he so good for them? How can we utilise his talent for cardiff.
I just read that in 4 games for Norway he has 1 goal, 2 assists and was mom twice. So clearly they know how to play him. And we don't.

I know lets ask FIFA if Cardiff City can get dispensation to play 15 men in the team to give them time on the pitch.

Noone Back from injury - needs game time as some thought he should be in the England team
Pilkington - New to the club, late pre season, needs game time to adapt to our club
Guerra - Big reputation in a superior league, had injuries in the off season -needs game time
Morrison - Future England player, unfit and injured when he came, needs game time
Daehli - Some nice touches in the premier league, going to set the world alight,needs game time
Macheda - Scored that wonder goal against villa when a kid, done FA since, but he did come from united so needs game time
Maynard - Looked sharp for 3 mins against Brum but needs game time
Jones - Hasn't started since Slade got here (i think) needs game time


This is not semi pro's, these guys don't do 40 hours then play. If you don't do it in the daily training sessions or dev games why should you get a prime spot.

Matts may be playing himself back into form, kids can find it hard to adapt to a less technical more committed league ....

But Matts has done it in a DVP game. I watched one just a few weeks ago when Matts played just the first half and totally dominated the game. He was all over the pitch, spraying passes forward to both wings, beating players with pace, dribbling with opponents unable to get near him and generally working really hard.

I thought he was a shoe in for a Saturday start...... not even in the squad!

Whatever you think, training may be the main way to impress the Manager but it certainly ain't a reflection of matchday capabilities. I've played for loads of teams where players show well in training yet can't do the stuff on a Saturday. Could it be that Noone and Pilks run around loads in training, calling for everything and falsely catching the managers eye, whilst the unasuming Daelhi just trains consistently well. We've already heard Slade say they were a quiet bunch when he arrived. So has he gone for the mouthiest in a mistaken belief that they are his best players.

How often have these players played in their proper positions ? Not once! And how long have any of them had on the pitch? Not a lot!