THE CARDIFF CITY DEBRIEF - SADNESS & BRIGHTER FUTURE
Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:27 am
The Cardiff City debrief: A feeling of sadness, a new approach and the hope of a brighter future.
By Steve Tucker
Sat 3rd Jan 2015
HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE, EMPTY SEATS!
It turned out to be a reasonably entertaining game in the end and a good win for Russell Slade’s men, but it was witnessed by a pitifully small crowd in the stands.
It was the lowest attendance since the Cardiff City Stadium opened in 2009 with just 4,194 there. The previous low was in the League Cup against Dagenham & Redbridge four years ago when 5,545 turned up.
A lot of fans boycotted the game to protest against owner Vincent Tan’s rebranding of the home shirts from blue to red and many others probably just chose to stay in the warm, totally disillusioned by what has been happening at their club. The atmosphere was awful and the ultimate feeling was simply one of sadness.
WHAT IF IT’S CHELSEA IN THE NEXT ROUND?
The cynics might suggest this was quite an easy game to boycott, though. The tickets were reduced, but season-ticket holders would still have had to shell out straight after Christmas.
It was a chilly night and the game was on TV. And, of course, Colchester, struggling right now in League One, are hardly the most attractive of opponents. The Bluebirds are in the fourth-round draw now and who knows who they might get. One thing is for certain, if it is Chelsea at home or Manchester United or any of the big teams you do wonder if there would be another boycott.
Cardiff City fans are an honest bunch, a resilient group too, but football fans are football fans in the end and the chance to see your side tested against the very best can be too tempting to turn down at times.
NO 4-4-2? I DON’T BELIEVE IT
After you had got over the sight of the empty stands the next thing that surprised you was Slade’s team selection. The main criticism levelled at the Bluebirds boss is that he is far to wedded to the 4-4-2 system, that his reading of the game is too simplistic.
Here though he almost dispensed with his favoured system and had a five-man midfield. We say almost because Peter Whittingham was started in quite an advanced position, just behind ‘lone striker’ Federico Macheda. That was not totally successful, but many will say that this is perhaps an indication that Slade is more flexible than many people might imagine.
MOORE IS NOT LESS
Simon Moore has perhaps the most thankless job at the club, deputising for captain and top goalkeeper David Marshall. Moore got the start here and whilst he will find himself back on the bench when the Championship rolls back into town, the stand-in did at least show he does have some real quality about him.
Moore looked solid throughout, with no mistakes, and pulled off one brilliant save that Marshall himself would have been proud of. Cardiff had just taken the lead through Joe Ralls when Moore stopped Gavin Massey’s goal-bound shot. It was a quite brilliant save, low down to the right with a strong hand and it crucially denied the U’s a route back into the game.
MOMENTUM, MOMENTUM, MOMENTUM!
OK, it was ‘only’ the FA Cup and Slade rested quite a few first-teamers, but they say winning is a habit and this was a decent victory for the Bluebirds.
It has to be used as some sort of spring-board to move them forward now into their Championship campaign. That has been stuttering to say the least of late with way too many goals being conceded and no win in five outings. The Bluebirds are in danger of falling away from the play-off places completely if they are not careful.
They have a very tough January ahead of them too. By the end of this month they could be out of the picture all together if their recent league form continues. This victory must give Slade and his men some heart moving forward.
By Steve Tucker
Sat 3rd Jan 2015
HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE, EMPTY SEATS!
It turned out to be a reasonably entertaining game in the end and a good win for Russell Slade’s men, but it was witnessed by a pitifully small crowd in the stands.
It was the lowest attendance since the Cardiff City Stadium opened in 2009 with just 4,194 there. The previous low was in the League Cup against Dagenham & Redbridge four years ago when 5,545 turned up.
A lot of fans boycotted the game to protest against owner Vincent Tan’s rebranding of the home shirts from blue to red and many others probably just chose to stay in the warm, totally disillusioned by what has been happening at their club. The atmosphere was awful and the ultimate feeling was simply one of sadness.
WHAT IF IT’S CHELSEA IN THE NEXT ROUND?
The cynics might suggest this was quite an easy game to boycott, though. The tickets were reduced, but season-ticket holders would still have had to shell out straight after Christmas.
It was a chilly night and the game was on TV. And, of course, Colchester, struggling right now in League One, are hardly the most attractive of opponents. The Bluebirds are in the fourth-round draw now and who knows who they might get. One thing is for certain, if it is Chelsea at home or Manchester United or any of the big teams you do wonder if there would be another boycott.
Cardiff City fans are an honest bunch, a resilient group too, but football fans are football fans in the end and the chance to see your side tested against the very best can be too tempting to turn down at times.
NO 4-4-2? I DON’T BELIEVE IT
After you had got over the sight of the empty stands the next thing that surprised you was Slade’s team selection. The main criticism levelled at the Bluebirds boss is that he is far to wedded to the 4-4-2 system, that his reading of the game is too simplistic.
Here though he almost dispensed with his favoured system and had a five-man midfield. We say almost because Peter Whittingham was started in quite an advanced position, just behind ‘lone striker’ Federico Macheda. That was not totally successful, but many will say that this is perhaps an indication that Slade is more flexible than many people might imagine.
MOORE IS NOT LESS
Simon Moore has perhaps the most thankless job at the club, deputising for captain and top goalkeeper David Marshall. Moore got the start here and whilst he will find himself back on the bench when the Championship rolls back into town, the stand-in did at least show he does have some real quality about him.
Moore looked solid throughout, with no mistakes, and pulled off one brilliant save that Marshall himself would have been proud of. Cardiff had just taken the lead through Joe Ralls when Moore stopped Gavin Massey’s goal-bound shot. It was a quite brilliant save, low down to the right with a strong hand and it crucially denied the U’s a route back into the game.
MOMENTUM, MOMENTUM, MOMENTUM!
OK, it was ‘only’ the FA Cup and Slade rested quite a few first-teamers, but they say winning is a habit and this was a decent victory for the Bluebirds.
It has to be used as some sort of spring-board to move them forward now into their Championship campaign. That has been stuttering to say the least of late with way too many goals being conceded and no win in five outings. The Bluebirds are in danger of falling away from the play-off places completely if they are not careful.
They have a very tough January ahead of them too. By the end of this month they could be out of the picture all together if their recent league form continues. This victory must give Slade and his men some heart moving forward.
Re: THE CARDIFF CITY DEBRIEF - SADNESS & BRIGHTER FUTURE
Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:45 am
I hope it is Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal or Liverpool next and I promise you one thing Mr Tucker "I won't be there".
Get enough to follow suit against one of the big teams then that would send a message to Mr Tan.
Get enough to follow suit against one of the big teams then that would send a message to Mr Tan.
Re: THE CARDIFF CITY DEBRIEF - SADNESS & BRIGHTER FUTURE
Sat Jan 03, 2015 10:57 am
People would turn up though that's the trouble they want the cake and eat it when it suits yet moan about it the next.
Re: THE CARDIFF CITY DEBRIEF - SADNESS & BRIGHTER FUTURE
Sat Jan 03, 2015 2:24 pm
Bluebird1977 wrote:People would turn up though that's the trouble they want the cake and eat it when it suits yet moan about it the next.
Obviously some will go because they don't feel as strongly as others. Personally, i am not renewing so I won't whoever we draw
Re: THE CARDIFF CITY DEBRIEF - SADNESS & BRIGHTER FUTURE
Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:39 pm
I will not go to the next round's game. No matter who we are playing.