CARDIFF CITY NEED TO GET RID OF
Sun Feb 08, 2015 4:53 pm
Cardiff City need to ditch the diamond and four other things we learned from the Bluebirds' draw at Hillsborough.
Diamonds are not Cardiff's best friend, home is where the hope is and Kenwyne Jones must be given more game time.
CARDIFF HAVE DESIRE ...BUT NEED TO DITCH THE DIAMOND
Sunday 8th Feb 2015
A bit of fight was the least Cardiff City could do to show they have the guts to stop the slide, and they did show that with a real willingness to get something from this game.
It was reassuring to see, suggesting Russell Slade may be able to coax a spirit from this side that might make relegation fears prove unfounded.
But while there was an organisation of things to start and an okay counter ploy, things disintegrated badly as the game went on.
The incredible inability to hold onto the ball was present again. The instructions to hit it long (albeit nowhere near as much as Wednesday did) when trying to create came back to bite them when they were under pressure with players just hoofing in hope and then having to defend once again when the ball returns soon after.
Slade did recognise the latter but having admitted they looked a better balance side with a 4-2-3-1 last weekend, it seems ditching the diamond style four in midfield seems the only option.
Only once – for the seventh minute goal – did a full-back get forward to provide the missing width while Peter Whittingham and Stuart O’Keefe didn’t know their roles. Likewise, the full-backs had no midfield protection as Wednesday attacked down the wings time and time again.
Wednesday won the second period’s second balls and found more and more space as Cardiff completely lost their way, with the point and the lack of collapse from a confidence-hit side the positives at full-time.
It was a small step in the right direction but still more is needed. Fight is one thing but it’ll only get you so far and a bit more quality won’t go amiss against Brighton to say the least.
NOT SO GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The old saying is that points away bring promotion in May. For all the hope that this result may be a sign of Cardiff at least seeing the corner they need to turn around, no-one is talking promotion when it comes to this Bluebirds side.
Indeed, 15 points off Watford in sixth with 17 fixtures left to play suggests any talk of a late run and keeping hope alive is, frankly, nonsense. To underline that point, the Hornets have 50 points – Cardiff’s seasonal points per game form puts them on track for 56 when the final ball is kicked.
However, with survival suddenly becoming a far more realistic aim and relegation a far bigger fear than not bouncing back to the Premier League, it means expectations have suddenly dropped.
From drawing away at unimpressive Sheffield Wednesday being seen as an opportunity lost, Cardiff have been poor enough for it now to be considered a point gained.
It says much about how woeful they have been of late and how quickly things have changed at Cardiff City Stadium - but it might yet play into Slade’s hands.
It is no bad thing that Cardiff are trying to comply now with FFP and if that is behind much of the head-scratching turnover and transfer strategy switch then at least expectations have been lowered enough to give him time to try and steer through it and prove himself.
Whether there are enough signs that the direction he wants the side to go remains to be seen – and there surely has to be an improvement in the quality of football – but isn’t it easier to deliver when nobody is expecting much?
FRESH FACES, FRESH ENTHUSIASM
Conor McAlney and Eoin Doyle both made first starts after deadline day moves and both made a decent first fist of things.
Slade damned Doyle with faint praise when he described him as having not the cleverest of touch and not being able to hold the ball up well, but he did praise his hunger which did not go unnoticed alongside Kenwyne Jones. He snatched at his one big chance but his movement suggested a confidence from his goals a level below that Cardiff must hope lasts.
McAleny, playing behind the front two, really did impress as he added a great touch of pace to proceedings, playing a key role in the opening goal and was involved during Cardiff’s best spell in the opening 45 minutes. All on a pitch that would have been nothing like the surfaces at Everton’s training grounds. Slade said Cardiff would need to play more to feet to utilise his talent and there could be a much-needed spark for the side if they can do that.
HOME IS WHERE THE HOPE IS
Cardiff now have two big, big home games in front of them, fixtures that could go a long way to see if they can come through the recent mini-crisis.
Starting with Brighton on Tuesday, the Bluebirds then welcome Blackburn before back-to-back away trips to Huddersfield and Malky Mackay’s Wigan.
After this Hillsborough point that stopped the rot of four successive defeats in all competitions, it remains the case that Cardiff have managed to pick up just six points out of the last 30 on offer over the past two months.
A win and a draw at home will do much to alter the picture a little – and might yet give Slade the breathing space he’ll feel he deserves.
CAN YOU AFFORD TO DROP KENWYNE?
Slade axed his top scorer last week, hinting at a lack of work rate for choosing Alex Revell over him for the defeat to Derby. Yet when pressed before this game what Jones needed to do, or improve upon, to keep his place Slade opted to keep his thoughts private.
That’s his prerogative but if he does want more from the Trinidadian in terms of his all round game, perhaps it’s best he spells it out because it’s hard to see how this can afford to be without a player who made it 11 Championship goals for the season with his early header.
His efforts make up for 30% of the team’s 37 goal total – and from a relatively low amount of game time too with only two players bettering his goals per minute ratio; the 30-year-old takes only 134 minutes to find the net and only Ipswich’s 18-goal striker Daryl Murphy and Watford youngster Odion Ighalo (who hit four in one game) average more.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... ty-8601705
Diamonds are not Cardiff's best friend, home is where the hope is and Kenwyne Jones must be given more game time.
CARDIFF HAVE DESIRE ...BUT NEED TO DITCH THE DIAMOND
Sunday 8th Feb 2015
A bit of fight was the least Cardiff City could do to show they have the guts to stop the slide, and they did show that with a real willingness to get something from this game.
It was reassuring to see, suggesting Russell Slade may be able to coax a spirit from this side that might make relegation fears prove unfounded.
But while there was an organisation of things to start and an okay counter ploy, things disintegrated badly as the game went on.
The incredible inability to hold onto the ball was present again. The instructions to hit it long (albeit nowhere near as much as Wednesday did) when trying to create came back to bite them when they were under pressure with players just hoofing in hope and then having to defend once again when the ball returns soon after.
Slade did recognise the latter but having admitted they looked a better balance side with a 4-2-3-1 last weekend, it seems ditching the diamond style four in midfield seems the only option.
Only once – for the seventh minute goal – did a full-back get forward to provide the missing width while Peter Whittingham and Stuart O’Keefe didn’t know their roles. Likewise, the full-backs had no midfield protection as Wednesday attacked down the wings time and time again.
Wednesday won the second period’s second balls and found more and more space as Cardiff completely lost their way, with the point and the lack of collapse from a confidence-hit side the positives at full-time.
It was a small step in the right direction but still more is needed. Fight is one thing but it’ll only get you so far and a bit more quality won’t go amiss against Brighton to say the least.
NOT SO GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The old saying is that points away bring promotion in May. For all the hope that this result may be a sign of Cardiff at least seeing the corner they need to turn around, no-one is talking promotion when it comes to this Bluebirds side.
Indeed, 15 points off Watford in sixth with 17 fixtures left to play suggests any talk of a late run and keeping hope alive is, frankly, nonsense. To underline that point, the Hornets have 50 points – Cardiff’s seasonal points per game form puts them on track for 56 when the final ball is kicked.
However, with survival suddenly becoming a far more realistic aim and relegation a far bigger fear than not bouncing back to the Premier League, it means expectations have suddenly dropped.
From drawing away at unimpressive Sheffield Wednesday being seen as an opportunity lost, Cardiff have been poor enough for it now to be considered a point gained.
It says much about how woeful they have been of late and how quickly things have changed at Cardiff City Stadium - but it might yet play into Slade’s hands.
It is no bad thing that Cardiff are trying to comply now with FFP and if that is behind much of the head-scratching turnover and transfer strategy switch then at least expectations have been lowered enough to give him time to try and steer through it and prove himself.
Whether there are enough signs that the direction he wants the side to go remains to be seen – and there surely has to be an improvement in the quality of football – but isn’t it easier to deliver when nobody is expecting much?
FRESH FACES, FRESH ENTHUSIASM
Conor McAlney and Eoin Doyle both made first starts after deadline day moves and both made a decent first fist of things.
Slade damned Doyle with faint praise when he described him as having not the cleverest of touch and not being able to hold the ball up well, but he did praise his hunger which did not go unnoticed alongside Kenwyne Jones. He snatched at his one big chance but his movement suggested a confidence from his goals a level below that Cardiff must hope lasts.
McAleny, playing behind the front two, really did impress as he added a great touch of pace to proceedings, playing a key role in the opening goal and was involved during Cardiff’s best spell in the opening 45 minutes. All on a pitch that would have been nothing like the surfaces at Everton’s training grounds. Slade said Cardiff would need to play more to feet to utilise his talent and there could be a much-needed spark for the side if they can do that.
HOME IS WHERE THE HOPE IS
Cardiff now have two big, big home games in front of them, fixtures that could go a long way to see if they can come through the recent mini-crisis.
Starting with Brighton on Tuesday, the Bluebirds then welcome Blackburn before back-to-back away trips to Huddersfield and Malky Mackay’s Wigan.
After this Hillsborough point that stopped the rot of four successive defeats in all competitions, it remains the case that Cardiff have managed to pick up just six points out of the last 30 on offer over the past two months.
A win and a draw at home will do much to alter the picture a little – and might yet give Slade the breathing space he’ll feel he deserves.
CAN YOU AFFORD TO DROP KENWYNE?
Slade axed his top scorer last week, hinting at a lack of work rate for choosing Alex Revell over him for the defeat to Derby. Yet when pressed before this game what Jones needed to do, or improve upon, to keep his place Slade opted to keep his thoughts private.
That’s his prerogative but if he does want more from the Trinidadian in terms of his all round game, perhaps it’s best he spells it out because it’s hard to see how this can afford to be without a player who made it 11 Championship goals for the season with his early header.
His efforts make up for 30% of the team’s 37 goal total – and from a relatively low amount of game time too with only two players bettering his goals per minute ratio; the 30-year-old takes only 134 minutes to find the net and only Ipswich’s 18-goal striker Daryl Murphy and Watford youngster Odion Ighalo (who hit four in one game) average more.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... ty-8601705
Re: CARDIFF CITY NEED TO GET RID OF
Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:36 pm
.... Russell Slade.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Sorry, couldn't resist.