" CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:05 am
CARDIFF CITY PRE- SEASON FRIENDLIES START
By Terry Phillips
Tuesday 14 th July 2015
Bluebirds manager Russell Slade is intent on using 22 players – and will change the whole team at half-time.
This opening match is a fitness exercise and little more.
City players are likely to be a little tired, even jaded, after some tough work in their pre-season boot camp.
Their trips to Forest Green and Shrewsbury Town on Saturday are designed to get the City squad back on the ball before they go to Holland on tour next week.
Rovers qualified for the Conference play-offs last season and provide the Bluebirds with a strong first test.
Who will be involved against Rovers?
Slade is keeping first match selections to himself, but here are my thoughts on what he might do.
First half: Simon Moore; Lee Peltier (capt), Matt Connolly, Sean Morrison, Declan John; Sammy Ameobi, Peter Whittingham, Joe Ralls, Matty Kennedy; Federico Macheda, Eoin Doyle.
Second half: Ben Wilson, Fabio, Bruno Manga, Adedeji Oshilaja, Scott Malone; Craig Noone, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Stuart O’Keefe, Anthony Pilkington; Alex Revell, Joe Mason.
Is Kagisho Dikgacoi fit for action?
South African midfield player Dikgacoi is set to play 45 minutes, exactly the same as every other player involved.
The former Crystal Palace enforcer has worked hard to improve his fitness and he’s ready to play at Forest Green.
Who will miss out?
Cardiff City’s fitness and medical men are erring on the side of caution.
Any players feeling the effects of a gruelling training schedule will be rested from the Forest Green match – and could well play at Shrewsbury on Saturday.
I expect Ben Turner, Aron Gunnarsson and Semi Ajayi, who joined City after being released by Arsenal, to miss out at Forest Green. Turner has a niggle, while Gunnarsson and Ajayi are simply being given a little extra time before playing.
Semi Ajayi in the famous red of ArsenalSemi Ajayi is being given more time before playing
On my selections goalkeeper David Marshall and Kadeem Harris are unlikely to be involved at Forest Green.
Slade simply has too many players in his squad and can’t fit everybody in even though he is likely to change his whole starting line-up at the break.
Marshall was given an week or so longer for his summer break after international duty, Bluebirds boss Slade knows what can do and may not ask him to make the trip.
Harris could wait until Saturday’s match at Shrewsbury to play.
Goalkeeper Joe Lewis, Filip Kiss, Ben Nugent, Javi Guerra, Adam Le Fondre and Etien Velikonja all look set to go out either on loan or on permanent deals and are unlikely to be at Forest Green.
If interested clubs say they want to see any of those in action then Slade may give them a run.
Will Slade take a few extra players to Forest Green?
If he asks former City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the answer would certainly be yes.
Solskjaer took 20 outfield players to Carmarthen Town for a pre-season match a year ago and changed everybody at the break. But an injury left Cardiff short - and it was goalkeeper Ben Wilson who had to go on in midfield. Slade won’t leave himself short of options and will take a few extras.
Will Declan John be given his chance this season?
The Wales international was converted from winger to left-back by Malky Mackay, but operated wide in midfield on loan for Barnsley last season.
It was Russell Slade who sent John to Yorkshire for a couple of months and he made nine league appearances.
But we don’t know yet whether Slade sees John as a winger or full-back.
He would have to move ahead of Slade signing Malone and Fabio on the left of defence, while City are overloaded with wingers – Ameobi, Noone, Pilkington, Kennedy and Harris are all vying for starting places.
Cardiff also have an interest in Derby’s Johnny Russell.
It seems likely John will be given a chance to shine at full-back in this pre-season opener.
What about the new signings? What can we hope for?
I’m excited about Sammy Ameobi. He’s a 23-year-old winger with genuine potential.
Newcastle see something in him and tied him to a new contract before sending him out on loan.
He has pace and skill, but needs to improve his final delivery. I can’t wait to see how he starts for the Bluebirds, although he won’t be at his best fitness-wise until later this month.
Semi Ajayi, a tall, strong centre-half signed from Arsenal, will have to wait until Saturday’s match to show what he can do.
Ajayi told me he is comfortable in possession, athletic, aggressive and strong in then air when defending.
Ameobi will play.
Who are Forest Green Rovers FC?
They are the longest-serving of the Conference Premier.
Rovers finished fifth last season, a record high for the Gloucestershire club, and qualified for the play-offs before losing 3-0 on aggregate against Bristol Rovers.
Where do Forest Green play?
Their stadium, the New Lawn, is in Nailsworth, a new ground completed in 2006 only 400 yards from their former home.
The capacity is 5,140, while the nearest railway station is at Stroud, almost five miles away.
By Terry Phillips
Tuesday 14 th July 2015
Bluebirds manager Russell Slade is intent on using 22 players – and will change the whole team at half-time.
This opening match is a fitness exercise and little more.
City players are likely to be a little tired, even jaded, after some tough work in their pre-season boot camp.
Their trips to Forest Green and Shrewsbury Town on Saturday are designed to get the City squad back on the ball before they go to Holland on tour next week.
Rovers qualified for the Conference play-offs last season and provide the Bluebirds with a strong first test.
Who will be involved against Rovers?
Slade is keeping first match selections to himself, but here are my thoughts on what he might do.
First half: Simon Moore; Lee Peltier (capt), Matt Connolly, Sean Morrison, Declan John; Sammy Ameobi, Peter Whittingham, Joe Ralls, Matty Kennedy; Federico Macheda, Eoin Doyle.
Second half: Ben Wilson, Fabio, Bruno Manga, Adedeji Oshilaja, Scott Malone; Craig Noone, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Stuart O’Keefe, Anthony Pilkington; Alex Revell, Joe Mason.
Is Kagisho Dikgacoi fit for action?
South African midfield player Dikgacoi is set to play 45 minutes, exactly the same as every other player involved.
The former Crystal Palace enforcer has worked hard to improve his fitness and he’s ready to play at Forest Green.
Who will miss out?
Cardiff City’s fitness and medical men are erring on the side of caution.
Any players feeling the effects of a gruelling training schedule will be rested from the Forest Green match – and could well play at Shrewsbury on Saturday.
I expect Ben Turner, Aron Gunnarsson and Semi Ajayi, who joined City after being released by Arsenal, to miss out at Forest Green. Turner has a niggle, while Gunnarsson and Ajayi are simply being given a little extra time before playing.
Semi Ajayi in the famous red of ArsenalSemi Ajayi is being given more time before playing
On my selections goalkeeper David Marshall and Kadeem Harris are unlikely to be involved at Forest Green.
Slade simply has too many players in his squad and can’t fit everybody in even though he is likely to change his whole starting line-up at the break.
Marshall was given an week or so longer for his summer break after international duty, Bluebirds boss Slade knows what can do and may not ask him to make the trip.
Harris could wait until Saturday’s match at Shrewsbury to play.
Goalkeeper Joe Lewis, Filip Kiss, Ben Nugent, Javi Guerra, Adam Le Fondre and Etien Velikonja all look set to go out either on loan or on permanent deals and are unlikely to be at Forest Green.
If interested clubs say they want to see any of those in action then Slade may give them a run.
Will Slade take a few extra players to Forest Green?
If he asks former City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the answer would certainly be yes.
Solskjaer took 20 outfield players to Carmarthen Town for a pre-season match a year ago and changed everybody at the break. But an injury left Cardiff short - and it was goalkeeper Ben Wilson who had to go on in midfield. Slade won’t leave himself short of options and will take a few extras.
Will Declan John be given his chance this season?
The Wales international was converted from winger to left-back by Malky Mackay, but operated wide in midfield on loan for Barnsley last season.
It was Russell Slade who sent John to Yorkshire for a couple of months and he made nine league appearances.
But we don’t know yet whether Slade sees John as a winger or full-back.
He would have to move ahead of Slade signing Malone and Fabio on the left of defence, while City are overloaded with wingers – Ameobi, Noone, Pilkington, Kennedy and Harris are all vying for starting places.
Cardiff also have an interest in Derby’s Johnny Russell.
It seems likely John will be given a chance to shine at full-back in this pre-season opener.
What about the new signings? What can we hope for?
I’m excited about Sammy Ameobi. He’s a 23-year-old winger with genuine potential.
Newcastle see something in him and tied him to a new contract before sending him out on loan.
He has pace and skill, but needs to improve his final delivery. I can’t wait to see how he starts for the Bluebirds, although he won’t be at his best fitness-wise until later this month.
Semi Ajayi, a tall, strong centre-half signed from Arsenal, will have to wait until Saturday’s match to show what he can do.
Ajayi told me he is comfortable in possession, athletic, aggressive and strong in then air when defending.
Ameobi will play.
Who are Forest Green Rovers FC?
They are the longest-serving of the Conference Premier.
Rovers finished fifth last season, a record high for the Gloucestershire club, and qualified for the play-offs before losing 3-0 on aggregate against Bristol Rovers.
Where do Forest Green play?
Their stadium, the New Lawn, is in Nailsworth, a new ground completed in 2006 only 400 yards from their former home.
The capacity is 5,140, while the nearest railway station is at Stroud, almost five miles away.
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:06 am
Lee Peltier captain, interesting. He use to be captain of several teams.
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:12 am
No sign of le fondre then
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:26 am
Looking foward to my 4th trip to FGR be nice to go the football seems like it's been ages. 
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:26 am
A typical eggo article on what Terry Phillips thinks might happen or not as the case may be
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:39 pm
No Marshall?
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:49 am
Gheorghe1927 wrote:No Marshall?
Suspended for 1st 3 games! No point playing him.
Re: " CARDIFF CITY'S SQUAD TO START FRIENDLIES/ PLUS "
Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:16 pm
Oh yeah, forgot about that thanks
thanks