' Cardiff City Wing-Backs and The Midfield '

' Cardiff City Wing-Backs and The Midfield '



By Gareth Rogers

25/09/15


' The Wing-Backs '

In Cardiff City’s 116-year history they have deployed wing backs on very few occasions.

‘Proper’ full backs like Kevin McNaughton, Damon Searle and Ray Daniel have all been fan favourites but only Andy Legg ever really mastered the art of wing back.

Now the Bluebirds have Fabio, who loves to charge forward, and Scott Malone, who has already shown what he can do in the final third this season.


How about unleashing those two as wing backs and giving them licence to charge up the wing and thrust themselves into attacks? Wouldn’t that hurt a team like Charlton?

The only caveat with this is that they would both have to work harder than ever to get back and help the defence.




' The Midfield '

Two of the main moans about the Bluebirds midfield this season have involved Peter Whittingham getting over run in a two man midfield and Joe Ralls being stuck out on the wing, away from his favoured central position.

The 3-5-2 formation would solve both of these issues in one fell swoop.

Ralls could come in field, safe in the knowledge Fabio or Malone would always be beside him, if he needed help in attack or defence.

Joe Ralls worked tirelessly for Cardiff City
He and Whittingham could have licence to get further forward, where they can really impact games, with the insurance policy of Kagisho Dikgacoi in front of the back three.

They both like a sight of goal and can both play a killer ball. Whittingham is currently doing too much defending and Ralls too much running generally. This system would ease their workload, allowing them to focus on the areas where they can win a match.

Dikgacoi would have a key role in this system because, not only would he have to cover the wing backs if they got caught out but he would have to organise the defensive effort by communicating to those behind him and in front of him once the ball was lost.

I'm not entirely convinced by this for two reasons. Fabio, despite being right footed, always looks better on the left....so have we got the wing-backs? Also, in Pilks, Ameobi , Kennedy (remember him) and Noone we have got tidy wingers.
I'd seriously prefer 4-2-3-1 , but we need someone like Nolan to make the most of that.

spot on...trouble there is the predictable 4 4 2 of slade must have gone to DJ 's school

It's not hard to change your formation during a game to suit how the way it's going as long as you have the players to adapt. With a rigid 3,5,2. I'd be more worried about morrisons lack of pace getting exposed if the midfielders don't track back to cover the full backs. With manga and connelly I think it would stand a better chance

Dikgacoi to cover the wingbacks ??? He does'nt have the pace to do that.

Where would Noone and Pilkington play in this system?