' WHY CARDIFF CITY CAN'T AFFORD TO LEAVE HIM OUT '

' Why Cardiff City can't afford to leave 'Iceman' Aron Gunnarsson out in the cold for too much longer '

22/10/15

By Scott Johnson

He's in the prime of his career and captain of his country who are heading to Euro 2016... so why can't Gunnarsson get into the Bluebirds side?

In many respects, things couldn’t be better for Aron Gunnarsson at present.

At 26, he’s in the prime of his career and captain of the Icelandic national side.

In his fifth season with Cardiff, Gunnarsson recently agreed a new contract and will lead his country in their first major tournament at Euro 2016 next summer.

Off the field, things are going well too.

Yet he has been struggling to get near the Cardiff team under Russell Slade this season.

Prior to his first league start of the campaign against Middlesbrough on Tuesday, Gunnarsson had played a grand total of 22 minutes at Blackburn, nine against Huddersfield and 10 more versus Charlton.

In contrast, during this period, he has started five European Championship qualifiers for Iceland and led them to those Euros.

With Peter Whittingham and Kagisho Dikgacoi favoured in the centre of Cardiff’s midfield, plus very little in the way of rotation, Gunnarsson is often an unused substitute, very much on the outside looking in.

He has been in good company, with Craig Noone, Sammy Ameobi and Bruno Ecuele Manga pushing for a first team slot, but Slade has his chosen ones and has appeared loathe to disrupt a team that is functioning well enough at present.

Who can blame him?

Manga was injured on international duty and is currently sidelined, while Ameobi’s brief cameos have proved influential, but not influential enough for him to start on a regular basis.

However, Gunnarsson’s Cardiff prospects are hard to fathom.

Were Whittingham or Dikgacoi to miss a game, it would be interesting to see who Slade would install in their place.

Joe Ralls missed the Middlesbrough game and Whittingham was subsequently stationed wide to deputise.

A central midfielder by trade, Ralls is currently first choice on the left and has been keeping Noone out of the side, but it would not be a surprise if he was moved inside to deputise in such an event.

Were that the case, it would be confirmation that Gunnarsson is currently fourth choice and surely act as something of a reality check for him.

His international place is assured, but he will want to be in the best possible shape for the European Championships and a few minutes here and there for his club side is not exactly ideal preparation.

A free transfer, captured by Malky Mackay from Coventry in the summer of 2011, Gunnarsson has to rank as one of Cardiff’s best signings of the millennium.

A tenacious, box-to-box midfielder, he has been a warrior for the club, a fierce competitor who has also filled in at full-back when required.

He is the kind of player that every squad needs.

Should he become available, there would be no shortage of takers.

It is no surprise that Burnley have already expressed an interest, as you can imagine he would fit perfectly within Sean Dyche’s no nonsense, high intensity approach.

Like Cardiff, Burnley are looking to return to the Premier League and Gunnarsson has a depth of experience for his age, plus a promotion from the Championship on his CV.

Slade is clearly a fan and was very complimentary of Gunnarsson’s performance in an away win at Wigan last season.

“Gunnar is combative in there and was a shining light for us,” he stated.

“Aron did a great job, sitting in there and making the right decisions.”

Gunnarsson started 42 league games last season, so his lack of first team football has come as something of a shock.

Dikgacoi missed the whole of the 2014-15 campaign, so you do wonder had he been fit last season, whether the current situation would have emerged sooner.

After such a time out, it is a surprise to see Dikgacoi play every game, but that is a recurring theme under Slade, plus Dikgacoi appears to be a player that needs to be playing to maintain his match fitness.

Gunnarsson lined up next to Dikgacoi on Tuesday, but looked understandably rusty.

The Whittingham/Gunnarsson axis came in for plenty of criticism last season, when they were often largely ineffective as a pairing, but there are a few factors to consider when analysing this situation.

Firstly, Cardiff were more direct last year, often playing route one rather than through midfield, so Whittingham and Gunnarsson were often bypassed.

Plus, they were often outnumbered, with most Championship sides playing with five across midfield, as Slade remains wedded to a more conventional 4-4-2.

Much has been said about the team spirit and positivity within the Cardiff camp recently, especially compared to last year, when players seemed a bit demoralised and hungover from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge.

However, I do wonder if that will last if the current lack of rotation continues.

Injuries and suspensions will inevitably result in more playing opportunities for those currently out of the side, but if they are merely filling a void until the first choice option returns, I imagine that must be rather demoralising.

In that context, Gunnarsson has more at stake than most.

Should the present pattern continue, it would be no surprise were he to pursue regular first-team football elsewhere at some stage.

Slade has managed to whittle down Solskjaer’s baggy squad to a lean, talented unit with strength in depth for every position.

Yet that may be the easy part.

Rotating them to keep the team fresh, with everyone actively involved whilst maintaining some sort of consistency, is an altogether different and potentially more difficult challenge.

Having players of Gunnarsson’s calibre in reserve is a great situation to find yourself in, but the fact remains that he would walk in to pretty much any other Championship side and maybe a few in the Premier League as well.

You can’t keep him waiting indefinitely because if they don’t start playing him, Cardiff will lose him.

And possibly quite soon, too.

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

Sorry, but he hasn't been good enough. Dikgacoi always looks more assured and is better cover for the back four. Ralls is a better all-round midfielder and Whitts controls games when we play well,plus great corners, free-kicks and long passes. Gunnars has been very disappointing and he was our worst player v. Boro.
The truth is we can't afford to play him.

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

The word squad says it all. He would be a replacement for Dikgachoi if all players were fit but Dikgachoi is a better player than him IMO.

Wouldn't be against Slade playing him alongside Dikgachoi when we play the better sides away and would take a draw though.

Dikgachoi should be 1 of the first names on the team sheet for me though, and is IMO helping Whitts perform well again

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

Annis, he may be a leader but he offers nothing else. He was poor on Tuesday and stood out like a sore thumb. There is no way I'd pick him ahead of Ralls, Whittingham, Dikgacoi, Pilkington, Noone or Ameobi.

The truth is that he needs to leave the club if he wants first team football. Same goes to O'Keefe.

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

I rate him, although his ball retention isn't great. I have spoke to him on plenty of occasions for a lengthy time and he is happy and settled in Brynna. He is very passionate about his country and you don't captain your country to a major tournament if your not up to the job, the only worry for him is you say in your post exactly what city need in the squad but as the article states, squad isn't enough for him and rightly so.

He is down the pecking order but you cannot argue that he deserves a starting spot right now, his time will come. Will let him off Tuesday rusty ain't the word

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

I agree with you here annis, he's a leader on the pitch. I heard him screaming and organising the team time and time again. He isn't the greatest ability wise but he's a good box to box midfielder, Dic just isn't that time of player. He's good at breaking up the play.

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

In the squad, yes, but he's got to take his chance when it comes. Same as the rest of them. Gunnarson had a chance to claim a place on Tuesday, but he struggled badly. Fair enough, he's been out a while, but it's up to him to prove to
Slade that he's worth a starting place.

Unfortunately for Aron, he's going to have to wait his turn.

Joe Ralls, Kagisho Dikgacoi and Peter Whittingham have all proven they've been good enough. Gunnar is a good leader, a decent player and I'm sure he'll perform to an acceptable level when he's required.

Cardiff City CAN afford to leave him out because our other midfielders have performed better at this moment in time.

expensive squad player is Gunner.
i prefer Okeefe. now he got 1 hell of a bit of bite about him. maybe needs controlling more but aint half good to see. hes a right dirty git. sometimes all squads need it. watch him next time he plays

He may be a leader for Iceland and don't doubt he is. a leader on the pitch but IMO not good enough at present for a reason and for me that is because Dikagoi and Whitts are playing well enough to warrant selection ahead of him.. Gunnar for me is a useful squad player that should b used to tighten the ship when the midfield are being ovwrawed

Good squad player yeah, but for me he looses possession to easily and doesn't pose any threat going forward I.e one dimensional putting too much reliance on Whittinghams creativity. Dico can pick a pass and is a better footballer imo

Gunnarsson will either get in the team soon, or he will leave in January. He has to for his own career.
Very expensive player to have on the bench, and we still have O´Keefe, who was an integral part for Palace staying in the premier league

Gunnarsson will either get in the team soon, or he will leave in January. He has to for his own career.
Very expensive player to have on the bench, and we still have O´Keefe, who was an integral part for Palace staying in the premier league

yeah. Not one of Slade finer moments that.

Personally i would much rather the midfield we play now. People have short memories, everyone agrees the football was some of the worst we had seen for many a year last season with Gunners and Whitts in midfield. Whitts in my opinion is proving his worth this season, Gunners is not and although rusty looked very poor last Tuesday.

Everything about this season is a 150% improvement on last. I really cant understand why people continue to complain Thats not a dig at this particular thread, just in general.

Many don't rate him, I do and he's a Trojan/ Leader exactly what City need in the squad

I rate him very much so and Tuesday night he was consistently barking order's all night . I sit roughly 10/11 rows from pitch side and could hear him communicating constantly. Time, go left, man on, he even shouting at noone " to run break on , run fast" lol. My son even turned to me and said he is a captain no one talks like he do

Personally i would much rather the midfield we play now. People have short memories, everyone agrees the football was some of the worst we had seen for many a year last season with Gunners and Whitts in midfield. Whitts in my opinion is proving his worth this season, Gunners is not and although rusty looked very poor last Tuesday.

Everything about this season is a 150% improvement on last. I really cant understand why people continue to complain Thats not a dig at this particular thread, just in general.

Exactly mate!

1) Got our blue kit and badge back.
2) Trimmed squad and millions reduced off the wage bill.
3) Haven't spent millions on new players.
4) A fixed and stable Starting XI, rather than a different team every week!
5) Better team performances. More organised and much better defensively.
6) Won 5, drawn 5 and lost 2.
(The two we lost - Hull, we played very well. Rotherham - lost in last minute, unlucky not to draw).