' DECISIONS COST US TODAY '

If there was ever a game where you question a managers 'in-play' decision making this must be the one.

The game started very much as I expected, the ten minutes that proceeded the kick off showed that Burnley were going to be a threat on the counter attack and City needed to take a stranglehold of the game quickly.

In fairness City slowly got into the game and by the 35th minute they were dominant.

Debutant Tony Watt is a live wire who is willing to take the play forward and attack the opposition defence, not afraid to shoot and showed real promise as the type of striker we have been missing.

Watt played further forward of Kenwyne Jones, playing through the middle causing the centre halves problems nearly every time he had the ball in his 60 minutes on the pitch.

Slade stuck with his favoured 4-4-2 but made tactical changes to the line up, in came Gunnarsson to partner Joe Ralls in the centre and Peter Whittingham played wide left.

The plan was working, City looked organised, balanced and more of a threat going forward than we have in some time.

Again today we didn't score from open play, but two headers that came from a Ralls free kick and a Whittingham corner.

But the signs were good that City were showing more intent.

Fans will bemoan the fact that we were 2-0 up with 85 minutes on the clock but from the midway point of the second half the writing was on the wall.

Burnley pushed another body into the midfield central area but Russell Slade stuck with his 4-4-2.

I turned to my daughter on 75 minutes and said if we concede a goal now we will not win this game, I could see us being overrun and we didn't do anything tactical to combat the threat, instead we were pushed further back and stretched across the width of the pitch time and again.

If Gunnarsson was injured then I understand the change for O'Keefe but if not then questions need to be asked, the Iceland captain didn't look tired and was still moving freely.

Watt was replaced by Joe Mason, which I understood given the lack of game time he has had recently but the one change I couldn't fathom was Macheda for Jones.

Our backs were to the wall, because Burnley were controlling the midfield, someone said to me that Slade was trying to waste a little time by making that change, my reaction was he was delaying the inevitable.

A change was needed I agree but it should have been a change of shape not like for like.

Mason could have gone to the left to bring Whittingham inside to beef up the midfield or bring Kennedy on for Jones and leave Mason up top.

We should have gone 4-5-1 and at least try and hold on to the slender lead and frustrate Burnley but our manager could not see the threat or didn't know how to deal with it.

The frustrating part of today was that for a large spell today City were the better team but I must say I believe the manager cost us three points, the maddening thing is had he been able to make tactical changes during the game to his shape then Russell Slade would have been praised for the loan signing of Tony Watt, swapping Ralls for Whittingham and his team putting on their best display of the season but he has been shown up in the final minutes.

Lee Peltier was man of the match for me today.

Slade is inept.

I don't know why people even suggest that Slade might consider playing any other formation than 4-4-2.

He never has.
He never will.

4-5-1
5-4-1
5-3-2
3-4-2-1

Just numbers on his chinese takeaway to Russell.



No f*cking chance!

The players on the pitch at the time should have dealt with it,but hey-ho this is Cardiff City its not the first and it wont be the last

As much I am, he got it right today bringing in watt and playing Ralls in the middle. It's easy to criticise after the event and should have done this should have done that. If it's a results business then a point against the in form Burnley is ok, yes were we were in a position and should have won it but who was the manager who put us in the position in the first place?

Am afraid a lot of people's judgement is already decided, had Slade got it wrong from the off then made changes to rescue a point he would be slated for not getting it right from the off. He can't win. For me it's but today deserves some credit

As much I am, he got it right today bringing in watt and playing Ralls in the middle. It's easy to criticise after the event and should have done this should have done that. If it's a results business then a point against the in form Burnley is ok, yes were we were in a position and should have won it but who was the manager who put us in the position in the first place?

Am afraid a lot of people's judgement is already decided, had Slade got it wrong from the off then made changes to rescue a point he would be slated for not getting it right from the off. He can't win. For me it's but today deserves some credit

Gareth, judging by your reply I don't think you have read my article in full.

I have praised Slade for bringing Ralls in to the centre and putting Whitts on the left, also for the signing of Tony Watt.

I also say had he made the tactical positional changes midway through the second half to counter Burnley's shape then I believe I would have been praising the manager this evening for a well deserved win.

For the majority of the game his line up, shape and selections were spot on but crucially he failed to respond in play to Burnley's change of shape and that is the criticism I have of him and hold him responsible for the two points dropped likewise had he been switched on I would have praised him for what should have been an excellent win.

Slade believes you fall off the edge of the world if you drift from 442...A lopsided variation is exotic for our Russ

Carl, 100% agree!

Good to see you, your daughter and Nukes today, too!

Full marks to city on the way they played for 75 per cent of the game
However Slade got it wrong with the tactics
Why didn't he bring Manga on in the second half
He is our best defender by a mile and Slade won't play him
Taking Kenwyne off was a big mistake because he is excellent at defending corners and set pieces
Manga should have been brought on when Gunnners went off injured
Our manager when it comes to tactics is totally inept
The only thing he got right today was moving Ralls to central midfield

Schoolgirl defending at the end of the game cost us today.

Get Manga back in the team immediately.

As much I am, he got it right today bringing in watt and playing Ralls in the middle. It's easy to criticise after the event and should have done this should have done that. If it's a results business then a point against the in form Burnley is ok, yes were we were in a position and should have won it but who was the manager who put us in the position in the first place?

Am afraid a lot of people's judgement is already decided, had Slade got it wrong from the off then made changes to rescue a point he would be slated for not getting it right from the off. He can't win. For me it's but today deserves some credit

Gareth, judging by your reply I don't think you have read my article in full.

I have praised Slade for bringing Ralls in to the centre and putting Whitts on the left, also for the signing of Tony Watt.

I also say had he made the tactical positional changes midway through the second half to counter Burnley's shape then I believe I would have been praising the manager this evening for a well deserved win.

For the majority of the game his line up, shape and selections were spot on but crucially he failed to respond in play to Burnley's change of shape and that is the criticism I have of him and hold him responsible for the two points dropped likewise had he been switched on I would have praised him for what should have been an excellent win.

Fair point, but I don't think a Manager is responsible every time it goes wrong. I can see what he was trying to do, the Mason for watt switch was obvious and he was looking for the same from macheda that Jones had given us. He didn't want us sitting deep and inviting pressure, but we did just that despite Slade trying to keep things as they were as it was working.

as I've posted it wasnt the subs that were problem it was who he brought on ? he brought like for like on when in fact we needed midfield and defence strengthening! slade didnt counteract Burnley's change formation its that simple. .

We were unlucky, simple as that.

If there was ever a game where you question a managers 'in-play' decision making this must be the one.

The game started very much as I expected, the ten minutes that proceeded the kick off showed that Burnley were going to be a threat on the counter attack and City needed to take a stranglehold of the game quickly.

In fairness City slowly got into the game and by the 35th minute they were dominant.

Debutant Tony Watt is a live wire who is willing to take the play forward and attack the opposition defence, not afraid to shoot and showed real promise as the type of striker we have been missing.

Watt played further forward of Kenwyne Jones, playing through the middle causing the centre halves problems nearly every time he had the ball in his 60 minutes on the pitch.

Slade stuck with his favoured 4-4-2 but made tactical changes to the line up, in came Gunnarsson to partner Joe Ralls in the centre and Peter Whittingham played wide left.

The plan was working, City looked organised, balanced and more of a threat going forward than we have in some time.

Again today we didn't score from open play, but two headers that came from a Ralls free kick and a Whittingham corner.

But the signs were good that City were showing more intent.

Fans will bemoan the fact that we were 2-0 up with 85 minutes on the clock but from the midway point of the second half the writing was on the wall.

Burnley pushed another body into the midfield central area but Russell Slade stuck with his 4-4-2.

I turned to my daughter on 75 minutes and said if we concede a goal now we will not win this game, I could see us being overrun and we didn't do anything tactical to combat the threat, instead we were pushed further back and stretched across the width of the pitch time and again.

If Gunnarsson was injured then I understand the change for O'Keefe but if not then questions need to be asked, the Iceland captain didn't look tired and was still moving freely.

Watt was replaced by Joe Mason, which I understood given the lack of game time he has had recently but the one change I couldn't fathom was Macheda for Jones.

Our backs were to the wall, because Burnley were controlling the midfield, someone said to me that Slade was trying to waste a little time by making that change, my reaction was he was delaying the inevitable.

A change was needed I agree but it should have been a change of shape not like for like.

Mason could have gone to the left to bring Whittingham inside to beef up the midfield or bring Kennedy on for Jones and leave Mason up top.

We should have gone 4-5-1 and at least try and hold on to the slender lead and frustrate Burnley but our manager could not see the threat or didn't know how to deal with it.

The frustrating part of today was that for a large spell today City were the better team but I must say I believe the manager cost us three points, the maddening thing is had he been able to make tactical changes during the game to his shape then Russell Slade would have been praised for the loan signing of Tony Watt, swapping Ralls for Whittingham and his team putting on their best display of the season but he has been shown up in the final minutes.

Lee Peltier was man of the match for me today.

I actually thought Gunnarssonn looked knackered, and despite not having much faith in Okeefe, thought it was the right decision at the time. In hindsight, bringing on Kennedy and moving Whittingham inside might have been better

as I've posted it wasnt the subs that were problem it was who he brought on ? he brought like for like on when in fact we needed midfield and defence strengthening! slade didnt counteract Burnley's change formation its that simple. .

Agreed. When we were two up, we should have gone 4-5-1. Daft taking Kenwyne off given that he has defensive abilities as well. If fit, Manga should have come on for Morrison after the second goal. What worries me is that Slade just can't see this. He is a football manager isn't he? The majority of fans could literally do a better job than him. For that matter, what is Trollope supposed to be adding, looks like nothing to me.

Also Slade went straight down the tunnel at the end. Bang Out of order not to acknowledge the loyal fans who got a soaking today supporting the team.

as I've posted it wasnt the subs that were problem it was who he brought on ? he brought like for like on when in fact we needed midfield and defence strengthening! slade didnt counteract Burnley's change formation its that simple. .

Agreed. When we were two up, we should have gone 4-5-1. Daft taking Kenwyne off given that he has defensive abilities as well. If fit, Manga should have come on for Morrison after the second goal. What worries me is that Slade just can't see this. He is a football manager isn't he? The majority of fans could literally do a better job than him. For that matter, what is Trollope supposed to be adding, looks like nothing to me.

Also Slade went straight down the tunnel at the end. Bang Out of order not to acknowledge the loyal fans who got a soaking today supporting the team.

trollope apparently wasnt in dugout?

as I've posted it wasnt the subs that were problem it was who he brought on ? he brought like for like on when in fact we needed midfield and defence strengthening! slade didnt counteract Burnley's change formation its that simple. .

Agreed. When we were two up, we should have gone 4-5-1. Daft taking Kenwyne off given that he has defensive abilities as well. If fit, Manga should have come on for Morrison after the second goal. What worries me is that Slade just can't see this. He is a football manager isn't he? The majority of fans could literally do a better job than him. For that matter, what is Trollope supposed to be adding, looks like nothing to me.

Also Slade went straight down the tunnel at the end. Bang Out of order not to acknowledge the loyal fans who got a soaking today supporting the team.

Why should he acknowledge fans who want him out?

Agree with most og the OT but surely the words Whittinham and "beef up" should not appear in the same sentence!!

as I've posted it wasnt the subs that were problem it was who he brought on ? he brought like for like on when in fact we needed midfield and defence strengthening! slade didnt counteract Burnley's change formation its that simple. .

Agreed. When we were two up, we should have gone 4-5-1. Daft taking Kenwyne off given that he has defensive abilities as well. If fit, Manga should have come on for Morrison after the second goal. What worries me is that Slade just can't see this. He is a football manager isn't he? The majority of fans could literally do a better job than him. For that matter, what is Trollope supposed to be adding, looks like nothing to me.

Also Slade went straight down the tunnel at the end. Bang Out of order not to acknowledge the loyal fans who got a soaking today supporting the team.

Why should he acknowledge fans who want him out?

Maybe he should have a long hard think why fans want him out and try to do something about it. He just keeps making the same mistakes. Ignoring the supporters who turn up for the team isn't going to help him is it. I hope the fans who meet him next week tell him some home truths. The drivel he comes out with just creates a deeper chasm between the club and the fans.

We were unlucky, simple as that.

We always are, every time we don't win.

We were unlucky, simple as that.

We always are, every time we don't win.

We weren't at Derby last last week. But today we 100% deserved the 3 points, a decent performance from Slade's side but fell to the same old mistakes the typical Cardiff way always has been.

'... bring Whittingham inside to beef up the midfield '...

You're joking of course.

If there was tactical error it was taking lazybones Jones off 10 mins to go when he could have been useful helping out defending crosses etc..

We were unlucky, simple as that.

No we were not, we blew it

'... bring Whittingham inside to beef up the midfield '...

You're joking of course.

If there was tactical error it was taking lazybones Jones off 10 mins to go when he could have been useful helping out defending crosses etc..

Whittingham at fault for the equalising goal.