' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:02 am
Cardiff City must build on Burnley... let's get 20,000 fans at home and excitement in the air - Nathan Blake
Monday 30 NOV 2015
BY NATHAN BLAKE
Our columnist says supporters will have been more satisfied by the Burnley display - despite the late loss of two points
We had a taste of what Cardiff City are capable of producing against Burnley... and now I urge Russell Slade and the boys not to take that away from us.
Forget the result for a moment and the late heartbreak for the Bluebirds.
Cardiff played much, much better against the Clarets, that is undeniable. There was a lot more tempo about them, they were knocking it about at last, one and two touch stuff and it was very good to see.
Sure, the result in the end was a disappointment. You want criticism, it has to be about the changes made from the bench near the end.
It’s all about opinions, but I felt they might have been handled better.
Slade might have looked to choke up midfield when his side were 2-0 up.
Related: Cardiff City play so much better, so why has it taken a year for us to see the Bluebirds perform with such panache?
Leave one striker up top, maybe bring on Bruno Manga and have three centre-halves or even have Manga in midfield in front of the defence.
In the end it’s all ifs, buts and maybes, but that’s how I saw things at the time.
Slade himself last week ahead of the Burnley clash gave his clearest indication yet that he knows his side had not been playing that well.
He talked about wanting some swagger from them, a bit of flair about their play.
OK, he did not get that against the Clarets, but he got some kind of response and the Bluebirds need to keep that going.
Over the next five or six games, let’s see those standards maintained.
More than that, let’s see the Bluebirds step things up even more, let’s see what the next stage of the development is this season.
If Cardiff can keep up the way they played on Saturday, and even improve on it, then that hunt for a play-off place is well and truly on.
There remains plenty to improve upon, but that is the case whether you are searching for a play-off place or top of the table, things are always a work in progress.
Cardiff may have thrown away the three points against Burnley, but I think the supporters in the end will have been a bit more satisfied by what they saw from their side at least.
Keep it up now. Let’s get to the end of the season with 20,000 fans in the Cardiff City Stadium and a bit of excitement in the air.
I want to see fans bringing their wives and husbands and their kids along on Saturday afternoons and really looking forward to it.
I’ve said it all along, of course results are important, but football in the end is an entertainment business too.
Cardiff fans will go home happy if they have seen the Bluebirds lose 1-0, but they know their side gave it a right good go.
If they have seen their side give it their all, rattle the cross-bar but still lose, Cardiff fans will still come away with a smile on their faces.
Come on Bluebirds, keep it up, get even better, the supporters will return to back you then.
Monday 30 NOV 2015
BY NATHAN BLAKE
Our columnist says supporters will have been more satisfied by the Burnley display - despite the late loss of two points
We had a taste of what Cardiff City are capable of producing against Burnley... and now I urge Russell Slade and the boys not to take that away from us.
Forget the result for a moment and the late heartbreak for the Bluebirds.
Cardiff played much, much better against the Clarets, that is undeniable. There was a lot more tempo about them, they were knocking it about at last, one and two touch stuff and it was very good to see.
Sure, the result in the end was a disappointment. You want criticism, it has to be about the changes made from the bench near the end.
It’s all about opinions, but I felt they might have been handled better.
Slade might have looked to choke up midfield when his side were 2-0 up.
Related: Cardiff City play so much better, so why has it taken a year for us to see the Bluebirds perform with such panache?
Leave one striker up top, maybe bring on Bruno Manga and have three centre-halves or even have Manga in midfield in front of the defence.
In the end it’s all ifs, buts and maybes, but that’s how I saw things at the time.
Slade himself last week ahead of the Burnley clash gave his clearest indication yet that he knows his side had not been playing that well.
He talked about wanting some swagger from them, a bit of flair about their play.
OK, he did not get that against the Clarets, but he got some kind of response and the Bluebirds need to keep that going.
Over the next five or six games, let’s see those standards maintained.
More than that, let’s see the Bluebirds step things up even more, let’s see what the next stage of the development is this season.
If Cardiff can keep up the way they played on Saturday, and even improve on it, then that hunt for a play-off place is well and truly on.
There remains plenty to improve upon, but that is the case whether you are searching for a play-off place or top of the table, things are always a work in progress.
Cardiff may have thrown away the three points against Burnley, but I think the supporters in the end will have been a bit more satisfied by what they saw from their side at least.
Keep it up now. Let’s get to the end of the season with 20,000 fans in the Cardiff City Stadium and a bit of excitement in the air.
I want to see fans bringing their wives and husbands and their kids along on Saturday afternoons and really looking forward to it.
I’ve said it all along, of course results are important, but football in the end is an entertainment business too.
Cardiff fans will go home happy if they have seen the Bluebirds lose 1-0, but they know their side gave it a right good go.
If they have seen their side give it their all, rattle the cross-bar but still lose, Cardiff fans will still come away with a smile on their faces.
Come on Bluebirds, keep it up, get even better, the supporters will return to back you then.
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:39 pm
Got to agree with this, was much better and said Saturday performance is important 
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:10 pm
Doesn't seem to matter if we are winning, loosing or drawing i've never seen Slade play anything other than 4-4-2 - Manga was on the bench he should have been on the field at the end of the game.
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:14 pm
T1JMO wrote:Doesn't seem to matter if we are winning, loosing or drawing i've never seen Slade play anything other than 4-4-2 - Manga was on the bench he should have been on the field at the end of the game.
It's easy to blame the defence but the whole team switched off. Marshall should have saved their 1st goal.
Slade obviously realises how good Manga is - As do the rest of us - But the fact that Connolly & Morrison have been part of a team who had kept 5 clean sheets in 7 games prior to Saturday's game shows exactly how hard it is to slot Manga in again!
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 4:05 pm
I thought we played well first half on Saturday, enjoyed the game and we were unlucky to concede the goal at the end, but that's football. Crowd seemed less than 15k ? went to a few pubs in town before the game Bluebell, borough and cottage all seemed quiet and the casino was empty after the game.
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:16 pm
Stringfellow wrote:Got to agree with this, was much better and said Saturday performance is important
Agree
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:05 am
bakerbluebird wrote:T1JMO wrote:Doesn't seem to matter if we are winning, loosing or drawing i've never seen Slade play anything other than 4-4-2 - Manga was on the bench he should have been on the field at the end of the game.
It's easy to blame the defence but the whole team switched off. Marshall should have saved their 1st goal.
Slade obviously realises how good Manga is - As do the rest of us - But the fact that Connolly & Morrison have been part of a team who had kept 5 clean sheets in 7 games prior to Saturday's game shows exactly how hard it is to slot Manga in again!
Agree, but if we had switched to 5-3-2 with Manga coming on for whitts we would have been harder to break down, I think we would have come away 2-1 winners.
Re: ' 20,000 CARDIFF CITY FANS AT HOME? "
Tue Dec 01, 2015 10:30 am
To get 20,000 + crowds I suggest
1. Bring in someone with tactical knowledge of the Championship to work alongside Slade to move the team forward
2. Put on cheap travel from Valleys, M4 Corridor etc to home games to save punters money
3. Employ stewards that will allow a proper football atmosphere to build in the stadium
4. Treat home supporters better
5. Reduce costs of tickets
6. Work closer with supporters and use this information to move the club forward
1. Bring in someone with tactical knowledge of the Championship to work alongside Slade to move the team forward
2. Put on cheap travel from Valleys, M4 Corridor etc to home games to save punters money
3. Employ stewards that will allow a proper football atmosphere to build in the stadium
4. Treat home supporters better
5. Reduce costs of tickets
6. Work closer with supporters and use this information to move the club forward