" Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:09 pm
" HAVE CARDIFF CITY FINALLY FOUND THE ANSWER? "
" KENWYNE JONES & TONY WATT "
By Steve Tucker
30/11/2015
Strike partnerships at Cardiff City have been like the proverbial London bus of late, miss one and surely there will be another along in a minute.
It is no secret manager Russell Slade has struggled during his tenure to find the winning combination that might finally get the goals flowing at the capital club.
And what is certain is Cardiff need some potency up-front pretty sharpish.
A season that has at times failed to catch light, but which still sees them within touching distance of the play-offs, has been built, in truth, on toughness at the back, an unwillingness to be broken down and, if all else fails, the now expected brilliance of goalkeeper David Marshall.
It is 19 goals for Slade’s men in 18 Championship outings this term, a return that, if sustained, is surely not enough too see them grab a play-off spot come May.
It has not been for the want of trying, but Slade has for too long failed to find the right formula up-front.
From virtually his arrival in the Welsh capital in October 2014 the Cardiff manager has mixed and match his men and not been afraid to drop players and promote others from the bench.
Federico Macheda, Adam Le Fondre, Joe Mason, Eoin Doyle, Alex Revell, Sammy Ameobi, Kenwyne Jones and more hopefuls have been in and out of the side.
But there has been little success in the search.
In frustration misfits have been sent out on loan and there have been injuries to contend with too.
Idriss Saadi, of whom a lot is hoped, made his debut off the bench against Reading recently only to pick up an injury that will keep him out until January at least.
Jones too has had problems, but it would appear the big Trinidad & and Tobago international has emerged as the lynch-pin in the side, the go-to man, the one striker that really can be relied upon to bring at least some kind of threat to the Bluebirds.
Is Watt and Jones the best partnership moving forwards?
But the problem has always been, who to partner last season’s top-scorer with?
That has remained a problem, until now maybe.
It would be fair to say the arrival of Tony Watt last week on loan from Charlton came as something of a disappointment to many.
The club had been searching for a Premier League striker and, as is their wont, supporters allowed themselves to get carried away, only stopping short of imagining Diego Costa was somehow on his way to the club.
Watt failed to provide the big name that was coveted by supporters, he is only 21 and could not seem to get into an Addicks’ team hardly pulling up trees in the Championship themselves.
But closer perusal of Watt’s pedigree showed, things were far more interesting than they seemed upon first perusal.
There was that winner against Barcelona for Celtic of course, which Watt wearily will chat about in every interview he is asked to do.
But there were the rave reviews at Charlton at the back end of last season and while there's been talk of his temperament blotting his copy-book, there are not too many fans prone to worry about temperament when a player is banging in the goals for their side.
There was talk of Watt’s directness, aggression, his desire to run at defences and his eye for the net.
Characteristics, of course, the Bluebirds have been craving up-front for quite a while.
But there is talk and hype and then there is action and, as Slade pitched his new man straight into the starting XI for the clash with Burnley on the weekend, Watt actually showed he does indeed have something about him.
There was an urgency to his play against the Clarets, a real sense of energy, although at his age, not displaying a bit of energy would be rather unusual.
And we saw that directness too, thanks to a mesmerising run in the first-half that you would have loved to have seen lead to a goal, but instead ended in Watt’s shot whizzing just past the post.
It was a debut to savour, as good a one in a Cardiff shirt as one has seen in a while at the club.
But perhaps the most pleasing aspect was the early signs that Watt and Jones might just be able to link up and see a fruitful relationship develop.
The pair do complement each other.
It is not the typical ‘little and large’ strike-force that so often prospers, both are quite big men with Watt more sinewy than his new partner.
But the qualities both strikers have seemed to see them respond to each other, even if it is early days.
Jones is the immovable force, the battering ram, never happier than when welded to a bruising centre-half. Good in the air, Jones is the ultimate hold-up man.
Off that Watt looked like a worker ant, scurrying around his queen, eager to please, to mop up knock-downs.
Watt likes to come deep, to find the ball, then drive on, as happy to provide as he is to go for goal himself.
Neither man scored and it was set-pieces again that saw Cardiff go ahead, but you wonder if Jones and Watt just might be the men to start a Bluebirds’ goal-rush.
It is going to take time naturally, but, in all round better showing from Cardiff despite the late heartache against Burnley, the Jones and Watt show most definitely looks like something worth persevering with.
" KENWYNE JONES & TONY WATT "
By Steve Tucker
30/11/2015
Strike partnerships at Cardiff City have been like the proverbial London bus of late, miss one and surely there will be another along in a minute.
It is no secret manager Russell Slade has struggled during his tenure to find the winning combination that might finally get the goals flowing at the capital club.
And what is certain is Cardiff need some potency up-front pretty sharpish.
A season that has at times failed to catch light, but which still sees them within touching distance of the play-offs, has been built, in truth, on toughness at the back, an unwillingness to be broken down and, if all else fails, the now expected brilliance of goalkeeper David Marshall.
It is 19 goals for Slade’s men in 18 Championship outings this term, a return that, if sustained, is surely not enough too see them grab a play-off spot come May.
It has not been for the want of trying, but Slade has for too long failed to find the right formula up-front.
From virtually his arrival in the Welsh capital in October 2014 the Cardiff manager has mixed and match his men and not been afraid to drop players and promote others from the bench.
Federico Macheda, Adam Le Fondre, Joe Mason, Eoin Doyle, Alex Revell, Sammy Ameobi, Kenwyne Jones and more hopefuls have been in and out of the side.
But there has been little success in the search.
In frustration misfits have been sent out on loan and there have been injuries to contend with too.
Idriss Saadi, of whom a lot is hoped, made his debut off the bench against Reading recently only to pick up an injury that will keep him out until January at least.
Jones too has had problems, but it would appear the big Trinidad & and Tobago international has emerged as the lynch-pin in the side, the go-to man, the one striker that really can be relied upon to bring at least some kind of threat to the Bluebirds.
Is Watt and Jones the best partnership moving forwards?
But the problem has always been, who to partner last season’s top-scorer with?
That has remained a problem, until now maybe.
It would be fair to say the arrival of Tony Watt last week on loan from Charlton came as something of a disappointment to many.
The club had been searching for a Premier League striker and, as is their wont, supporters allowed themselves to get carried away, only stopping short of imagining Diego Costa was somehow on his way to the club.
Watt failed to provide the big name that was coveted by supporters, he is only 21 and could not seem to get into an Addicks’ team hardly pulling up trees in the Championship themselves.
But closer perusal of Watt’s pedigree showed, things were far more interesting than they seemed upon first perusal.
There was that winner against Barcelona for Celtic of course, which Watt wearily will chat about in every interview he is asked to do.
But there were the rave reviews at Charlton at the back end of last season and while there's been talk of his temperament blotting his copy-book, there are not too many fans prone to worry about temperament when a player is banging in the goals for their side.
There was talk of Watt’s directness, aggression, his desire to run at defences and his eye for the net.
Characteristics, of course, the Bluebirds have been craving up-front for quite a while.
But there is talk and hype and then there is action and, as Slade pitched his new man straight into the starting XI for the clash with Burnley on the weekend, Watt actually showed he does indeed have something about him.
There was an urgency to his play against the Clarets, a real sense of energy, although at his age, not displaying a bit of energy would be rather unusual.
And we saw that directness too, thanks to a mesmerising run in the first-half that you would have loved to have seen lead to a goal, but instead ended in Watt’s shot whizzing just past the post.
It was a debut to savour, as good a one in a Cardiff shirt as one has seen in a while at the club.
But perhaps the most pleasing aspect was the early signs that Watt and Jones might just be able to link up and see a fruitful relationship develop.
The pair do complement each other.
It is not the typical ‘little and large’ strike-force that so often prospers, both are quite big men with Watt more sinewy than his new partner.
But the qualities both strikers have seemed to see them respond to each other, even if it is early days.
Jones is the immovable force, the battering ram, never happier than when welded to a bruising centre-half. Good in the air, Jones is the ultimate hold-up man.
Off that Watt looked like a worker ant, scurrying around his queen, eager to please, to mop up knock-downs.
Watt likes to come deep, to find the ball, then drive on, as happy to provide as he is to go for goal himself.
Neither man scored and it was set-pieces again that saw Cardiff go ahead, but you wonder if Jones and Watt just might be the men to start a Bluebirds’ goal-rush.
It is going to take time naturally, but, in all round better showing from Cardiff despite the late heartache against Burnley, the Jones and Watt show most definitely looks like something worth persevering with.
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:16 pm
Kennedy for Noone is a change I'd make. Noone has lost his pace, his trickery, loses possession too easily and his crossing was abysmal on Saturday.
I think Kennedy's pace will create more openings for Jones, but only if he can be bothered to get into the box quicker.
Watt has something about him, more direct than Mason, which is unsurprising as he is an out and out striker whereas Mason is not.
I think Kennedy's pace will create more openings for Jones, but only if he can be bothered to get into the box quicker.
Watt has something about him, more direct than Mason, which is unsurprising as he is an out and out striker whereas Mason is not.
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:47 pm
Upon reflection it is something to build on. 
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:27 pm
Whittingham dummied to take a free kick on Saturday, and Ralls took it...is that a first ?
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:28 pm
barry boy wrote:Whittingham dummied to take a free kick on Saturday, and Ralls took it...is that a first ?
Can you imagine how many times Heaton has starred Whitts down in training before Whitts put it in the corner. We all expected Whitts to take it, so did they
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:31 pm
Danny Says wrote:Kennedy for Noone is a change I'd make. Noone has lost his pace, his trickery, loses possession too easily and his crossing was abysmal on Saturday.
I think Kennedy's pace will create more openings for Jones, but only if he can be bothered to get into the box quicker.
Watt has something about him, more direct than Mason, which is unsurprising as he is an out and out striker whereas Mason is not.
Half agree with you, but Noone is not a crossing machine, in fact he is hopeless, Kennedy's end ball is far superior, but so is mine in that case
, but i have thought that the reason why Kennedy was allowed to leave was he lack of pace for a winger.Is he quicker than nooney ?
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:17 pm
Danny Says wrote:Kennedy for Noone is a change I'd make. Noone has lost his pace, his trickery, loses possession too easily and his crossing was abysmal on Saturday.
I think Kennedy's pace will create more openings for Jones, but only if he can be bothered to get into the box quicker.
Watt has something about him, more direct than Mason, which is unsurprising as he is an out and out striker whereas Mason is not.
Totally agree with everything here, nooney can't beat a man he's gone if not Kennedy then another option but Slade can't wait forever like he did with moving Ralls inside.
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:27 am
llan bluebird wrote:Danny Says wrote:Kennedy for Noone is a change I'd make. Noone has lost his pace, his trickery, loses possession too easily and his crossing was abysmal on Saturday.
I think Kennedy's pace will create more openings for Jones, but only if he can be bothered to get into the box quicker.
Watt has something about him, more direct than Mason, which is unsurprising as he is an out and out striker whereas Mason is not.
Half agree with you, but Noone is not a crossing machine, in fact he is hopeless, Kennedy's end ball is far superior, but so is mine in that case
Is he quicker than nooney ?
I don't think Kennedy is as quick as Noone but being a bit fast is useless if you can't beat a man, cross a ball and consistently cut inside and give possession away.
To be fair to Noone though he does work hard and track back. On Saturday his pressing of the opposition was excellent.
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:56 am
Think it's a bit premature to be getting excited about Jones and Watt as a partnership. Let's see how they do after a run of games. As soon as the pair go through a goal drought, most of you will want them both dropped.
Re: " Have Cardiff City Finally Found the Answer? "
Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:22 pm
Jones is a right lazy git, but if he was still on the pitch then Burnley wouldn't have scored late on. Jones would have cleared the cross in my opinion.
Watt looked impressive. is Jones the right man to partner him ? For me i wouldn't re-new Jones contract on that reported 37.5k a week
Watt looked impressive. is Jones the right man to partner him ? For me i wouldn't re-new Jones contract on that reported 37.5k a week