" Scoty Malone / Declan John ? "

Cardiff City fans are asking, 'Is Scott Malone really better than our home-grown Declan John?'


WEDNESDAY 24 FEB 2016

BY SCOTT JOHNSON


Bluebirds season ticket holder and blogger Scott Johnson highlights four key issues as Russell Slade's side prepare for the closing months of the Championship campaign



Is Scott Malone really a better left-back than Declan John?
Cardiff City reverted to type when, having bashed Brighton, they were mauled by Middlesbrough, again underlining their inconsistency. But as we wait to see if the final months of the season bring similar up and down results, what of Russell Slade's team selection?

Does Joe Ralls need to be left out, will Sean Morrison walk back in... and what of the decision to loan out talented youngster Declan John to Chesterfield, while Russell Slade persists with the uninspiring Scott Malone?

Here, Bluebirds season ticket holder and blogger Scott Johnson highlights four key questions..






Is Scott Malone an upgrade on Declan John?

As the only Welsh player on Cardiff’s books, there is understandably a lot of goodwill amongst Cardiff City supporters for Declan John, who has been loaned to Chesterfield.


One of the few players to come away from Cardiff’s season in the Premier League with any credit, having made 20 top-flight appearances, it has been slim pickings for the popular left-back since.

A favourite under Malky Mackay and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he has not found favour with Russell Slade.

The fact that Slade's first signing for the club was a left-back spoke volumes. With John and Fabio in competition for the number three berth, it looked like a position where Cardiff had real strength in depth. Yet Slade still saw fit to acquire Scott Malone from Millwall for just shy of £100,000.

With John a bit too tentative and Fabio swashbuckling, Malone was a happy medium. Very much a Slade type.



But whether or not he represents an upgrade on either is questionable. Malone had a spell earlier in the season when he was impressing in tandem with Joe Ralls on the left, but on the whole, he has flattered to deceive.

Decent on Saturday against Brighton but awful at Middlesbrough on Tuesday, Malone tends to make the same mistakes over and over again yet remains a favourite of Slade.

Not many would pick Malone ahead of Fabio, with whom he tends to alternate in the only position that Slade seems comfortable to rotate.

Some days he's more like Molly Malone !

Poor game last night by all accounts but I think Malone is a very decent full back at this level and sadly yes better than Declan John.

where has this conversation been going on other than scott johnsons head

malone may well have had a mare last night, but hes far better than John

Poor game last night by all accounts but I think Malone is a very decent full back at this level and sadly yes better than Declan John.

Personally I think Declan John is better than Scott Malone but of course that is my opinion so I'm sorry I disagree 100% with your sentiment but also respect your opinion

Poor game last night by all accounts but I think Malone is a very decent full back at this level and sadly yes better than Declan John.

Personally I think Declan John is better than Scott Malone but of course that is my opinion so I'm sorry I disagree 100% with your sentiment but also respect your opinion

Steve, I also think Declan John is better, but as you say everyone has their own opinions

The difference between the two of them though is Malone is an out and out full back but John has been converted from a winger,so please give him a chance.

Fabio > Malone > John

Scott Johnson is a troll.

He wanted to start Macheda on Saturday, with Fabio on the right wing.

John isn't good enough, that's why Barnsley didn't rate him and why he's at Chesterfield.

Sorry lads, but the only reason I can see why you'd think Declan John is better than Malone is bias. John struggled badly with Barnsley, so how on earth he's meant to be better than Malone who's been solid for us I have no idea.

John should be a winger and Malone is better defensively.

Scott Malone is a very decent full back. He has the occasional off-game, like last night, but overall, he's better than Declan John. Hopefully, though, the loan at Chesterfield can kick-start Declan's career.

DORTMUND Wanted Malone but not John

1. Fabio
2. Peltier
3. Malone
4. Connolly
5. John

I would actually argue that John isn't a fullback and his only real chance of making it is as a winger.

i think the only reason people suggest John as a winger is because hes not good enough as a full back.

not a winger either imo

As a full back I'd have Malone over John right now. But John is still young enough to improve and certainly has some very good attributes. Like many on here I'd like to see him tried as a winger as not sure he will ever make it as a championship full back.