What went wrong for Cardiff City last night

An explanation of what went wrong for Cardiff City last night and why there's no need for the panic button just yet.

BY PHIL SMITH


Friday 12th August 2016


The Bluebirds were dumped out of the EFL cup after a stunning strike from Chris Lines

It was a desperately disappointing return to the Memorial Stadium for Paul Trollope as his side crashed out of the EFL Cup with a fairly limp display at the Memorial Stadium.

Bluebirds fans have been concerned about the lack of cutting edge in the final third and after drawing a blank against Birmingham that is perfectly understandable.

It was a difficult game to assess in a sense because Cardiff controlled it for the most part, and clearly the first round of the EFL Cup is not the game on which definitive judgements about a squad should be made.

Clearly though, there are things to be addressed and so we took a closer look at the game to try and make sense of it all...

Frustration understandable but time and patience required...
This was comfortably the weakest performance Cardiff have turned out under Paul Trollope, and it was unfortunate for him that it came in the first game many Bluebirds have seen in full.

It's important not to get carried away with the disappointment, particularly as it's worth remembering that Chris Lines only really had the space to get that shot away as Stuart O'Keefe had left the field with a suspected broken arm.

Much of the concern has been about the lack of pace in possession and it's an area that Cardiff definitely need to improve on if they are to challenge at the top.

However, it's in this area that patience is most likely to be required.

Switching from a style under previous management where going direct was the preference to being encouraged to look after the ball is a process that can't happen overnight.

Cardiff need to be braver in the final third and certainly move it quicker, but for that to happen the players need to grow in confidence and trust as to what they are trying to acheive. That can only come with time.

This all only served to undermine the importance of Lex Immers, too. He is such an intelligent footballer with a great engine, and links the midfield and attack together better than anyone in the squad. We saw how badly those skills were missed at Sheffield Wednesday last season, and it was evident again last night.

Bristol Rovers made it difficult...
Cardiff's weakest performance in pre-season came against Vfl Bochum, who matched them with a back five and made it really difficult for the Bluebirds to open them up.

Bristol Rovers also mirrored the formation last night but their full-backs weren't at all adventurous and helped create a very flat defensive line.

Crucially, this really prevented Declan John and Jazz Richards from getting the space they have enjoyed in recent weeks. John barely had a kick until Rovers began to tire in the second half and he was able to get to the byline on a few occasions.

It's a game Cardiff should have won but they will not face many more opponents this season so happy to sit deep and frustrate. That will help Trollope get the best out of his squad.

Strikers must to better but also need more support
Cardiff City could do with a new striker between now and the end of the window, that much is obvious.

Kenneth Zohore and Frederic Gounongbe both have their qualities but a proven goal scorer would make a massive difference.

They could also do with someone with the pace to scare defenders and turn them. A key part of the 5-3-2 is the long pass over the back of the defence, particularly when the opposition presses to shut down a short pass into midfield.

Gounongbe in particular is decent with his back to goal and Anthony Pilkington benefits from that, but someone with good movement and a bit of raw pace would give this team another dimension and crucially, give the opposition defence something to worry about.

But it's too simplistic to say that dropping a new striker into this team solves all the problems.

Zohore found it tough last night but he had his work cut out in a very isolated role up against three centre-backs.

Craig Noone often came into midfield to pick up the ball, understandable for a player who enjoys dribbling at goal. However, there were never enough bodies in the box to attack his crosses and too often Cardiff had a number of players behind the ball in possession.

Clearly, though, Gounongbe needs to start putting away those chances...

One size doesn't fit all...
It's also worth noting that as we've only had two competitive games, we really haven't seen the full range of Cardiff's pre-season labours.

The coaching staff have also been working on a 4-3-3 system and in Bristol they finished in a fairly orthodox 4-4-2.

Having Matty Kennedy out on the right wing helped stretch the play and gave Jazz Richards the chance to get on the overlap a lot more.

Trollope isn't wedded to the 5-3-2 and while he arguably could have switched earlier than he did last night, he is keen to adapt as and when necessary.

Will it be enough?

Only time will tell and a bit more firepower will clearly go a long way.

The same thing that went wrong with the other 9 champ sides who lost to lower league teams, played weakened side? It's that simple really rovers played 1st 11 and we're up for it and it showed against a side who looked like strangers.

It's important not to overreact to what was a disappointing performance in the attacking area of the team although the shape and defensive side of the team did look organised.

Without a doubt last night showed the importance of Whitingham and Immers to this team as we lacked quality and invention throughtout the midfield / attack. Zohore looked very raw but really had very little service or support, a situation which wasn't helped by Noone constantly losing possession, however things did improve with the introduction of Pilkington and Gounongbe with the latter looking a far better target man than Zahore and but for hitting the post he would have scored last night.

It's early in the season andwith players like Gunnarsonn, Morrison, Manga, Noone and Richards not having played a great deal of football through pre season it's little wonder they were maybe not match sharp.

But the BIG stand out concern is the clear lack of pace in the forward areas and of course the lack of a decent goalscoring forward, in a year where the better youngsters in the club are likely to be given their chance surely Rhys Healey should be closer to getting game time.

I think that's a pretty balanced summing up by Smith.
Like a breath of fresh air after that clown Tucker.

Our team

Brilliant post, couldn't of put it any better myself!

It's important not to overreact to what was a disappointing performance in the attacking area of the team although the shape and defensive side of the team did look organised.

Without a doubt last night showed the importance of Whitingham and Immers to this team as we lacked quality and invention throughtout the midfield / attack. Zohore looked very raw but really had very little service or support, a situation which wasn't helped by Noone constantly losing possession, however things did improve with the introduction of Pilkington and Gounongbe with the latter looking a far better target man than Zahore and but for hitting the post he would have scored last night.

It's early in the season andwith players like Gunnarsonn, Morrison, Manga, Noone and Richards not having played a great deal of football through pre season it's little wonder they were maybe not match sharp.

But the BIG stand out concern is the clear lack of pace in the forward areas and of course the lack of a decent goalscoring forward, in a year where the better youngsters in the club are likely to be given their chance surely Rhys Healey should be closer to getting game time.

Agreed there Chief but the quality up front is a major concern as I can't see any striker on show last night scoring any more than five goals they really are that bad. Rhys Healey is a good shout mate.

The team bus turned up, the players didn't.

The same thing that went wrong with the other 9 champ sides who lost to lower league teams, played weakened side? It's that simple really rovers played 1st 11 and we're up for it and it showed against a side who looked like strangers.

f*cking garbage mate,we put a strong city side out and they were not good enough thats what went wrong

The same thing that went wrong with the other 9 champ sides who lost to lower league teams, played weakened side? It's that simple really rovers played 1st 11 and we're up for it and it showed against a side who looked like strangers.

f*cking garbage mate,we put a strong city side out and they were not good enough thats what went wrong

Coincidence that 9 other champ teams put out non 1st 11 team and lost. Yes we were rubbish but that was because we played a mixed team of 1st and reserve players. Compared to rovers playing 1st 11. Or are you saying our 1st 11 wouldn't have won to?

There's was nothing up front. No pace, no movement, no pressure. Defence and midfield did ok without lighting up world but when they had the ball the forwards did bugged all.

It's important not to overreact to what was a disappointing performance in the attacking area of the team although the shape and defensive side of the team did look organised.

Without a doubt last night showed the importance of Whitingham and Immers to this team as we lacked quality and invention throughtout the midfield / attack. Zohore looked very raw but really had very little service or support, a situation which wasn't helped by Noone constantly losing possession, however things did improve with the introduction of Pilkington and Gounongbe with the latter looking a far better target man than Zahore and but for hitting the post he would have scored last night.

It's early in the season andwith players like Gunnarsonn, Morrison, Manga, Noone and Richards not having played a great deal of football through pre season it's little wonder they were maybe not match sharp.

But the BIG stand out concern is the clear lack of pace in the forward areas and of course the lack of a decent goalscoring forward, in a year where the better youngsters in the club are likely to be given their chance surely Rhys Healey should be closer to getting game time.

The same thing that went wrong with the other 9 champ sides who lost to lower league teams, played weakened side? It's that simple really rovers played 1st 11 and we're up for it and it showed against a side who looked like strangers.

f*cking garbage mate,we put a strong city side out and they were not good enough thats what went wrong

Coincidence that 9 other champ teams put out non 1st 11 team and lost. Yes we were rubbish but that was because we played a mixed team of 1st and reserve players. Compared to rovers playing 1st 11. Or are you saying our 1st 11 wouldn't have won to?

What it shows is what many of us have been saying all Summer. We do not have a strong squad, despite what the fantasy brigade on this forum say. We used our squad yesterday, and it was'nt good enough to beat a team that was playing 3rd division football a few months back.

Like the season we went up, didn't we go out first round to the lower league then.

Like the season we went up, didn't we go out first round to the lower league then.

Lost 2-1 away at Northampton.

It's important not to overreact to what was a disappointing performance in the attacking area of the team although the shape and defensive side of the team did look organised.

Without a doubt last night showed the importance of Whitingham and Immers to this team as we lacked quality and invention throughtout the midfield / attack. Zohore looked very raw but really had very little service or support, a situation which wasn't helped by Noone constantly losing possession, however things did improve with the introduction of Pilkington and Gounongbe with the latter looking a far better target man than Zahore and but for hitting the post he would have scored last night.

It's early in the season andwith players like Gunnarsonn, Morrison, Manga, Noone and Richards not having played a great deal of football through pre season it's little wonder they were maybe not match sharp.

But the BIG stand out concern is the clear lack of pace in the forward areas and of course the lack of a decent goalscoring forward, in a year where the better youngsters in the club are likely to be given their chance surely Rhys Healey should be closer to getting game time.

Agreed there Chief but the quality up front is a major concern as I can't see any striker on show last night scoring any more than five goals they really are that bad. Rhys Healey is a good shout mate.

For me Pilks is still the best option upfront until someone else is signed.

Nothing went wrong, were just not very good at football.

I think that's a pretty balanced summing up by Smith.
Like a breath of fresh air after that clown Tucker.

Massively more reasoned, Paul

It will take time for the team to play that formation, but yea looks like we need pace and a quality striker up front. At first it look liked we had total control of the game and keeping the ball, but we kept the ball cause we could'nt do anything up front with it.

Noone was useless, he was dribbling around look at his feet and hes to predictable.

The same thing that went wrong with the other 9 champ sides who lost to lower league teams, played weakened side? It's that simple really rovers played 1st 11 and we're up for it and it showed against a side who looked like strangers.

f*cking garbage mate,we put a strong city side out and they were not good enough thats what went wrong

Totally right mate same as Shrewsbury last season garbage why didn't he put a full side out just to get a win under our belt and try and have a good cup run long season ahead I think

The same thing that went wrong with the other 9 champ sides who lost to lower league teams, played weakened side? It's that simple really rovers played 1st 11 and we're up for it and it showed against a side who looked like strangers.

f*cking garbage mate,we put a strong city side out and they were not good enough thats what went wrong

Totally right mate same as Shrewsbury last season garbage why didn't he put a full side out just to get a win under our belt and try and have a good cup run long season ahead I think

A lot of fans on this forum said before the game that it was a strong side being put out by Trollope. Funny how they changed their minds when we lost.

Embarrassing to play 5 at the back against a team a league below us, we set up like the team playing a higher team than us.

pass , pass , pass . pass, nothing at the end,