NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:03 am
Nathan Blake's radical Cardiff City plan for Premier League crunch games against Burnley and Brighton.
By Nathan Blake
Thursday 11th April 2019
Cardiff City find themselves in a tough spot, despite having given a better account of themselves than most expected this season.
Although it's not done and dusted and relegation is by no means sealed yet, they need to win four of their remaining six games to stay up.
To do so, in my opinion, requires a bold attacking plan to surprise opponents and get the Bluebirds on the front foot.
Burnley's win at Bournemouth last weekend has altered the landscape. Cardiff HAVE to start going for it and that means being more adventurous. Without change, they're not going to get the wins they need. With it they might not anyway, but something tangible does need to change.
Here's a plan for you: take out one of the midfield three — one of the holding players preferably — and play Aron Gunnarsson on his own in front of the back four.
Then I'd play Bobby Reid as a kind of of No.8 alongside Victor Camarasa, each a little further up the pitch, with two quick wide men flying down the flanks: Josh Murphy on one side and either Junior Hoilett or Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the other.
That's my radical change, in terms of mentality, to get goals, which Cardiff will need in these final six games — especially the next two, at Burnley and Brighton, which are make or break.
Cardiff would be better off losing 4-3 in those games, having gambled yes, but at least the knowledge that they'd really gone for it, than trying to keep it tight, hoping to nick it in the last 20 minutes... but then actually losing anyway.
It's an enormous ask to expect the Bluebirds to win at Burnley and Brighton, but nothing ventured and that.
Maybe Neil Warnock won't start with that system I advocate. He may feel Cardiff need to conserve and be solid in the opening half, opening 60 minutes of the games. Harry Arter or Joe Ralls would obviously fit into that more rigid way of thinking.
I get that. But in all honesty I'm thinking the time for a cautious three-man midfield is over for Cardiff. In their situation, five points behind the rest, they need to win games.
This would at least be in my locker as a back-up plan for when goals are a necessity.
Some people have suggested playing two out-and-out strikers, but I think we've seen that doesn't really work under Warnock and he'll be loathe to go that way.
Reid and Camarasa can work back defensively and I think Victor is starting to understand more about the defensive side of the game. Reid will give you that anyway, he's energetic.
But I want to see the Bluebirds throw a curveball at their opponents for the rest of the season. Get runners beyond a striker, like Oumar Niasse, who can hold it up and dart into the channels and in behind. I want to see the forward players rotating positions, making diagonal darts to lose their markers.
Cardiff have relied on Niasse to do the job on his own for the past few months and Burnley and Brighton will probably expect the same when the Bluebirds come to town.
I just feel Cardiff need a trick up their sleeve, so get Reid and Camarasa making those runs and asking new questions of the defenders. I'm not sure Burnley will have prepared for that, so bring the element of surprise.
And with the two wide men cutting in and maybe swapping positions, Cardiff can implement that rotation that I talk about other teams doing.
You've got to have more strings to your bow at Premier League level than Cardiff have shown.
Cardiff possess intelligent footballers in abundance and so much pace in that forward line I'm selecting. So I genuinely don't think it would be difficult for them to play this way.
I know it would cause teams trouble. And it wouldn't leave Cardiff short defensively, because Reid and Camarasa would be under strict instruction to do their bit tracking back, so too the wingers.
It's just more forward thinking... and it could hold the key to Cardiff staying in the Premier League.
It's win or bust time. Something radical is required.
Victor Camarasa can link with Reid
By Nathan Blake
Thursday 11th April 2019
Cardiff City find themselves in a tough spot, despite having given a better account of themselves than most expected this season.
Although it's not done and dusted and relegation is by no means sealed yet, they need to win four of their remaining six games to stay up.
To do so, in my opinion, requires a bold attacking plan to surprise opponents and get the Bluebirds on the front foot.
Burnley's win at Bournemouth last weekend has altered the landscape. Cardiff HAVE to start going for it and that means being more adventurous. Without change, they're not going to get the wins they need. With it they might not anyway, but something tangible does need to change.
Here's a plan for you: take out one of the midfield three — one of the holding players preferably — and play Aron Gunnarsson on his own in front of the back four.
Then I'd play Bobby Reid as a kind of of No.8 alongside Victor Camarasa, each a little further up the pitch, with two quick wide men flying down the flanks: Josh Murphy on one side and either Junior Hoilett or Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the other.
That's my radical change, in terms of mentality, to get goals, which Cardiff will need in these final six games — especially the next two, at Burnley and Brighton, which are make or break.
Cardiff would be better off losing 4-3 in those games, having gambled yes, but at least the knowledge that they'd really gone for it, than trying to keep it tight, hoping to nick it in the last 20 minutes... but then actually losing anyway.
It's an enormous ask to expect the Bluebirds to win at Burnley and Brighton, but nothing ventured and that.
Maybe Neil Warnock won't start with that system I advocate. He may feel Cardiff need to conserve and be solid in the opening half, opening 60 minutes of the games. Harry Arter or Joe Ralls would obviously fit into that more rigid way of thinking.
I get that. But in all honesty I'm thinking the time for a cautious three-man midfield is over for Cardiff. In their situation, five points behind the rest, they need to win games.
This would at least be in my locker as a back-up plan for when goals are a necessity.
Some people have suggested playing two out-and-out strikers, but I think we've seen that doesn't really work under Warnock and he'll be loathe to go that way.
Reid and Camarasa can work back defensively and I think Victor is starting to understand more about the defensive side of the game. Reid will give you that anyway, he's energetic.
But I want to see the Bluebirds throw a curveball at their opponents for the rest of the season. Get runners beyond a striker, like Oumar Niasse, who can hold it up and dart into the channels and in behind. I want to see the forward players rotating positions, making diagonal darts to lose their markers.
Cardiff have relied on Niasse to do the job on his own for the past few months and Burnley and Brighton will probably expect the same when the Bluebirds come to town.
I just feel Cardiff need a trick up their sleeve, so get Reid and Camarasa making those runs and asking new questions of the defenders. I'm not sure Burnley will have prepared for that, so bring the element of surprise.
And with the two wide men cutting in and maybe swapping positions, Cardiff can implement that rotation that I talk about other teams doing.
You've got to have more strings to your bow at Premier League level than Cardiff have shown.
Cardiff possess intelligent footballers in abundance and so much pace in that forward line I'm selecting. So I genuinely don't think it would be difficult for them to play this way.
I know it would cause teams trouble. And it wouldn't leave Cardiff short defensively, because Reid and Camarasa would be under strict instruction to do their bit tracking back, so too the wingers.
It's just more forward thinking... and it could hold the key to Cardiff staying in the Premier League.
It's win or bust time. Something radical is required.
Victor Camarasa can link with Reid
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Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:04 am
Nathan Blakey's team (4-1-2-3):
GK: Neil Etheridge
RB: Lee Peltier
CB: Sean Morrison
CB: Bruno Manga
LB: Joe Bennett
DM: Aron Gunnarsson
CAM: Victor Camarasa
CAM: Bobby Reid
RW: Junior Hoilett/Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
LW: Josh Murphy
CF: Oumar Niasse
GK: Neil Etheridge
RB: Lee Peltier
CB: Sean Morrison
CB: Bruno Manga
LB: Joe Bennett
DM: Aron Gunnarsson
CAM: Victor Camarasa
CAM: Bobby Reid
RW: Junior Hoilett/Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
LW: Josh Murphy
CF: Oumar Niasse
Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:19 am
I guess there is a reason he isn't a manager.
Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:49 pm
Forever Blue wrote:Nathan Blakey's team (4-1-2-3):
GK: Neil Etheridge
RB: Lee Peltier
CB: Sean Morrison
CB: Bruno Manga
LB: Joe Bennett
DM: Aron Gunnarsson
CAM: Victor Camarasa
CAM: Bobby Reid
RW: Junior Hoilett/Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
LW: Josh Murphy
CF: Oumar Niasse
Proper attacking. Id probably start with Arter over Reid and then go to this if chasing later on. But in all honesty if he named this side I wouldn't be disappointed.
Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:53 pm
jimmy_rat wrote:Forever Blue wrote:Nathan Blakey's team (4-1-2-3):
GK: Neil Etheridge
RB: Lee Peltier
CB: Sean Morrison
CB: Bruno Manga
LB: Joe Bennett
DM: Aron Gunnarsson
CAM: Victor Camarasa
CAM: Bobby Reid
RW: Junior Hoilett/Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
LW: Josh Murphy
CF: Oumar Niasse
Proper attacking. Id probably start with Arter over Reid and then go to this if chasing later on. But in all honesty if he named this side I wouldn't be disappointed.
Burnley would walk straight through us with that team, its madness.
People thought we went attacking against Wolves away because we played two strikers, its just meant we had two players out of the game. Im not sure why everyone is so keen to move away from what we did so well v West Ham and Chelsea
Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:52 pm
2blue2handle wrote:jimmy_rat wrote:Forever Blue wrote:Nathan Blakey's team (4-1-2-3):
GK: Neil Etheridge
RB: Lee Peltier
CB: Sean Morrison
CB: Bruno Manga
LB: Joe Bennett
DM: Aron Gunnarsson
CAM: Victor Camarasa
CAM: Bobby Reid
RW: Junior Hoilett/Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
LW: Josh Murphy
CF: Oumar Niasse
Proper attacking. Id probably start with Arter over Reid and then go to this if chasing later on. But in all honesty if he named this side I wouldn't be disappointed.
Burnley would walk straight through us with that team, its madness.
People thought we went attacking against Wolves away because we played two strikers, its just meant we had two players out of the game. Im not sure why everyone is so keen to move away from what we did so well v West Ham and Chelsea
My preference would be the keep the same. But as said I wouldn't mind this team and I don't think it would be that mad. A passing possession team would walk through us. That isn't Burnley.
Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:52 pm
2blue2handle wrote:I guess there is a reason he isn't a manager.
Luke, Spot on
Re: NATHAN BLAKES PLAN ON HOW TO KEEP CARDIFF CITY UP
Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:25 pm
I like Blakey, but that's an insane plan 
We'd be torn to pieces and with 2 CAM's we'd only have Gunnarsson back for the counter attack in midfield and I've seen how slow he is to cover ground. It would be like watching OGS all over again. Now im not against trying a rotational system in general but not when we've been playing well recently and its not a good time to try out a new system at this stage of the season.
We'd be torn to pieces and with 2 CAM's we'd only have Gunnarsson back for the counter attack in midfield and I've seen how slow he is to cover ground. It would be like watching OGS all over again. Now im not against trying a rotational system in general but not when we've been playing well recently and its not a good time to try out a new system at this stage of the season.