LEANDRO BACUNA AND MICK McCARTHY'S SELECTIONS

Mick McCarthy needs to take responsibility for his own flawed decision making which has been an instrumental reason for Cardiff losing so many games
By Paul Abbandonato


His choice to play five centre-backs against West Brom was roundly derided even before kick-off and backfired spectacularly as Cardiff crashed 4-0.

McCarthy's ongoing stubbornness in picking Leandro Bacuna as a wide forward player is also badly thought out, angering fans and hindering the team.

McCarthy's predecessor Neil Harris copped plenty of flak for consistently picking Bacuna as a right-back, but McCarthy choosing him in what should be a creative role is even worse.

And it is not fair on Bacuna either, whose substitution against Reading was cheered by the home fans and who former Wales striker turned pundit Iwan Roberts claims should never play for the club again.

Bacuna simply doesn't have the flair needed to create or threaten from the forward positions, can't drop a shoulder, jink and go past a man and at times he slows down Bluebirds attempts at quick football to open up opposition defences.

There was one moment against Reading when Ryan Giles took out three defenders with a sizzling run down the right, played a super ball in to Bacuna and it was crying out for him to shoot or set Kieffer Moore free. Instead he dilly-dallied on the ball, let the Reading defence re-set and, worse still, lost possession to the loud groans of the Cardiff City Stadium fans.

Bacuna's strengths are more as a central midfield player, where he could offer legs, energy and enable Cardiff get to more second balls, not as a creative force.

To the astonishment of many, McCarthy chose to get rid of Josh Murphy - who can offer the pace and threat to run beyond defenders Cardiff so desperately lack on the left - while sticking with Bacuna.

And to the bafflement of fans he continues to pick Bacuna ahead of Rubin Colwill, who looked way more threatening when he came on as a substitute against Reading.

Colwill is young and we shouldn't be expecting too much too soon, but had he started the game Cardiff would have carried greater threat from the kick-off and may even have won.

Others would like to see Mark Harris or Kieron Evans, another Academy youngster, given a chance out wide where they would pose greater threat.

Colwill's inclusion from the off would give Cardiff more potency and goal threat going forward, something their failure to score a first-half goal this season indicates is a real problem.

It would also enable McCarthy to mix and match his midfield, keep players fresh, by perming any three from Bacuna, Joe Ralls, Marlon Pack, Will Vaulks and the impressive Sam Bowen.

However, McCarthy's default position appears to be Bacuna out wide and as such the likelihood is he will start again in the next game against Swansea.

Despite Cardiff's backing for him, McCarthy's team dare not produce the kind of insipid display we saw from Neil Harris' side in the first South Wales derby last season when they lost 2-0 and it proved to be the final straw for many fans.

McCarthy eventually came in, steadied the ship and oversaw a 1-0 triumph in the return game at the Liberty Stadium, when Aden Flint wrote his name into Bluebirds derby folklore with the winning goal.

McCarthy knows a repeat of that derby showing will earn him something of a reprieve as far as some critics are concerned.

For the time being at least, Vincent Tan feels there is no need for a change in manager and McCarthy is being backed to turn things around.

The Bacuna situation is so frustrating!!! Everyone but Mick can see it does not work. You watch him in 5 minute spells in a game and he literally runs in circles like a dog chasing his tail that he is never going to catch.

I much prefer Bacuna in cm as he does have energy and can drive at defences and splay passes off. Problem is I fully agree that Mick will be stubborn and start him against the jacks ultimately costing usa result.

He altered a lot against Reading and it worked in the main backed up by a fantastic effort from the players...except Bacuna...and Flint was very unlucky to slip just as he shot at goal.

We also got nothing from a very average referee.

Sadly when it rains it pours

Thin Paul Abbandonato has got it right. MM is picking the wrong team in the wrong formation and it's costing us points. Don't think the squad of players is as bad as some people are making out. As for Bacuna well the Ipswich fans were right about him. Sometimes he thinks a player is the right player in the right position and he stubbornly won't be persuaded he is wrong even when almost everyone else thinks he is. It is a sort of I am right and everyone else is wrong thing. It used to drive Ipswich fans mad.

Was getting rid of Murphy to the astonishment of many?

he certainly not a winger , right back or central mid defensive player is Bacuna but at the moment should not be playing he on a very poor form

I was astounded on Saturday when Bacuna was on the edge of the box and Kieffer was out wide.

Definitely Bacuna, what is his best position? another great buy by Warnock! Vaulks was great last year but like many others has lost form,Collins proven Championship Striker like Moore but no service due to lack of wingers, Browne is a centre back highly rated in Scotland, needs games in his correct position!

Getting rid of all wingers murphy holliet whyte and trying to use bacuna tells you everything going on in micks head
mc carthy never picked any of these 3 hardly and let them go aswell as us loosing ojo and wilson and then was happy to say he was happy with the squad and all positions covered. Mc carthys playing style is not played anywhere in the championship and we are happy to keep him is beyond me. No wonder walk up fans will stay in the arm chair and even st holders will give it a miss there is only so much you can take

Definitely Bacuna, what is his best position? another great buy by Warnock! Vaulks was great last year but like many others has lost form,Collins proven Championship Striker like Moore but no service due to lack of wingers, Browne is a centre back highly rated in Scotland, needs games in his correct position!

Bacuna = CDM

Let's not forget Bacuna was our marquee Jan signing to keep us in the PL. You gotta laugh mate or you'll cry.