Gabbidon: Swans are Cardiff's worst nightmare and players lo

Gabbidon: Swans are Cardiff's worst nightmare and players looked lost

Former Bluebirds defender Danny Gabbidon swatted aside the notion that the players didn't "get" the derby, instead he insisted that Cardiff have historically and continually failed to cope with teams like Swansea and were outwitted and outclassed.

Cardiff have won only one of the last seven South Wales derbies. Since both teams returned to the Championship, the aggregate scored across the last six fixtures has been 10-1 in Swansea's favour - a rather damning statistic.

It has led some Bluebirds fans to believe that Swansea's players are simply up for the derby clash more than their Cardiff counterparts. Gabbidon, however, disagrees, believing that it is purely down to footballing reasons why they keep losing to Swansea time and time again in recent years.

On the matter of Bluebirds players not realising the enormity of the fixture, Gabbidon also told EJFOF: "I don't fully buy into that, I really don't. I don't care if you're a foreign player or a local lad, players understand the magnitude of the game. They understand what it means to themselves, the club, the fans. It's quite simple, they have just been tactically inept.

"It's simple, Swansea are Cardiff City's worst nightmare with the way they play. The way Cardiff play, the managers they've had over the past few seasons, they can't play against teams like that, it's always been an issue. When they come up against teams like that, who retain the ball and have fluidity, they are just not able to deal with it.

"When you get embarrassed that much, Swansea are keeping the ball, and you feel like, as a player, you can't get near anyone. It was like Swansea had 13 or 14 players on the pitch at times. It can look like you're not trying or there's no effort - but I don't think that was the case at the weekend with Cardiff players.

"It was just the fact they were totally outclassed tactically and that made them look like they weren't up for it. But it was just the players didn't understand what they needed to do in that game. Swansea have played that way for a long time but they still haven't found any answers for playing against that type of team. They can get away with it against others and most teams don't play that way.

"But when it comes to Swansea, it's not about lack of fight or not trying, I think the players were trying, but what they were trying wasn't working. The closing down, they were getting there a second late. Players looking around wondering who they should be picking up.

"As a manager, you have to set your team up in the best possible way to win the game and I don't think we have seen that in recent games, you have seen players who look lost. It was more that for me than a lack of fight or understanding the magnitude of the game."

As I stated on another thread between 71 and 92 we failed to beat Bristol city in the league 17 games. Many consider them bigger rivals.

As I stated on another thread between 71 and 92 we failed to beat Bristol city in the league 17 games. Many consider them bigger rivals.

That's why it's so important to Swansea, they have one derby match they are out on a limb with the nearest team being us 45 miles away, they are absolutely desperate to beat us.

We on the other hand have had derby games over the years with Bristol City, Newport, Bristol Rovers and Swansea, so although we want to beat them it's not and will never be the same for us.