A VIEW FROM THE ARMCHAIR (v BLACKBURN ROVERS)

Before this game, I felt it was one we could win by ending our recent goal drought but was more likely to be another draw, despite Blackburn's failure to register one to date this season

What I felt we couldn't do was lose, as we are now perilously close to the bottom three and not looking likr scoring the goals that will give us the mid-table comfort I still believe the overall squad is capable of

My disappointment is creeping towards anger right now, as I see us self-destruct in allowing Blackburn their goal and then knowing we were very unlikely to get that goal back, despite some half-chances towards the end

There goes our undefeated record so far in 2023

I jest there, of course; the actual situation is more serious than that and a mix of factors appear to be combining to make this season even tougher than the last...

On the field, we can't say the players are not trying; but we currently look more than a little rudderless and this is compounded by the apparent lack of nouse coming from the coaches on the Bluebird bench

Added to that, the apparent turmoil that currently haunts us off the pitch is becoming more than a side-show. It's actually starting to become the main focus and that is not good for anyone involved with Cardiff City FC; owner, management, players and (genuine) supporters

Few of us know what is in the owner's head and if he has an actual 'plan' to either take us forward or if he's ready to sell at a cost that will satisfy both his own ego and the aspirations of any new investor

For me, January 2023 is a huge month for the Bluebirds and surely certain (obvious to most supporters now) decisions need to be made?

Do we need to find a new manager/coach?

Under the embargo, can we ship some players out and bring more suitable ones in?

Will the owner (not the puppet) acknowledge we are not in a good place right now and some off-the-pitch issues need to be addressed urgently, including the Sala affair?

One thing is for sure, come February 1st 2023 we will have what we have until the season's end and what we have right now is looking a little short and a little jaded

New manager/coach and/or new players?

Sadly, for Mark Hudson, the answer is both...

Over to you, Mr Tan

What happens next is completely up to Mr Tan

If He he sits back and does nothing we will almost certainly be relegated

The problem is for him to change things it’s going to cost him at least £25 million (Sala fee, new manager, director of football and at lest 3 players)

Has he got the money, enthusiasm or heart to do that??

I've just watched Hudson's post match interview.......he looks clueless. It's painful for us to see that our club, as you rightly say Chris, is rudderless.

Without some major upheaval, be it players, be it management, or be it ownership....I struggle to see how we turn this Titanic quick enough to miss the iceberg. As always, I live in hope.

Good summary Chris as always. It's a mess and only VT can now make the decisions needed to guide us to at least safety. Surely he knows he can't rely or trust Dalman anymore and has to step in or get someone to replace him and quick? Dalman said in a summer interview that he didn't know how many STs we had sold. Previous to that he said in an interview that we didn't have a plan and he'll let everyone know when they have one. Only recently he said that he doesn't really know Mark Hudson. This is inexcusable and you'd be sacked for lesser in any other similar role.

Like Jim, I watched Huds interview and he looks exhausted and lost as to what to do to get us firing. How can he be expected to turn this around when tbh, it will probably be a challenge for even a seasoned operator, so I don't blame him at all.

Earnie was also right in his summary, we know what the problem is. It's either the players can't score or they need to be coached or 'motivated' better, and that's what an effective manager does plus decent man management, especially when confidence is low. And we are now on that slippery slope, where the players know they are not scoring and looking down, not up which further undermines confidence.

Hudson is a defence minded coach but we can't draw our way to safety. And the lack of goals will be a drain on the defence, as they know that even if we go one up or down, we are unlikely to win in either scenario as we rarely score 2 or more goals (if that makes any sense!).

All players have been used now and we are even more sensitive to injuries due to the embargo. And even if the embargo is lifted, we are going to need players in like Drameh, Doyle and Uche as SM got a year ago for a shot in the arm.

I'd still want Huds as a coach but we need someone in now to at least guarantee safety with the present squad. So over to you VT, you said your still committed. Prove it.

Not just surface rust is it .Its rot and if someone doesn't grab a bull by his horns that rot will crumble into nothing. Either its sorted or its not .To win things everything everyone has to be together with a focus and plan.To loose its the opposite. This club and owners no how to win i strongly suggest they go back to that winning formula. League one is real nobody wants that again .Never easy with Ccfc lot of fans worried for very obvious reasons. I hope they sort us out only time will tell.

Great summary

Football is the ultimate free market, it generally sorts players out by budgets, sometimes you overpay a player and sometimes you get a kid that's contributing far more than his salary but generally, you get what you pay for.

Apparently, we are bottom quartile in terms of salary, and that's where we find ourselves, in the bottom quarter. We only have a CR as a genuine championship-level forward but he is not the battering ram we need.

The squad construction was naive but all the playing the right way and preferring losing with style mob are happy though...... thought not.

7 point plan to save the city

1. Bring Mozzer back in as captain. We need leadership and threat from set pieces. He brings both.
2. Move Ng to left back.
3. Get a centre forward from ANYWHERE who can hold up the ball and bring our decent (IMO) forward thinking players into the game (Colwill, Philogene, O'Dowda, Ojo, Robinson, Isaac Davies, Etete)
4. Hopefully Ebou Adams will be like a new player and bring some 'go forward' in centre mid.
5. Bring Joel Colwill & James Crole into the matchday squad. Drop Whyte & Mark Harris.
6. Sack the leeches (Dalman, Choo)
7. Sack Hudson. Bring in Warnock, Bamba and a DoF

PS. What's happened to Ollie Denham?

7 point plan to save the city

1. Bring Mozzer back in as captain. We need leadership and threat from set pieces. He brings both.
2. Move Ng to left back.
3. Get a centre forward from ANYWHERE who can hold up the ball and bring our decent (IMO) forward thinking players into the game (Colwill, Philogene, O'Dowda, Ojo, Robinson, Isaac Davies, Etete)
4. Hopefully Ebou Adams will be like a new player and bring some 'go forward' in centre mid.
5. Bring Joel Colwill & James Crole into the matchday squad. Drop Whyte & Mark Harris.
6. Sack the leeches (Dalman, Choo)
7. Sack Hudson. Bring in Warnock, Bamba and a DoF

PS. What's happened to Ollie Denham?

Denham looks to be off on loan, although after seeing him v Villa (in the PW7 match) I'd keep him and put him in the squad with a view to 'live' development

7 point plan to save the city

1. Bring Mozzer back in as captain. We need leadership and threat from set pieces. He brings both.
2. Move Ng to left back.
3. Get a centre forward from ANYWHERE who can hold up the ball and bring our decent (IMO) forward thinking players into the game (Colwill, Philogene, O'Dowda, Ojo, Robinson, Isaac Davies, Etete)
4. Hopefully Ebou Adams will be like a new player and bring some 'go forward' in centre mid.
5. Bring Joel Colwill & James Crole into the matchday squad. Drop Whyte & Mark Harris.
6. Sack the leeches (Dalman, Choo)
7. Sack Hudson. Bring in Warnock, Bamba and a DoF

PS. What's happened to Ollie Denham?

Denham looks to be off on loan, although after seeing him v Villa (in the PW7 match) I'd keep him and put him in the squad with a view to 'live' development

Denham as good as Simpson surely? I agree with you Sven, I think he's good enough for the squad.