Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:04 pm
' CARDIFF CITY v PETERBOROUGH UNITED '
City will be looking to extend their record breaking home form on Saturday against Peterborough United and win an eleventh game in a row. The Posh’s form has been extremely poor of late, with only one point picked up from a possible twenty-four leaving bottom of the Championship pile.
But last weekend saw a much-improved performance from Darren Ferguson’s men despite their 3-2 home loss to Middlesbrough. They went 2-0 down in the opening twenty minutes before fighting back to 2-2 early in the second half. Hopes of a comeback faded though when Middlesbrough scored their third goal with quarter of an hour left.
In ten away matches so far this season, the Posh have picked up two wins against Barnsley and at Hull. They have lost seven away in total, picking up a solitary draw against Ipswich Town.
Peterborough have conceded sixteen goals away from home so far and have only scored nine. Sixteen goals conceded is significantly better than their home defence where they have leaked a total of twenty-three. With eight matches without a win and no away win since the first week of October, there is no doubts that the Bluebirds will be extremely strong favourites.
Key Players: Despite their league position and poor form there are some dangerous players to look out for in the Posh’s ranks. Dwight Gayle has scored three goals in the last two games and has featured in the last four games since his loan move from Dagenham and Redbridge. Top scorer however is George Boyd who has scored five goals in the league and six in total. Lee Tomlin has also chipped in with four to be Peterborough’s second top scorer.
If Cardiff are to make it eleven straight wins at home they will have to score past former Austrian under 21 international Robert Olejnik. He is rated highly by his manager and could prove a thorn in City’s side as they look to extend their unbelievable home form.
Previous Meetings: Cardiff and Peterborough don't have too much history together, having met each other only twenty six times in total. The Posh have the much better record, winning fourteen games compared to Cardiff’s six. The other six have obviously ended in draws.
There have been some high scoring affairs between the sides in recent years though, with a 4-3 win for Peterborough last year and that infamous 4-4 draw back in 2009 after City had led 4-0 at half time. Honours have been pretty even between the two sides over the last few seasons, neither having completed a double since United did so back in the 1998/1999 season in the old division three.
Last Meeting: Cardiff City 3 – 1 Peterborough United (14/02/2012)
Cardiff scored three goals in the space of only three minutes to win back in February. Peter Whittingham, Rudy Gestede and Haris Vuckic all scored in the first half against now Cardiff keeper Joe Lewis. United got their consolation in the ninetieth minute through Paul Taylor. That win saw Cardiff climb back to third in the Championship.
Cardiff City Line-up:Marshall, Taylor, Gerrard, Turner, McNaughton, Whittingham, Vuckic (Mason), Cowie, (Conway) Gunnarsson (Kiss), Miller, Gestede. Subs not used: Parish, Blake.
Peterborough United Line-up:Lewis, Briggs, Bennett, Zakuani (Little), Alcock, Boyd (Tomlin), McCann, Rowe, Frecklington, Ball, (Sinclair) Taylor. Subs not used: Jones, Tunnicliffe.