Burke, Chopra, Bothroyd and now

Jay Bothroyd in trouble for his ‘Tweets’

A 3-0 win over Blackpool sent Cardiff City soaring to second place in the division and off the top by only goal difference. It’s difficult not to look back a week and wonder ‘what if’. Two goals up at Palace before crashing to a 3-2 defeat. With it and the Bristol City horror show (2-4) the only defeats so far this season, things are looking good.

The 100% home record is impressive with wins against four teams currently in the top ten. That’s excatly the kind of home form promoted clubs must show. Too many points have been dropped at home over recent years. Away from home the draw at table topping Brighton was a good one. The win at Millwall would be thought of us as expected. The Palace collapse leaves a doubt about our resolve when under pressure as does the Bristol City nightmare. Automatically promoted teams rarely get hammered or throw away solid leads. Everyone has an off day and let’s hope that was what the Bristol games was. The Palace game leaves the biggest fear. Losing too many leads was a major issue last year. We must hope Malky Mackay has addresed the issue this year.

The loss of Nicky Maynard is a cruel blow. Whatever his contribution may or may not have been over the season ahead it is a lot of money tied up now in a player who will not perform, maybe for the entire season ahead. Maynard was certainly not bought as a cover player but would have been expected to start. This means Mackay hasn’t got the ideal line-up he was hopng for. Will the purse strings be loosened once more in the January window? I suppose that will depend on how far the team goes between now and the overcoming the loss of Maynard. Craig Bellamy is a more than adequate replacement but probably not for every game. Rude Gestede may play a part when the game needs to change but I can’t see hm starting unless we are pressed to. Joe Mason didn’t get the start against Blackpool as many would have thought and expected. Etien Velikonja appears to be taking time to settle in.

Another win at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday will be needed before the trip to struggling Ipswich. Former players Chis Burke with the Brummies and Michael Chopra at the Tractor Boys will be looking to put one over on their former employers. These two games will go someway toward answering the question of will Nicky Maynard be missed. The international break following will allow Mackay to assess once again. But back to Burke and Chopra, an intersting aside. Would Burke and Chopra start in this Cardiff City team? To begin to discuss it would seem to indicate the team is better than in the days of those two heroes. Of course both have the talent to play on this current team but does Chopra have the determination, the stamina and the team ethic? Is Burke really better than what we already have? What does it say to see Jay Bothroyd still scoreless at Sheffield Wednesday and accused of laziness and being uninterested? Poor Jay in more trouble after some ill advised ‘Tweeting’. Maybe it means nothing but to Malky Mackay probably a lot. Not a Malkay Mackay type player. What about you?

It’s interesting to see Matthew Connolly keeping Ben Turner out of the team and it goes to Mackay’s policy of keeping alive competition for places. It means every player is fighting for their position on merit and if Mackay replaces an injured player and that player does a good job the player is rewarded by retaining his place. With the improved strength in depth within the squad now, this can only be healthy for the team and the future.

One of my concerns coming into this season was regarding the number of top quality teams in the league and the difficulty Cardiff might have picking up the top players they would need to compete. At this early stage it seems fair to state that Mackay has done it and has a squad of depth, talent and experience mixed with youthful enthusiasm. All that remains now is to see how it progresses and adapts as the season enfolds.

For the first time I am confident we have the best chance yet of making it into the Premier League via one of the automatic spots. There’s a feeling of this could be our year. Maybe I’m over-reaching but I would not be surprised to see us go on a run that takes us away from the pack by Christmas and this time maintain the momentum. Yes, there will be Bristol City type hiccups along the way but the signs around the CCS are looking good.

Promise kept, solid start promises more

Who will be the Cardiff signing to cement the promotion push?

Two games in and four points from six. A home win, an away draw and a no goals conceded. The epitome of a solid start. Full marks to the Malaysian owners right now for a promise kept to fund Malky Mackay’s efforts to bring Premier League football to the capital city. With at least one more signing likely before the window closes the squad is reflecting it’s opening results, solid. Maybe that should be the other way around and a solid squad providing solid results.

As I hear the word solid overused like that it leaves me stone cold. There’s nothing sexy about solid, not much inspiration. We can hope that Kim Bo-Kyung will add some flair and inspiration and let’s hope that he does because without it I fear we will see a lot more solid displays from Cardiff City rather than fluid ones. Craig Bellamy is going to find himself tightly marked and sometimes doubled up on. His quality will ensure goals and assists but in what quantities? Peter Whittingham will bend in a few free-kicks and long-range efforts as usual and we look for the same from Kim. Both should also set up goals with astute passing. Not a bad thought.

But who gets the 20 plus goals we will need from a striker? I’m doubtful that Heidar Helgerson can provide them all. At his age he will do well to play enough games. He is the same type of signing as Kenny Miller if not the same type of forward. I assume Etiene Velikonja has the long-term potential in Mackay’s thinking but perhaps not the immediate quality otherwise why is he on the bench? His time is yet to come. For the immediate future he looks to have a Joe Mason type role ahead. And what of the inspired Joe Mason of 2011/12 where is he now? On the bench again and an impact player off it for now.

As I said in an earlier blog, Mason might find it hard to fulfill a role. Not quite an out-and-out forward, not quite a midfield player. Robert Earnshaw looks destined for a late transfer window move or another frustrating season on the bench, he is so obviously out of the manager’s plans. With Mackay working hard to persuade Tommy Smith to join, what will be a third recent recruit from QPR, the Welsh internationals chances are diminishing by the day. Rudy Gestede provides the size and ‘different option’ from the bench but he’s surely not a regular goalscorer or starter at the moment?

Mackay has added defensive cover in the shape of Matthew Connolly who joins Helgerson his recent QPR teammate. The former Arsenal youngster can play anywhere across the back-line and could be an immediate replacement for Darcy Blake should he decide to move on. Can’t help thinking that at half a million pounds we might have offered home-grown Blake enough of a wage increase to stay. Maybe the Welshman wants the move irrespective of what’s on offer from the CCS suits and who can blame him if he just wants to play. His decision is likely to be much the same as the one Tom Heaton made.

Mention of Heaton brings us to the Bristol City game ahead. The former Manchester United ‘keeper has started both games for the Wurzels but is yet to keep a clean sheet. Let’s hope that trend continues on Saturday. A goal for Cardiff at Ashton Gate should be enough to avoid a defeat based on the compact and solid (there’s that word again) early displays from the Bluebirds back-line. Two goals should ensure the win. I hate predicting results so expect a Heaton master class and just as we are singing the recent praises of Scotland’s number one David Marshall, he will obviously cost us a goal on Saturday.

Goalkeeping apart it’s the Cardiff striker conundrum, I believe, that will decide the outcome of the cross-channel derby. Will Helgerson, Bellamy or Velikonja step up to the mark or will we rely on captain Mark Hudson and partner Ben Turner imposing their formidable aerial threat from dead-balls to get the job done? Is it Whittingham’s turn to net his first of the season? Questions, questions.

Sometimes it’s not just the football brain or the soccer logic that works best. Sometimes there are other clues. The striker mistrust I have right now is tempered by the hope of another attack-minded signing (Smith) or two. There could even be another defensive buy (Blake permitting). As I said in my blog of July 14th, “Simple math says we can expect one more major coup. I hope it is a top-level forward. Just who that might be I have no idea”. It’s now August 23rd and that statement still stands. I believe Mackay has tried and failed to sign that player. I said as far back as my May 25th blog “talk of $5 million pound offers for Rodriguez, $3 million for Sordell is all well and good but you actually have to get these players. Most players who will command those kinds of fees and the wages that go with them will have Premier League offers. If they don’t then they won’t be worth the fee. Other targets who may cost less will only be good level Championship style players” adding “I fear Mackay might box himself into a transfer corner and be unable to get the quality he needs”. We missed out on Rodriguez (Southampton), Sigurdson (Wolves) and Vardy (Leicester).

Here’s where my hope lies. A look at the Cardiff City roster today shows numbers 12, 14 and 16 are free. Assume Smith or somebody gets one of those and Connolly another. That leaves one number free. And there lies my calculated guess and expectation for the top-level forward we need. Someone for Velikonja or Bellamy or Mason to play off the shoulder of. Kim’s arrival might release Bellamy to play up front alongside this other forward or at least with Helgerson, maybe not. I was right about Miller moving on (June 20th blog) “Kenny Miller I believe has passed his peek and probably his sell-by date”. He went on a free. I also proposed (July 14th blog) “The Bluebirds are crying out for a quality target or center forward to play off. Either a high or deep-lying player or preferably one who can do both and score goals. Gestede is that in a raw package … a back-up plan. Miller has been doing this but as I said previously I think his time is up. The move out of Cardiff City may not be Earnshaw after all but Miller? Either way that leaves one forward position still to fill …Miller’s position must be the most at threat now”. It was.

Yet Earnshaw could still be moving, maybe as bait or makeweight or in an entirely separate transaction. I think Earnie would jump at the chance. We live in hope and expectation but the window is slowly closing. Cardiff look solid, just like Malkay. Can we expect anything else now? If we are to earn promotion this season I can only see more 1-0 home wins and solid defensive displays. There may be fluctual flair and imagination to come, surely Bellamy, Whittingham and Kim will provide some magic individual moments but fluid, incisive attacking plays exciting the CCS faithful I cannot see. Excitement, yes. Huddersfield was exciting in the end but solid throughout. I think the season ahead bodes for the same, solid with periods of scattered excitement.

West Ham showed us the way last year. Solid and Sam-like in their application they were too good for Cardiff City. They didn’t cut us to ribbons, they didn’t produce exciting attacking displays, they were solid, professional, too good, too strong, too deep and outclassed us. A lesson learned? This season should promise more than last. Solid it will be for sure. How solid remains to be seen. Maybe we will have to wait until the winter transfer window to fulfill that promise. If that’s the case then let’s hope for a solid start and a solid first half to the season and the promise of more cash to splash in the January window if needed.

 

What price tradition?

The Rangers Football Club in Scotland is facing a massive legal and financial challenge. The club appears to be headed for liquidation and the old company will become a new one. Exactly what this means for the future of one half of the ‘Old Firm’ is not quite apparent.

Vincent Tan embraces a Cardiff City tradition and does ‘the Ayatollah’

The newco will most likely keep the Rangers name intact in some form, be it Glasgow Rangers or something similar. The actual name of the current club in liquidation is Rangers F.C. What happens to the tradition and history of the club when this happens? The history of the oldco ends at this point. The newco begins it’s life and it’s charge for honors and tradition.

In 2002 another Scottish club, Airdrieonians, went out of business to become Airdrie United. This was a new club, a new business. The history of Airdrieonians ended and the history of Aidrie United began. Of course traditionalists would probably say the history of both is one in the same. You can be assured Rangers fans will.

In 2004 the old Wimbledon F.C. became the new Milton Keynes Dons after their 2002 relocation . This was a relocation, renaming and rebranding of the same business organization. The history of both is the same history though the fans would argue, the tradition certainly isn’t.

Fans at the former Wimbledon F.C.’s home town created a new club entirely, called A.F.C. Wimbledon. While the former club rebranded with a new name which included the old nickname ‘Dons’ it changed colours and relocated. The new club A.F.C. Wimbledon then began it’s new history and tradition, while holding onto the old history and tradition of Wimbledon F.C. which could reasonably be considered as theirs.

What A.F.C. Wimbledon achieved was unbelievable. Within 9 years the fans of the old club had gone from the depths of despair to forming a new club and taking it from the basement of English league football to the Football League by 2011. That’s some tradition to look back on.

What has this to do with Cardiff City? As you can see the tradition of a football club can be whatever you want it to be. It can be whatever it’s supporters want it to be. Colours can change, nicknames too. Clubs can move, clubs can go out of business and return renamed, anew. But the fans will decide what the tradition of the club will be and it’s history old or new.

For Rangers F.C. there is now a heavy price to pay for trying to live up to their traditions. They will probably emerge in blue, still nicknamed The ‘Gers and playing at Ibrox but how long will it take them to emerge from under the shadow of city rivals Celtic? What’s in a name? For Airdrieonians they became Airdrie United. For Wimbledon fans there was even more drama, a split.

Portsmouth F.C. are facing their own survival issues right now. Birmingham City may have problems ahead, along with Blackburn Rovers (like Rangers, all play in blue, maybe it is an unlucky colour after all?).

For Cardiff City, what price tradition? It looks like the answer is 100 million pounds. But as I have said before, if the Malaysian’s plans fail Cardiff City may well be following the tradition of one of the models above. At that point it will be easy to return to blue, Bluebirds and old traditions as we emerge from liquidation. Hopefully though, we will be looking at a new Premier League tradition of red shirts, not red balance sheets or red faces. Who knows? We can only hope.

Two things we can be sure of. One is that traditionalists will do whatever it suits them to do, as can be seen in the examples of blue shirted Wimbledon et al and owners have the power and right to do whatever it is they want to do – after all it is their money and their price to pay.

 

Play-off agony again, changes needed?

Collison strikes

It always looked like a big ask. This Cardiff team were justifiable underdogs against West Ham, unlike previous play-off teams. Unfortunately they looked like it too. The good news, the Hammers only take a two goal lead back to London for the second leg on Monday.

Welsh International Jack Collison netted an early strike, against the run of play after 9 minutes but that would prove to be the end of the contest. Big Sam’s team grew in stature and confidence while the Bluebirds were grounded. Collison’s second off the head of Liam Lawrence four minutes before half-time made it mathematically safe.

In the second half Cardiff found more attacking options its true. The Hammers settled in behind the ball choosing to rely on the breakaway. As poor as Cardiff were they still created some half chances that offer hope, particularly from dead balls. Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Mason and Miller in particular never really threatened in open play. Whitts hit one long range piledriver close, Mason netted when offside by the closest of margins and Miller squandered a couple of good openings.

As hopeful as that is for the second leg it’s true to say the Hammers could also point to missing a few opportunities of their own, Kevin Nolan’s header from inside the six yard box in particular. It doesn’t look good for Monday. West Ham are a better team.

Yet, if Cardiff can score fist who knows what might happen. A scrappy opener or a dead ball bundled home, even an own goal is what’s needed. It’s hard to see any goal of an open nature being scored as the Hammers will obviously get behind the ball and bring Cardiff on, ready to hit back on the couner-attack. Talk of the Hammers poor home form helping Cardiff can be forgotten. Tactically, Big Sam will be play this like an away game. He got his tactics right at Cardiff City Stadium and he’ll get it right at Upton Park in the return.

Malkay Mackay will have to shock or surprise Sam if the Bluebirds are to shake it up. Changes are needed. Surely for all his loyalty to Kenny Miller it is time to start the return game without the Scot. It’s tough to understand why Rudy Gestede was not on the bench in the first leg. Surely his sheer physical prescence will be needed on Monday. A Gestede-Earnshaw frontline with Whittingham and Cowie or Lawrence out wide will allow the Bluebirds to get balls into the box and to look for the second ball to break as the Hammers drop deep. The full-backs can push on and allow the wide men to pull the ball back when needed and deliver more of the crosses that will be needed. Maybe there could even be a place for Kadeem Harris, on the bench if nothing else. Cardiff must surprise the Hammers in as many ways as possible.

Gunnarsson and McPhail in the middle will need to stay disciplined and hold their positions. They will have to chance winning the midfield battle by staying central at all times and concentrate on feeding the ball forward and wide to remain defensively ready for the counter. I don’t hold out much hope for this working but repeating the same again on Monday will definitely not work.

Gestede is not Carlton Cole but a physical presence will be needed. Earnie can find the net given enough ball in and around the box, and in and around the box it must go. Whitts will still hold a threat from dead balls and both Turner and Hudson threatened Green’s goal in the air and should again. It will take a superhuman effort and good fortune but it could just happen.

Cardiff are to all intent, down and out. If the Hammers believe that and are already looking forward to Wembley and a return to the Premiership they could come unstuck. But the professional way in which they dealt with the occassion at the Cardiff City Stadium suggests differently. For City fans it’s been a great season all considered but it is likely to end in play-off agony omce again, what changes? Over to you Malkay.

Play-offs roll big Sam a loaded dice

Joe Mason

On Thursday Cardiff City will make a third consecutive attempt at Championship play-off promotion. This time they will be the underdog, the overwhelming underdog. In 2010 they were favorites to beat Charlie Adam inspired Blackpool in the Wembley final. Last year they were expected to handle Reading, Forest or Swansea. We all remember to well what happened.

This time it is West Ham who have the favorites tag and rightly so. The Hammers finished 11 points and 20 goals better than the Bluebirds. They are everyone’s best bet to go up now, as they were at the start of the season when a Kenny Miller lone goal for Cardiff burst the Allardyce bubble on opening day in the East End of London. How ironic if it were Cardiff who ended the Hammers season in what would be the final game of the season next Monday at Upton Park.

Big Sam Allardyce will lock horns with big Malkay Mackay in a coaching battle of wits. Somehow I don’t see any surprises from Cardiff. Malkay will play his usual line-up in it’s usual formation. There will be nothing new for Sam to concern himself with. A resolute rather than expressive Welsh team will play on hard work and organization behind hopeful sparks of flair from Peter Whittingham and Joe Mason. A solid midfield of Don Cowie and Aaron Gunnarsson will have their work cut out with a more athletic and dynamic West Ham central midfield. Kevin Nolan is arguably the best central midfield player in the division.

The Hammers Carlton Cole will give both Mark Hudson and Ben Turner a physical battle and Vaz Te will provide a pacy alternative. My biggest concern for Cardiff, as it has been for most of the second half of the season, is at forward. Kenny Miller continues to receive the plaudits from players and managers alike. Palace’s Dougie Freedman was singing his praises following the weekend win that secured the play-off place. However, Miller is not scoring goals and still looks less than confident when he does get a chance.

Malkay Mackay is pulling on the experience of the Carling Cup semi’s against Palace as an indication of his teams resilience and the importance of being calm and prepared for the two-legged endeavor. He’s right to do that. But the Hammers are not Crystal Palace. This time it is more likely to be Cardiff on the back foot and the Hammers needing the patience. The Carling Cup Final against Liverpool is more likely to be the style of the games, especially the second leg in London. In Cardiff’s favor, West Ham are not Liverpool.

The first leg will be important for both teams. The Hammers will not want to lose this one and should play a less expressive style relying on the counter attack. Cardiff will want to win, but more importantly, they too will not want to lose. A level scoreline going into the return leg puts the pressure on West Ham and having dealt with it once already on gameday one, Cardiff will be confident they could do it again. The pressure on West Ham and their manager to achieve promotion is enormous and shouldn’t be underestimated. Both teams might get the result they want come Thursday’s finish. A 0-0 scoreline is on the cards. If someone gives away a goal, or a Nolan or Whittingham produces a scorcher, the tie will be thrown wide open. The wider and more open it is, the more you must fancy the favorites.

The play-offs are often described as a lottery. Maybe the dice are already loaded. Cardiff can take heart from Chelsea’s unimagineable victory over Barcelona and from their own opening day win at Upton Park. Big Sam can take heart from having the best squad of players available to him in this division. He may need most of them over two games. Cardiff with such a small squad could suffer from any first leg injuries. It’s just another reason you have go with your head and pick West Ham to win. The heart, of course, says Bloobirds, Bloobirds. Then again there’s the soccer gods, right? A Blackpool final and revenge anyone?