Cardiff Post Match thread

[ACF]

Bamba and Mee played at the back.

Bruma replaced Abe/Oakley as the defensive mid.

It didn't sound like it worked to its full effect, which is unfortunate really cos it altered the usual way we play (i.e. having a new person fill in that DM slot). Vassell didn't start though; Dyer started

Cheers man, been so confused!

[StanSP]

I think alot of us were right up until they lined up on the pitch! There was confusion over who would play that anchor role (Bamba/Bruma) so I don't blame you for being confused either!

[Kent]

Sorry for what's probably going to be an over-optimistic post (makes a change for me).

The way I see it, most fans (hopefully) were realistically expecting a draw at the very best so the loss hasn't came as a massive shock to us, although a few people have said that the performance was shocking. However, hopefully this loss will be a bit of a reality check and remind the players that we're not going to beat teams by playing shit every week which I think we've been guilty of in the last few games ie. Sheff Utd, Derby to a certain extent, Bristol.

Hopefully it will bring the squad back down to earth and we'll see an improved performance against Cov and a comfortable win. As for QPR, who knows...

[KFS]

Last night was poor, we should forget about it and move on. Misplaced passes and lack of urgency was the problem. Hopefully it's just a blip and we can get back to the same form we were in.

Our fans were amazing last night, I really had a laugh. Unreserved seating is the best at away games, I wouldn't have been in a good mood if I was slumped infront of a whiney old man (personal preference). The every little thing chants were a laugh and so was chanting at the kid who looked like Beiber.

Coventry is a must win, but I have faith!

[superfox1980]

3 points behind Leeds and 13 games to go. After 9 games of the season we'd have all snapped your hands off for that scenario. I can't understand people who are moaning about the defeat last night. Yes the manner of the defeat might be questionable and it would have been great to lay down a real marker with a win but despite what some are saying, going to Cardiff is a difficult place to go, so getting anything from the game was a tough ask.

We're never going to win every game or go unbeaten until the end of the season.

A win on Saturday and we're back on track, Leeds are at Swansea so we could be level on points come 5pm........Happy days !!!

[teblin]

3 points behind Leeds and 13 games to go. After 9 games of the season we'd have all snapped your hands off for that scenario. I can't understand people who are moaning about the defeat last night. Yes the manner of the defeat might be questionable and it would have been great to lay down a real marker with a win but despite what some are saying, going to Cardiff is a difficult place to go, so getting anything from the game was a tough ask.

We're never going to win every game or go unbeaten until the end of the season.

A win on Saturday and we're back on track, Leeds are at Swansea so we could be level on points come 5pm........Happy days !!!

Agreed.

Its hard to keep the level of performance that we have had up all the time. We have dropped off in the last couple of games and got punished at cardiff.

We just need to grind a couple of results out and get on another run.

[marbelladave]

Morning all.

Stayed out of the pub after the game and drove home, my welsh mates were being very decent, which kind of made it worse.

In general a poor game on a poor pitch, neither side played particularly well but both had periods of dominance though we really had nothing to offer once the second goal went in.

The big difference, when we were on top Cardiff came after us and took back control, when they were on top there was little we could do about it. Both goals ended a period of play when we were actually on top!

We were outplayed in midfield much of the time, Cardiff out passed us and out muscled us, we were simply not strong enough.

Our set up did not work, none of Wellens, King or Bruma seemed to know what they were doing and what might have been a good idea fell apart on the night.

Generally we lacked energy and purpose, Gallagher and van Aanholt looked in controll down our left (1st half anyway) yet produced little of note, Dyer disappeared into McNaughton's pocket which left Yakubu isolated, not good.

Some of you will know that I have been critical of our midfield for some time, suggesting that, among other things it needed a bit more 'beef', but no way was I going to suggest that tonight was the game to try it out.

The return of Abe, if fit, was the only change I advocated but when he came on it was pretty obvious why he did not start, he was well off the pace.

For more detail I shall try and do a player rating and assessment later, if I have the time...

[The Doctor]

We're walking a tightrope with loan signings as it is.

Anyone else notice there were SIX in tonight's squad? (Naughton, Mee, Van Aanholt, Bruma, Yakubu and Vitor). I thought league regulations said the maximum was five..

- how many more times is it going to be said this season? Vitor doesn't count towards the maximum of 5 in any one matchday squad.

**** QPR.. we should just ring em and agree to give em the 3 points and rest the players. Cov and Narch are the vital must-win games.

Vassell, PVA, Bruma, Abe, Yak all not good enough in past 2 games. Does Yak contribute anything outside of the oppositions final third?

Bruma has only played one game for us, abe has been given the last 15-20 minutes of the last two games and as for the yak:

He scored v brizzle and although he doesn't track back he shouldn't be doing so anyway, when we aren't in possession it's essentially a 4-5-1 with the yak as the lone striker so he needs to stay up top as an outlet, besides his presence creates the space for king and wellens to thrive in (although it seems wellens needs to have abe in the side to free him of any defensive responsibilities).

[Guest Basildon Fox]

It seems to me that for us to play well Wellens needs to play well as he is a massively influencial player. Unfortunately from the sounds of things he has lapsed back into the early season form in the last few games and because he is our 'Playmaker' we are losing out massively in the centre of midfield.

Until we can get consistant performances from him or replace him with someone who can offer that we are always going to be hit and miss.

[muzzy1981]

Think nobody will be more dissapointed to lose than the lads, I think they will be more determined than ever to bounce back! Come on lads!!

[Captain...]

A few things I've said before, but they were highlighted again yesterday, we are very exposed at full back.

PVA and Naughton are both good players but not the best defensively, they are great at getting forward and supporting the attack (usually).

Both the goals yesterday came from attacking the flanks and then picking out the pass rather than crossing it. The formation we play has very little width in the midfield and if the likes of Dyer and Gallagher get dragged back in to midfield we isolate Yakubu.

What Abe generally tended to do was help out and cover the full backs as well as mop up in midfield, unfortunately he has been off form recently.

It is quite shocking the number of players in and around the box for the second goal and nobody picks up Ramsey.

How did Bruma perform yesterday? He's not known as a centre mid, did he sit in front of the back for or play more forward, and was he sweeping up along the line supporting the full backs did he contribute anything going forward?

I'm not trying to blame Bruma, I am just curious as to how that role was played out.

I stated when we got Bruma that it was a bad idea, not because of any doubting of Bruma's ability but we now have 5 domestic loans, if we need any more for whatever reason we can only have 5 in the match squad so we will be paying to have a player at the club we can't use. It looks like we are going to need either a new midfielder, on their day Wellens, King and Abe are the best midfield in the league, but it's not been their day for a while now, and weat least need better back up than Oakley, unless Bamba or Bruma can play that role. Although I have to question Sven's decision to experiment in this game.

Regardless of all of that, tactics and transfers the most disappointing thing is they didn't seem up for it, there didn't seem to be any passion or desire, I said before the match that in my eyes the performance is arguably more important than the win, and I could accept defeat if we play well and match them, we didn't.

Oh well take it out on the Cov scum, maybe when we are 3 up at half time we can change the formation and experiment a little.

[Bert]

They were shit. But we worse. If we'd have properly turned up, they were there for the taking.

Biggest twat on the pitch was the ref mind.

Move on and get it out of our system.

[marbelladave]

Schrap...

Just about to do an 'in depth' look at the individual performances, check out 'player ratings' in about half an hour.

Now where are my notes....

[cc_star]

Morning all.

Stayed out of the pub after the game and drove home, my welsh mates were being very decent, which kind of made it worse.

In general a poor game on a poor pitch, neither side played particularly well but both had periods of dominance though we really had nothing to offer once the second goal went in.

The big difference, when we were on top Cardiff came after us and took back control, when they were on top there was little we could do about it. Both goals ended a period of play when we were actually on top!

We were outplayed in midfield much of the time, Cardiff out passed us and out muscled us, we were simply not strong enough.

Our set up did not work, none of Wellens, King or Bruma seemed to know what they were doing and what might have been a good idea fell apart on the night.

Generally we lacked energy and purpose, Gallagher and van Aanholt looked in controll down our left (1st half anyway) yet produced little of note, Dyer disappeared into McNaughton's pocket which left Yakubu isolated, not good.

Some of you will know that I have been critical of our midfield for some time, suggesting that, among other things it needed a bit more 'beef', but no way was I going to suggest that tonight was the game to try it out.

The return of Abe, if fit, was the only change I advocated but when he came on it was pretty obvious why he did not start, he was well off the pace.

For more detail I shall try and do a player rating and assessment later, if I have the time...

I just hope our run hasn't taking everything out of them, Abe needed a couple of games off which is why Oakley was brought in, which was fair enough IMO, but after the couple of games off I expected him to slot back in & play as he was, it's sad to hear he hasn't.

To add to the problems, Wellens now looks like he needs a couple of games off.

I'm not sure what the answer to this lack of energy is, perhaps it will look different if we play with a high tempo like Derby first half against Cov, but at the moment I can't see where the energy is coming from.

Given the lack of option in midfield, the Bruma signing looks odd when a midfielder might have been a better bet, especially as Vitor is returning & Hobbs only went out on loan because Bruma came in. With Bamba & Mee playing well & Hobbs as an able replacement with Vitor returning we were fine at the back, but light of options in midfield.

I do subscribe to your belief that we have 3 players doing 2 players job, which means we need them all playing and can't really afford rotation, and I can't see a way we can change that at this stage of the season, especially with Bruma being brought in & not a midfielder.

The fact it's a local derby on Saturday may give us the energy we need to play at the higher tempo we need to do in order to win, which in turn could see us start another run

[Guest]

Predictable loss

good news:

Norwich, Leeds , Forest only got 1 point out of games they should've won.

City against Norwich is going to be a REALLY big game

[Guest]

Burnley can easily go above us with their games in hand but the end of the season should see us re-take them.

[marbelladave]

I just hope our run hasn't taking everything out of them, Abe needed a couple of games off which is why Oakley was brought in, which was fair enough IMO, but after the couple of games off I expected him to slot back in & play as he was, it's sad to hear he hasn't.

To add to the problems, Wellens now looks like he needs a couple of games off.

I'm not sure what the answer to this lack of energy is, perhaps it will look different if we play with a high tempo like Derby first half against Cov, but at the moment I can't see where the energy is coming from.

Given the lack of option in midfield, the Bruma signing looks odd when a midfielder might have been a better bet, especially as Vitor is returning & Hobbs only went out on loan because Bruma came in. With Bamba & Mee playing well & Hobbs as an able replacement with Vitor returning we were fine at the back, but light of options in midfield.

I do subscribe to your belief that we have 3 players doing 2 players job, which means we need them all playing and can't really afford rotation, and I can't see a way we can change that at this stage of the season, especially with Bruma being brought in & not a midfielder.

The fact it's a local derby on Saturday may give us the energy we need to play at the higher tempo we need to do in order to win, which in turn could see us start another run

Exactly....

Bit worrying given our lack of cover in midfield. In some ways I do not want another player brought in to upset things even more but maybe we don't have a choice. God knows who though...

[Guy]

I suppose on paper the Cardiff game was the most likely one to see our great run in the league since the turn of the New Year halted.....which of course came to fruition......and the Wales away jinx seems to have struck the team once again having lost to Swansea earlier in the season under Sven's reign also. We can beat them both at home but always do the reverse in their country! Last season was identical under Pearson of course with the play offs defeat putting the tin hat on our Wales record in that respect!

I only saw the two goals on the TV but both looked pretty basic, straight forward training pitch routine strikes for the Taffs and it is the leaking of such easily executed away goals we need to combat if we're to push on into the play offs.....a place in the league we still haven't breached yet amazingly enough, despite our brilliant run. Let's hope we don't start to falter now and that the away day blues do not return to haunt us like they were the norm during part one of this season.

The opportunity to do so went completely begging last night in Cardiff whille all above us faltered once again with Forest's on going inability to beat teams in the bottom three carrying on last night against nine points adrift at the bottom Preston! Leeds are on a sticky patch too while Norwich seem to be doing a Forest against teams out of form or down at the bottom also!

Oh well,it's only our first defeat in nine and so onwards and upwards against Cov. this Saturday hopefully, who are on their usual post Christmas poor run. It is a game which I am looking forward to - my first league game I've been able to attend since Leeds on Boxing Day being as I am exhiled in Devon these days. Thank God I'm not a Plymouth fan though at the mo. :-(

[STEVIE B]

Predictable loss

good news:

Norwich, Leeds , Forest only got 1 point out of games they should've won.

City against Norwich is going to be a REALLY big game

Norwich,Forest & Leeds would've expected 3pts last night,so all dropped 2pts.IMO most of us would've been happy with 1pt from Cardiff,so only dropped 1pt ! The play-offs are within reach,auto promotion prob never was.We shouldn't get too down over last night,and maybe not get too carried away when we hammer sides like Donny,Barnsley & perform like 'Brazil' for 45mins against a woeful Derby.Here's to 3pts on sat,and feet on the ground if we do !!

[Dr The Singh]

Just watched the goalsm, they were really soft, too many players in the box were given too much space, marking was essentially poor