Proof of the progress we’ve made.

8 Responses to Proof of the progress we’ve made.

1. Colin Phillips says:

   April 6, 2016 at 9:54 am

   Paul, I like you listened to the game on the radio, so obviously having to take the commentators words as accurate, nice to hear them reporting that when Zahore came on he troubled the defence with his strength (not surprising) and pace! (he may well be getting fitter but I have seen little evidence of pace on the rare opportunities we have had of seeing him).

   Says something about the improvement in the city team that I felt disappointed at the end of the game that we hadn’t nicked it.

   A play-off place looks tantalisingly out of reach now, yes those ‘wins’ that we turned into draws look as if they are going to be decisive.

   Couldn’t argue too much with the manager’s selection or substitutions last night, couldn’t quite believe that he brought another striker on.

   On to Fulham, they looked awful at the back when we played them early season but they do have Dembele and McCormack (oh! how we could have done with his goals this season) who are a dangerous combination.

   If we do miss out on the play-offs and possible promotions will we have difficulty in hanging on to our best performers? Will Manga be prepared to play another season of Championship football?
2. Anthony O'Brien says:

   April 6, 2016 at 12:20 pm

   It seemed as if our manager had experienced a Road to Damascus moment when he brought on a striker towards the end of the game instead of packing the defence even more. And, from what I heard on the commentary, Zahore did quite well. In fact, even if Pilkington I is fit, I’d like to see him and Immers playing off an experienced striker and driving beyond him to produce more goal threats. We now need to go all out to win – in other words, show signs of throwing caution to the wind instead of playing not to lose. Settling for seventh place is surely not an option.

   As usual , Paul, you have produced an excellent and wide-ranging dissection of who is likely to be in the play-offs. I salute your knowledge and assessments.

   Colin is absolutely right, too. In an ideal world, I really hope Manga stays even if we don’t reach the Promised Land. In fact, I’d like to see the team built around him – though I should add that Morrison also seemed to do really well in yesterday’s game.
3. The other Bob Wilson says:

   April 6, 2016 at 1:04 pm

   Hello Colin and thanks for your reply. I would have agreed with you about Zohore’s pace, or lack of it, if I had not seen him leaving the Ipswich centrebacks (one of whom had first team experience) standing in an Under 21 game I saw him play in about three weeks ago – whether he can consistently bring the best of his game into a Championship setting when starting a match I’m not sure, but I’m beginning to think that the raw materials are there for a useful performer at this level.
   I just said on a messageboard that I wish Ross McCormack was still with us – he’d help provide some of the flair that we, perhaps, lack a little.
   Regarding keeping our best performers, I think we may be in for an interesting summer because my understanding is that a number of the contracts for senior players are up in the summer of 2017 and so it may be that it will be decided that we should let a few of them go while we can still get a fee for them. On the other hand, this article

   http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/inside-track-dressing-room-spirit-11144691?

   in which Sean Morrison says the atmosphere within our dressing room is amongst the best he’s ever experienced (he also has some complimentary things to say about Russell Slade) begs the question, if we do have any money available in the summer, would it be best spent trying to keep this squad together?
4. Russell says:

   April 6, 2016 at 5:55 pm

   I wish Ross was a City player unfortunately I think the preference of Chopra no matter his behaviors and the off field behaviors of Ross put an end to that , think all mangers have faults and this one was DJ’s.

   This year I feel Slade and the team have been learning quick but have run out of games perhaps .

   This league is crazy ,one week its Wednesday who are nearest us ,then its Derby , could it now be Hull who are faltering , Wednesday have to play us and Derby that could be a loss of 6 points ?? once again dynamics change , he, he, what a league.
5. Dai Woosnam says:

   April 7, 2016 at 2:14 am

   Going slightly off topic here folks, but I missed this story six weeks back.
   I find it truly shocking.
   What kind of idiot have they working down there at The Valley?

   http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/494565/wrong-dead-player-picture-charlton-athletic-football-tribute-graham-moore

   As for summoning up the strength to say something meaningful about events at Turf Moor, I regret to say that the crass stupidity of Joe Hart a few hours ago, has left me lacking the will to live.

   The Chilean manager and the strange companion who never leaves his side, should both have been sent packing ages ago for gross dereliction of duty in buying three centre backs for over £20m when they collectively don’t come up to the great John Terry – or for that matter even Vincent Kompany’s – midriff. And astonishingly wasting over £50K on the boy Sterling…who was MADE by Luis Suarez…and might prosper again if he goes to the Nou Camp…but not before.

   But given that they could claim it was the two ex-Barca wallahs in the backroom who really bought these players*, they thus could I guess legitimately escape a courts martial.

   However the gross stupidity of a suicidal short tap-out pass for a goal-kick, is the manager’s doing.
   Two or three weeks back, the useless Martin di Michaelis got it in the neck for a kamikaze underplayed backpass that injured Hart (when 80% of the blame was down to the keeper’s insane decision to play a tap-out goal kick 19 yards to a defender already under pressure with a man on him). I did not hear one British pundit or reporter condemn Hart…it was the Argentine whom they crucified.
   And because Hart got-off scot free from any criticism, the clown was at it again last night.
   And doubtless got a pat on the back from his manager at halftime for his fine penalty save…!!
   I have said in these pages before, a goal kick is so called because it is a KICK. it should not be abused…and turned into a tap-out in a game of five-a-side.
   Any manager worth his salt should FINE a goalkeeper for any goal kick that does not clear the halfway line.
   To be honest Paul, that nonsense with Hart, has found me losing the will to live. I think I will switch my interst from soccer – the soul of the game is lost, plus I don’t like the boorish behaviour of so many soccer fans – to rugby football. At least that game does still have some resemblance to the game of my boyhood.
   Soccer does not.
   * over their heads? I doubt it.
   Just as I doubt if Connolly and Jones – see your comments on the Derby post – were loaned out iver the head of Russell.
   We had nowt to play for, and both loans were much desired by the players, and the cash received in getting both players temporarily off the payroll, and in Jones’ case, also involving a hefty fee, was welcome money into our coffers.
   So, in all likelihood, Russell welcomed it.
   Certainly there is not a SCINTILLA of evidence to warrant Clive’s and your implied suggestion that he (my words) “went along with it” as some sort of “yes man”.
   DW.
6. The other Bob Wilson says:

   April 7, 2016 at 7:15 am

   Morning AMO. It’s good to see that the injury to Pilkington doesn’t appear to as bad as first feared. However, even if Pilks was to be available for Saturday, it will be very interesting to see if Russell Slade will opt for something similar to what we saw at Burnley, where the policy appeared to be to stay in the game for the majority of it, before trying to win it late on, or whether to go for something more attacking from the start. My guess is that there will be a more adventurous approach with Whittingham in for Dikgacoi (I want to see Ralls back in the middle rather than stuck out on the left) perhaps and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a recall for Craig Noone. I can see Pilkington leading the attack, but would hope Zohore, rather than Immers, would be given that job if he cannot make it – given our need for a win, I’d also like to see a place found for Saadi on the bench.
   Regarding Manga, this goes to the heart of what I mentioned yesterday about the number of players who are out of contract in summer 2017. I’m pretty sure Bruno is one of those players and so, as one of those we could get a good fee for if we decided to let him go this summer, I’d say that if there is something to the story which appears in the press this morning;-
   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3527367/Bournemouth-Brighton-keeping-tabs-Cardiff-City-defender-Bruno-Ecuele-Manga.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
   there must be a chance that we would opt for taking the cash.
7. Anthony O'Brien says:

   April 9, 2016 at 11:09 am

   Paul,
   It’s only this morning that I’ve caught up with Annis Abraham’s comments re Idriss Saadi, which I’m pretty sure you must have read, too. We all knew he had a fitness problem when he came to Cardiff, which now raises questions regarding who signed him. And in addition to continuing doubts about his current fitness, there seems also a degree of doubt about his attitude in training. I feel there is a lack of man-management somewhere in all this. Surely, a few minutes’ play time when he was actually on the bench would have encouraged him? He was my great hope once we had finally got rid of the (almost) untouchable and inadequate Mason and Jones, but now — I don’t know what to think. Perhaps today’s game will provide some answers?
8. The other Bob Wilson says:

   April 9, 2016 at 2:51 pm

   I take a lot of what I read on that messageboard with a pinch of salt AMO, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is something to the ones regarding Saadi. When you think about it, if you sign for a club in another country (where you don’t speak the language) as you are trying to recover from a serious injury, then only see about fifteen minutes of action as you suffer another injury which you take a long time to heal from and then struggle to even get a place on the bench despite playing in a position where you don’t have too many rivals to get past, your attitude is going to be severely tested.
   I believe some of the foreign players Ole signed weren’t that bothered if they were playing or not, but I wouldn’t know if that applies to Saadi – in the Under 21 matches I’ve seen him play he seemed to be trying hard, but not much came off for him. Anyway, he’s on the bench today, so maybe this will be the day he really announces himself at Cardiff by turning a defeat (I think the only way he might get on is if we’re losing with a few minutes to go) into a win.

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