Ramsey, plus youngsters, helps rescue a point.

3 Responses to Ramsey, plus youngsters, helps rescue a point.

1. Dai Woosnam says:

   February 17, 2025 at 3:37 am

   You are absolutely right Paul to praise Bagan, To me he was easily our Man of the Match. Always cool, but never casual.

   As for the result… we were rather lucky to share the points, methinks. Their keeper never had to pull off any serious save the likes of the superb one that Jak pulled off to thwart their outstanding Japanese winger.

   Riza continues to frustrate me. His body language is shocking: hands in his overcoat pockets and scowling, seemingly dejected. Only when Salech scored, did he suddenly become the animated Omer we remember from when he was trying to impress Vincent to get his short-term contract.

   His starting selection continues to disappoint. Salech must start, as must Ramsey. If Ramsey cannot last 90 minutes, then so be it. But at least try to get 60 minutes out of him… instead of letting 63 minutes elapse before you bring him on.

   Some lovely direct goals over the weekend. Ederson doing the thing he is nonpareil at, finding the Egyptian with a 60 yarder. Wrexham’s opener at the Sixfields Stadium… it brought to mind Plymouth’s third a week previous. And that Lewis Baker 50 yard ‘chip’ to sink The Swans was sweet to see… But best of all, that sublime effort from Mitoma last Friday evening… surely we will not see a more thrilling goal all season?

   Let us get the ball down to Salech’s head and have Robinson in close proximity, feeding off him. Stop thinking we can play circus football: we cannot.

   TTFN,
   Dai.
2. The other Bob Wilson says:

   February 19, 2025 at 9:06 am

   Sorry for the late reply Dai, I had to drive someone to Hospital early yesterday morning and it took me longer to get baclk than I was expecting.

   I’m going to play Devil’s Advocate a bit here and link this video to define what I think of when “playing out from the back” is mentioned.

   https://x.com/CardiffCityFC/status/1891132929855938690

   It may not have started with the goalkeeper, but that’s the sort of considered passing football I want muy team to play . In saying that I accept the perfectly reasonable counter argument that City don’t scpre enough goals like that to justify any claims about playing out from the back, or a more b asic passing approach, being a successful policy for us.

   That’s why I always feel we’ve got to mix things up a bit by playing longer at times, whether it be up to a target man type striker or at least one quick forward player who we can knock balls into wide channels behind the full backs to chase. The problem has been that we’ve not had those sort of players up until recenlty and, in terms of aerial power, I’m still not convinced that we have enough players to be able to benefit from playing ina. similar style to what we’ve done in recent seasons. Salech has shown signs of bein g able to hold the ball up at times, but his heading has been pretty ordinary up to now and by far the easiest chance he’s missed for us up to now is that header at Millwall which I’d argue was easier ro get on target than to miss in the manner he did. So, although he’s looked an assured finisher with his feet so far, I need more proof yet as to the quality of his aerial work.

   As for quick wide players, the loss of Isaak Davies for all of the season so far has been a big loss, as has the fact that it took about half a season for Omer Riza to realise what Cian Ashford could bring to the team. Hopefully, Isaak will be available soon, but it’s going to be hard for him to make any kind of big impact with so little time in the season left now. Will Alvez is, hopefully, be a different matter though as I reckon he’s been very impressive so far. Like Ashford, he’s looks like a player who you generally trust to do the right thing when he receives the ball.
3. Dai Woosnam says:

   February 19, 2025 at 2:20 pm

   Nice clip you produced there Paul. Who could argue with that? Not me, that’s for sure.
   I have always been in favour of pass/move football… as long as it is in the opponent’s half of the pitch.

   But I remain steadfastly against such football in our own third, and more pertinently, pretty much against playing one/twos BACKWARDS in our own half. I note that you – along with virtually all the folk I have seen opine on the matter – attribute much of the blame for Pompey’s first goal to Ashford. Not me though: I blame Riza.

   When Rinomhota (I think it was) passes the ball 13 yards or so forward, he is supposedly expecting either a one/two, or else Ashford to unrealistically do some sort of ‘Cruyff turn’ to beat his marker who was hot on his heels.

   My whole point is that Ashford should have been on the half-turn when the ball was played, and the ball should have been lofted over his head, ready for him to evade the close attention of his marker, and run on to.

   Now that ‘mistake’ is less down to him, than it is to Omer, who should be preaching a more attacking approach on the training field.

   Your point on Salech’s aerial prowess is a fair one. He is no Toshack, that is for sure. But at least he can jump… which is more than Colwill and Robinson can. And you are right re our lack of speedy wingers who can get to the byline and cross the ball… but I just want our goal KICKS to be what it says on the tin and immediately take pressure off ourselves by landing the ball well into the opponent’s half, in the general direction of Salech’s head*. And so what if he loses 3 out of 4…? I will guarantee to you that the opposition will either misdirect their defensive headers or our advancing midfield will intercept their move to play forwards, and we will gain possession of the ball.

   The important thing is that all this happens well away from our own third. No ‘POMO’ is achievable in one’s own third, that’s for sure.

   But hey… I accept that I am in a minority of one with my football philosophy…!!
   *important though that he is not played as a lone frontman… he lacks the necessary Drogba/Diego Costa ‘heft’ and needs Robinson (or A.N. Other) alongside… à la Toshack/Keegan of blessed memory.
   TTFN,
   Dai.