Cardiff Thoughts

[Conkers]

Being a super fan i made the trip to Ninian Park. This is how I saw the game:

Overall, the defense was very good. Elphick especially.
Whing played far too many balls down the right wing which ended up going out for a goal kick or a throw in.
Throw-ins..........i'm not even going to start. I have honestly seen sunday league sides take better throw-ins. It's not the throwers fault, it's the other players refusing to help him out!
Headers - Won so few, especially in the first half. Goal kick ---> lose header ----> cardiff shoot from 20 yards -----> skies the ball ----> goal kick etc etc etc

Two best players were Elphick and Cox. Didn't really see much of El-Abd or Hammond really. Mainly because they couldn't get the ball.
Forster needs to time his runs better. That was my complain of Revell against Reading a few weeks ago. I know offsides are going to happen but it seemed that nearly every attack on the break someone was offside.

Kuipers had a good game. Kicking was top notch didn't put a foot wrong. He couldn't have stopped the goal so not really his fault.

Summary:
Defense: Brilliant
Midfield (Wings): Fraser almost felt obliged to NOT cross the ball. Cox was good.
Midfield (Centre): Barely saw any of them. Hammond did OK
Forwards: Wasted what small opportunities we had. No one was ever in the right place to help each other out. Needs better service.

Wilkins, we need another centre midfielder, PLEASE

 

[Yorkie]

I agree with all of that.
Revell looked as though he was still carrying his injury and I think should have been subbed earlier.

The defence was great especially Tommy Elphick. Def my MOM. He blocked, tackled, won headers, cleared off the line and generally was a rock in central defence. If we get offered good money for Lynch before the end of the month then I won't be too unhappy as we have a more than adequate replacement.
I was puzzled at Lynch playing left back to start off with when Rents was on the bench and I thought we looked better when the change was made.

Cardiff are going to struggle if Fowler doesn't score goals for them in the Championship.

 

[saltash seagull]

tommy elphick was superb

we could have played all night and not scored which is worrying

the times we got in promising positions and instead of having a crack made a sideways pass !

 

[Da Man Clay]

Very basic defensive error for their goal though, you cant leave a man completly free 8 yards from goal. We are going to struggle this year I think.

 

[Napper]

Interesting point about Whings distribution, I noticed last year when on loan that he does make some shocking passes.
Defence might be ok , need to create more , Forster will surely tuck them away if provided

 

[bobbyzam]

I was puzzled at Lynch playing left back to start off with when Rents was on the bench and I thought we looked better when the change was made.

Although I agree that Lynch is a better player at center half, we looked far better as a team when he was on the pitch than in the second half when Rents was playing.

I would say the first half was pretty even with both sides having a few half chances, however in the second half we were completley outplayed. Whilst I think that was due in part to Cardiff playing better football and some of our players tiring. The loss of Lynch's strength on the ball, composure and excellent distribution at left back, effected our ablity to cause Cardiff trouble down the left hand side of the pitch as we had been doing in the first half.

 

[Scoffers]

Throw-ins..........i'm not even going to start. I have honestly seen sunday league sides take better throw-ins. It's not the throwers fault, it's the other players refusing to help him out!

I didn't go last night, but that's exactly what I thought at the Reading game, I put it down to being a friendly/testimonial match, but if it was just as poor at Cardiff, then it's worry.

 

[maffew]

It said on BBC it was a 0 0 draw

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Had it not been for PATHETIC defending for their goal, i would have said it was a FANTASTIC defensive performance. I don't think i've seen sauch commitment from the backline since we beat Palace. Every shot was charged down, every man was put under pressure. Elphick looked class.

However, the midfield/attack was WOEFUL. We didn't have a shot on target....and our only real chance came from a long range Cox effort. Revell doesn't seem to have any sort of footballing brain, and runs around creating nothing. Forster has the brain, but no support to link up with.

The midfield is shocking. Fraser is being played hopelessly out of position - god knows why! He clearly hasn't got a clue how to attack. El-Abd also is no midfield player (but we've been saying that for a year now!). Hammond was good defensively but didn't get forward, and Cox offered very little supply.

Although a fantastic performance defensively that was eventually spoiled late on, i'm very concerned - i can't see us scoring goals this season at all.

 

[Caveman]

I think we are not giving Cardiff credit for there excellent defence?

 

[Marshy]

Forster probably times his runs fine, but the ball wasnt put through quick enough from midfield, they probably dont see his movement early enough.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Being a super fan i made the trip to Ninian Park. This is how I saw the game:

Overall, the defense was very good. Elphick especially.
Whing played far too many balls down the right wing which ended up going out for a goal kick or a throw in.
Throw-ins..........i'm not even going to start. I have honestly seen sunday league sides take better throw-ins. It's not the throwers fault, it's the other players refusing to help him out!
Headers - Won so few, especially in the first half. Goal kick ---> lose header ----> cardiff shoot from 20 yards -----> skies the ball ----> goal kick etc etc etc

Two best players were Elphick and Cox. Didn't really see much of El-Abd or Hammond really. Mainly because they couldn't get the ball.
Forster needs to time his runs better. That was my complain of Revell against Reading a few weeks ago. I know offsides are going to happen but it seemed that nearly every attack on the break someone was offside.

Kuipers had a good game. Kicking was top notch didn't put a foot wrong. He couldn't have stopped the goal so not really his fault.

Summary:
Defense: Brilliant
Midfield (Wings): Fraser almost felt obliged to NOT cross the ball. Cox was good.
Midfield (Centre): Barely saw any of them. Hammond did OK
Forwards: Wasted what small opportunities we had. No one was ever in the right place to help each other out. Needs better service.

Wilkins, we need another centre midfielder, PLEASE

I totally agree with all that. we need an a creative midfielder in sharpish, because El-Abd is not an central midfielder and never will be. Elphick had an absolute blinder last night, if he isn't playing on Saturday I'll personally shoot Wilkins.

 

[Scotty Mac]

another free header for the goal

worrying, that all our committment and defensive work is undone by the fact we cant do the most basic thing in picking a man up. its all very well wilkins talking up his heart monitors and all this, but if we make errors like that every game which are EASILY avoidable we are going to struggle

 

[Djmiles]

I think we are not giving Cardiff credit for there excellent defence?

They didn't need to defend