Didn't watch the game today due to Openreach farting about on my broadband service for 2 hours - that's the 4th guy of theirs I've had here this past month and still not sorted. Dropping out all the time and getting way below my stayfast guarantee speed. Can't find the problem on the line so they're sending me yet another router to arrive tomorrow (that's the 3rd one!). Why am I convinced this isn't the answer? Whatever, whilst admittedly robbed of players recently elevated to the first team squad, the under 23's are not functioning so well since Purse took over from Morison.
Back to winning ways.................... https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/u23-match-report-watford-0-2-cardiff-city
This thread has dropped off the map lately. City under 23's playing Barnsley under 23's at the CCS this afternoon. Half time as I write and City 1-0 up at the mo. The goal scored by 19 year old Jack Leahy who joined us at the start of this season from Brighton. Jai Semenyo looking very good at RWB - would be decent shout next season if we don't get Drameh back. Bagan on the left and Semenyo on the right would be a huge boost for our home produced academy products.
Still 1-0 to City but Barnsley youngsters are doing quite well considering their playing on grass today instead of mud.......
All over. A good 2-0 win with some good performances from Semenyo, Tom Davies and Olly Denham at the back. Bit lacking in the middle of the park though - a trait that we're also suffering at first team level.
The midfield seemingly continues to confound us at all levels. Is it our recruitment process or lack of expertise in development programs? Obviously, at senior level, cost is probably the biggest negative factor.
Maybe the fact that Rubin Colwill, Eli King and Sam Bowen have now all been elevated to first team level has affected the balance in the under 23's, but for sure we don't seem to have a decent track record in that area of the pitch. One guy who could get a chance was playing to day and scored - Jack Leahy, but he's only 19. The problem with him is he drops his head when things don't go right for him. He lost the ball a few times today when the ball just didn't run for him. He stopped and started to feel sorry for himself. Darren Purse gave him a blast of a drubbing from the touchline which must have scared him to death.... He made the second goal for Collins though with a good through ball. Purse took him off just after - I suspect for his episode of giving up and letting his head go down that had happened just previously. Good management - Leahy won't forget that.
Is that down the the way we've previously played. Hopefully with our new vision, recruitment and development will be better attuned.
The gospel according to Saints Warnock and McCarthy was that if you keep them out at your end and put them in at theirs, you'll win the game. The myth that games are won in the middle of the park was frowned upon and there you have the last 6 years. If we're ever going to build a team that's competitve on the floor rather than lofting the ball to one another, it has to start in midfield. Pace, precision and time on the ball is fundamental, and I'm afraid Messrs Pack, Bacuna and Vaulks do not fit the bill. I'll be a bit controversial here by saying that Ralls also lacks those skills but gets by on committment. Time for change is overdue and patience is called for but knowing many a City fan, it might be in short supply.
An astute appraisal and difficult to argue with - so I won't. As you say, lots of City "fans" will be impatient but I think a growing number are appreciative of what's being attempted. I agree with you totally in respect of the legacy of previous, recent managers which has left us with less than a clean sheet.
Gabrielle Biancheri amongst the scorers in the U-18 rout of Crewe. He’s 15 and been on the books since he was 9.
Hope the first team can reverse that on Friday. We have done reasonably well at Hull in recent years. A 2.0 loss in 2016 being the exception. Ralls is our only remaining player from that night.
