Date: Saturday 13th August KO: 12:30 Competition: Football League Championship Venue – CCS So, this weekend brings us to game #3 of the league season and a chance to make up for not only a disappointing result away at Reading last Saturday but also a disastrous home showing against League 1 Portsmouth in the League Cup on Tuesday night. Last season saw the spoils shared both home and away (1-1 at CCs, 2-2 at Brum) – what odds Cardiff managing to go one better this season with our new look team and approach? Will Vaulks nets a late penalty to secure a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw last season. Rumour has it that the ball was hit so hard a sonic boom could be heard! On a head to head, the spoils are also shared with 29 games both won and lost, with 19 draws, though overall in recent years our record has been slightly the better. Our visitors Birmingham sit one point above the Bluebirds in the table having managed to pick up maximum points at home to ‘Udders last weekend in a 2-1 victory and a credible 0-0 away at Luton on the opening day. Brum themselves are somewhat in transition, with new manager (sorry head coach) John Eustace (local lad from Solihull) coming in to replace Lee Bowyer in early July. Since then a raft of signings have been made with a mixture of experience (e.g. goalkeeper John Ruddy & Kristian Bielik) and youth (Przemyslaw Placheta & Auston Trusty) coming in amongst others. They do also have Jobe Bellingham, the highly rated younger brother of England International Jude Bellingham on their books. At just 16 years of age you would anticipate him being brought into the first team picture in a controlled way and two appearances on the bench but with no game time indicates this to be the case. Also within their ranks of course is Junhino Bacuna, brother of the much maligned Leandro formerly of this parish…. He’ll no doubt be out to get one over on the City for payback his brothers behalf! Early Team News After a terrible week for him, it would be no surprise to see Curtis Nelson demoted back to the bench, if not out of the squad completely. New signing Jack Simpson (someone needs to tell him he needs to ditch his Christian name in favour of his middle name Benjamin) may make it to the bench with Perry Ng returning after suspension, however a lot depends on the fitness of full back Marlon (Alpha) Romeo as to whether Steve Morison re-shuffles his pack and maybe moves away from a flat back 4. Up front the gaffer may persist with Max Watters despite his lack of potency (or even shots) thus far as neither Mark Harris nor Kion Etete may have done enough in the mid-week defeat to Pompey to force the managers hand into a change. Indeed, by his own admission Steve Morison has outright declared that no-one has done enough over the last 2 games to have a firm claim on any of the shirts, however you would expect to see midfield dynamo Ryan Wintle, winger Calum O’Dowda and goalkeeper Ryan Allsop return to the starting 11 after 10 mid-week changes were made and only really Jaden Philogene-Bidace doing anywhere near enough to catch the eye on Tuesday. Prutton Predicts Sky pundit David Prutton got things wrong with his prediction of a Bluebirds victory against Reading last week but retains high hopes for the City across the season. This week however he has tempered his enthusiasm for the Morison revolution at the CCs and predicted a closely fought 1-1 in front of the Sky Sports cameras during this lunchtime game. Sharing the Love Notable Bluebirds that spring to mind to have worn the colours of tomorrows opponents; Player Cardiff Apps Brum Apps Jordon Mutch 57 24 Neil Etheridge 99 64 Jason Bowen 134 48 Cameron Jerome 73 181 Darren Purse 111 168 Chris Burke 102 131 Can we be the first to make Brum taste league defeat? Can the team get back on track after two poor showings? Will the cameras add too much pressure or will we see scenes like Rorke’s drift with the Welsh gallantly defending against the Zulus? Let Men of Harlech ring out…. Support the boys and make some noise!!! The Bluebirds defence propels yet another Birmingham attack. Bloooooooooooooobirds!
Another fantastic read Brizzle. Really enjoyable sir Just a bit concerned about this game, not because of the opposition or our possible shortfalls but it's the weather that's troubling me. Yes, of course the heat will the same for both teams but this could result in both being below par. Then it becomes a bit of a lottery. The 5 subs will be important and hopefully, drinks will be allowed. At least we've got the early kick off which is a small blessing. Let's also hope the ref is on his game. Our yellow card count is creeping up already.
Nelson will be unlikely to play again this season after two error ridden disasters. Ng is nailed on to start. I suspect it will be all but the starting X1 v Norwich with Philigene in the squad. Birmingham have started well and unbeaten so a draw looks good odds
Got to say....a wonderful read....any 50:50 calls in Prediction League will go your way.....and few will object!!!!!
I remember sadly this fixture back in August 1979 when we lost 2-1. 2 things stood out: 1) we had no chance as the referee was our absolute nemesis of that era Brian Stevens from Gloucester who plagued us consistently and 2) Ex City legend Tony Evans scored twice
Sadly my more detailed knowledge of the City only really goes back to the mid/late 80's after I was old enough to attend games on my own. I am of course aware of players such as Tony Evans and Adrian Alston, John Buchanan, Phil (Joe) Dwyer etc. but haven't got that knowledge of where they played outside of Cardiff. Weirdly there doesn't seem to be any kind of definitive website that provides an easy look up for player crossover either.... There's an opportunity there for some web geek to set up an accessible database I reckon!
Glad I got in there first for the threads now... If it had been common knowledge that picking up the task would curry favour with the league committee I reckon they would have been queuing round the block to take it on! Cheers FFB.
Was it Mr Ferrari that once suggested that a board or committee should have an odd number if people to avoid ties in voting? He also said that three was too many!
That'd be the one.... You know, that beacon of integrity, fairness, incredible organisation and a fantastic memory for names to boot....
Some of my earliest memories of City v Brum came in 70/71 season. This was the year we just missed out on promotion to the top flight. Brum at home we won 2-0 with a couple from Tosh, not long before he left for Liverpool. The thing I recall from that game was a young 16 year old kid coming on for his debut as sub for Brum and hitting the post at the Grange End with his first touch! Fast forward 3 months to the return fixture and by now this kid, Trevor Francis was known throughout the country as ‘Superkid’. And of course he scored both their goals in a 2-0 win!
OK, the game. With players like Deeney, Hogan and Jutkiewicz up front, Brum are going into battle again for this one. It was their style under Bowyer and I don't think Eustace has had enough time to change it yet. Bacuna (the other one) can be a pain and needs to be jumped on in the middle of the park - that's a job for Ralls. The other two midfield slots assuming we're going to play with 4 at the back again must be Wintle plus one other. Maybe Rhino to keep it tight if we were away, but Sawyers must be given the nod to start tomorrow being at home. Colwill off the bench to replace him could be good shout when (if) he starts flagging. Choosing between O'Dowda and Philogene on the left is going to be a big call after the latter's performance against Pompey. Personally I'd drop Ojo and play both with O'Dowda switching to the right instead. Who do you start up top? Watters must have another go even though we've now got Etete - he looked a bit rusty coming on in midweek. Harris must be reduced to an option off the bench. If we can keep them out we can win this and probably by more than the odd goal as well. Despite our recent results, there are goals in this side. Morison needs to find the key to unlock the obvious potential at his disposal.
I thought our manager was Steve Morison not Paul Daniels. We move the ball well through midfield and did again on Tuesday before their goal but I can see few goals between Watters and Harris. Etete still rusty but I was encouraged by his ability to get ahead of defenders and looking for the through ball. Maybe Sawyers, Wintle and Rino will be better at this than King, Ralls and Whyte? However we have little aerial threat and set piece goals are now a distant memory. I hope I'm wrong but tomorrow could be another wake up call.
