Our band of beleaguered Bluebirds return to the CCS this week for a mid-week encounter against the basement side QPR following our tough examination away at Sheffield Wednesday on the weekend. The team did well to come away with a point on Saturday in what was a bit of a throwback to our earlier season performances, but to be fair to the team, whilst offensively we struggled massively, defensively we remained pretty resolute which thankfully is an improvement from those previous games. Quite what this match will bring who knows? Some will say we need to be beating bottom of the table sides, but as we all know, in this division anything can and usually does happen! The Hoops line up in front of giant radiator to dry their kit off after training Who Are You? Our visitors from London W12 have been around since 1882 (though originally known as Christchurch Rangers which makes them sound like some kind of religious lawmakers) taking up their current name after merging with St Judes Institute some four years later. The inhabited the Southern League for much of their early years, eventually joining Division 3 (S) in 1920. Post war they flitted between Divisions 2 & 3 with the odd few years in the top tier, however, their ‘glory’ years really kicked off from 1983 onwards, whereby they spent 13 consecutive seasons in the top flight, eventually succumbing to relegation from the still relatively new Premier League at the end of the 1995-96 season. Since then they have enjoyed 3 more to flight seasons but over the past few years look more likely to head in the other direction rather then back up the ladder. The current head coach Marti Cifuentes has been in post since October 2023, achieving a modest 28.85 win % (just 15 of 52 games) so you’d think, with them struggling again this year the pressure must really be beginning to build once again on the lead role for Rangers. Their squad has an interesting mix, though if fit, Ilias Chair will once again no doubt be one of our chief tormentors. He has missed the last 2 games through injury though it does look doubtful for him, along with other absentees Michael Frey, Jake Clarke-Salter and Brest loan man, forward Karamoko Dembele. The vastly experienced Steve Cook will be looking to shore up their defence whilst the talented Kenneth Paal and Jon Varane (a summer signiig from Sporting Gijon) often hold down the midfield berths. With the injury to Dembele and top scorer Frey we can expect Zan Celar or Alfie Lloyd to take up the striking duties (1 goal between them). Last Time Out & Form Last time out all was not quiet on New Years Day as we saw the Bluebirds walk away with all 3 points from Loftus Road, avenging our defeat to the Hoops by the same scoreline earlier in the season at the CCS. After taking an early lead through Dimi Goutas, City were pegged back in the 56th minute by a Paul Smyth goal but in smart fashion, Perry NG came up with what turned out to be the Bluebirds winner in the 74th minute via a fine far post header. It’s no exaggeration to say that QPR are finding things really tough once again this season. They have managed just a single win so far this term (2-1 back in the opening month of the season away at Luton), however, with 8 draws too, it shows they can be a tough nut to crack. Indeed, in the last 6 matches they have come away with draws against promotion chasing Sunderland and Burnley (managing clean sheets in both) as well as holding Stoke to a 1-1 on the weekend. Scoring does seem to be a bit of an issue for them though, with them notching a divisional low 13 goals (2 less than even our own misfiring side), so clearly we’re lining up for a bore draw / 0-0 then!! In, Out Or No Sign Of Them About With the team still stuttering somewhat it would be no surprise to see a few changes made, however, given our relative solidity on the weekend Riza may just decide to give the same line up another go. My money (if I had any) though would be on there being a change or two. As well as long-term absentees in Rambo, Isaak Davies, Kion Etete and Ryotaro Tsunoda, the Bluebirds are sweating on the fitness of both Calum Chambers and Anwar El Ghazi, however I wouldn’t bet against Chris Willock getting a start against his old team on Wednesday night. I think it’s also safe to say that pretty much all of us are hoping to see Reindorf on the bench rather than Kanga for this one. Predicted Starting 11 Alnwick Ng Daland Goutas O’Dowda Tanner Colwill Turnbull Robertson Robinson Willock The Odds Bods With his rather languid style, it’s fair to say that this former Bluebird never really hit the heights during his time with us but was certainly a bit of a Hoops legend before he departed to joins us. Top Boy Top Trumps Sadly no time for trumps this week (it’s not America you know where that’s all they talk about!) Match Day Melody Just a bit of advice on how we should approach this one!!! Don’t stop for a minute, just…… Blooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!
Bravo Brizzle. Another masterpiece. That large radiator would come in handy tomorrow night as temperatures will be close to freezing.
Well no matter how we get on tomorrow, we'll still be out of the bottom three. However, tonight's results give us the opportunity to climb five places. Riza will need to find a way to get us playing sunshine football again but in the freezing cold . Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
QPR at home hasn’t brought much joy for the City in recent years. City though have put away 2 bottom 3 clubs at home with relative ease so let’s hope we can recapture the same attacking flair tonight against the team anchoring the league.
How mad is this division eh? If we manage a win tonight we climb as high as 17th as a minimum, possibly even 16th and thereafter we'd only be 3 points off a top 10 spot - crazy.... I know we can't look too far ahead or make any kind of assumptions on results but if we could go on another mini-run again like we did prior to those back to back defeats things will quickly start to look a whole lot rosier!!
WTF? BR WTF.....BB getting a bit cocky since his stay in Pucklechurch it seems.... cheeky boy....good write up though! Masky Of Llandaff
No Kanga and no JC. So, gone from 2 LBs on the bench, to none. Not a bad looking side, with a few more options off the bench. I hope Reindorf makes it onto the field before Meite.
No Kanga. At all. Anywhere. Whooopppeeee!!! Ralls in for Turnbull. Hhmmm. Bagan starts. O'Dowda pushes forward. Meitie benched. Reindorf sub
Harsh on Turnbull. The offensive aspect of central midfield is weakened as a result. Yes good to see Kanga replaced on the bench.
Feel sorry for you fans who keep buying tickets to support the team and endure this utter Shiite. I haven't contributed to Cardiff City for years... doesn't make Masky a better person, but fug them! Masky Of Llandaff
In hindsight that was so predictable. On another night I suppose we’d have got the fluky opener and batted away the series of balls into the box. A lot of huff and puff but no end product. The team selection didn’t help. Ralls tries his best, takes a decent corner but he slows it all down and moves lose their momentum whereas Turnbull likes to get it forward through the middle. Bagan & O’Dowda does not work. One of the other but not both. Riza’s substitutions were poor. Why wait so long to take Ralls off? Willock underwhelms and Meite is just parks standard. What would have been the harm of giving Reindoff 15 minutes?
Glad they didn't rush into giving the job to OR, not able to do anything with this team. This team giving the thumbs up for the manager, and then losing to QPR at home....go for Ramsey! Masky Of Llandaff
We’re not that good. Let’s face it, we are a poor championship team who will be lucky to stay in this division next season. Our players are not fit enough. Some of them don’t know how to pass. Colwill has lost his touch. The rest, apart from Robertson and O’Dowda, were running around like headless chickens and we still haven’t signed anyone who can regularly stick the ball in the net. We are rudderless on and off the pitch, and before anyone says that we created more chances tonight, the fact is that we were playing a poor team who will also do well to avoid relegation this term. The owner and board are also culpable by their inability to tie down a permanent manager and, as someone else alluded to on this forum, a director of football. To be honest I don’t think they even know what a DOF is. Just looking at that crowd tonight, the revenue stream will also be diminished as crowds stay away. To suggest my glass is half empty is an understatement.
