After a few weeks of the games coming thick and fast, it seems almost sedate to have had a week between matches, however there will be nothing sedate about the task facing our heroic and ever improving Bluebirds this weekend, for this will be a real test of their mettle and confidence as we face the league leaders and very much in-form Leeds Utd at Elland Road. Dan James happily grassing up Joe Rodon as being the one to fart whilst posing! Who Are You? Daniel Farke really does have the Yorkshire outfit playing well now and churning out results like a Chinese sweatshop factory turns out cheap LUFC souvenirs (I refuse to call them ‘giants’ as we all know Sunderland are the biggest club in our division!). Having taken up the post in July of 2023, Farke now has a good win rate of almost 57%. That figure jumps to almost 59% for league games this term. Strangely though, many White’s fans still haven’t taken to him – guess they are still deluded enough to think they should have someone like Pep or Klopp at the helm given the (imagined) stature of their club?? Of course, his maiden game as Leeds boss was the 2-2 draw with our very own Bluebirds at Elland Road (a game we should have hung on for 3 points in if truth be told). I think a fair few of us would happily settle for a similar result this weekend? Leading the scoring charts for the cocks (sorry, meant Peacocks of course) is ex’JB Joel Piroe who has bagged 10 league goals in 29 appearances (so he’s not as good as Robbo then! ). he is closely followed by his ex-Jack team mate Dan James (7 in 23) and American International Brendan Aaronson who likewise has 7 (from 29 played). Just to keep the ex-JB theme going, they of course also have Joe Rodon marshalling their defence (yes, he of the daft haircut). Switching from JB to more broadly Welsh, their contingent is pretty large with them also boasting future Welsh captain Ethan Ampadu, ‘newly Welsh’ Karl Darlow in goals (when he plays) and of course young Charlie Crew who they stole from us thanks to the ridiculous rules around academies. Other ‘big’ names in the squad are little Willy Gnonto, Spurs loanee Manor Solomon, Junior Firpo and the long serving (and long suffering) Patrick Bamford (now in his 7th season at the club). Last Time Out & Form Last time out saw Leeds take a comfortable 3 points at the CCS back in September after Joel Bagan saw red for a foul on Firpo that was bizarrely deemed a prevention of a goal scoring opportunity in just the 23rd minute. The Dominican Republic International had immediately bounced back up to run through on goal after the challenge so quite where the ‘prevention’ was is a bit of a mystery. It is however fair to say that in all likelihood the visitors would have taken all 3 points even if we’d kept 11 men on the pitch with them having been well on top and in control of the game pretty much from the off. The game was notable however for the pre-match memorial for big Sol Bamba – a hugely popular figure for both clubs. looking at the form guide, it really highlights the challenge ahead for our recently flourishing Bluebirds. Leeds are unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions and have dropped just 6 of the last 18 points on offer courtesy of 3 draws, the last of which being the drab 0-0 against promotion hopefuls and meanest defence in the division Burnley in their last outing. With 53 goals in their 29 games they lead the scoring charts overall, some 5 ahead of next best Norwich. With just 19 conceded at the other end (2nd only to miserly Burnley who have conceded an astonishing low of just 9 ) it really does mean a tough task lies ahead for our travelling team, but we do actually owe them a defeat now seeing as we’ve gone 3 league games without picking up maximum points against them, a stretch which is almost unimaginable given how dominant we have been in the fixture over the last 40 years. We’ve not actually lost a league game at Elland Road since a 1-0 reverse back in 2015, now is not the time to change that stat!! In, Out Or No Sign Of Them About After a gruelling period which saw several players picking up knocks or suffering illness, it seems the tide is turning in the treatment room to coincide with the upturn in our fortunes too. One definite absentee will be Ollie Tanner and he will be joined still by Aaron Ramsey, however the latter is now back in training but it’s still too early for a return to the matchday squad. Better news comes in the form of Callum O’Dowda returning to contention after signing an extension to his City contract. On the contract front, there was further good news following confirmation that top scorer Callum Robinson has also put pen to paper to stay at City along with our No’1 shot stopper Jak Alnwick. New recruit Sivert Mannsverk who joined on loan from Ajax this week will probably come into the squad and a place on the bench, especially as his arrival sees the ever popular Manolis Siopis depart in a permanent move to Greek giants Panathinaikos . We just need to hope that his departure doesn’t have a negative impact on his Greek compatriot Dimi Goutas given how close the pair were outside of their time on the pitch. Joel Bagan is expected to return after illness prevented him from playing against Derby last time out. Another bit of news comes in the form of Kion Etete who, having returned to fitness has signed a contract extension himself but has left to go on loan to Bolton for the remainder of the season, with the hope of regular game time with the play-off chasers helping boost both fitness and confidence. Predicted Starting 11 Alnwick Rinomhota Daland Goutas Bagan Chambers Robertson Ralls Robinson Ashford El Ghazi The Odds Bods So, just who do we know that loves a punt that has ties to both clubs… ahh of course, the man who plotted our rival’s decline by gambling their future away to rake in cash they could ill afford to spend of course, and in many, respects helped set us up for our mini rise too…. Pete seemed overjoyed to point out the exact point at which he realised just how much he'd messed up an apparently once great club! No real surprise the odds are stacked heavily in Leeds favour but who doesn’t love a challenge?? Match Day Melody As we’re on a bit of a ’lull’ in results against this lot and what with our dreadful up and down season beginning to once again look like it’s heading the right direction, we all know you can never keep a club like ours down for too long!! C'mon boys, let's go to Elland back and bring home the 3 points!! Blooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!
Those are cracking odds, I'm even tempted myself! Two form sides, despite the gulf between their league positions. However, playing at home and with their quality team of Welshmen should overcome Rizas rising stars. Thanks Brizzle a great read as always
If we come away with anything it’ll be a bonus. Plymouth drew at Sunderland last week so maybe the old adage that the Championship can bring about unexpected results still is still pertinent this season.
Fab thread Brizzle. Thank you. This fixture always reminds of remote and the trouble he once had getting his tractor started. I always wondered if it was because of dirty leads. So there have been one or two shock results in the Championship and now it's our turn to raise an eyebrow or two. Good luck you heroic boys in blue. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
Dirty leads are just one of my tractor problems. This fixture got me in trouble many years ago. Recorded our cup game 20 odd years ago as I was out fishing. Watched it into the wee small hours. When the second goal went in I was whooping and hollering around the living room. Woke wife and daughter up.
Great thread as usual BB. Have you put it on the Leeds board? Hard hat, stab vest and cricketers box needed if so.
Nope, didn't want to upset them As it is, I noticed they're so insular over there that they still thought Bulut was our manager!! Well done to Irish for trying to set them straight. May pop over in the morning to provide them our alternate view
Good morning my fellow Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds. I trust this finds you all in good spirits and positive about our glorious quest today. Good luck lads.
Totally confident of 3 points today.... Well, when I say confident, I probably mean hopeful. Well, when I say hopeful, I actually mean I'll be doing a small prayer ceremony in the Pick & Shovel at 14:55 and offering my 1st post dry January beer to the football gods as a sacrifice in the hope they smile favourably upon us... C'mon the City!!!
Well Leeds have only lost 3 games all season and only once at home - no one has beaten them by more than a single goal, so............ ......8 quid on City to win with a one goal handicap @ 28/1 to return me £232 (or nothing)...............
As strong a side as we've put out for a while. Good looking bench too. Cardiff City XI: Alnwick; Rinomhota, Goutas, Daland, O'Dowda; Chambers, Ralls, Robertson; Ashford, Robinson, El Ghazi. Subs: Horvath, Fish, Bagan, Ng, Mannsverk, Willock, Colwill, Reindorf, Salech.
Still go Still got a foot injury. Outside the current 20 there's still Davies, Turnbull and Ramsey to come back by the end of the month. Squad looking good for the run in.
