Loads of injury problems. However first thing I will be looking for is who wide right. Surely Malky has learned and Don Cowie wont be there in a midfield 5. We need to go there and attack. No problem with Don in the middle of a 3 with 2 attack minded players in the wide positions. Hope either Conway or Kimbo get the nod myself. Id go Marshall , Kev Mac , Hudson , Turner , Taylor , Noone , Whitts , Gunnar , Conway , Mason , Helgusson. Injury hit but still too much for Ipswich.
i dont think conway is at the same level as our new recruits, if not smith then its got to be either mason or kim, or both if mason plays off helgusson.... but kim is unlikely to start as he has had very little game time, probably malky trying to slowly introduce him to the rough and tumble of the championship..... apart from that connelly will play centre back and i think turner may be have to have a spell on the sidelines through no fault of his own......
I would like to see Mason up front with HH, and kim on from the start with Conway on the bench. But I suspect Cowie will start.
Will Malky finally accept that this squad's strengths lie in a more offensive set up, even away from home, or will he revert to previous policies and show too much respect for the opposition? Trying to counter the other side's strengths can lead to ignoring those of our own - Palace was a prime example. Very, very interesting to see the shape of the starting 11. I suspect the back four will remain unchanged, but wouldn't be surprised at all if Cowie comes in for Bellamy. Helguson up front with Mason just behind him sounds about right up front. With Noone on the left, there's no room for Conway. Kimbo to start on the right may be too much to ask for - I suspect the Don will get the nod (but he's no right winger). Middle of the park should be sorted - Whitts and Gunnar again for me.
Whatever you think of Cowie, Mackay knows what he going to get with him. A lot of effort ahead of the unpredictably of some of these new players like Kim..
Can't say we've got any offensive players Sparkey. It's the overpaid prema donas that tend to be offensive. With Bellamy and Smith out, I'd still like to see 442 which has seen us at our most attacking (offensive?). Time to chuck in one of the newbies? For me, either Mason just off HH with KimBo on the right or Eti just off HH and Mason on the right. Nice to have options.
Remote - "offensive" being the opposite of defensive rather than "offensive" being a synonym for El Hadji Diouf... If Malky starts across there with a similar combo to the one that saw off Blackpool and Brum, viz 4 forward looking players with Kimbo in for Bellamy, I'll be amazed. Noone, Mason, Helguson and Cowie wouldn't be a bad alternative though. I like the Don - I'd like him a lot more if he had some pace. Good engine and will run all day but cannot beat a man on the outside, and either heads back infield or plays it inside. The best hope for some wing action down the right if the Don plays would be overlapping from McNuggs. You never know, he might even get one himself........
Exactly a s I thought...... Cardiff City 01 Marshall 02 McNaughton 03 Taylor 05 Hudson 12 Connolly 07 Whittingham 08 Cowie 16 Noone 17 Gunnarsson 20 Mason 22 Helguson Substitutes 32 Lewis 06 Turner 04 Kiss 11 Conway 13 Kim Bo-Kyung 09 Velikonja 15 Gestede
