Ding dong, seconds out, round 2.... here we go for the second half of the season and our chance to wreak revenge on teams that vanquished us earlier in the year (ok, the odds on us getting revenge on all of them looks like a long shot I know, bit it's still Christmas time and a chance for miracles). This boxing day sees the gloves coming off for the visit of QPR, a team that surprisingly have a worse recent record than even ourselves, with just 4 points gained from the last 16 on offer compared to our mammoth 5! Of course, our last meeting saw a rather controversial start to the game, with Jack Simpson sent off and a penalty awarded for what was clearly a) not even a foul, and b) a red card offence as there was another defender alongside the attacking player, so there was no way he could have been the "last man". That penalty and sending off set QPR up for an easy win at Loftus Road that evening, with the R's flying high at the time, in fact, after that game they reached the top of the table and had a very confident fan base. Not saying it's clear the Hoop's lad has taken a dive here but I've seen less effective frogmen than this! Should have known it was a mistake to let ref James Linington listen to Saturday Night Fever on his i-pod during the game. The Bluebirds were clearly not impressed with his dance moves (or decision making). Of course, times have (sort of) changed since then, with both teams slipping backwards. Since that meeting in October, we have slipped 2 places and picked up just 8 points in the ensuing 8 games but the Hoops have fared even worse, slipping 5 places and amassing just 7 points in the 8 games played since then. For all that though, it must be said that the Londoners will still pose a tough test for our struggling boys in blue. They still sit just inside the pay-offs and have a very talented squad, but they have also recently lost their upcoming manager Michael Beale to the Scottish Rangers, with one former assistant to Steven Gerrard being replaced by another in the form of Niel Critchley. Critchley has a decent track record having managed Blackpool to promotion and having had stints under Gerrard at Aston Villa and as youth coach at Liverpool. The corresponding fixture at the CCS last season saw us slip to a 0-1 defeat so let's hope we can find the finishing we showed back in 2019 instead when despite not playing particularly well we still managed to tonk the Hoops 3-0. Early Bluebirds Team News Ebou Adams once again moves closer to fitness, having had a knee operation, alas it seems January is the target for the unfortunate midfielder rather than this side of the New Year. Rubin Colwill put in a good performance for the U-21s the other day, scoring a scorcher of a free kick which must surely once push him to the forefront of manager Mark Hudson's mind? After fielding an attacking line up against Blackpool that included Etete and Harris alongside Robinson as a front 3, it would be no surprise to see the Bluebirds line up in very similar fashion. Despite the disappointment of conceding and drawing against the Tangerines there was a lot to be happy with in a good first half showing. Can the boys carry that same zest and verve beyond half time and through a full 90+ minutes? Prutton Predicts After the Bluebirds slipped up last weekend and QPR picked up their first win in a while, the Sky man has tipped our home boys to slip to yet another defeat by a 0-1 scoreline in this live Sky game. The bookies have a marginally different outlook though with the Bluebirds favoured for the win. Home Win 7/5 Draw 23/10 Away Win 19/10 Fun Fact Queens Park Rangers have moved home ground location 18 times since they were formed in 1886. They began playing games at Welford’s Fields between 1886 and 1888, and currently play at Loftus Road – their home since 1963. Sharing The Love This weeks delving on players to share the shirt has turned up a "Wild Thing", a player who despite being with the Bluebirds a while never made an appearance for us, a Bluebird top scorer for a season and a Sierra Leone captain... can you work out who is who? So, can we slam dunk the Hoops this time around? Will Huds ring the changes to get a victory?? Can we land a knockout blow this Boxing Day and start to climb the table??? All I know is Santa didn't deliver 3 point before Christmas like I asked for so I can only assume they were caught up in the ail strikes and will arrive after Christmas instead... Blooooooooobirds.
Merry Christmas to you Brizzle and of course, the long suffering Mrs Brizzle. Hope you and yours have a wonderful time. Another belter of a match day thread. Thanks for taking the time to produce it. I have a feeling we'll have to make the most of Christmas Day as Boxing Day may induce sheep and mints (bah humbug). Obviously, I hope I'm wrong but I fear the Rs maybe just too strong for us especially if that Chair chappie is back. However, you never know and perhaps this festive season will start to improve our season. Whatever happens, sincere best Christmas wishes to all the regulars, guests and their families. Have a great time. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
Cheers gents Popping the thread up little early as I'll be up to my neck in Wurzle in-laws over the festive period and so would probably struggle to get online to post it closer to the time. Suspect another draw may be on the cards again boxing Day, and I'd happily take a point against Mr Mole's other CCFC, but for some reason I quite fancy our chances on New Year's Day against Blackburn. New Year new us maybe????? Wishing all fellow Bluebirds and in fairness all footie fans (except maybe the red scousers and red Mancs, possibly Chelsea, Leeds fans, oh stuff it..... All footie fans apart from those I don't like ) a peaceful and joyful Christmas and New Year.
As usual top drawer BB. Looking at the shared love players,no mention for Jay Bothroyd but the name that grabbed me was probably along with J Lloyd Samuel the worst City full back in recent years - Jermaine Darlington. ps When did we last beat QPR at home?
Cheers Nin. I gave Bothroyd a mention on the first (away) Matchday thread so have gone for players not mentioned last time out. Forgot about Samuel. Could be mental scarring that prevented me from picturing him TBF. That play-off game.... WTF??? If rumours were true and he was hung over that's just disgraceful. As for last home win v QPR, 2019 and our bizarre 3-0 win. We didn't play well, QPR were much slicker but almost every shot we hit went in.... Really strange game.
Ah yes I recall that bizarre 3-0 win now. JLSamuel yes was allegedly on the pop with several others the night before the massive game v Boro which we lost 0-3.
Ah well, so it's back to the real world. 6 points available before the New Year and we need 3 of them this evening. Hope the new manager bounce we should have had isn't in the wrong dugout.
TEAM NEWS Cardiff City XI: Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, O'Dowda, Colwill, Wintle, Ralls, Philogene; Robinson, Etete. Subs: Luthra, Simpson, Nkounkou, Sang, Rinomhota, Whyte, Harris. Attacking line up again!
cant quite see how that lot lines up. back 5 (including keeper) is obvious, then it gets a little messy (not messi). ralls and wintle in front of the back 4? Etete up front on his own? if its a 442, where does Colwill start? I'll look at the BBC website and see what it isnt.
Below average stuff from a below average team playing before a below average crowd......coached by a below average coaching team....and all under the guidance of a below average ownership....but wait!,,,,,,
That was so boring. QPR were as bad as us - apparently they haven’t won on boxing day since 1967 and this evening showed why But after all is done again really that’s two points dropped with three decent chances spurned especially that blaze over the bar by Etete.
Only managed to see the second half. Thought we were definitely the better side but poor finishing let us down again. Some encouraging build up play again though. I will confess however that I was worried about us losing it in injury time when QPR applied a bit of pressure. Suppose 1 point is better than 0 points but once again I think we'll all come away with a feeling of more points dropped when we've actually played ok and been better than the opposition.
