Russell Slade has done very well to add to his squad with some seemingly quality signings but now he has no excuses for missing out on the Championship play-offs come May. The former Orient boss’ contract expires in the summer. Despite being placed under a transfer embargo, Cardiff managed to secure three loan signings during the January window with Kenneth Zohore, Lex Immers and Tom Lawrence signing up for the Bluebirds’ promotion push. The Bluebirds are currently four points off the play-offs with seventeen games remaining. There are fifty-one points left up for grabs this season so you might say, Cardiff are well and truly in the mix as we approach the last third of the season. The signings Russell Slade has made don’t necessarily make your eyes light-up when you see them on the team sheet but they do add quality and they do create a very high level of competition in the current Cardiff City squad. Earlier on in the season when Craig Noone was struggling or when Peter Whittingham looked on the brink, you found yourself looking at the bench and scratching your head because there wasn’t much competition, meaning there wasn’t a player to replace the out-of-sorts ‘starters’. Now, it’s difficult to pick a starting XI but for the right reasons unlike last season when you were reluctant to say most names when a friend asked you what you wanted the team-sheet to read on Saturday. Due to the uplift in form from a number of players and the quality of those coming in on loan, the starting XI is now a difficult one to pick. All three of the new signings could potentially play as a striker with two of them more likely to play as an attacking midfielder. Anthony Pilkington’s current form makes him difficult to drop, even if you wanted to move him out of the front-line, which is probably inevitable, then you would surely have to put him out wide with Craig Noone on the other side but then with Lex Immers looking like a much-needed spark in attacking midfield where do you put Tom Lawrence? Is he a good enough striker? Peter Whittingham is another in fine form and with Stuart O’Keefe currently making it impossible to drop him, is there a place for Joe Ralls in the starting line-up? and where does Aron Gunnarsson fit in to all this? Those are just some of the headaches Russell Slade now faces and he has to approach them right, after all, can he really drop many players from a team which has taken seven points from their last nine? Currently, it’s difficult to drop many players but players like Tom Lawrence will have been promised game-time as he looks to cement his place in Chris Coleman’s Euro 2016 plans for the summer. These questions may create a problem but most managers will describe them as ‘nice sort of problems’ so you won’t hear Russell Slade complaining over the next few months. Russell Slade now has a good and solid squad under his control, there’s no doubt about that so he will now be expected to book a place in the play-off’s come the end of the season and there can be no excuses because this squad is now good enough.
I agree with that but why didn't you just post the link? http://insidecardiffcity.co.uk/slade-has-built-a-good-squad-but-now-there-are-no-excuses/
I always copy the full artice for people to read on the forum, well thats what i do on other forums. I will post the link form now on if that is what preferred on here.
Not necessarily "preferred on here", just seems easier unless you want to edit something out. You do it whichever way you like.
Being in Thailand, I prefer if the guys do a copy & paste. It saves me a lot of pain with the local wifi **** stains here.
I've got no issue with the copy paste. Only thing I'd say is just add where it was copied from If I was guessing at a starting line up id say there's a fair chance Lawrence will take Immers place alongside Pilks up front. However it won't be a surprise to see the same 11 start again and it would be hard to argue with that. Then there's also the question of Peltier/Fabio. I noticed on the highlights that Huddersfield goal seemed to start from a move that began by Fabio diving in and getting beat high up the pitch. The flip side is we then scored from a similar fabio attempt to win the ball high up the pitch that was successful and he was heavily involved in the build up too. He's obviously a much more exciting player than Peltier and tbh we seem to be a side that's needs to out score sides at the moment regardless of who's at RB. Peltier provides absolutely zero attacking threat, we seem to concede plenty with him as our safe defensive RB so we might as well have a bit of entertainment going the other way and leave Fabio in there
I'd agree with that. Without an acknowledgment of the source it could be thought the poster had written the OP himself - plagiarism lives. I take Taff's difficulties with the internet in Thailand into account, but fortunately (or not maybe?) most of us live a little closer to home. A link is by far the best way to get an article across. It allows the reader to open it and choose whether to continue reading from the source rather than wading through what appears to be a member's own thoughts.
I prefer to use a link or read from one - it can open up other sources of information, particularly with WoL who tend to cross reference articles within a main topic. However, if someone prefers to copy and paste I have no objection provided it does not get too wordy. I don't like seeing any post go beyond about 10/12 lines, 15 max. And yes, I know I've done my own War and Peace in the past. Stevo's comments on Peltier v. Fabio - They can both make mistakes with Fabio's more likely to be higher up the pitch which an give us more time to defend or leave us exposed for a quick break. However, Fabio's enthusiasm gets the crowd going and can improve the atmosphere in a sterile stadium. Maybe it's horses for courses, Fabio at home and Peltier away? On Peltier's side, he is stronger in the air. I'm not advocating rotation but it is a possibility. As for the rest of Saturday's line up, it would be rough to drop Immers from a winning team especially as he offers a bit more of an aerial threat going forward and defensively can cover the front of the 6 yard box from corners and set pieces. I think Lawrence will be a sub to begin with and see where we go from there. Noonie back in for Ameobi I hope.
Going to be interesting to see how Slade lines up. Will he bring back Peltier? Fabio had a good game at Huddersfield whilst Malone is defensively a shocker. Could Peltier and Fabio swap flanks? Plenty of choice now in midfield and up top. Tempting not to change a winning team, even if some subs came on to change it anyway, but Noone, if fit must surely play. I am not convinced with Ameobi. I mexpect Lawrence and Zehora to be on the bench. Maybe with Saadi?
I'd forgotten noone was out. I'd obviously bring him back if available. So same team other than 2-4 changes
I've not had a good look at our goals conceded, but it's my impression that we have conceded more through Manga errors than Peltier who I see as a solid RB
That was sort of my point. Now it seems very harsh (and is) for me to blame Peltier for Manga' s errors but; If you've got 1 error prone flamboyant defender you might as well have 2. Fabio in fairness is sort of as likely to win you a match as lose it, the fact he's a huge fans favourite because of his all action style is a bonus. We don't have many of them in the side at the moment. We're a much better side with the ball when Manga plays because him and Connolly are both very comfortable in possession. There's no doubt Morrison is a better defender just like there's no doubt Peltier is a better defender than Fabio but Fabio and Manga are more fun and therefore get my vote
And don't forget Morrison is a much bigger goal threat from set pieces. How many have we scored or even looked like scoring since he's been out?
I know we all like to be entertained however it is also a results business and had Morrison not been injured then he & Peltier at the back would have seen fewer errors / fewer goals conceded / fewer points dropped and a higher league position. That said injuries are all part of the game so it is what it is . At least the football has been better and more entertaining than last season despite all the off field goings on. Now the transfer window has closed I am feeling rather excited for the remainder of the season and keep checking my pre season betting slip on a City promotion is safe
BT, easily excited and in the language of a certain type of film genre always looking for a "happy ending". Poor lad, gets overcum (did I spell that right? ) at the drop of a hat. Go for it Mart, see you Saturday. Cornwall 1.30?
Best keep an eye out for the Big Bad Gobshite now we've told him where we will be. Then again he'll probably be at the Swansea game wherever that is. lol!!!
Copied this from the City's stats page comes to something when Morrison is our joint third top scorer and there are no strikers in the list at all Craig NOONE Midfielder 6 Anthony PILKINGTON Midfielder 5 Peter WHITTINGHAM Midfielder 3 Sean MORRISON Defender 3 Aron GUNNARSSON Midfielder 2 Scott MALONE Defender 2 Joe RALLS Midfielder 1 Matthew CONNOLLY Defender 1 Sammy AMEOBI Midfielder 1 Lex IMMERS Midfielder 1
