Looks like Pilks is out for a month with that hamstring pull. Who's going to replace him? Someone like Daehli for flair, or maybe Adeyemi for a box to box midfield job. Two very different players in contention (amongst others) - which way will Slade go?
Id play Fabio. If we were away Im fairly certain think Ralls would start. Id say Ralls is still favourite to get the nod.
Pity about Pilks just when he was starting to show the value of his signing. Could slot Adeyemi into central midfield and move Whitts to the left where historically he was most effective from a goal scoring perspective? I have previously logged my reservations about Daehli. Not strong and quick enough to do the same job as Pilks and doubts over his defensive responsibilities. Slade might have to further reorganise the system to bring him in. Might he give Morrison a "last last last" chance? What about Kimbo, although too lightweight maybe and not good helping out the defence? And how about Burgstaller? Not dissimilar in build and style to Pilks but does he have the drive and determination to do the same job as Pilks? As Hilts says Ralls could fill in. Makes us more solid defensively but loses a bit going forward. It would be interesting to see Fabio playing a more forward role but that depends on the extent of Connolly's injury. Plenty of choices, over to you Russell to make the right one.
What about Bruno as I can't see Slade changing the defence after a clean sheet. Bruno is simply too good to be left out of the side so if it means playing him in midfield then it might be worth a try.
Sorry to read Pilks is injured, but sadly not too surprised. I can only presume this is the reason we let him go in the first place, as he was not able to play much beyond a few months without a mid-term injury. It's a shame as he is a cracking player on his day, and almost impossible to defend against (at this level) when really on his game.
I haven't been that impressed so far but he has been improving. Certainly there has been no "cracking" performance to date and I don't really understand why we bought him. Shame about the injury but I wonder if the team would be better off without him.
Didn't impress me either initially but he was clearly unfit when he arrived and has come on in leaps and bounds this past half dozen games. He's got the right attitude and appears to be one of the most committed to the cause often letting his passion get the better of him. I don't get the contention that the team would be better off without him at all - that statement is mind-boggling. Now that he's fit (or was until his hamstring pull on Saturday), his workrate on the right hand side and through the middle when required has been instrumental in accumulating Slade the 16 points since he took over. The guy will take defenders on and provide for others around him - the only thing missing for me is a few goals under his belt that he deserves. As for Norwich "letting him go", from what I've seen and read it was as much a case of an Adams/Pilks clash of personalities that was more instrumental than his apparent suceptability to injury. Pilks wanted out and Adams didn't try that hard (if at all) to keep him. Many of the Norwich fans thought they were crazy to let him go for around the £1M mark.
Sorry Sparkey that you find my comments about being better off without him "mind boggling". Due to locational issues I am unable to attend every home game so tend to avoid those held midweek. Only one midweek game for me this season. However, I have seen Pilkington play most home games at home and when I haven't attended I have viewed either on the TV or a stream. On those occasions he played mostly wide right. What surprised me more than anything was his lack of pace for a player in that position coupled with the fact that he was not the kind of player we needed especially when Noone was fit. There is clearly something wrong with our midfield. Our possession stats are alarming with only 28% possession against Watford and not much more against Reading. Pilkington contributes to the poor balance we seem to have in midfield. Having said that I did say he was improving but I stand by my comment that we have yet to see a "cracking" performance to date unless of course he ran the show on one of the few home games I have not seen.
Since Noone returned Pilks has played more left side with them occasionally switching wings. He has been progressively more effective not only going forward but helping his full back as well. His work rate is excellent and he has the ability to drive forward through midfield. Something we lost when Mutch left. My only reservation is his ability to stick the ball in the net as he has missed a couple of sitters. I was aware from Norwich fans' comments that he could be a bit of a sicknote and it is ironic that he picked up his injury when making a very good attempt on goal. Looks like a month out but hope he can get back earlier. Unless someone else can step up to the mark we will really miss him at Bournemouth. Their right back, Simon Francis, is one of the Championship's stand out players so far this year. He gets forward very well and has a good assist rate. We need someone to occupy him defensively to keep him on the back foot and also to track back and cover when he breaks forward. If we don't do this we will be in for a torrid afternoon.
Whoops - I don't mind having my mind boggled at all mate - better than having it dulled by some of the s**t written. Pilks has never run the show, but his contributions toward the team effort have grown immensely as this season has gone on. Admittedly he's no speed merchant, but as Bluey has jusy said, he can drive at the opposition in a Mutch-like manner that we've been missing since his departure. He strikes the ball well and desperately needs one to go under the bar and inside a post, rather than the other way around which has been the case. All in all, he will be a hard man to replace - maybe the shout for Ralls in the meantime would be the right choice, but I'd like to see some invention in the side as well as grit.
i bet someone is feeling tip top knowing it could be me or them that post`s dull shi..t.................................i wonder who it is hey>>>>>> im voting for vetch i iz anyway bk ta thread>>>>>>>>>unless im missing something myself, but why should we miss pilk he`s fking sh.it from what ive seen on the streams.... and yes if the lad coming in doesnt more than cover for the injury then fk him off out of our club and all.......waste of money if they cant cover if you ask me let him go play for newport instead
You could be right there aber. At least thank fck someone's broken cover at last - this site is like a bloody morgue. To be honest, I'd take it full of dull s**t right now.........
its like me myself and i i shall give you some stuff after sparks.....it will bore the cosy socks off the lot of ew
Sorry Aber, got it wrong there mate. Pilks is a good guy. You must have been on the happy smokes when watching the streams. Having seen most home games and two away so far I think he has improved game on game (apart from the game he was subbed at half time when he was unwell) and it is a pity he will now have at least a month out. Nevertheless, as Sparks says, your opinion is welcome. It is getting a bit lonely on here.
It's all about opinions on here. My reference to "s**t written" was nothing to do with opinions honestly held by Cardiff supporters about our players/managers/owners etc - the more varied the better on a forum like this. I just get annoyed by posters from elsewhere voicing "opinions" with hardly a shred of knowledge on the subject. Mind you, there seems to have been a slight fall off of the "s**t" recently - maybe getting 16 points from the last 8 games and getting ourselves up to 8th spot now just 2 points off the playoffs in the process has something to do with it. Anyway, back to the thread - I think Pilks absence is a big loss, but it affords someone the opportunity to step up to the mark. After Kimbo's performance in that 3-0 development squad defeat of the wurzels yesterday, he's made a big statement for a shot at it.
bfb I may have it wrong in your eyes butty, but I see through my own but tiz only opinions which count for fk all at the end of the day, the guy isn't the only one in our team we have lots of average joe`s>>>>>>but yet again that's a common trait in football at the moment.........the top flight is full of hype but in my view its full of tripe out of the twenty teams we have about fifteen top quality players the rest...........well they look like athletes that just started playing SOCCER. fk me its dead on yuh..............c u laters bfb and sparkey twas nice 2have a chat ps chris pike would walk into most prem teams these days <wink>>>>>and carl dale would be top man like boney one pack <im not shi.tt.ing ew>
Oh well guys it looks like a toss up between Daehli and Kimbo to try and take their chance now. Lets hope either of them fill the void well. Harris should be given a go at some stage also.
I'd agree with that. It could be a big mistake playing Ravel given what Slade has said about him, particularly when we've got contracted players champing at the bit for a chance. If we were away, there would be a decent case for Ralls, but at home against Rotherham we need to be a bit more inventive.
I see Harris has a 2 year contract extension. Either Slade sees something we haven't (yet) or a longer term contract may provide a bigger fee if we sell in the short term.
