THe thing that keeps us up could be down the substitutions we make as much as the team we start with. OGS said he wanted Zaha on after an hour and didn't want Jones to have 90 mins due to their lack of game time. Yesterday he was forced into other changes that didn't allow him that. With everyone fit and a few more minutes under their belt I'm sure he'll want the Norwegian contingency to feature, especially Deahli. Interesting times.
Pretty sure Gunnar was another "safe" decision to look after the lead - something I wouldn't have expected from Ole. If Mutch had to come off when he did, the last 20 minutes or so was tailor made for Daehli. Gunnar was the defensive block to funnel back - Daehli would have pushed us on supplying Jones Noone and Zaha. With those two widemen staying out there, we weren't set up to defend. It worked in the end, but so nearly didn't.
Mutch is our most important player. Him and medel are PL quality pretty much none of our other cm's are. I think that's why ole is trying to look after him as hilts mentions. I didn't boo but wasn't surprised by he reaction that free kick got. His free kicks have been **** for 12 months, bellers or mutch should have been getting a chance. Everyone can see that and it's not surprising emotions boiled over. Witts wouldn't make the bench at Swansea if I was in charge.
I do hope this wasn't aimed at me as I have stuck by Whittingham up until now. The fact is, he hasn't made the step up. We cant stand by and watch awful performance after awful performance and then get relegated because "he could get his confidence back". As soon as Zaha came on the pitch on Saturday I automatically felt more confidence that Whittingham wasnt playing. We need to let sentiments go now, Whitts has been a fantastic player for us, but this is now about survival.
Whitts has orchestrated his own demise, the timing might have been odd, but he did need to be subbed. He didn't deserve the boos that much is true. Yes, the timing, well Ole has a fondness for subs, he most probably was hoping that we could go in 1-1 with Zaha, but not with Whittingham. I think it says a lot that when we were at 6's and 9's Whitts still stuck out a little as not doing so well. I do wonder if he will even make the bench Saturday, played ok against ManU, not so great before that, and not so great against the canarys. It is no time to get sentimental, we need to know he can play well on the day, right now we don't know.
That free kick high into the Family Stand was so very nearly erased by a near miss from a sweet 20 yard drive just past the post just before he was subbed. He must have known he was on borrowed time as he was so nervous. It was harsh dragging him off so close to half time but hey that is what managers are for, to make decisions. I think in hindsight OGS knew he made a mistake by not putting Zaha in from the off. He has sadly found his level, and it ain't in the Premier League. Club legend though.
not being mean but we're finding out why no PL team took a punt on him when they could have in the past 4 or so years. in the cold light of day he's got the technical ability but not much else. we're up against players technically better and more physical, a game or two on the bench wouldnt do him harm.
steve tucker booed him http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/were-cardiff-city-fans-right-6663765 said everyone who booed him is a moron
I've said it before I did not hear the booing, I thought the cheering was because fans could see Zaha was coming on, not for Whitts going off.
I sit in the family stand, and i can honestly say that i could hear quite a lot of booing, from 2 sides of the ground. No booing in family stand or the grandstand, it came from the obvious places. How people could even think of booing a player who has stayed loyal to our club, beggars belief.
I'm at the back of 116 Ninian and he was getting some serious stick from around me. No one can say these were new fans either as a couple of them have probably seen more city games than I've had hot dinners. I heard it more as ironic celebration of the substitution rather than direct booing of Witts. What I will say is that Bellers can say what he wants but most regular watchers have said Wits should be dropped. He was so bad he was removed after 37 minutes. I'm not sure what football crowd would have politely clapped him off but there aren't many. It's a passionate game, Wits was upset, Bellers was upset the fans were really ****ing upset. Wits has been paid very well and had all the adulation he's deserved over the years for quality performances. That history has bought him the fans goodwill to this point because if a new signing had been as bad as he's been this last 6 weeks the fans would have turned before this.
