please log in to view this image V please log in to view this image CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL FIRST LEG: CARDIFF V WEST HAM Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Thursday, 3 May Kick-off: 1945 BST Form -Cardiff [TABLE="class: resBG, width: 0"] [TR="class: ch, bgcolor: #000088"] [TD="class: date"]Date[/TD] [TD="class: lc"]LC[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Opponents[/TD] [TD="class: ven"]V[/TD] [TD="class: res"]Res[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]28.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Crystal Palace[/TD] [TD]a[/TD] [TD]W2-1[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnd, bgcolor: #DCDC9C"] [TD]21.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Leeds United[/TD] [TD]h[/TD] [TD]D1-1[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]17.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Derby County[/TD] [TD]h[/TD] [TD]W2-0[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]14.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Barnsley[/TD] [TD]a[/TD] [TD]W1-0[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnd, bgcolor: #DCDC9C"] [TD]09.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Watford[/TD] [TD]h[/TD] [TD]D1-1[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]07.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Middlesbrough[/TD] [TD]a[/TD] [TD]W2-0[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: tabBG, width: 0"] [TR="class: cs, bgcolor: #8C8CCC"] [TD="colspan: 4, align: left"]Attack[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Rank[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]8th[/TD] [TD]6th[/TD] [TD]10th[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Average goals[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]1.43[/TD] [TD]1.61[/TD] [TD]1.26[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Failed to score %[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]17%[/TD] [TD]22%[/TD] [TD]13%[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Since FtS[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]6[/TD] [TD]3[/TD] [TD]6[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: cs, bgcolor: #8C8CCC"] [TD="colspan: 4, align: left"]Defence[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Rank[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]9th[/TD] [TD]15th[/TD] [TD]4th[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Average goals[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]1.15[/TD] [TD]1.26[/TD] [TD]1.04[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Clean sheets %[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]33%[/TD] [TD]35%[/TD] [TD]30%[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Current CS[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]0[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Form - West Ham[TABLE="class: resBG, width: 0"] [TR="class: ch, bgcolor: #000088"] [TD="class: date"]Date[/TD] [TD="class: lc"]LC[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Opponents[/TD] [TD="class: ven"]V[/TD] [TD="class: res"]Res[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]28.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Hull City[/TD] [TD]h[/TD] [TD]W2-1[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]23.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Leicester City[/TD] [TD]a[/TD] [TD]W2-1[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnd, bgcolor: #DCDC9C"] [TD]17.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Bristol City[/TD] [TD]a[/TD] [TD]D1-1[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]14.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Brighton and Hove A[/TD] [TD]h[/TD] [TD]W6-0[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnd, bgcolor: #DCDC9C"] [TD]09.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Birmingham City[/TD] [TD]h[/TD] [TD]D3-3[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: rnw, bgcolor: #ACACEC"] [TD]06.04.2012[/TD] [TD]L[/TD] [TD="class: team, align: left"]Barnsley[/TD] [TD]a[/TD] [TD]W4[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: tabBG, width: 0"] [TR="class: cs, bgcolor: #8C8CCC"] [TD="colspan: 4, align: left"]Attack[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Rank[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]2nd[/TD] [TD]3rd[/TD] [TD]2nd[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Average goals[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]1.76[/TD] [TD]1.78[/TD] [TD]1.74[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Failed to score %[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]15%[/TD] [TD]17%[/TD] [TD]13%[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Since FtS[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]14[/TD] [TD]7[/TD] [TD]12[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: cs, bgcolor: #8C8CCC"] [TD="colspan: 4, align: left"]Defence[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Rank[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]4th[/TD] [TD]12th[/TD] [TD]1st[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Average goals[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]1.04[/TD] [TD]1.13[/TD] [TD]0.96[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Clean sheets %[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]37%[/TD] [TD]30%[/TD] [TD]43%[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: c1, bgcolor: #FFFFFF"] [TD="class: label, align: left"]Current CS[/TD] [TD="class: c0, bgcolor: #CCCCEC"]0[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] What the Managers Say Malky Mackay: "I would think the we are [underdogs], in terms of the expectation on a club the size of West Ham. It's a former club of mine and I know the pressure at that football club to do well and to impress, No matter what, there is that disappointment that they never got [an automatic promotion place]." " Sam Allardyce: âI stuck my neck out and we wanted promotion in my first season here. I have a two-year contract, but getting up in the first season is important. We still have three games to win and we will do it. Our ultimate goal of automatic promotion was not achieved, we left ourselves too much to do, but we have to lick our wounds, get over our disappointment and get ready for the vital games ahead of us."
KEY STAT West Ham are unbeaten on nine of their last ten visits to Cardiff. The Bookies [TABLE="class: kiosk large, width: 0"] [TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="class: pcpt, bgcolor: transparent"]West Ham[/TD] [TD="class: worst, bgcolor: transparent, align: center"][/TD] [TD="class: best, bgcolor: #FFCC00, align: center"]7/4[/TD] [TD="class: logo, bgcolor: transparent, align: center"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: even"] [TD="class: pcpt, bgcolor: transparent"]Cardiff[/TD] [TD="class: worst, bgcolor: transparent, align: center"][/TD] [TD="class: best, bgcolor: #FFCC00, align: center"]9/5[/TD] [TD="class: logo, bgcolor: transparent, align: center"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="class: pcpt, bgcolor: transparent"]Draw[/TD] [TD="class: worst, bgcolor: transparent, align: center"][/TD] [TD="class: best, bgcolor: #FFCC00, align: center"]23/10[/TD] [TD="class: logo, bgcolor: transparent, align: center"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] West Ham are favourites to make a swift return to the Premier League with odds of 9/5 available on Sam Allardyce’s side earning the final promotion place. Cardiff are less fancied at a best price 4/1with the other play-off hopefuls Birmingham and Blackpool priced up at 11/4 and 10/3 respectively. Cardiff - Top Goal Scorers Whittingham 13 Mason 12 Miller 11 West Ham - Top Goal Scorers Cole 14 Nolan 12 Vaz Te 10
Hardly anything between the 2 over those last 6 games. Both scoring, both conceding and CCFC edging the clean sheets stat. Happy to have the 'underdog' label for this one so yeah, bring it on
i think west ham will opt to keep things very tight, and aim to do us in upton park. like almost every team at the CCS they will sit back and possibly look to hit us on the break imo
Good luck Cardiff a 0-0 at home wouldn't even be a bad result but if you take a lead the Hammers will bottle under the pressure at home. I am hoping for a goalfest for a neutral I will go Cardiff 3-2
Important to keep a clean sheet at home even if its 0-0. if cardiff can go to west ham with even a 1-0 win then west ham will have to go for it at their place and that will create spaces,...thats the advantage of playing at home first. playoffs are usually a low scoring tight game affairs and if cardiffs defence is spot on then i cant see why cardiff cant get a home win and an away draw to go through.....good luck ill be watching the game rooting for cardiff tonight...
FFS Dai - you're getting me worried for your safety. Any more comments like that last sentence of yours, and there'll be a death warrant put out on you on the Jack board........... Despite them having a squad capable of blitzing most opposition defences in this division, I honestly reckon Sam will come to park the bus at the CCS tonight and maybe pinch a goal, but expect to roll us over at the Boleyn. I think we'll have done well to get draw tonight to take up there. We could well spring a surprise on their patch like the first game of this season.
Think you are right Sparkey. Big Sam is nervous about this. If they came and attacked us they could well put the whole result beyond doubt! I don't think he will have the balls for it though, so I am hoping when can nick a goal and then watch them squirm at their place. Ask Liverpool if we will roll over
Siam, Sparkey I agree. Don't think they will go all out to attack, but if we can play the same way we did against Palace in the second half, we will cause them problems. If we come away with a win, they'll be very nervous at home.
They're not that good at home are they? I think a goal advantage will give you an excellent chance.Hopefully you can bury them though.
here come the muppets.. Bad luck cardiff the best team won and will more than likely get to the final now...still not a bad first season for MM....remember these muppets are only jealous as their teams are nowhere near as good and could not make the playoffs...
Well done westham you caught us cold and we were rubbish ,we will see you monday with a Full away allocation of away support ;O)
we started very brightly, but shades of hull at home when passing went astray and that created tension amongst fans and players. whittingham and lawrence had shockers. miller did too much work out side of the box and mason outmuscled easily yet we continue to put balls up to him. one player who put in a shift again was hudson, well done to him but we were denied a clear penalty at the end, and the west ham players have a tendancy to tug shirts, in the PL with young or silva its a pen but you win some you lose some i guess that said, west ham, well lets say kevin nolan didnt endear himself to our fans with his constant talking to the referee, and, though WHU fans wont be happy, your club is being ruined by allardyce. if i had a pound for each diagonal long ball to the box i'd have taken the taxi home. if you dont go up he has failed you, i'm sure you wont care for the time being if he gets you up but west ham arent pretty to watch atm. that said, we did have a few chances of our own, turner header cleared off the line and mason volley, both close to a goal but west ham the better team. both home and away support was excellent, looked alot more than 23000 but hey ho. its only half time but a strong start by the hammers.......
Not giving this up. 2-0 is **** all. West Ham will look for the third early. If we can hang tight until half time and then get one just after the break...welll...2-1 with 30 minutes to go. How would West Ham react. Puts them in the awkward position of not wanting to defend early, but not wanting to commit too many forward. Incredible that people think a 2-0 is over!! If it is still 2-0 by the half on Monday, we will just see. Even with our performance it could have been 2-1 this leg. We will be better Monday.
