Apologies folks, this one is a brief one again this mid-week, things are rather busy!! After our enforced ‘rest’ thanks to a wind filled weekend (and no, I’m not talking about Masky blowing his own trumpet again) our battling Bluebirds are back in action at the CCS on Wednesday night with the impending visit of Preston North End. Who Are You? The Lillywhites are managed by former Sheff Utd boss Paul Heckingbottom, who took over from Ryan Lowe who left the Deepdale outfit ‘by mutual’ consent just 1 game into the new season back in August. Heckingbottom of course led the Blades to promotion during his time at Bramall Lane however he is struggling to even get close to repeating that feat with his new(ish) charges. Having won just 3 of his 19 league games in charge (4 in 20 inc. cup games) he has a win % of just 20% with North End so far. The Preston squad is, if anything, even more underwhelming than our own on face value, with no real ‘names’ in their line up apart from perhaps our previous loanee Josh Bowler. Defensively there is another ex-Bluebird in the shape of Andy Hughes, a former Bluebird youngster who was released at 15 and went on to join Newport before finding his way to Deepdale via Peterborough. He has clocked up over 200 appearances for the Lancashire outfit in his time there. Joining Hughes at the back is ex-Pompey center back Jack Whatmore and the long serving Jordan Storey (180+ appearances). In midfield there is the experience of Will Keane, now in his 2nd season with Preston, along with Irishman Ali McCann (100+ appearances) and new boy Stefan Thordarson, an Iceland international that joined from Silkeborg (nope, never heard of them either). Aston Villa loanee Kaine Kesler-Hayden is another regular in a wide midfield position. Up top they do still have the handful that is Emil Riis. A player that helped North End to victory against us last time out. Last Time Out & Form As mentioned above, the Bluebirds came a cropper last time out against our opponents, suffering a 0-2 home defeat thanks to goals from Riis and Ben Whiteman. This was a game that the Bluebirds dominated but were just undone by North Ends first attempt on target and thereafter just couldn’t find a way back (I’m getting an odd sense of déjà vu again). With just 3 league wins all season you could be forgiven for thinking Preston would be very near the foot of the table but alas, despite winning so infrequently, they also don’t lose many either. They have the same number of points on the road as we do (5) and a near identical record away to boot. However, their home form is good, suffering defeat just twice on their own soil (good job this is at the CCS then perhaps?), in fact, like us they are yet to win on the road. A note of caution must be sounded though as although they have no wins in their last 6, they have also tasted defeat just once. My theory on this is that with so many long serving players of an ‘ok’ calibre, they really have become a typical ‘hard to beat’ type side. In, Out Or No Sign Of Them About Having not had a game on the weekend there has been a little more time for players to get abck to fitness, but I still don’t envisage there being too many changes. I’ve not seen any more news on David Turnbull but the odds are he isn’t going to be available. Rubin Colwill is I imagine due a start again now instead. I’d fully expect Meite to keep his place in the starting 11 once again and, as per the weekend the only other potential change I could see may be at central defence with Chambers possibly being replaced by either Daland or Fish, however, with more time to mull things over I reckon Riza will return again to the tried and tested. Predicted Starting 11 Alnwick Ng Chambers Goutas Collins Meite Colwill Siopis Robertson Robinson O’Dowda The Odds Hmm, not sure this will be tempting enough for our resident high roller??? Home Win 5/4 Draw 9/4 Away Win 21/10 Match Day Melody With this being the ‘official’ beginning of Omer Riza’s permanent reign and with our opponents having to trek down from so far up north I guess we are just…. Blooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!
Any wind emanating from Masky’s ring is strictly between yours truly and the sweet lips of Robbie, bless him!
Up against a team with no wins in 9 games but only 2 defeats and no away win all season. Its got 0-0 written all over it
https://not606.com/threads/cardiff-city-cardiff-city-stadium-11-12-2024.415689/#post-18021184 Morning all, be there about 3 hours before kick off, if last season's experience is anything to go on, hopefully the wise men from the North will not be besring gifts
Fantastic piece as always Brizzle. Thank you. I have no idea how this one will end but I know that we need the points. Hope you're having a safe journey Thermaclad. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
Brizzo - I don't know who you're talking about, but this "low roller" is not impressed by those odds on City. I saw them yesterday and decided to sidestep a potential banana skin - for me and the club. It's the sort of game we should win but rarely seem to manage. Instead I had a "out of the left field" go at the bottom 5 club's home games I mentioned yesterday. I've done a "super yankee" on all 5 ending as draws. Portsmouth got me off with a flyer last night but the Jacks cocked it up for me at Rooney Tunes. Still, one down but three more games to go tonight and I'm being offered £42 to cash out against a potential payout of £718. I know what I'm doing but what would you do? I'm not saying I want City to draw tonight mind, but.............
Nicely put together review. Bit top heavy on the religious stuff for the culture spot; I’d have given info on Caroline Street & Frank Hennessy
Just to continue the happy theme - with last night's results in, at least we can't prop up the rest of the table tonight....... EDIT - I'd better just amend that slightly - unless we get beat 0-11 tonight.
Oh my word that was tough going. The god awful commentary from Sky isn't helping either. Anyone else thinking that the pair of commentators are actually sat in an office somewhere watching the game on Sky rather than being at the ground??
This is as expected. Our lack of pace all over the field is something Riza has to address in the window as well as obviously a striker. And as for the constant sideways & back to the keeper
same on the Cardiffcity player website really drab commentary I put the Man city game on at half time just to pep (no pun intended) my brain up
About to say something I never thought I'd hear myself say but Riza should have taken Robbo off rather than Meite... Robbo has been really off it tonight.
