After ‘enjoying’ the comforts of our home last weekend in an early kick off against a west country side, we again face an early one, but this time we’re back on the road, remaining in the west but heading south down the A38 for a trip to Plymouth Argyle and their home, Home Park. It’s sure to be a tough battle with one of the few teams below us in the table. If we can come away with victory it will go a long way to lifting us further away from danger and pushing one of our nearest rivals just that tad deeper into trouble following this proverbial relegation ‘6 pointer’. Who Are You? It’s been all change for the Pilgrims since their chastening visit to the CCS back in October. The old ladies of Plymouth were lifted from their terror strewn lives following the departure of Wayne Rooney from the Argyle hotseat on New Year’s Eve, and after a short search, the female citizens of the Devonian city were given a much more chiselled gaffer to faun over in the shape of Austrian Miron Muslic (bet it was Muslic to Plymouth fan’s ears eh??). The little-known Austrian had previously been in charge at Belgian side Cercle Brugge but was dispensed with by the Belgians in December. He has an interesting backstory that no doubts help keep him firmly grounded, having fled his native Bosnia as a 9-year-old due to war together with his sister and parents, winding up 400 miles away in Innsbruck. In interviews he has been quoted as saying “We struggled our whole life, and this part of struggling is part of my journey, and that's why I'm always very optimistic and very positive”. “I've been in more challenging situations in my life than being a head coach and facing a possible draw or a defeat at the weekend, and that's also the message I want to deliver consistently towards the players, that life is a struggle with beautiful surprises, and there is always something worth fighting for. Muslic, who guided Cercle Bruges to the Uefa Europa Conference League earlier this season before his sacking has definitely had an impact on his latest side, guiding them to a famous FA cup win over Premier League leaders Liverpool in his first match and generally improving the flailing club’s form. Goals have been generally hard to come by for the Devonian club (35 overall, exactly the same as our own), with this very much being displayed by the fact that their current top scorer is Ryan Hardie with just 5 to his name so far this term. Hardie has scored a brace in each of his last two home league games to lead the charts, actually netting as many goals (4) as he had in his previous 24 combined at Home Park. He’s the first Pilgrims player to score 2+ goals in consecutive home league appearances since Ruben Lameiras in January 2019 in League One. Behind him comes Mustapha Bundu with 4 and the departed Morgan Whitaker on 3 together with Rami Al Hajj. Last Time Out & Form Last time out saw the Bluebirds romp to their biggest home win for quite some time, putting 5 past the hapless Pilgrims without reply whilst also having 5 different scorers in the process. City were already 2-0 up and cruising in the first half when our visitors had Ibrahim Cissoko sent off a few minutes before half time. That effectively ended any hopes Plymouth had of getting back into things as the Bluebirds turned the screw on them and popped in a further 3 unanswered goals. Scorers on the day were Robertson, Rubin Colwill, El Ghazi, Robinson and Willock as we notched up 25 attempts at goal (11 on target). It could have been a very different story had Obefemi not wasted a good chance for Plymouth early on. Form wise over the last 6 games our respective records are actually very similar, with both teams picking up just 8 points from the last 16 on offer. Plymouth’s home however has improved significantly with them winning their last 3 matches at Home Park in all competitions (including that victory v Liverpool), though they did suffer a 5-0 home loss v Burnley in the preceding game and a 1-0 reverse against QPR in the match before that. Their last outing was the dreadful 1-1 draw at Luton on Wednesday evening. Hopefully that tussle (where they had to come from behind) has taken some steam out of them and our fully rested Bluebirds can take full advantage in what is sure to be a tough and cagey encounter. They have the 17th best home record in the division so far this season (24 points from 16 games – 3 more than ourselves). Overall they have the joint 15th best attack with their 35 goals alongside ourselves and Preston, and defensively they are the worst team in the division, conceding 67 times but they have tightened up a bit since the new manager has come in. In, Out Or No Sign Of Them About This week it’s the case of good news/bad news on the availability front. Definitely out still are; Jesper Daland (shin injury/stitches) Ollie Tanner (foot fracture) David Turnbull (returning to fitness) Yakou Meite (as above). We also suffer a blow with doubts over top scorer Callum Robinson (unspecified knock), Alex Robertson (still hamstrung) and Callum Chambers who missed the last game through illness and is struggling to be fit for this one. Better news has come in the shape of Isaak Davies being back in contention following an in-house game this week and club skipper Joe Ralls should also return to the fray. Predicted Starting 11 Alnwick Ng Goutas Bagan O’Dowda Mannsverk Ralls Ashford Salech Colwill Alves The Odds Bods Now he has nothing to do, I figured I’d invite Plymouth’s former 'genius' manager around to help out with the odds… No not Wayne Rooney, a Welshman and (rumoured) Bluebird fan!! Take it away Tone…. Just to highlight what a genius Tony was, this quote from the once revered Jose Mourinho sums him up perfectly. "It's simple. If I own an English club, which I don't and which I'd never do, I'd sign Tony Pulis. It's as simple as that. It's a guarantee to achieve what the club wants. He never managed a club that wants to be champions. He never managed a club that wants a top four place. He's always managed clubs who want to survive and who want stability, and he's mathematic: what the club wants, he gives. His record is absolutely amazing, and he does what some people don't understand -- but I do -- and what other people sometimes don't rate, but I do. Which is the relation between what the manager wants and what the team is. Tony's teams are exactly what he wants, exactly what he prepares a team to be. This is the most difficult thing in football. Philosophy is a beautiful thing but football is more than that. Tony is a great example of that." —José Mourinho in May 2015 Match Day Melody Feeling a bit peckish now…. Stereotyping aside – we’re going… Blooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!
We're deep into the season but the quality of the match threads is as high as ever. Great work Brizzle and thanks. We are about to face a real battle in this one. The Pilgrims will be completely fired up and we will have to at least match their determination. This is not a game for half measures or experiments. It's for real now and we must do everything to protect our Championship status. Omer, you need to get this one right mate. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
We’re getting to the stage where we’ve just got to start winning rather than losing/drawing and reliant on other teams results. Riza’s pre match build up needs improving tomorrow from the last few away games. There can be no excuse for letting the opposition get off to a blistering start - in 3 of our last 4 away games we’ve been 2 down in the first half and at Boro we were behind as well. Only Leeds of those teams were different class. Why did City have a melt down at Millwall & Pompey? Riza needs them focussed from the off and up and at them. Ramsey starting may be the catalyst needed to inject some high tempo football - his presence v Bristol C was pivotal. The team selection also is going to be crucial. Will he start Colwill?
Think he will start with Colwill as he did pretty well v the Wurzels to be fair to him. Reckon Rambo is still not quite 100% up to match speed as a starter so can see Rubin getting the nod but with the prospect of being hauled off for Rambo if he's not doing the business.
Great thread again Brizzo. On the subject of the game itself, I don't get this "Fortress Home Park" stuff we're hearing about - it must be a new thing they've invented. Apart from the first fortnight of this month when they beat Millwall and Brom at home either side of that epic Cup win over Liverpool, they've been thrashed a few times as well. Admittedly that was under the granny banger and it looks like they're putting it down the "Muslic factor" that's the difference. They're there to be beaten and we can do this if we go there with a positive approach and not just to keep the point we kick off with. Just hope we can get in front and not throw it away like the last time I was at Home Park - it was to be my last away trip in back 2008 - haven't been to an away League game since. Three nil up and we managed to draw 3-3. I think it was 2 own goals from us as well Incidentally, Dave jones went and bought Tony Capaldi off them on the strength of that............
I think the new manager and new signings have made a big difference for them. Omer reckons their style of play is now very front foot, physical type stuff so we'll be in for a battle for sure. They'll also still be on a high from that Liverpool result and playing for places against Man City so we can't take them the least bit for granted. One small bonus is their top scorer is missing out through injury.
Yeah I saw Hardie was out - mind you top scorer with 5 goals in 25 league games so far isn't much to shout about.
Cardiff City: Alnwick, Rinomhota, Ng, Goutas, Bagan, O'Dowda, Mannsverk, Ramsey (C), Colwill, Alves, Salech. Substitutes: Horvath, Fish, Giles, Ralls, Ashford, El Ghazi, Willock, Méïté, Davies.
Ok then looks like starts for Ramsey and Salech in place of El Ghazi and Robinson. No start for Ashford which is surprising but plenty of attacking option on the bench but limited defence options.
Apart from Alves, who's going to play out wide on the other side? With Ramsey starting, I just hope it's not Colwill being asked to do that again - it has never worked.
Ashford not dropped. He was on the bench last week. A useful option to bring on. As others have mentioned, looks like Colwill will be asked to go wide. Not the best of moves.
Not happy with that team. Too many questions about how they'll line up. Trying to be too clever. I now fear for us in this one.
