Winter Break

Don't repeat yourself, Lurky.
We all have a life outside of football but you were particularly conspicuous by your absence, is all.
Your retort about seven seasons is accurate but is well-chosen to ignore history....since we have more years in the top level in total than you have. But anyway, I suggest YOU come back when you get back into the top level without some major financial disaster befalling you in between visits.....due to overspending to get there.
Your near future could go one of two ways (again) and you your board needs to make sure it is the correct way that is chosen.
But if we have to be short with our history, then I choose to concentrate on the last year, which has seen you fall below us and into the second level.
Maybe next year, you will be able to be similarly short-sighted and do the same...but I think we both know that that eventuality is unlikely. If it does, you are free to bring this post to my attention.

 

Reading through the posts on this thread I find myself wondering what some have to do with a Winter Break.

 

Agreed. More to do with lurkalots summer break (from posting that is).

Back on topic, it seems a bit of a farce. Basically, some teams in the prem won't play one weekend in Jan and the others won't play the following week.
Not a level playing field depending on which weekend you have off.
A team could run themselves into the ground one week knowing they're not playing the following week or could have played a tough game the previous week and have to play a team fully refreshed having not played that week.
Suppose it's no different from other turnarounds where someone could have played on a Monday then Saturday against someone who played Saturday/ Saturday. 2 extra days recovery.
All kick offs 3pm Saturday could be the way to go.
Unfortunately that doesn't maximise the revenue.

 

Are you lost by chance , you seem to be spending an awful lot of your time on here . Regarding your "success" in living history I think you'll find your so far behind its embarrassing for such a Big club such as yourselves . Anyway I'm intrigued , who's idea was it to include the line your new song "back where you belong" , FFS that's on par with billy the seal .

 

Wrong board , although I'm not surprised you have spent an awfully long time in the Championship so I guess an easy mistake to make . As you seem to be concerned as to my behaviour I'll try and get my post count up for you but I can't promise.

 

With Sky and others telling you what day and what time you can play was the thing that use to irritate me most.....Every premiership game should kick off at 3pm preferably on a Saturday and occasionally a Sunday....And you will find that Sometimes you will have to wait until a Monday to play at 19:45 or 20:00....

 

You're funny.

 

He doesn't seem to pay much attention to what is written, 'tis true.

 

Winter break isn't a 'holiday' its for rest and recuperation so most players will be spending their time on the physios bench. Personally, I think that although a winter break is a good idea and will help players stay fit and healthy, 2 weeks is a compromise between the FA and Sky, 2 weeks is better than none but its not long enough to be effective. Should be a month if players are going to 'repair' properly. Just my opinion though.

 

Frankfurter and CCF, you're both welcome here for banter and a smile but you seem genuinely annoyed with Boundie because he hasn't patted you on your collective backs to say 'well done' or congratulate you. Surely you're not lacking in confidence or self esteem that you need acknowledgment from us Jacks of your success to help you feel good about do you? No, I don't think so either so the alternative is your here to gloat. You got to be bigger than that dudes. Don't recall that many Bluebirds queuing up to wish us well when we were promoted? Tell me I've got a bad memory and I'm wrong dudes.

Personally, I'm truly happy that your in the prem league, I'm glad that you are there to represent Wales in the Prem. Shame we're not there with you but I sincerely hope that you thrive there this year and that we regroup in the Championship to join you next season. 2 Welsh based teams in the EFL, fantastic

Together stronger.

 

Appreciate the welcome stumpy and agree wholeheartedly with the last two related points.
The one thing I would hope for though is a few more Welsh players in both squads.

As for lurkalot, not at all expecting congrats or back slapping from anyone on here. The rivalry is too strong to expect that or even begrudging praise, though there were a couple chivalrous enough to pay a respectful visit.

The toying with the afore mentioned bounder is more around his bullish presence during your good times and his total disappearance when things turn sour.

No issue with gloating when you're on top (exactly what we're doing now; and we have to make the most of it as it is likely to be short lived), but expect it back when the boot is on the other foot and be mature enough to take it.

His footer of last season must be catching in his throat.

Anyway, enough of any bickering and back to more palatable banter (though don't expect me not to take a cheap shot every now and then, I've taken enough of them over the last 7 years) and hopefully some reasonable debate.

Kicking that off, the reciprocated hope for us to meet in the prem next year, whilst laudable, might be too big an ask. One of us being there will be challenging enough and the greater possibility will be a derby in the championship but we will both live in hope.

 

Don't think its too big an ask for both of us to be in the prem CCF. Although relegated imo there were several teams worse than we were and that grates.

Huddersfield were a poor, Southampton too, I feel we were a better than Brighton, Watford and Bournemouth. Palace, West Ham and Fekking Newcastle lucked out imo and in the end their final positions flattered to bullshit, let alone deceive.

I think even now Cardiff are better team than Fulham and Huddersfield and to aid your cause I see Southampton being even worse next season than this as they constantly sell their better players, Palace are a one man (Zaha) team and if they sell him will be relegation fodder, Brighton are weak with a tiny squad and Watford are ****e and are getting ****er every year so I'd be shocked if Cardiff get themselves relegated.

As for us, our best shot at a quick return is via the play-offs but its down to what happens this summer. Now that Huw Jenkins role is strictly business our recruitment strategy has to improve.

I see going:
J Ayew (a big loss),
Fabianski (a big loss)
Mawson (over rated)
McBurnie, a shame
Fernandez (I'll buy his ticket)
Naughton (who cares)
both have allegedly 'asked' to leave
Bony cant afford
A Ayew will probably want out

To succeed we have to hold onto Bartley and Van Der Hoorn. Imo they will make a solid defensive foundation strong enough to build a successful squad upon.
The players in the squad we have left after the fall out I believe are decent enough championship players, add a couple of choice additions, hopefully with flair, promote a few very good U23's
we have and we could very well end up challenging for a play-off slot.

Its worth a punt CCF, I'll be waging a few bob of Wifeys money that Cardiff will stay in the prem and we'll make the play-offs and who knows

 

An analytical response stumpy and enlighting to an outsider with only a superficial knowledge of your playing squad.
The question for me is how many of your current squad will fit potters playing style. Not who is better than who, but who fits the game plan, the culture and environment he's trying to build. I can't start to guess at that.
I posted elsewhere on your board, it'll come down to where you are at Christmas because that's when you'll hit your straps. If potter can get his thinking across I can imagine a good second half to the season. Similar to Fulham who had left themselves too much to do. I say similar because I don't see a 23 game unbeaten run in anyone next season.

A totally different footballing philosophy between managers, but a comparable approach for both of us. Warnock plays a game plan that isn't to everyone's taste, but he knows the type of player he needs and he gets the best out of them. The whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
It's what got you promoted and saw you thrive for the first few years. Loss of that saw your struggles and relegation. You list teams you were better than, and on paper maybe so. The gelling of those players didn't work though. Not sure what changed part way through your revival as I thought you'd be safe after your upturn which made your final collapse the more unfathomable.
From what I've read and seen, I think potter is a good appointment.
If he can offload some of your players and leave a core he can work with, it's down to a few replacements and some graft on the training ground.

 

Mawson overrated stumpy ??? You are entitled to your opinion of course but i would never class him as overrated by a long way....It is players like him we should be keeping if we are going to give a good account of ourselves this season....To sell off our only decent players puts us in a weaker position we can ill afford..

 

I agree with most of your points Stumpy and I think next season again, there will be about 6-8 clubs competing for the bottom three in the PL. So Cardiff will be in the mix and if they can get the results have a chance if staying up.
I would disagree re Fulham though who every time I saw them looked a good footbaling team and of the three going up will be best placed to survive. But that's just my ooinion.

 

The challenge for Fulham will be replacing their loanees.
They had a number in their starting line up. They've also lost Fredricks. They'll need to make 4-5 signings to replace those they lost BEFORE they start strengthening. We had a similar number of loanees but only Grucik and bryson were regular starters. Grucik joined us in Jan and they played less than a season between them.
No doubt Fulham were a nice footballing side, but it could take a while to bed things in if they make too many changes.
I think of the three, wolves look favourites to stay up.

 

Hi Stumpy,
I'm not upset....far from it!!! I'm as happy as a sandboy for half a season, at least. Then, we'll see!! I have been on your board regularly for yonks. I quite enjoy the discussions with most of you. I hope I make sensible contributions too.
As for the Lurker, he tried to piss on our parade (and that's natural, although I don't recall doing the same to you guys) and he got a response. He has ben noticeable by his absence since your failure and our success. I didn't want his congratulations and never will. I expect his scorn and don't kind...but I WILL respond in kind.
As for the football, I've not got a clucking fue…..but I shall enjoy it where and when I can.
A renewal of the local derby would be welcomed...better in the Prem of course. In the meantime, I liked your analysis of your team and your new manager has promise. I DO think that, over and above the playing side, someone needs to get a grip o your finances and I still wonder if getting back up without some owner investment is do-able. Time will tell and good luck.

 

Cardiff have a good opening 3 games in August with Bournemouth up first and they must take full advantage and get as many points in the first half of the season as they can and that will be no picnic in the park. It is difficult to say which of the 3 teams newly promoted have what it takes to stay up and the first half a dozen games are a good indicator...I hope Cardiff can show they deserve to be in the premiership and not like the last time when it was an absolute nightmare. I'm sure it won't with a good start needed....

 

not so optimistic about September though. Arsenal, chelski, man city and burnley. don't see (m)any points there.

 

Yeah it's frightening in it....But you can win just like we did against the Arsenal and Liverpool and both Manchester clubs and Chelsea in past seasons.....It is far from impossible and with the thought of playing these big teams will get the players juices flowing and it will be the manager's job to calm the players down and have a good game plan.....