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I was surprised to read on Sky Sports News last night that yesterday's defeat at Norwich means Cardiff City have made their worst start to a league campaign in eleven years, but I've checked the stats this morning and the claim is correct.
The points totals after six league games during the last twelve seasons are as follows (managers in brackets):
2005/06 - 5 points (Dave Jones)
2006/07 - 13 points (Dave Jones)
2007/08 - 7 points (Dave Jones)
2008/09 - 10 points (Dave Jones)
2009/10 - 10 points (Dave Jones)
2010/11 - 13 points (Dave Jones)
2011/12 - 11 points (Malky Mackay)
2012/13 - 13 points (Malky Mackay)
2013/14 - 8 points (Malky Mackay)
2014/15 - 8 points (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer)
2015/16 - 12 points (Russell Slade)
2016/17 - 5 points (Paul Trollope)
It's a statement of the obvious, but a total of just five points from the first six games is none too clever after what appeared on paper to be a fairly routine set of fixtures by Championship standards (City have so far played only one side who were ranked in the top ten of the division's pre-season favourites - yesterday's opponents Norwich).
If it's still the worst after 8 games, then it'll be a very long season of looking down at the trap door.
For what it's worth, I think Trollope, his system & the intent should be given time, all season if necessary, as long as they stay out of the bottom 1/3rd of the table.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but WE ARE in the bottom.1/3rd of the table.
To be honest, this notion of Trollope developing a 'system' based on the Welsh team sounds like utter nonsense, unless he's planning to sign Gareth Bale, of course.Originally Posted by Des Parrot
To be fair to Trollope, he has distanced himself somewhat from such suggestions when asked.
You could have also named all of rest of the Wales starting 11. You'll know better than me but I can't recall City using anything other than a back 4 ever before, maybe the odd game. It's what he's using whether we agree or not, so some players need to settle into it. If only we'd bought Joe Allen!
The wing backs suggests he is trying to play that system.
It wont be the system that relegates us though.
There's different ways of playing 3-5-2/5-3-2 though and I'd say that there's a realisation that we cannot 100% mimic what Wales do.
Fair enough.
I saw my first Cardiff game in more than four years at Fulham a few weeks back. To be honest, it was a struggle to make out what the system (if there actually was one) was supposed to be. The first half, in particular, was desperately poor stuff. There was very little attacking threat until Ralls scored what was effectively a goal out of nothing. Perhaps Lambert will provide some sort of focal point going forward provided he still has the legs and can stay fit. Maybe then it will become more apparent if there is any value in Trollope's alleged system.
Yeah thats fair enough.
Lot of people though seem to think its the system at fault. It comes down to the players in the system and I dont think ours are good enough.
Agree with your opinion of the opening forty five minutes of the Fulham match - I doubt it if we played as bad a half as that at Norwich and I know we didn't at Birmingham, but we did a lot better in the second half at Craven Cottage where we looked comfortable until we wilted in the dying minutes.
I share your doubts as to whether we have the players in the first team squad who are capable of playing the three centreback/wing back system to the sort of level Trollope wants, but I'd stick with the old chestnut of not coming to any firm conclusions until ten matches have been played for now - if we are still in the same area of the table by the time Wales play again, then maybe that's the time for a rethink.
I think you could be right, but we've still not seen one of our new players yet, while another two have barely played - I'm guessing all of these would be in Trollope's first choice team and I think Amos will probably end up being number one keeper as well.
Thankfully Leeds are in our league.We only need to stab out another two teams worse than us .
We are having a consolidation season , could be good for us , unfortunately there will be a lot of hand wringing from some .
I have faith in Trollope, as long as he gets time he should come good.
Does that matter? Surely easier to play pre-season favourites if they're not up and running rather than four out of the top six who clearly are.
It's not true anyway QPR and Norwich were in the top 10 in most bookies.
It's football. It doesn't really matter.
The point I was trying to make is that it certainly didn't look a tough start to the season on paper and, personally, I don't believe it was despite City having played three of the current top six - only one of whom I expect to be in that bracket come the end of the season.
I said City have so far played one side who ranked in the top ten of the division's pre-season favourites. I was correct. That side was Norwich.
QPR were ranked 12th based on the bookmakers' average prices.
It's of no relevance either way.
Leeds for some reason were being tipped to do well this year, and the current top 2, Huddersfield and Barnsley, relegation candidates.
No one expected Derby and Sheff Weds to get off to such poor starts with the money they've spent either.
Football is played on grass (or 4G) not on a betting coupon.
Tipped by who?
Chris and Ian Holloway
http://www.sportinglife.com/football...ble-prediction
Ah, Holloway. An impeccable source of wit and wisdom.....
In fact, Huddersfield were around the same price as Leeds in many bookmakers' lists (33/1 or 40/1, depending who you bet with).
In the Racing Post's extensive betting guide to the new season (published 02/08), their Championship tipster predicted Huddersfield would finish 9th and Leeds 10th.
Barnsley were indeed considered relegation candidates by the bookmakers. The Post predicted they'd finish 20th.
Slade was getting knocked for his 4-4-effing-2 formation, but results seemed more positive. Just wondering if, perhaps, Cardiff don't have the players for 3-5-2?
Slade was getting knocked for his use of the 442 system as I recall.
In fact he had a pop at his players yesterday for playing in the wrong area for their first goal and the guy lost a ball into feet just over the halfway line!!!
Time will tell, I suppose. To me, the current crop appear to be an average bunch by Championship standards. I reckon the formation will be prove largely irrelevant - they'll finish somewhere between 10th and 16th regardless of what playing system Trollope attempts to implement.
I agree with this
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