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Interesting and thoughtful piece as usual, Paul.
I'm sure the problems we have keeping the ball out of the net at the end of games is more about concentration, discipline and determination than fitness. That's why I'm confident with Warnock. It might take a while but he will stamp his personality (with all the ugly bits included) on the squad and Cardiff will be streetwise and hard to beat. It will feed all the opposition complaints that we used to be part of - of 'route one' (a lazy and inaccurate characterisation), big, physical, 'in your face', neanderthal.... but the reality will be a side that plays proper football but with aggression and attitude. I'm happy with that.
I posted this table on another thread showing goals scored/conceded in 15 minute bands this season. Cardiff joint worst with Rotherhame for letting them in in the last 15 minutes:
http://www.soccerstats.com/timing.asp?league=england2
It is killing us at the moment.
Thanks very much for that link Jon, I knew they'd be available somewhere. Having had a quick look at the other three divisions, we are the joint worst of the ninety two clubs with Rotherham - Burton, Chesterfield and Newport, with thirteen each conceded, are next worst.
Yes, we are a very un Neil Warnock like side in some respects and I'm sure he'll be trying to do something about that in the next month and a bit.
I agree with you about there being more to Warnock sides than crash, bang, wallop - City have played seven home matches under Warnock so far and I'd say two of them offered great entertainment (Huddersfield and Barnsley), another two were very satisfying wins (the wurzels and Wolves) with atmospheres more like the ones I always associated with City until the last few years - that's not a bad ratio at all, certainly better than any other manager since Dave Jones.
If it wasn't for the late goals conceded then we'd almost certainly be up there comfortably in mid table with a chance of getting into the play off places. If NW can sort this problem out over January then I'd be confident that we'd still have something to play for in the second half of the season. Failing a play of place, a decent cup run would be nice.