FT: CARDIFF CITY 0 - 0 MANSFIELD. FA Cup match thread

[Cardiff City Mad]

10 years ago City went all the way to Wembley

More...

The FA Cup has been pretty barren for City in the years since 2008 when the Bluebirds went all the way to Wembley, losing 1 - 0 to Portsmouth in the final.

Lasy year City went out in round 3 to Fulham, in previous years there have been disappointing third round exits to Shrewsbury at CCS and in 2013, away at non league Macclesfield.

But in 2013 City went on to win promotion. So was Malky Mackay's decision to play a very under strength team at Moss Rose justified?

Neil Warnock will face a similar decision today when Mansfield come to CCS (3:00pm). With injuries affecting the first team I don't expect anywhere near a full side to be risked today so we are likely to see players given a run out like Jazz Richards who has overcome injury. Bench players like Greg Halford could also play and it's a chance for another game for Rhys Healey as he gets back up to speed after his year out injured.

Although with so many out it could be that we see a number of Development players completing the squad

Lee Peltier has been ruled out for a month after being booked in for surgery and Matthew Connolly - who damaged a muscle in the New Year's Day defeat at QPR - will be out for a similar length of time.

Cardiff are already without Aron Gunnarsson (ankle), Sean Morrison (groin), Danny Ward (knee) and Kadeem Harris (groin), and Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock says his squad has also had to cope with a training ground flu bug this week.

Danny Rose could return to the Mansfield squad after missing the win over Carlisle on Monday with a hip injury. Captain Zander Diamond also missed that match after he was struck in the face with the ball against Wycombe on December 30 and remains absent.

Midfielder Joel Byrom will not be fit in time, but he is expected to return to training next week following his groin injury. Defender David Mirfin is still being assessed after knee surgery and it remains to be seen whether he will be involved.

Opta stats

This will be first time these two sides have met in the FA Cup - the last meeting in the league was in March 2003, with Cardiff winning 1-0 via a Rob Earnshaw winner.

The Bluebirds have won seven of their last nine games against Mansfield (L2), winning each of their four home games in this run.

Cardiff have been knocked out of the FA Cup in eight of their last 11 ties, including each of the last three.

The Stags are in the third round for the first time since 2013 whilst in the non-league, however they haven't reached the fourth round since 2008.

Match officials

Referee: LEE PROBERT
Assistants: Robert Merchant, Craig Taylor
Fourth Official: Robert Lewis

 

[Michael Morris]

Today's referee, Lee Probert, barely seems to get any decent Premier League games these days.

Was there controversy with him recently? He always seems to be doing games at Southampton, Bournemouth, West Brom and has also done a League One and a League Two game this season.

He actually missed all of the 15/16 season and then in 16/17 did lots of lower league before getting back to Premier League level but again Southampton, Bournemouth, Watford, Stoke etc. Not the top fixtures.

His last 'big' season was 13/14 where he refereed our 3-2 win over Man City and our defeat at Liverpool.

[J R Hartley]

I fancy both teams to score today.

Mansfield are coming for their big day out and I assume we are going to be playing a few kids

[ian gibson]

Didn't Probert stitch us up with some really dodgy decisions years ago?

[The Bob Banker Spanker]

Read that he was injured for the 15/16 season.
He has stitched us up in the past but I always thought he was one of the better referees in the PL.

[life on mars]

Read that he was injured for the 15/16 season.
He has stitched us up in the past but I always thought he was one of the better referees in the PL.

He could ref with ONE , arm ,leg, and eye ,and still do better than some we see in the Championship

[jon1959]

TEAM NEWS - Cardiff City

Murphy, Richards, Morrison, Manga, Bennett, Halford, Tomlin, Healey, Paterson, Mendez-Laing, Zohore


Back to the old 4 - 1 - 5 formation!

[jamieccfc]

Zohore and NML should be rested imo

[Michael Morris]

Cracking line up for a Cup game.

[J R Hartley]

Zohore and NML should be rested imo

Perhaps he’s hoping this is a chance to gain some confidence

[bluethrough]

Zohore and NML should be rested imo

I think Ken has had quite a long rest, game time is what he needs now.

[The Bob Banker Spanker]

Strong side, perhaps a case of our only fit players?

[jon1959]

Cardiff subs

Etheridge, Damour, Feeney, Pilkington, Bogle, Harris, Hoilett.


I assume it is Kadeem not Mark on the bench?

Seems to be all the fit first team squad players and no u23s.

[Michael Morris]

Cardiff subs

Etheridge, Damour, Feeney, Pilkington, Bogle, Harris, Hoilett.


I assume it is Kadeem not Mark on the bench?

Seems to be all the fit first team squad players and no u23s.

Kareem injured. Has to be Mark.

[ccfc_is_my_life]

Let's hope we don't pick up any more injuries.

[Dat Bluebird]

Great to see Morrison back, no coincidence our drop in form with him out.

[jon1959]

Kareem injured. Has to be Mark.

Ah yes - just seen it confirmed on the BBC site.

I thought the injection for Kadeem that Warnock talked about yesterday might have been enough to get him on the bench (he said Kadeem had been training well but with a hip niggle) but obviously not.

[jon1959]

No Ralls. No Bamba.

Maybe rested or probably both out with flu.

So the only central midfielder left standing is Loic Damour - and he's on the bench!

[ccfc_is_my_life]

Ralls needed a rest, he's probably played more than any other midfielder.

[jamieccfc]

I think Ken has had quite a long rest, game time is what he needs now.

He's played a lot of minutes since coming back which could result in him being pushed harder than he should be

[jamieccfc]

Cardiff subs

Etheridge, Damour, Feeney, Pilkington, Bogle, Harris, Hoilett.


I assume it is Kadeem not Mark on the bench?

Seems to be all the fit first team squad players and no u23s.

I would've liked coxe and waite to be given a go even just from the bench

[Penarth Blues]

Peculiar lack of effort from Zohore up front that half. He doesn't look happy at all. I'd take him off.

Great to see Morrison back and playing well but we need more movement second half to tire Mansfield a bit more. Healey is also anonymous but I'd give him until 60 minutes. Bogle and Hoillet should help step things up a bit.

We are clearly the better team but just aren't pushing as a team so it's all a bit halfhearted at the moment...

[jon1959]

6,378 attendance

[The Bob Banker Spanker]

Waste of f’cking money

[BlueArmy 86]

At least the losing streak has come to an end