Reply With Quote2 goals from open play.
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It was the first of 46 games.
We weren't expected to win 46 games.
Most of the game was without one of our experienced players through injury.
We have an influential player in Bamba to come in.
We scored 2 goals.
Newcastle when they got promoted lost their first away game to Fulham if you remember.
KEEP THE FAITH
2 goals from open play.
We couldn't keep possession (39% first half). Those are the kind of possession stats we had in the Premier, I wasn't expecting it against one of the perceived weaker sides in the Championship, that has to be a cause for concern. Three of our back four are painfully slow, there's no coaching that can legislate for that. The fourth member of our defence (Bennett), whilst not slow, has a tendency to ball-watch and get caught out of position.
Ralls is one-paced and doesn't have a quick footballing brain, we desperately need some quality in midfield and no, I don't think Arter fits that description.. he'll run all day, but doesn't have great passing ability.
Yeah, it's just one game in, but I saw worrying traits in our game that have carried over from last season and haven't been addressed as I thought they might.
I think the nature of our defeat is a cause for concern. A 1-0 loss in a tight encounter would be one thing, but 3-2 with the opposition also missing a penalty is another - if it had been a one goal game, then it could be said that we had been able to play the game in the same sort of manner we did in 17/18, but just came out on the wrong side of things. Losing 3-2 is worrying because while one game is not enough evidence to make categorical claims about how our season will pan out, the suspicion that our ageing defence would struggle to cope in a league where the emphasis has moved more towards movement and pace in attacking play while we've been away has only been given more credence.
Team looked undercooked and played like they were rusty.
Even so we were well in control for the first half and start of the 2nd and even at 2-2 we looked the more likely.
Unlucky with an injury to Etheridge and for their 1st and 3rd goals.
Also , welcome back to the excellent refereeing in the Championship where every time an opposition player goes to ground it’s a free kick or penalty and every time it’s one of ours - play on
Wigan now unbeaten in 11 home Championship matches so really it's conceding three goals when we expected to be strong defensively that tis the concern. Are Morrison and Flint just too similar?
Fully agree with that, Bob.Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
This has the feeling of Wales after the disappointment of the Ukraine playoff. During that campaign, questions were asked of Mark Hughes' management as we just about stumbled into that playoff. Having experienced failure, some were saying it was time for a change, yet others thought Hughes deserved another chance. Hughes decided to carry on mainly because he wanted a crack at taking on England. We lost that game 2-0 after a poor start to the campaign and Hughes was gone.
Warnock has bullishly said he fancied another promotion but will go if things don't go according to plan. It's difficult to deny him that opportunity given what he has done, yet there are those suggesting we need a fresh approach.
Back in 2004, Wales had an ageing defence and one dimensional tactics (long to Hartson), with exciting attacking players. I see that as similar to us, though that Welsh team could keep possession. With Wales it got predictable. You could argue the same that Chris Coleman's Euro 2016 heroes were predictable playing virtually the same way in the next campaign. By the time Coleman changed things a bit, it was too late. I hope I'm wrong, but I can see the same thing happening here.
I think most on here can except a lose,lets be honest we're used to it. it's how you lose.
Of all of the things said here "Are Morrison and Flint just too similar?" was the clincher yesterday. Great blocks inside the box, ok heading the ball away but dire when attacked with pace.
We got promoted from the Championship with less than 40% possession on the last occasion !
However for me like I have said on many occasions is we lack depth in midfield and our centre halves are too slow.
For me Warnock as failed to plug the gaps in midfield in this transfer but hopefully we can get someone in this week.
I haven't noticed many complaints about the ref in match threads - but you are 100% correct. I don't know if Ralls was lucky to stay on, and I know the ref warned Paul Cook on the side line but for most of the routine events during the 90 minutes he was a real homer. Gary Madine pulled to the floor with an arm around his neck - play on. Mozzer wrestled to the floor in the penalty box - play on. There were four or five other more marginal fouls against our players - 3 in the box (although Murphy does go down too easily) -which got nothing. But similar fouls on Wigan players (granted not in the box) were blown up every time.
Maybe it'll even out after a run of games, but the annoyance is the inconsistency of decisions during the 90 minutes.
Last season in the championship, after 5 games Norwich were 18th and Bolton were 3rd.. It's far too early to judge the team, having said that - here I go!Defending in and around the box was shocking and they should have scored 5 - I thought Morrison was very poor defensively for the whole of last season and often looks like he's running, (and thinking), through treacle. Flint wasn't overly impressive and looks slow also - Day looked very unconvincing in goals.. Bogle looked sharp which was a plus and NML and Reid linked up nicely at points.
Seen a few mention how it has moved on. We were away one season. Last time here we were bossed on possession 9/10 also. We could play some league 1 teams and the same would be the case.
I think it's too early to start predicting where we will finish. We lost some poor matches 2 years ago.
The match yesterday was largely scrappy, Wigan the better in possession (predictable for us in any league) but second half they had a ball deflect into their path one on one, and two wonderful strikes to be fair.
We didn't play well and for me we looked like the season had come a week or so early.
See how we get on over 4 or 5 matches, if it's a similar result then fair enough.
Have got to be honest and say that i was really disappointed that the Bluebirds lost their opening match of the season. But one game does not a season make. So with that in mind they will really have to improve their play if they are to have any hopes of making the play offs let alone automatic promotion come end of season.
Lose, blame the ref. No wonder the problems are manifesting with people burying their heads in the sand.
F**k me the "burying the heads in the sand" line's being trotted out after 1 game
To be fair, at 2-2 we looked more likely to grab the 3rd, unfortunately they scored a wonder goal
Even if we get promoted, I would still say it is a wasted season. If we go up, does Neil stay for another year and then we have a repeat of last season? Does a new manager come in and rebuild the entire team? These things take time, and you would need the basis of a squad that could handle life in the Premier League before you go up. I'll be watching with interest, but I really do think that we have wasted a good opportunity to change things around. Everything that was wrong last time is still wrong this time. Nothing has been fixed.
Cardiff competed in an incredibly open game yesterday. Both teams were vulnerable defensively and matched each other for shots on goal. There will be more games like this, but yesterday's showing, despite being one game confirmed a few of my faults with Warnock's City.
1. Flint and Morrison are likely to be the first choice centre back pairing but they do not complement one another. Pace is lacking and Wigan found it easy to exploit during the course of the second half.
2. The lone striker. If this is how Glatzel is going to be used this season, then God help him. Tall strikers utilized to spread out to the flanks in order to collect the long ball. Zohore struggled in this system and yesterday Madine did okay from what was asked of him but by the time he played the ball onto anyone, Wigan were organised in defence again and Cardiff had their only recognised striker stood by the touchline 35-40 yards from goal.
3. Never playing through the middle. There's a reluctancy to make use of the ball in the centre of midfield which leaves players like Reid needing to play themselves into the game, rather than being used as a potential outlet to get an attack going. It becomes somewhat predictable, to nullify Cardiff means to choke the wings and tactically they are left with not much else to threaten you with.
The heat maps here https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/13...n-Cardiff#heat maps highlight how much Cardiff refused to venture down the middle. Whereas Wigan's attacking approach was more varied. For Cardiff it appeared to be NML down the right wing and that was it.
Hopefully issues such as the above can be addressed, and I know its only one game, but that performance was pretty much more of the same from a Cardiff team that's missing Gunnarsson and Manga. Two players who proved useful at helping to clear up at the back, and with regards to first team players, have not been adequately replaced.
That heat map is shocking. Where is our midfield???
Unless there was a real chance of Smithies going I can't see why we bought Day. I'm also not a fan of the Flint transfer based on how similar he is to Morrison and his age. The other four deals seem like good buys (or at least I can see the logic behind them) but we're very much still searching for a midfielder or two to compete at the top of the table this year.
I didn’t blame the ref.
I just pointed out he favoured the home team and that it’s not just in the Prem we have problems on this score.
We lost what was an even game. It happens
As for burying your head. I’ll judge what’s going on after a few games, not the first one !
I don't even agree with this.
The perspective depends entirely upon our expectations doesn't it ?
If we're just going to give it a run and see where we end up in the league then it's really no biggy - plenty of good football played and many positives to take. However, if we're looking at winning that league then we can't afford performances like that - not even one.
In the past we'd have been happy to be quite good ,and I could live with that, but I just think we've got the opportunity and ability to be something more this season and if possible I don't want to see our fantastic progress of the past couple of seasons stall.
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