I had better say before I start that I am not a fan of our "style" of play. Never have been.

I am genuinely bemused by how ineffective we have become this season. I've seen every game (including all the friendlies) except Real Valladolid in Canada. For long stretches of games we haven't looked remotely dangerous and been so easy to pick apart. (As an aside, I have no idea who came up with a pre-season of two lower-order USL Champ teams in sweltering heat and two continental teams but I really don't see how that was any use at preparation for the rigours of 46 championship games. Before anyone starts I think pre-season does matter and does tell you something about where you are.)

I actually think a number of the players are good pros. Some less so than others clearly. There are obvious targets for criticism but they just can't all suddenly have turned into complete cloggers. I do think Gunnars and Manga were integral to the system we play and they have patently not been replaced. But generally personnel-wise I thinks things are ok.

So I have a feeling it's the system. We have ground out results for 2 years now in many games. We have no plan B. We don't actually have an effective plan A. We have played in a way where we lived off scraps as the underdog in many of those games, hoping for chances created through dead-ball situations and physicality. Long-run it doesn't work and it's awful to watch.

I honestly feel it would have been better for all if NW et al had decided to gracefully move upstairs or call it a day at the end of last season, safe in the knowledge that they had secured their place in Cardiff City folklore. We could have given a new regime resources and time to introduce new ideas, their own ethos and it would have reinvigourated the old heads. My fear is NW will decide to leave in short order and in will stroll ... Mr Tony Pulis.

I hope I'm wrong and we stick 5 past Huddersfield.