34% possession

[Tandy]

Are you suggesting that Slade could only bring in free agents?

No

[splott parker]

Revell, Doyle?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

No

Then why on earth are you suggesting that Slade and Warnock have had the same opportunities to bring in strikers? By your own admission Slade has had more than free agents to aim for, whereas that's all Warnock has had to go for. How you can criticise Warnock for failing to find a great out-of-work striker is beyond me (and probably everyone else).

[Tandy]

Then why on earth are you suggesting that Slade and Warnock have had the same opportunities to bring in strikers? By your own admission Slade has had more than free agents to aim for, whereas that's all Warnock has had to go for. How you can criticise Warnock for failing to find a great out-of-work striker is beyond me (and probably everyone else).

Where did I say they had the same opportunities to bring in strikers?

[GRUMPYS DEN]

That wasn't the question asked, but nicely avoided.

Last season Cardiff City's possession stats under Slade were ranked 14th. We finished 8th. Above Cardiff in the possession table were Brentford, Wolves, Fulham, MK Dons, Leeds, Reading and Huddersfield. 7 teams that had more possession than us but finished below us in the table. Should they have finished above us?

What is maybe interesting is that Fulham, Reading and Huddersfield had far better possession stats last season than their league position warranted (according to your reckoning). This season they are now top half teams instead of being close to relegation.

On the opposite side, Ipswich, Cardiff, QPR, Birmingham and Preston all had better league finishes than their possession stats warranted (according to your reckoning). This season, all of those, bar Birmingham, are now bottom half teams that are struggling.

If possession is such an important thing, then those teams that had good possession stats last season have reaped the benefit, while those with poor possession stats have had the opposite and seen their sides plummet.

Given all the above, the importance of possession etc, then the rot with Cardiff City was undoubtedly set last season. I wonder who was manager then?

His greatest ability is avoidance when challenged.