A dreadful team to watch

[CardiffIrish2]

Our goal was good....and er yeah that’s about it
Should have been two nil up going into half time.
Hey ho I used to watch Jack charlton’s Irish team so that was a nice bit of nostalgia that tribute act last night 😂

[goats]

During his post-match interview with Sky last night, Sean Morrison was honest enough to admit that Cardiff's tactics against Fulham involved nothing more than "sitting back and trying to play on the counter-attack."

Meanwhile, Josh Murphy told Sky the pre-match plan had been "to frustrate the opposition and play more like a Neil Warnock team."

The way City set up, you could have been forgiven for thinking they were facing a top Premier League side in a cup game or playing away to a leading Championship team who were in top form, but they weren't.

Cardiff were playing at home against a Fulham side they had finished in front of during the last two league campaigns; a side who were abysmal for the majority of last season; a side with a rookie manager and a notoriously fragile defence; and a side who had already been beaten by Barnsley and Nottingham Forest this season. Nevertheless, Warnock's tactics were all about stopping the opposition rather than attempting to take them on.

After Harry Arter stupidly and deservedly got himself sent off, City had almost half an hour to press home their man advantage and try to play some proper football. However, they created just three chances during that time - a long range effort from Joe Ralls that went well wide, a tame header from Robert Glatzel that went even wider and another header from Sean Morrison that also missed the target.

The manager's reaction to gaining a man advantage was not to take off a defender or a defensive midfielder and bring on a second striker to play alongside the isolated Glatzel. Instead, he took off one ineffective winger and brought on another. The result was that his players spent most of the last half hour pumping aimless balls from one side of the field to the other while barely threatening the goal of a team who were clearly rattled and obviously far from great.

Cardiff City's football has been difficult to watch for much of Warnock's tenure, but this season his team looks especially grim. In recent months, I've highlighted how few draws the Bluebirds have been involved in during the last year or so. Their sequence of 53 games without a score draw was finally ended last night and it looks to me like there will be plenty more draws in the coming months.

Warnock told Sky's reporter after the match that he doesn't have a clue where his team will end up this season. To me, they already look mid-table bankers. They're nowhere near weak enough to be involved in a relegation scrap, but by the same token they don't appear to have either the quality or the ambition to get involved in the battle for promotion. Meanwhile, the football they play makes for utterly dreadful viewing.

No mention of Fulham’s pointless passing around their own box, the only reason they even had so much possession. They need to split that statistic up, depending on which half the team is in....it’s almost pointless counting it good if it’s just back and fire between defenders and goalie.

[The Lone Gunman]

Yes, I understand that we played badly - you've made that point very clearly. We obviously have have very different agendas when it comes to commenting on matters relating to Cardiff City. I know what mine is - I can only guess at yours.

There's that word 'agenda' again. I mean, seriously, what is this perceived agenda? What is my 'agenda' supposed to be? What are you imagining? Indeed, what is your 'agenda'?

Like everyone else on here (although in some cases you have to wonder), I'm a football fan. I have been for most of my life. I watch a lot of football on TV. I go to matches occasionally, around seven or eight a season these days. I bet on football frequently. I often talk about football with my friends, colleagues and family, some of whom are City fans, some of whom aren't. I still take a close interest in the team I supported for almost forty years and go to watch it play now and then. I also try to catch any live TV games it's involved in, although I don't always manage that. And I post thoughts about the club and about football in general on a message board I've used for almost twenty years and where I have plenty of friends and acquaintances.

So what's my agenda, pray tell? And what is yours?

[goats]

That's not a problem either. They've all been idiots, in my opinion.

As it happens, I've encountered far more decent people as a result of this message board over the years than idiots and have even become good friends with a few. The idiots are of no great consequence. Never have been, never will be.

You tend to find that people like to gob off far more on an mb than say if you bumped into them at the bar. Meek puppies they would be more like, maybe you should all meet up and discuss ccfc properly?

[The Lone Gunman]

No mention of Fulham’s pointless passing around their own box, the only reason they even had so much possession. They need to split that statistic up, depending on which half the team is in....it’s almost pointless counting it good if it’s just back and fire between defenders and goalie.

To be honest, I'm not greatly interested in Fulham or impressed by them. I don't have friends, family or colleagues who support Fulham and the only time I ever seen them play is either when they're playing Cardiff or occasionally when they're on TV (I did catch about half of their game against Huddersfield a couple of weeks ago). From what I can see, they aren't up to much, although they have a great goalscorer for this level in Mitrovic. With Parker at the helm, I'd be surprised if they finished higher than fifth or sixth at best.

[the other bob wilson]

Glatzel has only been here a few weeks and arrived after Zohore left, so how could I possibly have said that before.

I thought to myself he's going to reply like you've done when I read my message back and debated whether to change it, but decided I couldn't be arsed - you know exactly what I mean, you would have been having a go at anyone who said what you did about Zohore if he was still with the club.

[LeningradCowboy]

I don't have a problem with Neil Warnock setting the team up to be defensively solid and play counterattacking football. The problem is that we aren't particularly good at it.

We look okay when the opposition pass the ball around in front of us, but as soon as they attack with any urgency we get carved wide open. I don't think it's a coincidence that we've been in front for so little time this season. Even Huddersfield could have scored twice against us after we retook the lead in stoppage time. We're also prone to lapses in concentration and making silly mistakes.

We're inefficient when we do get the ball because we struggle to play around the opposition's counter-press and usually resort to lumping the ball forward to avoid getting caught in possession. Our attacking players don't seem to have any cohesion and we are overly reliant on individual brilliance to score goals. We're playing Tomlin in an advanced central position, but our primary option is to get the ball wide, so he hardly touches the ball.

[the other bob wilson]

At least I like the team I support and enjoy watching them play. Your 'message' hasnt changed much either over the same period by the way - at least I am consistent and have as much right to post on here as you do, as far as I know. Sorry if my liking of the club offends you and others. Hopefully gradually people are beginning to see through the continuous criticism by the same people all the time for what it is - a bunch of mainly armchair 'know alls' who cant bear the fact that we have has success in recent times.

Well, if my message hasn't changed, I must be as consistent as you are then, but, thankfully, it has. I posted what I said on my blog about our game with Fulham in February 2017 this morning - agree with it or disagree with it, it's completely different to what I'm thinking now.

http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/best-g...season-so-far/

[J R Hartley]

No mention of Fulham’s pointless passing around their own box, the only reason they even had so much possession. They need to split that statistic up, depending on which half the team is in....it’s almost pointless counting it good if it’s just back and fire between defenders and goalie.

Now there’s an interesting idea to increase the excitement - set the ball on fire.

That should suit us down to the ground. We’ve been treating the ball like a hot potato for quite some time now.

[Grievous Angel]

There's that word 'agenda' again. I mean, seriously, what is this perceived agenda? What is my 'agenda' supposed to be? What are you imagining? Indeed, what is your 'agenda'?

Like everyone else on here (although in some cases you have to wonder), I'm a football fan. I have been for most of my life. I watch a lot of football on TV. I go to matches occasionally, around seven or eight a season these days. I bet on football frequently. I often talk about football with my friends, colleagues and family, some of whom are City fans, some of whom aren't. I still take a close interest in the team I supported for almost forty years and go to watch it play now and then. I also try to catch any live TV games it's involved in, although I don't always manage that. And I post thoughts about the club and about football in general on a message board I've used for almost twenty years and where I have plenty of friends and acquaintances.

So what's my agenda, pray tell? And what is yours?

Don't patronise me. My agenda is centered on my support for Cardiff City Football Club - not unconditional by any means, but certainly through good times and bad. I won't go into how long I've been doing that as it really has no meaning. I know people who have supported the City for a relatively short time but are no less passionate supporters than I am. As I pointed out in my earlier post I can only only guess at your agenda and, who knows, I may be wrong. I'm getting bored with this exchange of views, but, go on, have the last word. It's what you like to do.

[J R Hartley]

I don't have a problem with Neil Warnock setting the team up to be defensively solid and play counterattacking football. The problem is that we aren't particularly good at it.

We look okay when the opposition pass the ball around in front of us, but as soon as they attack with any urgency we get carved wide open. I don't think it's a coincidence that we've been in front for so little time this season. Even Huddersfield could have scored twice against us after we retook the lead in stoppage time. We're also prone to lapses in concentration and making silly mistakes.

We're inefficient when we do get the ball because we struggle to play around the opposition's counter-press and usually resort to lumping the ball forward to avoid getting caught in possession. Our attacking players don't seem to have any cohesion and we are overly reliant on individual brilliance to score goals. We're playing Tomlin in an advanced central position, but our primary option is to get the ball wide, so he hardly touches the ball.

Good post. We rarely had the ball last night but when we did we couldn’t get Tomlin in the game at all. The game passed him by but the few times he got the ball he did something with it. That reverse pass that set us up with a chance for 2-0 was the only real bit of quality football from us last night. He also lost it himself a couple of times because he’s looking around for options that are just not there and got caught doddling. We are so static as a football team and I think to get the best out of Tomlin we need more footballers in the team but that isn’t going to happen.

As soon as he went off it was more hoofball to Paterson and we must be the only team in the entire football league who have a spare man and still resort to 50-50 2nd ball tactics. Long throws. Chuck it in the mixer. Centre half taking the throw ins so when the throw breaks down and is played back to the thrower we’ve got a clumsy oaf who can’t get the ball out of his feet. We made no use of the extra man whatsoever.

[The Lone Gunman]

Don't patronise me. My agenda is centered on my support for Cardiff City Football Club - not unconditional by any means, but certainly through good times and bad. I won't go into how long I've been doing that as it really has no meaning. I know people who have supported the City for a relatively short time but are no less passionate supporters than I am. As I pointed out in my earlier post I can only only guess at your agenda and, who knows, I may be wrong. I'm getting bored with this exchange of views, but, go on, have the last word. It's what you like to do.

I'll leave the last word to you provided you tell me what you guess my agenda is.

[binman]

The keeper is missing (Etheridge) CH is missing (Bamba) CM (Pack) CF has not settled in yet (hopefully that will come however the jury is most definitely out)

We are not great at the moment but I don't think we are far off

Maybe I'm not as much as an expert as some of the football Wordsworths on here but I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Neil Warnocks reign here and I'd much rather watch us get the ball into dangerous positions quickly than the bollox served up by Fulham last night

However something has to be done about Morrisons long throws which are painfully predictable.

[Dave Blue]

I agree mate, we didn’t do well enough when they went down to 10. If Tomlin had still been on when the red happened then it may have been different but there was a lack of quality in the final third to open them up that will need to be addressed in the upcoming months.

Still, a decent point overall that many would’ve taken beforehand.

Imagine starting threads about dreadful football 6 games into a season, the modern football fan for you I’m afraid!

Fans’ favourite Tomlin couldn’t be arsed to move back onside every time Smithies kicked forward. Of course, it he had been fit enough to stay on the field etc etc he would have .....(complete sycophantic description)

[The Lone Gunman]

Maybe I'm not as much as an expert as some of the football Wordsworths on here but I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Neil Warnocks reign here and I'd much rather watch us get the ball into dangerous positions quickly than the bollox served up by Fulham last night.

For all the bollox they served up (and they were very tedious to watch for lengthy periods), Fulham actually had more shots at goal than City and twice as many efforts on target, regardless of how slowly they got there.

[Lord Dargavel]

I find myself hoping that there is plenty in the kitty for January to bolster centre midfield and the strike force but I fear this is folly. Neil doesn’t have a good track record with acquiring strikers that fit his battle plan. I do think that Charlie Austin may have fitted in better than Madine, Glatzel, Niasse and Bogle but that ship has sailed. Perhaps the ongoing Sala payment dispute looms large over the transfer budget?!

[LeningradCowboy]

The keeper is missing (Etheridge) CH is missing (Bamba) CM (Pack) CF has not settled in yet (hopefully that will come however the jury is most definitely out)

We are not great at the moment but I don't think we are far off

Maybe I'm not as much as an expert as some of the football Wordsworths on here but I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Neil Warnocks reign here and I'd much rather watch us get the ball into dangerous positions quickly than the bollox served up by Fulham last night

However something has to be done about Morrisons long throws which are painfully predictable.

I don't think we're missing Etheridge that much. Actually, I think Smithies' better distribution might have improved us.

[AfricanBluebird]

No - I didn't enjoy the game at all, in fact I thought it was really poor all round, and the City haven't produced much "quality" football for quite a while now, but I would still rather watch quick direct football than a bore fest.

I think the point is that ‘quick’ has disappeared from our team in almost every area. We don’t keep possession and can’t hit teams effectively on the break as we lack the pace and guile, so a combination that doesn’t bode well.

Low possession football where we hit teams on the break and maximise set pieces is fine by me, but jeez, our pace has disappeared and our set pieces have fallen to pieces.

That’s the point TLG is making I think

[binman]

I don't think we're missing Etheridge that much. Actually, I think Smithies' better distribution might have improved us.

As soon as Etheridge is fit again I want him to go straight back in - I believe him to be a much stronger keeper - whilst Smithies distribution is slightly better his lack of command in the box so to speak doesn't make up for Etheridge's wild kicks into touch

[Hilts]

I think the point is that ‘quick’ has disappeared from our team in almost every area. We don’t keep possession and can’t hit teams effectively on the break as we lack the pace and guile, so a combination that doesn’t bode well.

Low possession football where we hit teams on the break and maximise set pieces is fine by me, but jeez, our pace has disappeared and our set pieces have fallen to pieces.

That’s the point TLG is making I think

TLG isnt making that point hes just saying we are dreadful to watch but your correct.

A fully fit NML will give us some extra pace.

I really think we should be doing far more in possession though even with the players we have.

We should be far better at set pieces though.

[jeepster]

TLG isnt making that point hes just saying we are dreadful to watch but your correct.

A fully fit NML will give us some extra pace.

I really think we should be doing far more in possession though even with the players we have.

We should be far better at set pieces though.

And ditch the log throws,it just gives the opposition time reset their defence up.

[dembethewarrior]

Fans’ favourite Tomlin couldn’t be arsed to move back onside every time Smithies kicked forward. Of course, it he had been fit enough to stay on the field etc etc he would have .....(complete sycophantic description)

Do people purposely look for ANYTHING to use to put our players down?

[Hilts]

Tomlin shouldnt be expected to have long balls smashed at him by our keeper anyway.

[dembethewarrior]

Tomlin shouldnt be expected to have long balls smashed at him by our keeper anyway.

They’ll be asking pettier to dribble 60 yards up the wing next.

[jeepster]

They’ll be asking pettier to dribble 60 yards up the wing next.

tomlin would be fantastic in a footballing team.