CARDIFF CITY (0) 1 Lee 58
BRIGHTON (0) 1 Kazim-Richards 74
Attendance: 9,595
Brighton support: 250
Weather: Chilly although above freezing for a recent change, hard to think it was only 5 weeks ago we were getting tans at Withdean.
Atmosphere: Like the team, better than mid-table, not quite play-offs .
Another frustrating Ninian Park night, another missed opportunity, another game where City failed to kill off a game, another late equaliser conceded, another two points lost, another game where City failed to perform for 90 minutes, another game where City scored first and then coasted so got punished and, yet, in this curious season, we're still banging on the door of the Premiership play-offs. As Toyah would lisp, "it's a mys-ter-wee to me".
In a more entertaining game than I expected, City opened the scoring through Alan Lee just before the hour and Jason Koumas produced some creative magic. They should have gone on to record a morale boosting much needed victory but, as has often happened this term, they got lazy and were punished by a stunning 30 yard strike by sub Kazim-Richards. Had it not been for a couple of superb Alexander stops, it could easily have been defeat too.
It now appears to be compulsory when mentioning Cardiff City not to talk about football but crowds instead. The skipper does it, the manager does it, the papers do it, the radio does it, the message boards do it, the crowds do it - "How many do you think it is then?". Rhys Weston was pleased, abuse of him took second place for a change.
So let's get it out of the way first. It was 9,595, only a couple fo hundred of whom came from the South Coast. Disappointing but maybe better than some expected in advance too. The club lost almost 40% of their season ticket holders over the summer (that's about 3,500) so how anyone expected 13,000 average crowds – more than we achieved last term with 9,000 season tickets – is truly beyond me.
Out come the excuses – it’s cold, there’s Champions League football on telly, prices are too high, City don’t know how to promote themselves, I don’t trust Sam anymore, the stadium is dragging on and on, we’ve sold our best players, yet again we have no home game for a while and then it's two or three in a week, results are fine but the quality of football at home isn't, Christmas is coming and more. There’s no doubt Dave Jones and the players deserve better support as they’re not to blame for all of this but it has to be said that all of these "excuses" have truth to them and cannot simply be ignored.
Personally, I don't know why anybody's complaining. I didn't leave Barry until nearly 20 minutes before kick-off, managed to park on the street and be in my seat well before the game started. There's no queues in the toilets or bars. The programmes don't sell out and, if you prefer, you can even spread your arse cheeks over two seats. It's not all bad, you know. Right, it's done, now for the footie.
City were looking to recover from the poor display and weekend beating at Preston. Kevin Cooper remains absent as he recovers from keyhole knee surgery, Michael Ricketts was absent again (this time, due to a weekend knock) but other pre-game doubts Jeff Whitley and Alan Lee were available as was Cameron Jerome after a one game suspension and Dave Jones opted for the pace and directness of Paul Parry on the left and the expense of the pedestrianism but good crossing of Neil Ardley.
It was therefore Alexander, Barker-Purse-Lovenns-Weston, Koumas-Whitley-Ledley-Parry, Lee-Jerome. Such is City's meagre squad that they weren't able to name a forward on the bench for a home game where they were going for victory, it consisted of Margetson-the ABC of Ardley-Boland-Cox and Phil Mulryne. That appears to be the only 16 available to City other than the kids plus the impression that Darlington and Koskela just don't form part of the squad.
Brighton visited Parc Nin just two days after a 3-2 home loss to arch-rivals Crystal Palace (thanks to ex-City star Jobi McAnuff’s 94th minute clincher), a result that left them in 23rd spot. Two wins in 20 Championship games this term is awful but doesn’t reveal how the Seagulls are tough opposition on the road. This was their 10th away game, only two have been lost but this was their 7th draw, the sole away victory being a shock win at Palace.
Manager Mark McGhee also had problems. Defender Gary Hart was absent after a weekend red card, ex-City star Richard Chippy Carpenter is amongst a couple of players injured and before half-time, he lost two more players to injury forcing him to turn to his subs with an average age of 20. His starting line-up were Blayney, Reid-Dodd-Butters-McShane, Oatway-Hammond-Carole-Frutos, Knight-McPhee. The crèche on the bench were Chaigneau, El-Abd, Kazim-Richards, Nicholas and Robinson.
The opening spell with City attacking towards the Canton Stand was very entertaining, the only surprise after the first half-hour was that it was still nil-nil. Cardiff were looking the more incisive, playing the more composed and better quality football and chances were coming. Jason Koumas was close twice in the opening 12 minutes as a trademark free-kick went around the wall and had to be pushed away by Blayney but from a sparkling move starting with Glenn Loovens making an important interception on the edge of City's box, three quick passes sent Koumas on a run from inside his own half before his low 25 yard drive was fingertipped by Blayney onto the inside of the post, across the face of goal and then behind. Whitley fired over and Brighton were having to pack their area to make blocks and clearances.
However The Seagulls were no slouches either. With the tricky and unpredictable midget that is Leon Knight leading their line, it was predictable that they would spend a lot of the game belting balls for him to chase down but he was well supported in the first half at least. Alexander was forced into tow smart saves with distance efforts from ex-Bluebird jailbird Charlie Oatway and Knight before Knight, taking the ball 30 yards out, instinctively unleashed a drive that Alexander seem to have covered if it was under the bar but it was still a close shave as it smashed off the top of his crossbar.
Back came City as a glorious opportunity was wasted. A though ball sent Cameron Jerome one-on-one with the kpeer charging to the edge of his area. The players collided, the ball fell loose, Jerome gathered himself quickest and rolled the ball to an unmarked Alan Lee who had the time to control the ball, look up and shoot but he still managed to direct it onto the head of the last man standing on the goalline. I know it's sometimes more difficult than it loos but you expect Championship strikers to produce in that situation more often than not, Alan Lee seems to defy those odds.
Brighton were forced into changes. Veteran right back turned centre-half Jason Dodd came off worse in a tangle with Jerome and was gone before 16 minutes and on 35 minutes, Manchester United loanee Paul McShane was also out of the action, Alexis Nicolas (who sounds like he should be running a Brighton seafront kebab shop) was on in his place. What was apparent was that Brighton must then have been the smallest side we could possibly play but, somehow, we completely failed to take advantage of them in the air.
The rest of the half didn't quite match the frantic opening. City had the territory and possession but not the intensity about them that they started with. One plus however was Paul Parry who was, at last, showing glimpses of what he can be. He was using his pace, taking on players and putting good balls across, something he has largely failed to produce in his showings this term. Unfortunately, the one time that he was placed clear behind Brighton's defence, he hesitated over whether to shoot or fire the ball across goal and did something in-between. Brighton had now dropped back and in numbers after their losses leaving Knight more isolated but, while City were playing patient football, they were also guilty of not committing enough men into the area, too often it was Jerome and Lee against 7 or 8 defenders as balls were fired over but there were some blocks, a drive into side netting and a couple of near missed efforts.
Half-time: CITY 0 BRIGHTON 0
The half-time halfway line competition started with Brighton sub Jake Robinson, a striker,
having a go - he missed. His effort was better than the rest but there was a touching moment when 8 year old Chandler Jones who suffered with the e-coli bug that, tragically, claimed the life of his younger brother last month took the final kick and scored, albeit from 6 yards out to receive a terrific reception watched on by 50 of his schoolmates. A nice touch by City.
The early stages of the second half was much in the vein as the opening period finished. City had plenty of the ball but appeared to have dropped a gear, they were not showing enough movement and were over-elaborate. As a consequence, Brighton's makeshift defence and withdrawn midfield were encountering few problems, goalkeeper Blayney was having nothing to get excited about.
It needed a moment of magic and it duly arrived. Once again, he was crowd pleasing to watch but, once again, his best moments were in areas of the pitch were he couldn't cause too much damage until City moved the ball from deep and right to left finding Joe Ledley 35 yards out where he switched play again with a diagonal ball behind the last defender.
Jason Koumas seized the opportunity but the way he collected the ball, controlled it and fired low across goal out of reach of the keeper in a split second in no space was something nobody else in the side could produce and few at this level. His ball across the face of goal was turned home from a couple of feet by a delighted ALAN LEE. In truth, the assist was so good that David Blunkett could have scored that one without a bell in the ball or his dog to guide him.
For Lee, it was his second of the season, both coming against Brighton. I wonder if he'll dedicate that goal to someone he can't declare in case he gets in trouble for it?
From that point, City really should have gone on to kill the game but I'm afraid it became a familiar story as, instead, with opposition there to be beaten, they played well within themselves, took the sparkle out of the match and appeared happy enough to try and coast home. The team have done exceptionally well this term but I don't understand why they do this to themselves.
Just past the hour, Glen Loovens limped off, I didn't see the knock that caused it to be replaced by Neil Cox but, initially, he had little to do as the action was largely at the other end but there was nothing much to get excited about.
Jeff Whitley put one wide, Paul Parry almost doubled the lead as he ran at players had deserved luck as a couple of ricochets sent the ball back to him, keeper Blayney had to save his low shot and then a defender just put the ball behind as Parry almost had an open goal and the ban nearly fell his way again. Then, in a moment that largely summed up his evening, the pitch opened up for Jerome but he scuffed wide. Jerome had a strange night. One moment he'd show a good touch and look committed, the next totally lethargic and a poor touch. He wasn't the only one you could say that about.
Then came the agony as City were punished for their failings. Sub Kazim-Richards had only been on the pitch for 2 minutes, his brief to get nearer Knight and give him some overdue support. The ball broke loose on halfway and City were just nowhere to be seen, KAZIM-RICHARDS took it and hit a stunning powerful low 30 yard strike with little backlift that surprised everyone, it hit the back of the net in the corner before Alexander was halfway through his dive for it. It was a quality strike, the type you hit once every couple of years if you're lucky.
Incredibly, City went ragged, midfield went missing for both sides as it appeared they were having a contest of attack v defence with each other and the 50 yard patch in the middle of the pitch was a no-go area. Cardiff were making Brighton look a good side when you could fully see why they are where they are.
Brighton had the better of it, Alexander had to make two superb stops to deny Carole and Knight at his near post as swift movement and, in Knight's case, turning Barker and Cox completely inside out made glorious chances which were, thankfully, brilliantly denied.
Having lost their focus, City were just unable to find it again. Parry brought a simple save out of Blayney but other than that, it was a succession of stuttering moves that broke down. Dave Jones alternated from still numbness to frustration to anger at what he was watching. One injury stoppage saw several players go to the touchline for water, Jonesy remained motionless standing in front of the dugout, obviously feeling that whatever he said would make little difference at this stage.
He did however appear to make Rhys Weston a scapegoat for the final three minutes normal plus four minutes added time and replace him with Neil Ardley in what appeared to be a straight swap rather than a tactical last throw to 3-5-2. Not for the first time, Rhys got the most vocal and critical flak for all the ills out there but Joe Ledley (who looks like he needs a rest from the engine room), Alan Lee (goal apart, he was poor) or Cameron Jerome could have been taken off and nobody could have complained.
Darren Purse won man of the match on a night he had little pressure but won everything and looked so cool and confident in everything he did. Neil Alexander's save prevented defeat so he would have been a good shout. Chris Barker seems to be having a dip at the moment. Jason Koumas, as often happens, flits in and out but is indispensable, take him out of that midfield and we have nothing. It was good to see Paul Parry showing welcome signs of finding form but fans walked away knowing City had thrown two points away against very limited opposition and feeling frustrated by the performance which was too average and too poor in too many spells.
Incredibly, City actually rose two places to 8th with that point and only 1 win with 6 points in their last 6 Championship games. It says so much about this division this season. We're only two points off play-off places but, there again, we're also only 2 points from dropping into the bottom half of the table. It says so much about this average division this season where anyone can beat anyone except the top two who both are on course to be promoted to the Premiership well before Easter at this rate. The rest are also rans.
Right, that's the football out of the way. With the next game at home next Monday night against Ipswich being shown live on tv, no doubt the next week will be spent discussing crowds again and how many we'll have for that game. I think I'll hibernate until then!
THE COST OF BEING A CITY FAN:
Ticket: £20
Programme: £ 3
Food/Drink: £ 4
Travel: £ 3
Total for game: £30
Total for season-to-date: £1,480
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