Friday, February 27, 2009

The Saints Are Coming, Soton v City preview

CARDIFF CITY continue their quest for promotion or play-off honours on the South Coast tomorrow with a visit to Southampton at St Mary's.

It's a good trip and shorter than most and it would appear than in excess of 2,500 Bluebirds will be having the awayday but they await to see how decimated their side could be with half of the regulars possibly absent.

Regular keeper Enckleman so Dimi and his worrying kicking will continue, defensively news is awaited on Kevin McNaughton and Gabor Gyepes (who played one half and missed the QPR game respectively) while, in attack, fingers will be crossed that Chops is over the heel problem that forced him off in midweek and that Jay Bothroyd is over the claf strain that took him off after half-hour at Wolves and kept him out on Wednesday.

Visiting Southampton was, perhaps, viewed as a 3 point banker a short time ago but, as always happens, Southampton, fighting for their lives, have suddenly become a different proposition. Their last 5 outings have seen improvements with the Saints fighting back for draws with Norwich and Swansea, unlucky to lose against fellow chasers Sheffield United and Bristol City but, last Staurday, they rhumped Preston 3-1 for their first home win in almost 5 months.

The game should be open and exciting and that may well suit City as Southampton remain stranded in the drop zone and have to win again, draws do them no favours at this stage of the season. They will be without influential veteran centre-half Paul Wotton who picked up a training ground injury.

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