Another play-off boost, Reading can't catch us anymore

Relegation outfit turned play-off challengers have flown up the Championship with 9 wins in 11 games and showed they're now a good outfit in drawing 0-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium at the weekend.

While it was mathematically possible that they could have passed Cardiff, any remote chance ended this evening as The Royals lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle, a result which also confirms The Georides as deserved league Champions. Kevin Nolan blasted a first half double before Reading were brought back into the game courtesy of an own goal but it wasn't enough.

Cardiff need 3 points from their final 3 matches to confirm their play-off place and may not even need that as that depends on rivals winning every match.


Table as of tonight

	Team	P	GD	PTS
1	Newcastle	43	52	95
2	West Brom	43	39	86
3	Nottm Forest	43	24	75
4	Cardiff	43	19	70
5	Leicester	43	10	67
6	Swansea	43	3	65
7	Blackpool	43	13	63
8	Middlesbrough	43	12	61
9	Bristol City	43	-7	59
10	Sheff Utd	43	2	58
11	Reading	42	-1	56

Cardiff can now finish no lower than 8th

Championship: NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0 CARDIFF CITY 3 match report

A game that probably sent Bank Holiday viewers into an armchair early evening snooze was irrelevant as Cardiff City took another step to scuring their place in the play-offs for the Premiership as they held Nottingham Forest to a goalless draw at the City Ground in a match televised live on the BBC - a result that confirmed Newcastle United's return to the Premiership at the first attempt.

The result was fair, both sides had strong spells, both had chances, both looked happy enough with the draw and both understandably eventually looked tired - in Cardiff's case, iheir small and depleted squad were playing their 10th match in 31 days and 4th in 10 days .

City needed the point with all 5 sides who can still overhauling managaing afternoon wins ahead of Cardiff's 5:20pm, kick-off but this result keep them in 4th, 4 points ahead of Swansea in the next spot and, more importantly, 6 points in front of Blackpool, the side in 7th with just 4 games remaining.

Once again, Cardiff had to send out a patched up side with minimal options on the bench. Along with Burke, Hudson, Gyepes and McNaughton, Peter Whittingham was absent with injury today as well but Joe Ledley was starting for the first dual since his January dual hip op. McCormack and Etuhu were asked to be the widemen.

CARDIFF CITY: Marshall; Matthews-Blake-Gerrard-Kennedy; McCormack-Ledley-McPhail-Etuhu; Chopra-Bothroyd.

Nottingham Forest had equalled a club record with 12 successive home wins and City's point prevented them breaking it but at the same time, they narrowly avoided 7 successive away defeats at the weekend. That away form left them looking for promotion via the play-offs, like City, but it could have been more. They have done well in their first season up from League One under Billy Davies but certainly have spent to be where they are too.

FOREST: Camp, Chambers, Morgan, Wilson, Gunter, Tyson, Cohen, Moussi, Majewski, Earnshaw, Blackstock.

Despite the travel, late kick-off and live tv, 1,300 Bluebirds travelled to Nottingham and were heard clearly throughout amongst the 22,185 crowd.

City made a superb start and controlled the game for the first half hour, looking for more organised, composed and creative their their hosts. A barrage of corners, crosses and efforts on goals, Camp forcing a Ledley shot and then a Blake down header over the bar while McCormack's inswinging free kick had to be scrambled off the line.

Forest struggled but had the best two chances of the half, both resulting from Cardiff mistakes. Darcy Blake missed a header on halfway allowing forever City legend Rob Earnshaw away on goal but Earnie's effort was blocked by Marshall. Earnie, never forgetting his roots, ayatollahed a couple of times for City fans. Then a McPhail free-kick error sent Forest away on the break with Cohen somehow playing an air shot to miss the ball sent to the far post.

The second half was more undistinguished than the opening period but Cardiff rarely threatened and Forest had their moments. However the main talking point was an amazing late bust up between City keeper Dave Marshall and defencer Anthony Gerrard who argued over a cross, squared up, pushed and handed off each other - arguments rain over whether that was plain stupid and awful or showed how they care for the cause. A couple of minutes later, the two tangled again for a cross but Marshall punched away and gave opposiing Dexter lackstock a bust nose too - good enough!

In between, Marsahll made a couple of smart stops and one excellent save denying Blackstock clear on goal after another Blake mistake. There were some niggly moments and bookings for both sides.

This was Cardiff's first 0-0 of the season but, today, everybody was happy enough with it.

Slobber-Chops

Thank You, now get my taxi ready for the plane!

CARDIFF City striker Michael Chopra spent the early hours of Sunday, following the club's home defeat to Barnsley, in Newcastle police cells and picked picked up in a drunk and disorderly state on the streets.

Chops - seemingly going back to his hometown every week and after most Cardiff matches - was out with friends and arrested along with an 18 year old. Police released the usual type of statement, "“Two men aged 26 and 18 were arrested in Grey Street, Newcastle city centre on Sunday, February 21 at 1.30am on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.”

Chopra was fined £80 - a fair bit to most of us but less than 0.5% of Chops' weekly wage off the club!

Last Night's Cardiff City phone in show

Looks back at that horror show at Newcastle, preview's tonight's home clash with Peterboroigh and, of course, ponders over the precarious finances in a 'taxing' week.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nyhyf2maooz

Chops attacked at the Toon

This morning's Daily Mirror are reporting that Cardiff's Michael Chopra was attacked by a Newcastle fan whilst watching them on Wednesday night.

It's claimed the striker was asked to have his photo taken with a home fan who then turned, asked his "What's it like to play for Sunderland?" and spat in his face. Chops apparently hit the man back and the fan was removed.

Chopra said: “He spat in my face and I did what I had to do to defend myself. He was bang out of order. He asked me for a photo and I agreed to that but then he started videoing me and asking me why I had played for Sunderland and what it was like to play for them. He spat in my face and called me names and then I had to get him off me. I don’t know if anyone from the club got hold of him after that but I did not involve the stewards or the police. The fan was completely out of order. All I did was get him off me."

Chops going "home" - let the paper talk begin

The transfer window opens in 2 days so it’s time for all sorts of rumour and speculation to roll in earnest. Cardiff City have been linked to several targets recently – some being ridiculous, others more plausible but history teaches us to forget most of those linked to the club in the papers.

That is probably also true for players leaving. However eyebrows can be raised slightly at South Wales Echo claiming Newcastle United are pondering a bid for Michael Chopra. It is believed they were interested in the player before Cardiff stepped in last season and they may have even enquired with City before this season kicked off.

However they are in the market for a striker and with Chops still owning property in the town and frequently returning home, it is so ridiculous to think no conversation has taken place?

Chops was on fire at the start of the season with Cardiff but has now gone 11 games with no goal despite working hard which culminated in him being dropped to the bench at Peterbrough. Peter Ridsdale commented, “We have heard nothing about an offer for Michael Chopra, from Newcastle United or anybody,”

Let the silly season of rumours begin then!

F.A. Balls Up - City fans shafted for Newcastle away

Cardiff City fans have been looking forward to the Newcastle away trip all season, many have pre-booked trains and hotels weeks and months ago.

However a muppet at the F.A. allegedly made a mistake and published the 2009/10 fixtures with both Newcastle and Sunderland at home same day. To compound that, they did nothing to change it until 6 weeks before the game.

Now, on police advice, City's big clash at St. James' Park will now take place on Friday February 5th with a 7:45pm kick-off. City fans going will have to take a day's holiday (or sick leave!) and many have lost money.

Thanks for your consideration everyone ... thanks for nothing!

Cardiff now 7th after their non-playing Saturday

With City preparing for the visit of Ipswich to South Wales tomorrow - the game moved back a day so it didn't clash with Wales egg chasers getting booed and outclassed at home to the Aussies, bless'em - fans were left to wonder how destructive Saturday results would be. The answer is, they weren't bad at all.

On the downside, Cardiff now find themelves outside the play-off spots as QPR and Nottingham Forest overtook Cardiff in the table while Newcastle and West Brom in the automatic spots are currently threatening to run away with those places.

However it could have been much worse. A draw tomorrow will return City to 5th (and back above Swansea albeit on goal difference, a win will bring up 30 points and see Cardiff in 4th spot).

Leaders Newcastle made mince meat of The Swans beating them 3-0 with all the goals coming in the opening 25 minutes before they declared. West Brom in 2nd went goal crazy winning 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday (Current on loan Bluebird Warren Feeney was a non-playing sub for The Owls while skipper and former City man Darren Purse is out of their squad). Leicester who started and finished the day in third will have been disappointed to have been held 1-1 at Scunthrope, the home equaklising in added time.

Although QPR leap-frogged Cardiff, they won't have been plased to have been held 2-2 at home by Coventry but Nottingham Forest, now 4th, pummelled Doncaster 4-1 at home.

Latest League Table - Cardiff continue to slip

It was only a couple of weeks ago thaty Cardiff City missed successive chances to go top of the league but the cost of the latest poor run is all too evident after Newcastle won at Preston in last night's game completing Championship weekend.

City now find themselves 9 and 7 points respectively behind Newcastle and West Brom and you have to wonder whether we have the ability to get back in touch, Cardiff certainly lack for resources.

Most City fans are wondering if it's also only a matter of time before we slip out of the play-offs with the club now down to 5th, sharing 27 points with teams down to 8th spot and only 3 points ahead of mid-table.

Cardiff's next game is home to Ipswich on Sunday, it's a fair bet they will start the day much further down the league as the Saturday matches are complete which will add pressure to the occasion ... as if they need it.

It's a big and telling period ahead for the club and may well shape the rest of this season.

Full Championship table
	Team	P	GD	PTS
1	Newcastle	17	16	36
2	West Brom	17	20	34
3	Leicester	17	6	30
4	Swansea	17	3	28
5	Cardiff	17	13	27
6	QPR	17	10	27
7	Blackpool	17	8	27
8	Watford	17	1	27
9	Nottm Forest	17	3	26
10	Bristol City	17	1	26
11	Middlesbrough	17	5	25
12	Preston	17	0	24
13	Crystal Palace	17	-1	23
14	Sheff Utd	17	-2	21
15	Barnsley	17	-7	21
16	Doncaster	17	-1	18
17	Sheff Wed	17	-2	18
18	Coventry	17	-7	18
19	Derby	17	-9	17
20	Reading	17	-9	17
21	Scunthorpe	17	-15	17
22	Plymouth	17	-12	15
23	Ipswich	17	-11	13
24	Peterborough	17	-10	11

City remain 3rd heading into fortnight break

The weekend's Championship programme was completed tonight with Barnsley, where Cardiff play next, being held 2-2 at home by Sheffield United.

Despite defeat at Liberty Stadium, Cardiff clung onto 3rd spot sharing 27 points with 4 sides but heading them thanks to goal difference. The top two - Newcastle and West Brom - have happened a 4 point gap and may pull away shortly.

Some fans are consoling themselves staying in 3rd but in an amazingly tight league, they're just 3 points off 12th and mid-table.

City, however, have a chance to consolidate their position with the next games at Barnsley then home to Ipswich and Preston gives them a great chance of more points on the board - it's a chance they must take.


The latest league table:

Full Championship table
	Team	P	GD	PTS
1	Newcastle	16	15	33
2	West Brom	16	17	31
3	Cardiff	16	14	27
4	QPR	16	12	27
5	Blackpool	16	9	27
6	Leicester	16	5	27
7	Bristol City	16	4	26
8	Nottm Forest	16	3	25
9	Swansea	16	2	25
10	Middlesbrough	16	5	24
11	Preston	16	1	24
12	Watford	16	-2	24
13	Crystal Palace	16	-1	22
14	Sheff Utd	16	-3	18
15	Barnsley	16	-8	18
16	Sheff Wed	16	-2	17
17	Coventry	16	-7	17
18	Derby	16	-8	17
19	Scunthorpe	16	-12	17
20	Doncaster	16	-3	15
21	Plymouth	16	-11	15
22	Reading	16	-10	14
23	Ipswich	16	-11	12
24	Peterborough	16	-9	11

City in 3rd tonight, latest Championship table

In a Monday night game, Newcastle grabbed a 1-0 win at Sheffield United courtesy of a Chris Morgan own goal to haul them past Cardiff City and back to top spot.

Cardiff now lie 3rd but get a chance to go top - even if it is for a few hours - with a lunchtime kick-off at rivals Swansea City this Saturday. Do it boys!


The latest league table after tonight's game:

	Team	P	GD	PTS
1	Newcastle	15	13	30
2	West Brom	15	16	28
3	Cardiff	15	15	27
4	Leicester	15	6	27
5	Bristol City	15	4	25
6	Middlesbrough	15	6	24
7	Blackpool	15	6	24
8	Preston	15	3	24
9	Nottm Forest	15	3	24
10	QPR	14	11	23
11	Swansea	15	1	22
12	Watford	15	-4	21
13	Crystal Palace	14	-2	18
14	Sheff Wed	15	-1	17
15	Sheff Utd	15	-3	17
16	Coventry	15	-6	17
17	Barnsley	15	-8	17
18	Scunthorpe	15	-9	17
19	Doncaster	15	-2	15
20	Derby	15	-9	14
21	Reading	15	-10	13
22	Plymouth	15	-12	12
23	Peterborough	15	-7	11
24	Ipswich	15	-11	11

Latest Championship Table

Two games last night saw Newcastle held at home by the live contenders that are QPR whilst Nottingham Forest celebrated their second successive win beating Scunthorpe 1-0.


The midweek programme saw Cardiff City jump from 9th to 5th but they are one of several clubs on 16 points but thewir goaql difference has them leading the pile.

	Team	P	GD	PTS
1	Newcastle	10	13	23
2	West Brom	10	10	20
3	Preston	10	6	18
4	Middlesbrough	10	4	17
5	Cardiff	10	8	16
6	Sheff Utd	10	4	16
7	Blackpool	10	4	16
8	Leicester	10	2	16
9	Bristol City	10	1	16
10	Coventry	10	0	15
11	QPR	9	5	14
12	Watford	10	1	14
13	Sheff Wed	10	4	13
14	Nottm Forest	10	0	13
15	Crystal Palace	9	-3	12
16	Swansea	10	-4	11
17	Scunthorpe	10	-6	11
18	Doncaster	10	-2	10
19	Reading	10	-4	10
20	Derby	10	-7	10
21	Barnsley	10	-9	8
22	Peterborough	10	-6	7
23	Plymouth	10	-10	5
24	Ipswich	10	-11	5

Championship Table after Cardiff win tonight

City jump from 10th to 4th in persuit of last season's Premiership trio. In the night's other game, Newcastle surprisingly lost 2-1 at Blackpool after taking the lead as well.

		P	GD	Pts
1	West Brom	7	8	17
2	Middlesbrough	7	10	16
3	Newcastle	7	7	16
4	Cardiff	7	7	13
5	Preston	7	5	12
6	Sheff Utd	7	4	12
7	Watford	7	2	12
8	Leicester	7	2	12
9	Bristol City	7	0	12
10	Coventry	7	0	11
11	Blackpool	7	3	10
12	Sheff Wed	7	3	9
13	Scunthorpe	7	-4	9
14	QPR	6	0	7
15	Derby	7	-2	7
16	Nottm Forest	7	-2	7
17	Doncaster	7	-2	7
18	Reading	7	-4	6
19	Swansea	7	-5	6
20	Crystal Palace	6	-5	5
21	Peterborough	7	-4	4
22	Barnsley	7	-8	4
23	Ipswich	7	-7	3
24	Plymouth	7	-8	2

Injuries'R'Us - now City lose Etuhu

CARDIFF CITY suffered a further striker woe today with news that loan man Kelvin Etuhu is likely to be absent for 6 to 8 weeks with damaged ankle ligaments.

The player came on as sub in the weekend's home loss to Newcastle injecting pace and urgency into City's vain attempts to grab a point and is ironically believed to have sustained the injury clattering into an advertising hoarding chasing a ball going out of play. He was expected to have started in tomorrow's fixture at Reading but has now returned to Manchester City to recover.


Dave Jones added, "He has gone back to Manchester City to see a surgeon who will decide whether something else needs to be done. The lads is distraught as he has had a long history of injuries but he has come through though that and we've got him up to match pace - then this happens. It's another blow for him so we will need to pick him up and make sure he goes again."


With Ross McCormack still absent, Jay Borthroyd only just back from his own injury and City already believed to be chasing a loan striker and must now surely double their efforts. "I'll sit down and have a chat with the chairman to see if I can force the issue. But everything is tight here at the moment." Jones told BBC Sport.

Video - Nathan Blake reviews City's start to the season and the Newcastle defeat

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/videos-and-pics/2009/09/14/nathan-blake-on-cardiff-city-s-start-to-the-season-91466-24686440/

Link above takes you to Mr Fruit Machine Robber (according to chant mythology!) giving his thoughts … I agree entirely with them.

Video Replay of Cardiff City 0 Newcastle United 1

Click link to view:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8253658.stm

In Photos - CARDIFF CITY 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1

Ledley tuns down Bluebirds contract offer

In the build up to tomorrow's big home sell out game versus Newcastle United, Cardiff City talisman JOE LEDLEY has turned down the club's latest contract offer.


Joe - with less than a year on his current deal - had been holding out for a Premiership move but with no club making a bid for him in the latest transfer window, he will remin at Cardiff for the time being. Rumour has it that Joe is on "just" (!) £7,000 a week, the result of turning down contract talks and offers for more than a year.


Cardiff City have offered to double his pay and insert a sale clause to a Premiership club for a release fee should the club languish in the Championship. The offer may seem good on the one hand but it would leave Joe well behind other players at the club and it would appear that Joe is seeking parity with the best paid players - which you can understand when he is one of the team's stars, has arguably been penalised for being a local boy and, if other rumours are true, could have been earning £25k weekly if City had agreed to sell him for £6M to Stocke City last January.


Hopefully the club and player could find a happy balance soon as Joe has confirmed that he is more than happy to pen a new deal while Peter Ridsdale and Dave Jones want to sort it out but Ledley told the South Wales Echo, ""It's down to the club. If they want me to sign, they have got to put a contract to me. I want to remain here and if the contract is right, I will sign it. At the moment the contract is not right. If it's good enough, I will sign it. At the moment, I'm still trying to sort one out."


Back to you Mr Ridsdale

Newcastle preparing a 4 man midfield for Cardiff trip

If Cardiff City have progressed, then it's about time Dave Jones found a way to overcome teams set up like this ... City have been very unconvincing faced with this formation over the past couple of seasons.


From thr Evening Chronicle, Newcastle

CHRIS HUGHTON has revealed he will have no qualms about packing his midfield again for Newcastle United’s trip to Cardiff City on Sunday.

The Toon’s stand-in coach, who has been nominated for the Coca-Cola Championship’s manager of the month, has limited choices when it comes to his attacking options with Peter Lovenkrands unfit and Shola Ameobi out with a foot injury.

In recent Championship matches he has fielded a five-man midfield using Nile Ranger as the lone striker in attack.

However, with Kevin Nolan and Danny Guthrie having fired in four goals in their last three matches, Hughton is not too concerned about a lack of creativity.

“What we do have are lads in midfield capable of scoring goals. Danny Guthrie is a good striker of the ball. Kevin Nolan is used to being in those positions. Nicky Butt is a big, big player and Alan Smith has been doing a great job. If you are able to create more from midfield then even better.”

Nolan has looked reborn in the second tier so far this season, and has admitted he is loving life on Tyneside. Guthrie vowed at the start of the season not to rest until he had helped United back into the Premier League.

Hughton added: “What we have are players who can play in those advanced positions. They enjoy getting into those positions. Once they do that they give us opportunities to create and score goals. That’s what they are doing at the moment."

Hughton will also be without Jonas Gutierrez for the cruncher in the Welsh capital.

City back in 3rd as Toon Army go top

In a Bank Holiday Monday night game, Newcastle United beat Leicester City 1-0 in front of 38,000 at St James Park to leapfrog Cardiff City and grab pole position in the Championship.

Danny Guthrie scored the all important goal early in the second half but with Newcastle visiting the Cardiff City Stadium next game on September 13th, it sets it up nicely for a massive clash. The public are responding with less than 2,000 tickets now available for that game, half of them in the Premier Club seating balcony.


TOP of the TABLE tonight

Position	Team	Games	Goal Diff	Points
1	Newcastle	5	7	13
2	West Brom	5	4	11
3	Cardiff	5	7	10
4	Middlesbrough	5	6	10
5	Bristol City	5	0	10
6	Preston	5	5	9
7	Sheff Utd	5	4	9