Championship Game 31: CARDIFF CITY 0 QPR 0

CARDIFF CITY took a stumble as they put in a poor home show against a useful looking but toothless QPR side and got away with a hard earned, uncomfortable point in a goalless Ninian Park stalemate.

The point was enough to move City up two places top 4^th with more games in hand on everyone around them but although failing to get victory and the performance alike were hugely disappointing, this was unquestionably one point gained rather than two lost. Yet, even if QPR was miles more effective, the only real chances of the night fell City’s way as Darren Purse had an early effort cleared off the line while Michael Chopra fluffed two outstanding second half chances.

This was, however, an encounter that was tougher to look at than Pat Butcher’s face in EastEnders. QPR came with a gameplan of 5 strung across the middle and working hard to close us down allied to City’s problems of no height up front – and nobody hold the ball up either – with Jay Bothroyd missing plus sub-standard passing, movement and distribution, City didn’t just struggle to comes to terms with all of this, they just never did. However, you also have to give the visitors a fair amount of credit for that.

Bothroyd was always going to be absent but City fans were shocked to see Gabor Gyepes also absent, presumably injured or unwell, with Darren Purse standing in although Joe Ledley remained Captain. McCormack was chosen to partner Chops as City lined up with Dimi; McNaughton-Purse-Johnson-Kennedy; Burke-Rae-Ledley-Parry; McCormack-Chopra. Subs – again with no keeper – were Comminges-Johnson(Eddie)-Quincy-Scimeca-Whittingham

Dave Jones, in a bid to delay undue pressure, declared it wasn't a must-win game for City (any Bluebird verbally nodding at that would have had fingers crossed or were muttering 'no' under their breath). I thought it was ‘must win’ for cash rich QPR who need to catch up the top 6 but their approach until late 2^nd half was as negative as any side to visit Ninian Park this season which was a surprise.

Their winless run now extends to 4 and they headed to South Wales (minus any reasonable support from their fans – less than 250 of them, Torquay used to bring more!!!) on the back of a crushing weekend home defeat to Ipswich.

They haven’t spent wildly but arguably brought in quantity without a corresponding uplift in quality and team ethics, a policy that has seen boss Paolo Sousa (their third of the season) dabble in rotation. Maybe it's understandable for leading Premiership sides with European attentions too but it borders somewhere between silly and stupid for clubs at this level.

Sousa, thanks to injuries, has to make do without the likes of regular skipper Martin Rowlands, fellow midfielder Buzsaky and strikers Vine and Agyemang but that still gave him room for 3 changes in his bloated squad of 33. Playing 4-5-1 and with Gavin Mahon staying in a pivotal central role despite being booed and abused by his own fans last weekend, QPR were Cerny; Delaney-Gorkss-Stewart-Connolly-Mahon—Miller-Leigertwood-Cook-Routledge-Helguson.

No surprises for guessing the jeers this time went to Wayne Routledge who had it with both barrels. Serenaded from the outset with a chant of “there’s only one greedy b*****d” and others even more abusive, he delighted City fans with frequent errors, slips and falls as he was generally well patrolled by Mark Kennedy, occasionally needing help, but Routs still showed a pace and directness that City fans would still love to have here given half the chance. The boy is a serious talent.

City almost scored inside the first 4 minutes, a corner producing the game’s first shot, that was blocked but the rebound fell to Darren Purse who beat Cerny but had his effort scrambled off the line. That was as good as it got for City in the opening half as Rangers set about smothering them.

Cardiff hardly helped their cause by adopting a crude tactic of high balls or attempts to loft passes over Rangers defence but offered nothing to Chops or McCormack. City’s game quickly broke down, occasional moments of individual magic and touches by players but no great moves or togetherness. Midfield found themselves outnumbered and Mahon was able to assume control, as the extra man, with some ease.

Chances for either side were at a complete premium. City’s only classy move of the half saw Chops and Ledley link superbly, the latter got beyond the last defender but a superb intervention blocked his chipped effort. Another smart move sent Gavin Rae clear by McCormack but his blazed effort from an angle only troubled kids and their hot dogs in the Family Stand.

If QPR had any strikers or anyone looking for City’s goal, other than Routledge, it may have been a different story but as it was, they rarely offered much work for Dimi in City’s goal. Their first half attacks consisted of Routledge putting in Miller put Dimi got there, Routledge appealing for a penalty after a collision with Kennedy and Routledge putting a couple of balls over but nobody was there for them.

Cardiff’s game was unravelling before our eyes, their passing and movement was unbelievably poor, their sole response was for Parry and McCormack to swap roles but to no avail. They needed half-time but as they trudged off, Ali announced there was no half-time entertainment on the tannoy which meant we didn’t have any all night long.

H/T: CITY 0 QPR 0

City restarted with Comminges replacing McNaughton, the Scotsman not recovering from a first half knock as The R’s had the first chance, Miller hitting a poor free kick straight into the wall summed up the quality of the night – both sides close to the play-off/promotion race but looking a million miles away from the Premiership … well, not even that close really … based on this evidence.

Chopra, who had looked the liveliest player on the pitch, tried his luck from distance having found some rare space but his low dipping effort was at Cerny, McCormack fired from similar 25 yard distance but his effort from wide went wide but almost broke the deadlock as he superbly evaded two challenges, got into firing position but hit aimlessly over the top after the hard work had been done.

Finally, City had clear chances but both fell to Michael Chopra just as he felt the pain of a tough challenge he made for the ball and changed his boots … not once but twice. The first chance saw Paul Parry win a flick on which sent Chops racing away but instead of taking the last defender, he opted to smash the ball from wide 20 yards out, the result was as ugly as the game.

Better still, a deflection off a QPR defender had him staring full on at goal but, after exemplary touches all night, it deserted him when he needed it. His effort screwed and miscued was pitiful and going very wide of goal but hit Stewart and almost flew in off him. Moments later, Chops signalled to the bench and off he went limping away with ankle/foot problems … that looked worrying to me.

Whitts replaced him and now it was Parry and McCormack up front, City’s 3^rd pairing of the night and just as ineffective as the other two were.

As the game entered the last 20 minutes, Rangers finally woke up and sensed Cardiff were there to be beaten and pushed up on us, their dangerous right back Delaney virtually camped in our half as play was spread to Routs one side and Delaney on the other. R’s problem was, for all their pressure and crosses, they never had anyone in the middle who carried a threat or who looked interested in scoring.

City fans got very jittery as it became apparent City were never going to win this but, thanks to Rangers impotency, they never looked like losing it either. Indeed, their greatest threat came from a night of hapless kicking by Dimi in goals for City. His distribution was rubbish, his kicking was even worse than that. Taking a touch to control the ball first, he would still miskick and looked so vulnerable on his left foot. How can someone be a pro and look as if they don’t know how to kick a ball??

His worst moment came as, under no pressure, he fired the ball straight to Wayne Routledge but a combo of luck and smart closing down, saw him fire wide in return. Simply shocking.

Paul Parry had a late penalty claim denied then, as the game entered the final minute with City desperately hanging on, Sousa finally threw on two strikers. A better manager than him would have done something like that far earlier given the balance of the game. It still almost paid dividends as Routledge finally got around Kennedy and sent a superb ball across the face of goal but two lunging Rangers men both failed to connect with the goal at their mercy.

Final whistle produced a few boos but, mostly, a muted response. The players knew they hadn’t performed, many stood still for a few seconds reflecting on that. City’s defence, aided by QPR’s lack of ambition, did reasonably well. Roger Johnson, his passing aside, stood out but Mark Kennedy should also be satisfied with how he largely coped with Routledge.

The rest of City’s side were poor. Joe worked hard and Gavin had a poor night but they often found themselves outnumbered which didn’t help. The less said about City going forward, the better.

Maybe the worst performer on show though was a rookie ref who allowed a few QPR challenges go unpunished, denied a couple of seemingly worthy penalty appeals, didn’t speak to Routledge when he lashed the ball 50 yards away (McPhail got sent off for far less at Swansea) but even if we had the best ref on the planet, I’m sure it would still have ended 0-0 so forget those grumbles.

Cardiff just have to lick their wounds, patch themselves up, be grateful for the point they had (this was a game they would have easily lost last season so it shows they have progressed) and move onto the next challenge which is Southampton away on Saturday.

Not a great night but hey, we’re 4^th with 2 or 3 games in hand on everyone, that was the first time we’ve failed to score since losing at QPR in early November, the unbeaten league run extends to 12 and clean sheets have been kept in 4 of the last 6 games. If this is a crisis, long may it continue!