Saturday, March 07, 2009

Champ Game 34: CARDIFF CITY 2 Doncaster Rovers 0

Cardiff City have discovered the joy of threesomes and they’re loving it. After being the only side in the Championship not to have scored three times this season, Cardiff Bus-like, two come at once. Following Tuesday night’s 3-1 pounding of Barnsley, City followed it up with a double helping of Yorkshire pudding at home as Doncaster Rovers were brushed aside 3-0.


Donny, by far and away the form side of the division, were made to look ordinary in the extreme and flown themselves blown away by three excellent goals by Michael Chopra, Jay Bothroyd and, with the mother of all crowd celebrations, Eddie Eddie Eddie Johnson finally broke his duck too. Not even his President Obama had experience adulation like that!


City cemented their position in 4th spot and now stand 4 points clear of play-off chasers with 2 games in hand as well. They look bang of course for play-offs but now have a swagger that suggests they have capability to chase down an auto spot too – if Angelina Jolie had popped into Canton Wetherspoon’s, she would have been as appealing as City’s display today … ok, I exaggerate but you get the point.


When City had their foot on the pedal, they were easily a class or two above Donny. When they cruised, it was as comfortable as any ocean liner. When they got 3, they declared and steered home without even bothering to canter. They really look ready to pounce. as they closed in on Reading in 3rd (4 points away and with a game in hand) and Birmingham are catchable in 2nd (8 points away with 3 games in hand. In this mood, anything can happen but a worrying aspect, though, remains injuries as Kennedy, Bothroyd and Chops all limped out of the action.


Our beloved Bluebirds – midway through an exhausting 9 Championship games in just 28 days that will shape their outcome - made one change from their midweek victory as Jay Bothroyd replaced man of the match performer Eddie Johnson. It seemed a touch harsh but, as Dave Jones said pre-game, he is here to win promotion and not friends in the squad at this time of season. Jay is a talisman and pivotal, both to City’s chances and set up.


CARDIFF CITY: Dimi; Blake-Johnson-Gyepes-Kennedy; Whittingham-Rae-Ledley-Parry Chopra-Bothroyd. Subs: Comminges, Eddie Johnson, McCormack, Quincy, Scimeca.


Donny as doing in the Championship this season what the gleaming white toothed singer sharing their shortened name has achieved. Looking down and out and barely mentioned, they have revived and what a transformation.


The Vikings – yep, that’s their nickname – took a paltry 18 points from their first 22 games and scored a pathetic 11 goals. Unfortunately, one of those points and one of those goals came in their first Championship home game against Cardiff, City only avoiding defeat with a last minute Ross McCormack goal.


However after being largely written off by everyone, their turnaround could not have been more stark. 9 wins and 28 points in their last 11 games since Christmas has them in mid-table with safety virtually guaranteed and then even started them dreaming about a last play-off charge. Dreams are all it will be. The sole defeat in that run was a 3-1 loss in Jacksville last month, they don’t like coming to Wales, do they?


DONCASTER ROVERS: Sullivan; Chambers-Mills-Hird-Roberts; Wellens-Stock-Woods-Spicer; Coppinger-Price.


I thought they would match up 4-4-2 and have a real go at us being in such fine form but, disappointingly, they lined up in a more negative 4-5-1 style with Afro-haired former Jack (as if Ali needed to remind us of that on the tannoy which he did!) Jason Price getting hit by sublime Johnson and Gyepes challenges on the pitch and getting slaughtered by City fans off it.


A beautiful sunny blue skied morning saw a few of us head into City Centre pre-game, many other City fans had the same idea, but, by the time we headed to the game, it had turned into heavy rain, a few were caught out in their choice of attire. The crowd was a healthy 17,621, Donny supplying those 621 it seemed. It it’s always comedic to see the Bob Bank Terracers in those Blue rainsheets looking like massed condoms.


It was one of those rare occasions where the teams swapped ends before kick-off so City started the game attacking the Grange End. I’m not sure what advantage it gave Donny as they largely played all 90 minutes rarely advancing far over halfway. The rain had eased by kick-off but the pitch was greasy and both sides took the opening few minutes to come to terms with the conditions. Jay announced his return was a huge sliding tackle in front of the Grandstand in the opening 15 seconds – it was well timed, just as well, but still saw the ref warn him to be careful.
Cardiff started the brighter and were soon looking imperious and with all the quality and trying to replicate the early goal they got against Barnsley in the week and it came on 10 minutes after a couple of crosses, half shots, a reasonable penalty appeal and general pressure and well worked it was.


For one of the few times all afternoon, Paul Parry got past former City loan man James Chambers and fired in another cross the was scrambled out but when it found Gavin Rae, he superbly advanced, went wide but was clever enough to chipped across goal and there was MICHAEL CHOPRA to spin, leave a defender motionless and superbly steer a shot inside O’Sullivan’s bottom corner.


Just like his goal in midweek, it was goal poacher opportunism of the type I’m not sure we have elsewhere in the squad and took him to 8 gaols in 15 for City and into double figures for the season including 2 netted in the Prem with Sunderland. The perfect start, a big celebration and Ninian was rocking to the chant of “What’s that coming over the hill? It’s Michael Chopra” which I haven’t heard sung too many times this season … so far!


The early goal meant City could play as they liked, in full control and not having to take unnecessary risks although Gavin Rae, making an outstanding start to the game, almost grabbed his season’s opener as he seized on a loose ball, eased past one man, dropped his shoulder to dummy another but showed he still owns the same awkward shooting boots as he snatched an effort after all the hard work was done that O’Sullivan was able to tip away.


If Donny got forward, Roger Johnson was once again keen to put on another masterclass in centre half play, he is always driven but is frighteningly good at present. However Donny carved one chance which saw Jason Price cushion a header over from close range, many reckoning his mophead - which looked like one of those wigs you buy on a ‘70’s retro bar – acted as a springboard. Any excuse to sing, You Jack ******* again anyway!


The first of the injury blows came on 25, Mark Kennedy who had started in fine form and whose forward passes out of defence were a joy to watch (hope Darcy, Gabor and Roger were making notes) signalled to the bench and off he went with a hamstring-type problem. However he jogged off across the pitch so let’s hope it’s not serious but with Capaldi dropped from the bench to accommodate Jay’s return, it was Comminges who filled in.


City were effectively out of sight by the half hour with a fantastic JAY BOTHROYD finish, his best yet for Cardiff. Donny will hold an inquest into why they didn’t close down anyone at a free-kick and then allow Jay to ran at them unchallenged but the goal itself was utter quality – Jay hammering a special low which stayed low and dipped low tucked in the same spot where Chops had finished earlier but from 20 yards further out and 30 miles an hour more pace on it too.


That was Jay’s 9th of the season and it’s 6 in 13 which is the best scoring streak of his career. All credit to Jay but you also have to acknowledge Dave Jones and the backroom boys have done a fantastic job converting him from a lazy-arsed but talented forward player into a dynamic hard-working player and striker of distinction, someone I didn’t want to come here to someone I now believe we just can’t do without.


Just as I was saying how it all justified Dave Jones’ decision to start him and drop Eddie, he limped off too with a possible recurrence of his calf problem. Was he brought back too soon? Will he now go missing again? Those questions for another day but, for now, the crowd rose as one to applaud him off and cheer Eddie on. “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie” boomed out but this time not to ironically mock him but to warmly and genuinely get behind the man who gave his best and showed his quality in the week and, from the off, he was at it again and still in the groove. Donny had their own problems too as Brian Stock, the talented young Welshman, who I told others would be a good addition to City’s squad before the game, was off – I really must stop opening my mouth!


Having to re-adjust, City made sure they got to the interval with no difficulties. Gavin Rae, in particular, seemed to be easing up and struggling, he dropped back and didn’t make the same runs but City could ill afford another change and another scare which made the whole ground gasp came as Roger was tipped in mid-air by a Donny man and landed very awkwardly but he was up for more after treatment. A juggernaut could mow him down and he’d still get back to head it away, I’m sure!


They almost grabbed the third before the interval as Roger Johnson got behind a static defence to meet a rare Parry cross (more on him later) but shoot from point blank range at a hugely relieved O’Sullivan, either side and he had no chance while Chops engineered another opening through sheer craftiness but his effort was lofted his effort over the top.


Half-Time:
CARDIFF BAY CITY STROLLERS 2
DONNY OSMOND 0


Now playing well within themselves but reaming in full control, the 2nd period was a yawn but had its magic moments too.


Whether it was the ground singing “Dimi, do the ayatollah” and then doing it only after Dave Jones and the bench frantically signalled to him to do it, then making a great stop in his only real work of the afternoon and being serenaded to the tune of Karma Chameleon by the Grange End by an undecipherable dirge that was “Dimi-Dimi-Dimi, Dimi-Dimi-Konstantopolous, he swam awayyy to Cardiff Bayyy” and a stretchered fan ayatollahing around the pitch, their instant cult statuses were completely overshadowed by THAT MOMENT. The 60th minute will forever be known from this day forward as The Eddie Johnson Minute as Eddie became Magic Johnson and sparked a goal celebration and frenzy equal to any seen in Ninian Park’s heady moments.


Eddie really should have opened his account early in the half as a sweeping move and delightful Chopra pass sent him clear with O’Sullivan to beat, he appeared to have got it all right but fired inches wide of the near post. At that moment, I wondered if it was ever mean to be but Eddie has a new found confidence and attitude and got his deserved reward.

The moment that will surely have Billy The Badge commissioning one with the legend “I saw Eddie Johnson score” and spawned a Facebook appreciation group with 600 devotees immediately joining up to the legend “For all of those who witnessed the magical moment at 16:16 on Saturday March 7th, 2009. EDDIE JOHNSON scores for Cardiff City in a 3 - 0 win over Doncaster, bringing world hunger to an end, Israel and Palestine agree to 'just get along', The Credit Crunch is ended and Al Qaeda decide that democracy can work after all. The world is forever united in joy by Cardiff's number 9 scoring his first goal in British football, leading to a new golden age in world history. Barack Obama instantly declared 7th March would now be known as Eddie day, and the statue of liberty is to be replaced with an 80ft high solid gold replica of the on-loan Fulham man.” Did he do it? YES HE DID!


And sublime it was too. Taking the ball towards the Bob Bank Terrace, he jigged, jinxed, danced, tried a Michael Jackson routine (ok, maybe not that bit) and then let go with a slide rule left foot shot. Kind souls will say Neil O’Sullivan was unsighted, maybe it zipped off the surface and he showed he was a 39 year old with old man reflexes as he was beaten by a low effort for the third time but the strike was quality, precision and tucked inside the post – just like the other two goals.


The Bob Bank terrace and Grange End erupted and charged, jumping up and down like an uncontrollable wave, grown men had a tear in their eyes, normally infirm old men in the Grandstand Centre Blocks cast their walking aids away and danced in the aisles, the Ninian Park roar would have registered on the Richter Scale and Eddie – clearly wanting to jump out of his own body in joy – ran back to the dugouts with the whole team chasing him as EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE boomed on all four sides of the ground. The Donny fans, who gave their side good support and deserve credit for their following, must have wondered what the hell it was all about … and may even have been tempted to join in.


And that, readers, was very much it. The last half hour just didn’t matter and not worth recounting anyway. City were efficient and proficient shutting the game out, one final chance by Donny denied by a thunderous and perfectly executed Gyepes tackle and one final blow too as Chops once more hobbled off with his heel injury showing no sign of easing up, McCormack replaced him.


The top two won, the rest largely drew so it was a joyous afternoon. Misery 7 days ago at Southampton has been answered in the finest style with 6 goals and 6 points this week at Ninian Park to put City’s challenge very much back on.


It’s now just 1 goal conceded in 9 games at Ninian Park and you got to believe City will collect enough points at Ninian Park alone to be swept in the play-offs. Gabor and Roger are imperious and Darcy is working hard, their distribution isn’t the best but that’s an added bonus. Joe and Gavin have rediscovered their touch in central midfield.


It wasn’t a day for widemen but Paul Parry was a worry as he again had an anonymous afternoon, there’s been too many of those this season. Given plenty of runs at Chambers, he didn’t beat him once, his pace seems to have waned a touch and that used to mark him out. Had it not been for injuries, I suspect Quincy would have replaced him early but he needs to step up fast or he will lose his place. Up front, Chops and Bothroyd will worry any defence and Eddie’s now seen as a more than capable option for the very first time. Got to feel a little sorry for Ross McCormack but he’s still got a say left in the season, I’m sure of that especially as we are still carrying injuries.


It’s now 1 win in 16, the goals are flowing while the defence is now the Championship’s best. We just got to hope everyone gets fit and stays fit as it could be a monumental finish to a season to end all others in almost 50 years.


Team P GD PTS

1 Wolverhampton 37 22 70
2 Birmingham 37 12 67
++++++++++++++++++++++
3 Reading 35 30 63
4 Cardiff 34 19 59
5 Sheff Utd 36 16 59
6 Preston 37 2 56
++++++++++++++++++++++
7 Burnley 36 0 55
8 Swansea 36 13 54
9 Bristol City 37 5 54
10 Ipswich 36 7 50
11 QPR 36 0 49

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