SATURDAY DECEMBER 8th
CHAMPIONSHIP - Game 20/46 - at NINIAN PARK
CARDIFF CITY (0) 4
Thompson 52, Whittingham 57, Hasselbaink 66, Virgo (o.g.) 70
COLCHESTER UNITED (1) 1
Jackson 45Woke Up This Morning
Wondering Who The Gaffer Would Choose
Would He Pick The Same Ones
That Unusually Make Us Lose
Or Finally Makes Changes
And Kick Away The Dave Jones BluesAnd he finally did. Call it stubbornness, call it loyalty, call it stupidity but Dave Jones' biggest crime of many has been standing by the same personnel and systems no matter what and even though it plainly has not been working, everyone can see the problems and you don't need to have played the game to see them Dave!), while Liverpool's Rafa is the master of change and rotation, Dave Jones is firmly at the other extreme.
Blue v Blue - crazy!
Spot Teddy Sheringham
I thought there were nil positives to take from Tuesday's unacceptable display in the 0-2 home defeat to Charlton but it was a belated one as it appears to have been the straw that broke the camel's back and finally drummed a little bit of sense into the boss. Four changes, four goals and four-midable City smashed and comprehensively outclassed Colchester,
The Bluebirds showing real character too as they fought back from a very undeserved half-time deficit with an 18 minute goal blitz, each goal stylishly crafted in open play, as they at last showed what a good team they can be. Sloper Road was beaming with smiles and some disbelief at City's complete transformation, the football in patches as good as anything served up last season when we were flying
The only questions now are how was it just four goals and do you think we can hold onto Dave Jones with the England position still vacant? :>)
For all sorts of reasons, we certainly needed this win and display at a tortuous time on and off the pitch. As perilous and as awful as our league position is, it has almost faded into the background with the club vs Hammam (sorry, Langston!) legal battle hitting another delay, both sides blaming the other of course, rumours of a cashflow that is all bar dried up (and ever decreasing attendances - this game was down to just 11,006 - won't help) and talk of unpaid bills, possible administration or a likely fire sale of players in the transfer window unless a group of men arguing over money and stadiums but not football compromise or sort it out fast.
Headbangers!!
2 Col U players knock each other out
Getting to the game was a challenge in itself as strong winds and torrential rain played havoc overnight and during the morning. Coming in from Barry, a route to Dinas Powys was closed to flooding, Leckwith Hill was impassable due to another flood and a house of Llandough Hill was being pumped out by the fire service yet Ninian Park's pitch was immaculate and the winds, although strong and swirling which caused a wall at the Bob Bank bar to collapse during the game, had died down.
Those changes for City including those that were most blindingly obvious with Capaldi dropped (the announcement of Kevin McNaughton starting in his place before kick-off producing almost as big a cheer as the goals) and the under-performing midfield duo finally broken up. It was Rae who made way for Joe Ledley with Joe Ledley pulled into the middle and Peter Whittingham was given his first start in 2 months on the left. Other changes saw Captain Darren Purse dropped, probably the result of needless penalties gifted in successive but possibly also due to staggering midweek comments about finding it hard to get motivated(!) while the anonymous midweek showing of Steve MacLean was enough to see Hasslebaink recalled, JFH needed that rest.
This was a must win game as City's season was, excuse the pun in our current circumstances, make or break as Cardiff were sandwiched between Col U and Blackpool on the same points, these three sides immediately above the drop zone, and City play both in the next 4 days.
Colchester have done brilliantly to compete in the Championship, their manager and Cardiff City fan Geraint (Georgie) Williams, doing a superb job on what has to be the Championship's lowest budget. However having lost a host of their star players over the summer, it is a job that is even tougher this term. After a good start, Colchester are dropping fast and, on this display, I'd close the book on them getting relegated if I was a bookie but don't let that detract from City's display. Scoring is not a problem for the U's but they cannot stop them at the other end, their 38 conceded already and no clean sheets in the league is easily the Championship's worst.
They are fighters however and proved that winning away at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend and losing by the odd goal in 5 to leaders Watford midweek but they did lead that game 2-0. Their side were Gerken, Duguid-Connolly-Virgo-Elokobi, Jackson-Watson-Yeates-McLeod, Lisbie-Sheringham. In normal circumstances, the stand out name would be Teddy Sheringham who will incredibly be 42 before the season ends (he was never in the game today) but, for City fans, the stand out player was ex-Jack Kevin "swim away" McLeod who got appropriate abuse all game (a good warm up for when we see Lee Trundle in Wurzleland next weekend I guess!).
The pattern for the entire game was set from the off as Paul Parry scorched past his marker inside the first 30 seconds and put in an inviting cross that Gerken just pushed away in front of the charging Thommo. It was a completely dominant one-sided first half just like weekend at Hull yet, amazingly again, City found themselves trailing.
On this occasion, an added time goal, when McLeod made space on the left wing, sent nothing more than a high and hopeful ball to the far post but Kevin McNaughton, showing a vast improvement on Capaldi in all aspects, fatally hesitated facing goal (was it rustiness or the wind?) and JOHN JACKSON ghosted in front of him, took the ball home and smashed it high into the net past Schmeicel.
Whittingham about to hit a scorching free-kick
City fans at half-time were speechless, those who could utter words were confined to, "I don't know what to say". Even playing well and completely bossing the game, we were losing. How did Col U survive a first half battering once Peter Whittingham got his sights correct and a couple of poor crosses and corners. Whittingham was just wide, Hasslebaink just over, a Roger Johnson header meeting a Whittingham corner with power was bundled off the line, Hasslebaink hit the post after latching onto a McPhail through ball, McPhail himself had a shot (and also produced a smile when he failed to hit the target when clear on goal and had been flagged offside), Gerkin produced a superb parry to block a rising Whittingham howitzer at a set piece in front of goal and Whittingham hit the side netting with an angled drive, some thinking it had gone in.
The support lapped it up and were completely behind City, applause and chants ringing out bat City had, for once, earned that but it was agony, complete agony made worse as City seemed to be enjoying most benefit of a strong swirling wind.
Half-time: CITY 0 COL 1
Those who stayed in their seats were at least humoured by Ali playing a Bob Dylan tunes with the lyrics, "you don't know what you're doing Mr Jones" which was funny but a little harsh on a day when changes were finally made and City were playing well but enjoying no luck.
Nerves were a little frayed as news also filtered through that the sides below City were largely winning too and, if things remained unchanged, Cardiff were facing a relegation position within 45 minutes but Cardiff had other ideas and had that 4 goal blast chasing the mood from fear to relief to joy to pleasure to ecstasy and what classy goals they were too.
52 minutes THOMPSON - A smart move down the right between Gunter and Parry, Hasslebaink was fed in the area and superbly turned sharply at the by-line to smack the ball across the face of goal for Thommo to bury a bullet header past the helpless Gerken.
59 minutes WHITTINGHAM - You make your luck and if you try pot shots, they will occasionally come off and the pivotal moment of the game. Colchester had a rare attack, Gunter made a rare slip on the edge of the box and McLeod was in on goal but Schmeicel was outstanding to stand his ground and block the shot. City advanced upfield, switched from left to right again at pace, Parry's ball missed the forwards but found Whittingham who shot instinctively from an angle at the far post, his shot taking a deflection to beat Gerken on his inside post. The place erupted.
66 minutes HASSLEBAINK - A goal and move of real beauty. McNaughton linked with Ledley, his ball to Thompson was met by a dazzling piece on skill as Thommo spun and flicked an outstanding ball into the path of Whittingham, he pranced down the left and whipped over a low ball that Hasslebaink showed real quality and class to steer home low at the near post.
70 minutes VIRGO own goal - The build up play was similar to the third goal as once again, Whitts charged down the touchline and whipped a low cross, this time Adam Virgo tried to clear but the ball glanced of his swinging leg and flew inside Gerken.
At that point, Teddy Sheringham decided he'd had enough and was subbed, about the only time
I noticed him other than kick-off and most of the Grandstand gave him a cheerio wave. City nearly added to their tally too, Whittingham just off with two efforts and Hasselbaink failing to react 5 yards out as a Whitts cross dropped over a defender's head.
The game won, Colchester destroyed, City played out the closing minutes at a canter but still giving the crowd ironic cheers as they put over 20 passes together going nowhere but showing how they can move the ball.
What a transformation, City going off to a standing ovation and a fantastic display. Upto 17th as well and some breathing space. In fact, some were telling me how many points we now were away from the play-offs!
Hello, hello, Cardiff are back - now keep it going this time please City.
GAME COST:
2 Grandstand tickets: £38
Programme: £3
Travel: £4
Food/Drink: £12
Total: £57
and his men the world of good. At the halfway stage, City lie 15th - their best position for a very long while. It's still poor and under-performance overall but at least it's now a 6 points cushion from those relegation berths which were staring us in the face a couple of weeks ago. For those with half-full glasses, it's 7 points off the play-offs but with fears January's transfer window could see us even more decimated,better be entirely realistic. At a time when the club seem to be in a dark tunnel, it's only recent results giving us any Christmas cheer which a few of us made the most of with a few bevvies and curry into the evening. I only hope they can make it continue.
