Well, the season is one game short of the half way point, with the busy Christmas and New Year period coming up where most teams play 4 games. A combination of 3 weeks holiday in the USA (seems such a long time ago now) and a return to work has meant that I haven't updated since the 14th October, and so now seems as good a time as any.
As the title of the post suggests, the Bluebirds are playing quite well, and remain in contention for a playoff place, without setting the world alight. We have the potential to be a very good team, and with more than half of the season to go there is still plenty of time to achieve this, but somehow its just a little more hope than expectation. Lets hope they prove me wrong.
There have been 12 matches since my last post, the first 5 of which were while I was on holiday. However, I didn't miss much as in those 5 games, we had a 1-0 win, a 1-0 defeat and 3 0-0 draws, so in total we scored 1 goal while I was away (and that was an own goal!).
PRESTON 0 CARDIFF 0
CARDIFF 1 MIDDLESBOROUGH 0
CARDIFF 0 BRISTOL CITY 0
IPSWICH 0 CARDIFF 0
LEEDS 1 CARDIFF 0
CARDIFF 2 READING 0
DERBY 2 CARDIFF 0
CARDIFF 2 BURNLEY 2
BOLTON 2 CARDIFF 3
CARDIFF 2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2
CARDIFF 3 BRENTFORD 2
BIRMINGHAM 1 CARDIFF 0
We rushed back , jet-lagged, from Florida to get to the Reading game. There were various mutterings from the supporters groups about the club not being able to score goals from open play, and general disillusionment with the way the team was playing, but suddenly we were more adventurous! Goals from Kenwynne Jones and Matthew Connoly either side of half time were enough to see us through on a fairly comfortable win. An encouraging performance.
CARDIFF 1 MIDDLESBOROUGH 0
CARDIFF 0 BRISTOL CITY 0
IPSWICH 0 CARDIFF 0
LEEDS 1 CARDIFF 0
CARDIFF 2 READING 0
DERBY 2 CARDIFF 0
CARDIFF 2 BURNLEY 2
BOLTON 2 CARDIFF 3
CARDIFF 2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2
CARDIFF 3 BRENTFORD 2
BIRMINGHAM 1 CARDIFF 0
We rushed back , jet-lagged, from Florida to get to the Reading game. There were various mutterings from the supporters groups about the club not being able to score goals from open play, and general disillusionment with the way the team was playing, but suddenly we were more adventurous! Goals from Kenwynne Jones and Matthew Connoly either side of half time were enough to see us through on a fairly comfortable win. An encouraging performance.
Kenwynne Jones celebrates against Reading. He also scored 2 goals against Brentford including a stoppage time winner
Unfortunately, our next game was at high-flying in form Derby, and we were beaten comfortably by a team of promotion favourites. By the time our home game against Burnley arrived, we had signed a new striker on loan from Charlton, Tony Watt. I think most supporters were underwhelmed by this signing. After all, Charlton are struggling near the bottom of the Championship, so if he couldn't get a game there, why were we getting him?
Well, it could yet be the turning point of our season. Hard working and mobile, he has fitted in well with our team and we have started scoring goals - 2 of them by Watt himself!
But the Burnley game began a disturbing run of games, as we led 2-0 with 4 minutes of regular time left, only to draw 2-2 with a very unlucky own goal. We then went to struggling Bolton, where Watt scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 win. Bolton equalised twice during this game before Anthony Pilkington capped a great move with a late winner.
Sean Morrison heads the second goal against Burnley.
Sheffield Wednesday were the next team to visit the Cardiff City Stadium, and again we played good attacking football where yet again we went into a 2-0 lead before half time. We played some good football, and a Craig Noone penalty was followed by a great solo effort breakaway goal by Anthony Pilkington. But, the team panicked again and allowed Wednesday to pull back to 2-2, and in the end we were happy to settle for the draw.
3 days later, and Brentford were the visitors. Goals from Kenwynne Jones and Tony Watt put us up 2-0 before half time. Surely, after the previous 2 home games we couldn't mess it up again? Well, yes we could! The side got notably anxious after Brentford pulled one back, and almost inevitably with 4 minutes to go Brentford equalised! Boos echoed around the Cardiff City Stadium and the crowd left in huge numbers. Only this time, there was a sting in the tail of the game as a cross from Fabio in the 3rd minute of stoppage time was turned in by Kenwynne Jones for a 3-2 win!
Then for our 3rd game in a week we went to Birmingham for the Friday night televised game. We were really unlucky here, with a bad penalty decision given against us for handball when replays showed that the ball clearly hit Matt Connolly in the face, not on the hand. This turned out to be the only goal of the game, although we made enough chances to win but did not convert them.
Tony Watt - from Celtic to Cardiff via Liege and Charlton!
THE TRANSFER WINDOW APPROACHES
January looms, when the buying and selling of players commences. Rumours abound, but at the moment the only fairly concrete news is that the permanent signing of Tony Watt is likely to take place. Kenwynne Jones seems to want to move, but it is to be hoped we can persuade him to stay at least until the end of the season. I think we could do with another strong midfielder to support Gunarssonn and Ralls, and perhaps another fast wide player. But time will tell, and there are 4 games to play before then. Onwards and (hopefully) upwards.
