BFTG - Cardiff

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Wasn't going to start one as too deflated.....Christ that was a terrible second half

As good as we looked in the first half, with a Cardiff team that didn't get out of the blocks, I still can't recall their keeper needing to do much. Sadly, the few flashes of chances Cardiff had made it clear a 1 goal lead wasn't going to cut it if Cardiff bothered to turn up second half.

Lo and behold, second half was just one way traffic. Though we had the chance to go 2 up not long before they equalised, had Joao not left his motivation in the dressing room

In short, a game of two halves and a game of two Lucas Joao's

Hoilett was decent, I thought him going off took some oomph out of our sails

[PieEater]

Have to agree we were robbed.

First half we dominated and should have scored another. Second half we came out thinking we could defend the lead. History this season will tell you that we are utterly shit at that. Having said that their first goal look offside. As soon as that was given we looked on the ropes trying to hang on and again we know were also shit at that. Their second was a well worked goal, but I have to think we should have been able to respond and get an equaliser. Sadly not.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Simply, a classic Pauno game, but without the lack of squad depth excuses.

[Hound]

Thought Hoilett was poor. Messed up some great crossing opportunities, dribbled down too many blind alleys

Like him but he was hooked at the right time

Thought Ince was poor. Worked hard as ever but it didn’t come off for him

Drinkwater was superb first half. Midfield lost the battle second. Too many headless chickens losing possession

Holmes and Morro - first half brilliant, second half poor.

Yiadom motm for me. Even did some good crosses

[Ascotexgunner]

Wish Barker had been on longer, would have liked to have seen a bit more of him. Nice bit of speed in the one moment we saw him.

[Zip]

We got what we deserved for a pathetic second half but dear God I give up with the match officials when Joao was so blatantly being pulled all over by the place just prior to the equaliser.
Having said that I feared the worst through the second half as we were so deep and being dominated.

With Swift now out injured and two very tough Easter games coming up we are not safe.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Wish Barker had been on longer, would have liked to have seen a bit more of him. Nice bit of speed in the one moment we saw him.

that’s two cameos (both losses when he was thrown-on late doors) that folk have picked up on this.

[LUX]

Fck it, I’m putting a tenner on us winning at Sheffield U

[AthleticoSpizz]

Worth a pcunt…bouncebackability

Lessons learnt today

[Snowflake Royal]

Decent first half, very poor second half.

Nyland - 6 couple of decent saves, kicking remains improved. Certainly not at fault for the first.
Yiadom - 8 crossing much improved, solid performance
McIntyre - 7 decent performance, exposed wide again
Morrison - 7 solid performance, feel he was maybe weak on at least one goal
Holmes - 7 thought he played really well on the whole, but one near calamity (with a recovery) and probably not great on at least one goal
Drinkwater - 7 less good performance, but still decent. Felt he stopped when Joao lost out in the challenge in the build up to their first
Laurent - 6 some good moments but quite quiet
Swift - 6 busy but not really happening
Ince - 6 continues to threaten but lack that end product
Hoilett - 7 played well, went a little too Ejaria at times trying to dribble too long and take to many players on instead of release it. Best crosser in the team, should really stay on the right.
Joao - 6 it's just not sticking to him enough, he's usually got two in close proximity and the support is either too close or not close enough, but he's not quite doing it. Put in good defensive work at times and scored the goal, so hard to be too disappointed.

TDB - 6 - busy but didn't really have enough impact
Azeez - 5 didn't really have any impact, but then the team weren't in it by the time he came on
Barker - 6 some nice touches and seemed more involved than Azeez, but why he didn't shoot and just tee'd up Joao at an impossible angle I've no idea.

[Zip]

Those ratings are very generous Ian but yes Yiadom my MoTM. Finally some decent crosses and his usual determined defending.
TMac isn’t a full back. Rahman needs to come back in.

Time for Ejaria to step up and replace Swift in the attacking midfielder role.

[Snowflake Royal]

Those ratings are very generous Ian but yes Yiadom my MoTM. Finally some decent crosses and his usual determined defending.
TMac isn’t a full back. Rahman needs to come back in.

Time for Ejaria to step up and replace Swift in the attacking midfielder role.

Expect Rahman probably will come back in now. Was always likely to take a loss or poor performance given our normally porous defence and performances were doing well without.

[Royal_jimmy]

I think Hoilett coming off changed the game. I was surprised Ejaria didn't come on at 1-1 and Azeez came on instead. Seemed to kill any cutting edge going forward. It was the same against Stoke.

Teams have started to target us near the left back area. That's a few we've conceded around that part of the pitch.

Rahman in for Sheffield United please! Hopefully Swift only came off as a precaution but saw him limping down the tunnel.

[Zip]

I think Hoilett coming off changed the game. I was surprised Ejaria didn't come on at 1-1 and Azeez came on instead. Seemed to kill any cutting edge going forward. It was the same against Stoke.

Teams have started to target us near the left back area. That's a few we've conceded around that part of the pitch.

Rahman in for Sheffield United please! Hopefully Swift only came off as a precaution but saw him limping down the tunnel.

Swift is out for two weeks.

[windermereROYAL]

Really sliced open for that second goal. schoolboy stuff.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think Hoilett coming off changed the game. I was surprised Ejaria didn't come on at 1-1 and Azeez came on instead. Seemed to kill any cutting edge going forward. It was the same against Stoke.

Teams have started to target us near the left back area. That's a few we've conceded around that part of the pitch.

Rahman in for Sheffield United please! Hopefully Swift only came off as a precaution but saw him limping down the tunnel.

Swift is out for two weeks.

He hasn't really been on it for half the season now, so this isn't necessarily as bad as it might seem. Be interesting to see what Ince does.

Could play any one of Hoilett, Ince, Laurent, Dele-Bashiru or Ejaria in there. And bring in any one of Dele-Bashiru, Azeez, Barker or Ejaria to accommodate one of those players who are currently starting going there.

I wouldn't be surprised if he chose Laurent and brought in TDB. That's been his go to when moving Swift out left or taking him off. Wouldn't go that way myself.

[Bristol Paul]

I think Hoilett coming off changed the game. I was surprised Ejaria didn't come on at 1-1 and Azeez came on instead. Seemed to kill any cutting edge going forward. It was the same against Stoke.

Teams have started to target us near the left back area. That's a few we've conceded around that part of the pitch.

Rahman in for Sheffield United please! Hopefully Swift only came off as a precaution but saw him limping down the tunnel.

Swift is out for two weeks.

He hasn't really been on it for half the season now, so this isn't necessarily as bad as it might seem. Be interesting to see what Ince does.

Could play any one of Hoilett, Ince, Laurent, Dele-Bashiru or Ejaria in there. And bring in any one of Dele-Bashiru, Azeez, Barker or Ejaria to accommodate one of those players who are currently starting going there.

I wouldn't be surprised if he chose Laurent and brought in TDB. That's been his go to when moving Swift out left or taking him off. Wouldn't go that way myself.

Second half was bloody awful, I’m not sure half the team even broke sweat as they just stood off and let Cardiff ping it around. We have said it so many times, collectively this team have a soft underbelly and too many of them give up rather than react in a positive way.

[Snowflake Royal]

Don't think they give up. They just fall into bad habits and have low confidence and struggle to focus

[CountryRoyal]

Christ I can’t wait until this season ends and Paul Ince and most of the other wasters fcuk off.

Incompetent tactics.

[Bristol Paul]

Don't think they give up. They just fall into bad habits and have low confidence and struggle to focus

I think they do. One example 10 minutes from the end Joao had his back to the goalie, head down walking away and it took one of this team mates (can’t remember who) to tell him to turn around and close down the goalie. There’s too much of that with this team. I never particularly liked McDermotts brand of football of non stop pressure and 100 miles per hour, but this team could definately do with some of that.