MATCHWATCH : Cardiff City (h)

[blythspartan]

Quite difficult to fault Morro/Holmes in the last few games to be fair

They have been solid. It’s helped that we have been better set up and look fitter as opposition teams are not getting the ball out wide into attacking positions as easily.

Almost like they were being scapegoated for team failings isn't it.

Do you feel that that Nyland has made a big difference? I am not knocking Southwood as a fair few of his games were when we were down to the bare bones of the squad.

[Hound]

They have been solid. It’s helped that we have been better set up and look fitter as opposition teams are not getting the ball out wide into attacking positions as easily.

Almost like they were being scapegoated for team failings isn't it.

It didn’t help they were under too much pressure at times but some of the mistakes were down to very slow reactions or being outjumped.

I don’t think anyone would argue they have had good seasons (or Moore or Dann), but of course their poor form was not solely down to their own personal failings

The whole shape of the team along with fitness was wrong. Too often the cbs were left far too exposed by the CMs who were also left far too exposed by the front 4

It’s no surprise their form has picked up considerably since Pauno went on his way

Still not sure with Holmes tbh. Sometimes I think he has it, other times he looks like a div1 defender to me. Still not dominant enough imo - not like say Cooper is at millwall. It might still come though

[Snowflake Royal]

They have been solid. It’s helped that we have been better set up and look fitter as opposition teams are not getting the ball out wide into attacking positions as easily.

Almost like they were being scapegoated for team failings isn't it.

Do you feel that that Nyland has made a big difference? I am not knocking Southwood as a fair few of his games were when we were down to the bare bones of the squad.

To be honest no. Except possibly in the heads of the defence if they didn’t have confidence in Southwood, or maybe in opposition not perceiving him as a weakness at set pieces to target on crosses.

I'd have to check the stats across the games, but my feel is he's had to deal with fewer crosses / corners, with more space to do so, and fewer shots on target.

I'm yet to see anything that suggests to me he's significantly better.

[Dave the rave]

Good write up...always worth a read.

Was going to this but a rearranged 40th has put paid to that.

It's one of them kids for quids matches according to jnr Dtr's school and cheap adult tickets too I believe.

[Hound]

Almost like they were being scapegoated for team failings isn't it.

Do you feel that that Nyland has made a big difference? I am not knocking Southwood as a fair few of his games were when we were down to the bare bones of the squad.

To be honest no. Except possibly in the heads of the defence if they didn’t have confidence in Southwood, or maybe in opposition not perceiving him as a weakness at set pieces to target on crosses.

I'd have to check the stats across the games, but my feel is he's had to deal with fewer crosses / corners, with more space to do so, and fewer shots on target.

I'm yet to see anything that suggests to me he's significantly better.

I’d imagine we’ve conceded a lot less crosses under Ince. We’ve not conceded many corners in the last few games - had a look back - but not sure how it compares to Pauno

I’d certainly be interested if you were to dig up the stats

Would be more because the wide areas have far more cover than the oppo think the keeper is better able to deal with id imagine

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Based on performances I'd have Hoilett on one side and Ince on the other. But there is plenty of competition though now as TDB has been playing well and we know Ejaria can offer us something unique on the left as well.

It’s nice to,have good bench options.It helped bringing in fresh legs last night. TDB did well.

TDB has done well off the bench in the last couple of games. A notable difference when he came on against Barnsley as we, as a team, moved the ball quicker. It was no coincidence we scored after he came on.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Do you feel that that Nyland has made a big difference? I am not knocking Southwood as a fair few of his games were when we were down to the bare bones of the squad.

To be honest no. Except possibly in the heads of the defence if they didn’t have confidence in Southwood, or maybe in opposition not perceiving him as a weakness at set pieces to target on crosses.

I'd have to check the stats across the games, but my feel is he's had to deal with fewer crosses / corners, with more space to do so, and fewer shots on target.

I'm yet to see anything that suggests to me he's significantly better.

I’d imagine we’ve conceded a lot less crosses under Ince. We’ve not conceded many corners in the last few games - had a look back - but not sure how it compares to Pauno

I’d certainly be interested if you were to dig up the stats

Would be more because the wide areas have far more cover than the oppo think the keeper is better able to deal with id imagine

I wouldn't like to say Nyland has been the difference on his own, but he has also impacted the collective overall better defensive performance from the team since he came in. For example, he was very good against Blackburn, but will be disappointed with that goal last night, but overall he's been pretty solid since joining.

I do think he has more quality as a goalkeeper than Southwood however.

[Snowflake Royal]

Do you feel that that Nyland has made a big difference? I am not knocking Southwood as a fair few of his games were when we were down to the bare bones of the squad.

To be honest no. Except possibly in the heads of the defence if they didn’t have confidence in Southwood, or maybe in opposition not perceiving him as a weakness at set pieces to target on crosses.

I'd have to check the stats across the games, but my feel is he's had to deal with fewer crosses / corners, with more space to do so, and fewer shots on target.

I'm yet to see anything that suggests to me he's significantly better.

I’d imagine we’ve conceded a lot less crosses under Ince. We’ve not conceded many corners in the last few games - had a look back - but not sure how it compares to Pauno

I’d certainly be interested if you were to dig up the stats

Would be more because the wide areas have far more cover than the oppo think the keeper is better able to deal with id imagine

Since I'm rather fond of you, and want you to be nicer to me... I'll see what I can do.

[Snowflake Royal]

Based on performances I'd have Hoilett on one side and Ince on the other. But there is plenty of competition though now as TDB has been playing well and we know Ejaria can offer us something unique on the left as well.

It’s nice to,have good bench options.It helped bringing in fresh legs last night. TDB did well.

TDB has done well off the bench in the last couple of games. A notable difference when he came on against Barnsley as we, as a team, moved the ball quicker. It was no coincidence we scored after he came on.

Funny how things go better when you move the ball quicker isn’t it. Someone tell Ejaria.

[Hound]

To be honest no. Except possibly in the heads of the defence if they didn’t have confidence in Southwood, or maybe in opposition not perceiving him as a weakness at set pieces to target on crosses.

I'd have to check the stats across the games, but my feel is he's had to deal with fewer crosses / corners, with more space to do so, and fewer shots on target.

I'm yet to see anything that suggests to me he's significantly better.

I’d imagine we’ve conceded a lot less crosses under Ince. We’ve not conceded many corners in the last few games - had a look back - but not sure how it compares to Pauno

I’d certainly be interested if you were to dig up the stats

Would be more because the wide areas have far more cover than the oppo think the keeper is better able to deal with id imagine

Since I'm rather fond of you, and want you to be nicer to me... I'll see what I can do.

Aahhh - I am quite nice you aren’t I? At least relative to everyone else

[Snowflake Royal]

I’d imagine we’ve conceded a lot less crosses under Ince. We’ve not conceded many corners in the last few games - had a look back - but not sure how it compares to Pauno

I’d certainly be interested if you were to dig up the stats

Would be more because the wide areas have far more cover than the oppo think the keeper is better able to deal with id imagine

Since I'm rather fond of you, and want you to be nicer to me... I'll see what I can do.

Aahhh - I am quite nice you aren’t I? At least relative to everyone else

Mwah!.

I'll tell you right now. Ince has done an amazing job on crosses and Paunovic is an absolute clown. And I'm only two games back into Clowno's tenure starting from most recent game. The difference is so stark it's mindblowing.

[windermereROYAL]

I quite like hound, always gives a moderate view without getting into fistfights with other posters. wish there were more like him.

[Hound]

I quite like hound, always gives a moderate view without getting into fistfights with other posters. wish there were more like him.

thanks - though poorly timed after my mini run in with OMA earlier

[windermereROYAL]

I quite like hound, always gives a moderate view without getting into fistfights with other posters. wish there were more like him.

thanks - though poorly timed after my mini run in with OMA earlier

Must have missed that, but it takes something to ignore that guy which i manage to do most of the time, he`s a wind up merchant.

[Snowflake Royal]

Since I'm rather fond of you, and want you to be nicer to me... I'll see what I can do.

Aahhh - I am quite nice you aren’t I? At least relative to everyone else

Mwah!.

I'll tell you right now. Ince has done an amazing job on crosses and Paunovic is an absolute clown. And I'm only two games back into Clowno's tenure starting from most recent game. The difference is so stark it's mindblowing.

Ok, so I've only gone back to Fulham, because dinner time.

Ince after he's had some time to train (post Blackpool) all numbers average per game.
Oppo crosses - 13.2
Oppo corners - 2.8
Oppo shots - 10.7
Oppo on target - 4
Conceded - 1.3
Saves - 2.5
Claims - 0.0
Punches - 0.0

Ince (including his first two)
Oppo crosses - 15.6
Oppo corners - 3.8
Oppo shots - 11.9
Oppo on target - 4.9
Conceded - 1.6
Saves - 3.3
Claims - 0.3
Punches - 0.1

Clowno back to Fulham
Oppo crosses - 21.9
Oppo corners - 5.9
Oppo shots - 15.6
Oppo on target - 6.2
Conceded - 2.9
Saves - 3.4
Claims - 0.8
Punches - 0.3

We conceded more than 30 crosses in all of the last two of Pauno's games and Ince's first.

keeper's to follow when I've eaten

[Crowbar6753]

Aahhh - I am quite nice you aren’t I? At least relative to everyone else

Mwah!.

I'll tell you right now. Ince has done an amazing job on crosses and Paunovic is an absolute clown. And I'm only two games back into Clowno's tenure starting from most recent game. The difference is so stark it's mindblowing.

Ok, so I've only gone back to Fulham, because dinner time.

Ince after he's had some time to train (post Blackpool) all numbers average per game.
Oppo crosses - 13.2
Oppo corners - 2.8
Oppo shots - 10.7
Oppo on target - 4
Conceded - 1.3
Saves - 2.5
Claims - 0.0
Punches - 0.0

Ince (including his first two)
Oppo crosses - 15.6
Oppo corners - 3.8
Oppo shots - 11.9
Oppo on target - 4.9
Conceded - 1.6
Saves - 3.3
Claims - 0.3
Punches - 0.1

Clowno back to Fulham
Oppo crosses - 21.9
Oppo corners - 5.9
Oppo shots - 15.6
Oppo on target - 6.2
Conceded - 2.9
Saves - 3.4
Claims - 0.8
Punches - 0.3

We conceded more than 30 crosses in all of the last two of Pauno's games and Ince's first.

keeper's to follow when I've eaten

Wow, the stats tell a big story, and this improvement is from a manager that had been out of the game for 7 seasons prior to taking this job. That really does show how poor Clownovic really was.
Another huge difference is the fitness of the team, we were always conceding late goals and coming under intense pressure in the last 20 mins of our games, and now we are the team forcing the game and looking like scoring in the last 20 mins of games and this to is a massive +1 to Ince and his team for sorting this out.
Ince may not be the best manager around, but he certainly was an amazing player who understands football and was coached by some of the best managers around and certainly one of those managers (Fergie) was probably still the best manager in the last 40 yrs.

[Zip]

Not surprised by those stats. It’s really why Pauno had to go. We were so badly set up with opposition teams finding it so easy to get the ball down to their flanks and in a position to ping crosses into our box.

[Snowflake Royal]

Follow up with Keepers for comparison.

Nyland
Crosses - 14.5
Corners - 3.3
Shots - 11.8
On Target - 4.3
Conceded - .8
Saves - 3.3
Claims - 0.0
Punches - 0.0

Hein
Crosses - 25
Corners - 5.8
Shots - 14.6
On Target - 5.2
Conceded - 1.6
Saves - 3.8
Claims - 1.0
Punches - 0.4

Southwood
Crosses - 17.4
Corners - 5.1
Shots - 14.4
On Target - 6.5
Conceded - 3.5
Saves - 3.1
Claims - 0.5
Punches - 0.3

Southwood - under Ince
Crosses - 12
Corners - 3.7
Shots - 10.7
On Target - 5
Conceded - 3
Saves - 2
Claims - 0.0
Punches - 0.3

Southwood under Clowno
Crosses - 20.6
Corners - 6.0
Shots - 16.6
On Target - 7.4
Conceded - 3.8
Saves - 3.8
Claims - 0.8
Punches - 0.2

[Zip]

Good work Ian. Those stats ring true to me.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yeah, Southwood and Hein left utterly exposed.

All making basically the same number of saves.

Don't think those show how Southwood was regularly targeted and boxed in on corners and set pieces, which I don't think has been the case for the other two to the same extent.

Are still bringing everyone back and going zonal? I feel like we're man marking at set plays mostly under Ince. I think that has helped push out the clutter from the keeper a lot and given them room to maneuver.

And of course, Nyland has been protected by McIntyre and Yiadom mostly. Not exposed to Bristow and Tetek/ Ashcroft. Bit of a quality difference there.