Cardiff, after a run of four games without a win, must beat Derby today to keep in touch with an automatic promotion place. We can't rely on other teams dropping points to cover our own inadequecies. Derby have a nine point gap over the bottom three, which should be good enough but they are in poor form as well. Since beating Preston on New Years Day they've won just two matches. Crucially one of those was against Swansea a couple of weeks ago.
Cardiff will be big favourites today. If Derby come looking to play football against us we should have the attacking flair to expose them. If they come to frustrate we will have to be patient. The last two matches in Cardiff between the teams have seen 4 - 1 and 6 - 1 home wins. More of the same would be a huge boost for the Bluebirds.
Cardiff should have Tom Heaton and Jay Bothroyd available. Hudson and Chopra are both out.
With attacking options including Bellamy, Bothroyd, Burke, Whittingham, Parkin and JET City should have the players to cause Derby problems. Olofinjana and McPhail in midfield need to assist with quality passes.
Hopefully the new look back line which will probably include Jlloyd Samuel at left back and Kevin McNaughton in central defence will keep the visitors out.
Derby County are the Robbie Savage show. The former Welsh internation is makiing his name as a talk show host and a massive Twitter user. He'll get some stick today. I hope he has no cause to have the last laugh.
It's a pleasant Spring day in Cardiff. Let's hope, come 5pm, we are celebrating a victory.