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The fixtures coming up give City the oportunity to earn plenty of points from the first half dozen games or so. In the next 6 weeks City have 5 home games. Huddersfield tomorrow, Swindon on Wednesday, Cheltenham on the 18th, Oldham on the 31st and Barnsley on Feb 8th. Our only away league games are at Northampton on Jan 11th and Huddersfield on the 25th but that's depending on the outcome of next Saturdays cup game v Coventry. Success for the Bluebirds would mean the postponement of the Huddersfield game.
This time last year we had 37 points from 23 games. We ended up missing out on promotion by 1 points, So far 46 points from 23 games. Promotion is a very realistic target. Wigan have put themselves into pole position with 53 points from 23 games, they are the team to catch. If there is anything to hope for it's that Wigan will hit a bad patch. They are undefeated since August in the league.
For Cardiff to progress then the players and the manager must address a recent run of poor form. 3 wins and 3 defeats in the last 6 games have seen City drop to third place. The three defeats against Barnsley, Bristol City and Luton have seen frail defensive performances. Even the wins have been less than convincing. 1 - 0 over Chesterfield, 4 - 0 over QPR (don't let the scoreline flatter the team, Earnie did that, we were murdered for the first hour) and then the 2 - 1 win at Colchester, Earnie again rescued City with his finishing.
Cardiff City, the fans, the players and especially the manager were humiliated at Luton. Lennie must address some issues and quickly.
1. Shore up the defence. Only Rhys Weston deserves his name to be straight on the team sheet. Spencer Prior is playing on his repuation not his form. Fan Zhiyi was completely lost at Luton and struggles against a pacy attack, Barker should never have replaced Gary Croft at left back. Croft must start tomorrow. Lennie has the option of Scott Young and James Collins as replacement centre halves. Young has not played at all this season while Collins has had limited chances. Neither will let City down and they could be called upon as both Fan and Spencer have suspensions coming up. Boy do we miss Daniel Gabbidon.
2. There will be a forced change in midfield tomorrow. Graham Kavanagh is suspended. I bet that Lennie will bring in Layton Maxwell to replace Kav. Why? Maxwell has done little to warrant a place in the team. Bring back Mark Bonner. He's hungry to play and has a point to prove. I don't beleive he's not match fit (as it appears Lennie is claiming). If Lennie is half conidering Scott Young who has not played all season then Mark Bonner can surely do a job. Also Jason Bowen must be played as a right winger. Lennie's refusal to play an out and out right winger is bordering on criminal. We have spent £1.7m on Peter Thorne. A striker who thrives on crosses and we have not played with out and out wingers, what a waste of Thorne's ability.
The Thorne / Earnshaw combination is one of the best in the league and they are isolated.
In goal I'd give Margetson a chance. He controls his area better than Alexander and talks to his defence. He would enhance the back 4 I'm sure of it.
I would suggest the following line up.
Margetson, Weston, Prior, Collins, Croft, Legg, Boland, Bonner, Bowen, Earnshaw, Thorne. Subs from Alexander, Young, Barker, Maxwell, Campbell, Leo, Fan Zhiyi.
Bonner and Boland can get stuck in and win midfield ball to supply Legg and Bowen out wide. Then watch Thorne come into his own. They can also play the passes to split defences for Earnie to run onto.
Lennie though will probably make minimal changes. Be bold Lennie. Play players who are hungry and have something to prove, you said players who failed in previous games have blown their chance. If you stand by your words then Maxwell and Campbell shouldn't be in the side.
Huddersfield come to Ninian park on the back of 6 straight away league defeats. They are bottom of the table staring relegation in the face. They have something to play for. Survival. It will be unforgivable if they come to Cardiff and out battle us and get something becuase "they wanted it more".
I'll close it up now with my final thoughts.
Shore up the defence, add width and play players who can do the job. Do not just play them on reputation. If any City player tomorrow does not give 100% and show they "up for it" then they should be dropped immediately. Big names on big money have found themselves a comfort zone. As manager it's up to Lennie to sort it out and put some fight back into this team.
Cardiff City v Huddersfield from Ninian Park on Sunday December 29th at 3:00pm.
More team news if available will follow later.