Cardiff

Football – England – Championship

Friday 7^th December 2012 – Kickoff:  1945hrs

Ninth placed Blackburn Rovers take on Championship leaders Cardiff City at Ewood Park in the televised Friday night fixture with Rovers looking for a win that would lift them to within a point of the play-off pack.

However, the recent appointment of new manager and former Blackburn player Henning Berg has done little so far to suggest that he can immediately turn the club’s fortunes around as he’s seen his side suffer straight losses to Crystal Palace (his first match in charge on 3^rd November), and two home defeats to Millwall and bitter local derby rivals Bolton Wanderers. They’ve picked up points against Huddersfield Town, Birmingham City and Burnley, but it’s just the one win so far for the Norwegian which was a 4-1 win at bottom club Peterborough United.

Blackburn Rovers’ home record stands at an inconsistent  5-1-4  10/10, and Berg has yet to taste victory at home following former manager Steve Keane’s departure who, incidentally, held a 5-2 win/loss record at home before his sacking which just smacks of a ‘set-up’.

Nevertheless, striker Jordan Rhodes (11 goals) continues to bang them in and it won’t be too long before Premiership clubs start knocking on Blackburn’s door and this must be a concern for Berg if he can hold onto his prize asset. Other key players include Morten-Gamst Pedersen (4 assists), Colin Kazim-Richards and Ruben Rochina (3 goals).

Visitors Cardiff City sit proudly atop of the Championship following their Sunday win over Sheffield Wednesday and sent former manager Dave Jones packing. Cardiff are now unbeaten in their last five Championship matches which includes four straight wins over Hull City, Middlesbrough, Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday along with a draw at Derby County.

Cardiff’s away record though stands at a shaky  3-2-5  17/20 and they recently lost three on the trot on their travels at Nottingham Forest, Bolton and a surprise 4-5 defeat at Charlton Athletic. However, since then they’ve won at Barnsley and took a point at Derby so they appear to be back on track again.

The Bluebirds also have a few key attacking players at manager Malky Mackay’s disposal including joint leading scorers Peter Whittingham (7 goals, 7 assists) & Heidur Helguson (7 goals, 2 assists), Aron Gunnarsson (5 goals, 2 assists), Matthew Connolly (4 goals) and Craig Noone (4 goals, 6 assists) and of course Craig Bellamy who is a handful in any match.

I still feel the jury is out for Henning Berg at Blackburn and whilst he continues to tinker with his side and get them on-side as it were, Cardiff have a strong unit and are now working hard for boss Mackay – I’ll back Cardiff in this one with the round ball handicap for a bit of insurance. Don’t be surprised though if Cardiff nick this 1-0 or 2-1.

Pick:  Cardiff City AH0 (Draw No Bet) @ 1.93 Pinnacle

Cardiff went into the International break on a high after thumping Wolves 4-1 at home in their last match. It was easily the most impressive performance from Malky Mackay’s side thus far this season but there were definite signs that they were close to rediscovering their best form. They started the season with a narrow victory over Huddersfield at home where they relied on a late goal to clinch the spoils. In truth, it was a game that the visitors were the better side but they failed to take their chances and paid the penalty as a result. Sandwiched in between those home successes was a draw and a loss on the road against Brighton and Bristol Rovers respectively. Teams who miss out in the play-off’s can often have a hangover at the beginning of the following season but it’s testament to the consistency that the club have shown in recent years that they are nearly always in and around the promotion picture, season after season. The challenge for Mackay and his players is to go that one step further and gain promotion to England’s top division.

Leeds have been nowhere near as consistent as the they face on Saturday which has proved to be their downfall in recent season. They seem to start the campaign strongly, but ultimately, they are unable to sustain it over the course of the entire season. Neil Warnock – who has earned promotion from the Championship with Sheffield United and QPR – was brought in for that very season, because he’s been the distance and has the capabilities required to instill that much needed discipline in sides. It’s too early to judge whether or not he has managed that at Elland Road as there has been a large turnover of players and the fact he is only just beginning his first full season as boss of Leeds. Their results – and form – thus far have been positive having only tasted defeat once, away to Blackpool. An opening day victory over Wolves and an away win at Peterborough was followed by an entertaining 3-3 draw at home to Blackburn in their last fixture before the break.

Acquiring Craig Bellamy on a permanent basis could prove huge providing they can keep the enigmatic forward fit for most of the season. He could easily hold his own in the top half of the Premier League so his quality and experience will prove invaluable in their quest for promotion. He’s not the only coup that Mackay and the ambitious owners have managed to pull off in terms of brining players to the club. Heidar Helguson, Nicky Maynard and Tommy Smith have all dropped down from the Premier League to join the Bluebirds and together they form a potent front line.

One of the best buys of the Championship this early on has been Leeds’ Rodolph Austin who has been very impressive in the centre of their midfield. Signed from Norwegian side Brann in the Summer, the Jamaican’s combative, box to box style of play has been a real winner with the Elland Road faithful and he looks a very good addition. He epitomises what Warnock sides are all about and it’s no surprise that he’s been a stand-out in the manager’s team already.

Cardiff v Leeds has been a grudge match for a while now and there is very little love lost between both sets of supporters. Leeds have certainly endorsed what Neil Warnock is all about and look as though they have enough about them to challenge for a play-off spot. Cardiff were hitting form just before the International break and they have an array of attacking options. It’s that which I think could just edge what should be a close encounter, in favour of the home side.

Cardiff 11/10 @ Ladbrokes

Championship Play-Off Semi Final 1^st Leg

Thursday 3^rd May 2012 – Kickoff:  1945hrs

The stakes are high in this the first of the Championship Semi Final play-offs when Cardiff City host visitors West Ham in their 1^st leg showdown at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday night.

Cardiff City go into this match having been unbeaten in their last ten matches preceding this one, but in the back of their minds will be the fact that they’ve narrowly missed promotion via the play-off system on a few occasions now. This unbeaten run will also be in vain if they miss out again, so manager Malky Mackay will be keen for his side to contain West Ham with a view to hitting them on the break or from a set-piece.

Cardiff’s home record in the regular season finished up at  11-7-5  37/29, and they drew five of their last six home matches which could have been their undoing if Middlesbrough had been more consistent  in their run-in.  Recently in March, the Bluebirds lost at home to West Ham 0-2, so they will be out to prevent a similar scoreline from happening here tonight, which would effectively finish the tie off at the halfway stage.

Creative midfielder Peter Whittingham (12 goals, 13 assists) is Cardiff’s leading scorer and he has valuable support from striker Kenny Miller (10 goals, 5 assists) and young striker Joe Mason (9 goals) who has been given a run in the starting eleven recently.

West Ham will no doubt be disappointed in missing out on automatic promotion after being pipped to the post by Southampton by just two points. I wonder if they’ve been having recurring nightmares about the two points they dropped at Bristol City a couple of weeks ago when they could only muster a 1-1 draw?

Anyhow, Sam Allardyce is a shrewd manager and I fancy he’ll opt for a packed midfield in this one with Carlton Cole or Vaz Te up front on their own – not that their midfield doesn’t present any fewer dangers with the likes of skipper Kevin Nolan (11 goals, 5 assists), Mark Noble (8 goals, 9 assists) and Matthew Taylor (9 assists). They also have quality coming off the bench too in the shape of Sam Baldock and Nicky Maynard, but the key danger is from Cole (14 goals) and Vaz Te (10 goals).

It promises to be a cagey old affair with both teams desperate not to concede or give the other an advantage for the second leg, so for this reason, I’ll back the Under 2.5 here with neither side willing to take too many risks in the first encounter. Maybe a 1-1 draw.

Main Pick:  Under 2.5 @ 1.78 Pinnacle

Value Pick:  Draw @ 3.30 Bet Victor

Championship

Saturday 28^th April 2012 – Kickoff:  1230hrs

Well it’s the final week of the regular season of the Championship – where did the time go?? Anyway, a couple of crucial matches to cover off this Saturday with the whole division playing at the same time for once, and my attentions turn to Cardiff City who are on the edge of either making fourth place, sneaking into a play-off place or facing a last-day heartache of being pipped at the post by Middlesbrough.

Cardiff’s opponents today are Crystal Palace who, not so long ago, were the form team in the Championship, but that form has long since departed them and have drifted down the division and find themselves in 17^th place.

Palace have not won for eight matches now since their last win which was over out-of-form Barnsley at home back in March; the Eagles have picked up just two points in their last four at home whilst suffering back-to-back losses against Southampton and Nottingham Forest. Their home form stands at  7-11-4  21/17, and quite simply have lacked the necessary firepower to take win more matches and therefore take more points.

Veteran Darren Ambrose (7 goals) is their leading scorer which emphasises my previous point, but Glenn Murray (6 goals, 4 assists) and Wilfred Zaha (5 goals, 4 assists) will need to be watched.

Cardiff travel to London knowing an outright win will guarantee them a long-anticipated play-off place, and will definitely not want the agony of waiting to hear how Middlesbrough got on at Watford!

It’s in their hands now and the Bluebirds are in good shape going into this final match having put together a nine match unbeaten run. Recent wins on the road at Middlesbrough and Barnsley show they are capable of winning away from home, although, curiously, they have the same record away from home as Palace have at home;  7-11-4  with goal difference of 27/23 the only difference.

They’ve also beaten Bristol City away which may not sound such a great feat but just ask Southampton fans about the Robins! In my opinion though, Cardiff possess a far more threatening weaponry in the shape of scoring midfielder Peter Whittingham (11 goals, 13 assists), striker Kenny Miller (10 goals, 5 assists) and young forward Joe Mason (9 goals) who has grabbed his chance up front.

So, Palace are safe and have struggled to score goals while visitors Cardiff City need to post a win to ensure their place in the play-off phase (and they have more attacking depth). It’s a no-brainer for me, I’ll take Cardiff City for a straight win at good odds. Bluebirds to win 2-1.

Main Pick:  Cardiff City straight win @ 2.12 Pinnacle

Value Pick:  Cardiff City AH-1 @ 3.30 Pinnacle

Cardiff v Leeds

Cardiff need a win to secure their play-off place but Leeds will not be doing anyone favours and should prove stubborn opponents.

I analysed Cardiff’s recent form last week before their match against Barnsley and felt that they were not getting the results their performances deserved. A week on and they have won back to back games in the league for the first time since the turn of the year. The determination showed at Oakwell last Saturday was followed up with a comfortable home win against Derby in midweek. Couple those wins with Middlesbrough’s recent capitulation means that the Welsh side should make it into the play-off’s yet again. Malky MacKay will of course not be counting his chickens yet and will be telling his players that they need to keep the momentum going in the next to regular season games before, hopefully, they find themselves competing against three other sides for a place in the Premier League. It can often take a side, who aren’t used to playing in cup finals, time to get over a defeat as painful as their penalty shoot-out loss to Liverpool in the league cup final, but if they have finally got that out their system then the Bluebirds could prove the shrewd pick to earn promotion such is their style of play.

Leeds will want to forget this season as soon as possible. For a club their size they simply haven’t performed and have failed to build on a promising season last time around. Simon Grayson paid the price for that failure with his job but his replacement Neil Warnock has been unable to work his magic with this squad of players in the limited time he’s been at Elland Road. There’s expected to be a massive cull in the summer and players are certainly playing for their futures but one thing is for sure, the Leeds United team that take the field in August will scarcely resemble the current group of players. Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat away to Blackpool was their fourth reverse in five games. Their one win came last weekend at home to Peterborough despite going a goal behind. Warnock will be hoping to end the season on some sort of positive with a couple of good performances in the next two games but failing that, there is little other than pride to play for, for the men in white.

Cardiff don’t usually win with lot’s to spare in way of big margins but they do have a habit of grinding out results and that is key at this stage of the season. Liam Lawrence has freshened things up since his move from Portsmouth and his goal against Barnsley could prove pivotal.

Leeds will not be there to make up the numbers on Saturday and these games do have a history of being fiercely fought encounters, with little love lost between both sets of supporters. With it being an early kick off as well on Saturday, there is a little extra spice added.

Cardiff have a four point cushion over ‘Boro for the final play-off spot but as mentioned previously, they will want to keep their good run going and that means getting another win on Saturday to secure their position in the end of season fixtures. It’s a game I can see being tight but that normally suits the home side and I think they will pick up all three points.

My Selection: Cardiff to beat Leeds

Best odds available: 8/11 available with Totesport

Barnsley v Cardiff

Cardiff are still chasing promotion and occupy the final play-off spot whilst Barnsley have slipped down the table and are still not safe from relegation so the pressure is on for both at Oakwell tomorrow.

Keith Hill has been critical of his side in recent weeks and it is understandable as his side have won just once in 11 games and as a result, they currently sit in 19^th position and although they have an eight point cushion over the sides in the relegation zone, they are still not mathematically safe. Hill will be hoping to put that right tomorrow with a win which would secure their Championship status. Overall their home form is pretty decent as they have won nine at their stadium which is decent going for a side in the bottom half of the division. With that being the case, it’s no surprise that their away form has been poor with just four wins on their travels. It’s an area they will need to improve on next season if they wish to progress rather than just survive – which is why Keith Hill was brought in. They do, also, struggle against the better sides in the division with seven of their home wins coming against sides rank mid-table or below.

Cardiff stuttered slightly after losing to Liverpool on penalties in the League Cup final but they have returned to a better run of form just in time as they look to cement their play-off position with four more games to play. Currently unbeaten in six games, Cardiff have drawn five of those with their sole victory coming on the road against Middlesbrough. Their current form shows that although they may not be scoring as freely as they were earlier on in the season, they are still very hard to beat and do not give up points, or goals, lightly. Their match on Easter Monday saw them draw 1-1 at home to Watford and whilst they weren’t at their best, they still managed to grab a vital point and it was also a return to scoring ways for Kenny Miller who notched his first goal in over a dozen games. The Bluebirds have been consistent for much of the season, which is why they are placed where they are, and their away form is one of the strongest in the league – losing just four games in the Championship all season.

Barnsley know a win will secure their status but a draw, depending on other results, may also be good enough. Between now and the end of the season they will be up against sides who all have something to play meaning they need to regain some sort of form otherwise they may well sink further down the table.

Cardiff have back to back league games after their visit to Oakwell tomorrow but a win would go some way to consolidating a play-off position. Their remaining fixtures are also against sides who have little to play for but that counts for little in a league so competitive as the Championship.

Even if Barnsley lose tomorrow, it would still be a shock if they were to be relegated as the teams below them have little in the way of winning form. Their own recent run is so uninspiring that Cardiff should be targeting this for all three points and at the prices, I think it’s a risk worth taking – away win.

My Selection: Cardiff to beat Barnsley

Best odds available: EVENS available with PaddyPower

Cardiff City v Blackpool

Promotion hopefuls Cardiff entertain Blackpool as both sides battle it out for the points in their bids to get to the Premier League next season.

Cardiff have been previewed in this blog several times already and have obliged more than once. Their style of play is well suited to playing at home because they keep the ball and have plenty of width in their team which results in a lot of chances being created. With nine home wins to their name they have one of the strongest home records in the division as well as losing just two matches all season on their own patch. They have won the first three home games of 2012 in all competitions which included clinching a place in the League Cup final after getting the better of fellow Championship side Crystal Palace. Between now and the final the Bluebirds have several important games in the league to contend with and as they are pushing for the automatic promotion spots, every point and every game is crucial.

Blackpool are looking to bounce straight back to the Premier League after being relegated last season. Ian Holloway has had to transform his squad after dropping down to the Championship so it’s a testament to both him and the players he has brought in that they are, once again, challenging at the top end of the table. Currently in seventh position, one point off the final play-off spot, there is all to play for in this, the first week of February. With just one defeat in their last 11 matches in all competitions they themselves are on an excellent run of form. Particularly strong at home, Holloway’s men have also been improving on their travels and score plenty of goals. Nine goals from their last five matches away from home suggest that no home defence is going to get an easy time of it.

The Scottish contingent will once again be instrumental for Cardiff tomorrow. Kenny Miller leads the line so well upfront and is ably supported by Don Cowie and Craig Conway who continue to impress since joining in the Summer. Both add a dimension to the side which opposition sides find hard to deal with.

Blackpool will have to ensure that they defend better than they have when the travel South to Wales tomorrow. The Tangerines have one of the worst records in the top half of the Championship having conceded 35 thus far. Derby and Leeds are the only two teams in the top 12 who have conceded more.

I am a massive fan of Cardiff’s style of play as they look to pin the visitors back at every opportunity. Opposition defences need to withstand a lot of pressure and I’m not sure if Blackpool will be able to do that. Cardiff may have too much for their opponents on Saturday, but they will have to be wary at the back.

My Selection: Cardiff to beat Blackpool

Best odds available: 5/6 available with BetVictor

Cardiff play the second leg of their League Cup tie during next midweek but it’s league business first when Portsmouth come to town looking for points.

Malky MacKay surely will not let his player’s attention turn to Wednesday’s match against Crystal Palace considering the position his side find themselves at the moment in the Championship. Sitting third and just four points off the top two; there is a lot to play for as the Bluebirds aim for a promotion that has thus far eluded them. Just one defeat in 14 league games has shot them into automatic promotion contention and it’s definitely something that they will continue to strive for despite being 90 minutes away from a final at Wembley. Last weekend’s draw against a struggling Doncaster side may not have been the most wanted result for all concerned with the Welsh side but it may turn out to be a valuable point considering they put a lot of effort into the first leg of their league cup tip.

Portsmouth have been solid if unspectacular since Michael Appleton took charge which is probably why they have remained in the lower half of the table. They are not in any major threat of relegation at the moment and have virtually no chance of getting into the promotion shake-up so it’s all about getting as many points as they can to eliminate any lingering threat of being pulled into the relegation picture. With just one away win in the league all season it’s not exactly hard to work out where they need to improve if they do wish to climb the table. They are far stronger when playing at home and are becoming a little bit of a soft touch on their travels this season. Things have picked up recently with one win and two draws from their last five away games. Tomorrow’s game represents a stiff task however and their recent improvement will be tested.

Cardiff have been extremely impressive at home this season and not many teams leave Wales with much else other than their tails between their legs. Two defeats at home all season, just once since the first match of the season, means they have one of the best home records in the division. Matches like tomorrow become even more significant as the promotion chase really begins to get going now we are well into the New Year.

Portsmouth have an incredibly good record when playing Cardiff away from home. Before last season’s comprehensive defeat they had went five games unbeaten in this particular fixture winning four of them. Appleton will be hoping that they can rediscover some of that form ahead of tomorrow’s game.

Cardiff were unlucky against both Middleborough and Crystal Palace, their only two defeats in recent months. A thumping 3-1 over promotion rivals Reading in their last home match proved that they are still very much on the up and they can continue that tomorrow.

My Selection: Cardiff to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 5/6 available with William Hill

Cardiff V Reading

Monday, 2 January 2012 – 15:00 GMT

English Championship

Fourth meets fifth in the Championship at the Cardiff City Stadium as Cardiff host Reading, with the former hoping to complete a league double over The Royals, whom they beat 2-1 at the Madjeski in November.

Saturday’s hard-fought 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest ended a frustrating run of three without a win for Cardiff, who return home to Wales keen to make amends for their 3-2 reverse to Middlesbrough in their last league fixture there. The latterly mentioned result ended a run of four consecutive wins for the Bluebirds, three of which were without conceding a goal.

The second half of the season is usually when Reading find their stride, so we shouldn’t be at all surprised with their current vein of form. Just the one goal was required to see off out of sorts Ipswich at the weekend, with The Royals having now won their previous four league matches without conceding a single goal.

Away from home however, Reading remain very inconsistent (W5 D2 L4) – and largely unreliable, hence why bookmakers have them as 5/2 underdogs, despite their glistening form. They don’t score many goals either, just 11, which doesn’t bode well ahead of their visit to Cardiff, whom boast one of the stronger defensive records on their own patch.

I am not convinced with Reading in this fixture; their form is outstanding but they remain a bit of an enigma on their travels.

Cardiff are formidable in their own backyard (W7 D2 L2), averaging almost two a game in Wales where top scorer Kenny Miller has netted five of his seven league goals for the term, and with that winning feeling back in their system should notch their eighth home win of the season at in-form Reading’s expense.

Betting Tip: Cardiff to WIN @ 5/4 VictorChandler

Final Score: 3:1

Cardiff City V Burnley – Tuesday, 25 October 2011 (19:45); League Cup

You do almost feel that it is meant to be for one of these two teams, who have scraped through the earlier rounds, at times by the skin of their teeth. But one will fall at the Fourth Round hurdle, that’s a given, although it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see a winner determined via penalties.

Between them, five of their six League Cup ties have gone into extra-time. One even went as far as spot-kicks. So, considering how arduous it has been for the pair of them so far, who haven’t exactly been made to walk over steaming hot coal to get this far, another tight affair could be on the cards.

Because of home advantage, where they dispatched Leicester in the previous round on penalties and where they’ve lost just one of seven in the league this season, Cardiff are favourites. The Bluebirds are unbeaten in seven at home in all competitions, but they won just three in 90 minutes. One of those, however, was their 5-3 defeat of Barnsley at the weekend, a result which lifted them to within a solitary point of the Championship play-off’s.

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay has opted squad for rotation and, ultimately, mass changes in this competition. Several players on the fringes of the first-team have been drafted in and, as far as progress is concerned, they’ve done a satisfactory job. But it hasn’t been a smooth ride, far from it. The Welsh side have rode their luck on numerous occasions, and at times then some. They were largely unconvincing away at Oxford in the First Round, this against League Two opposition, while late goals were required at home to both Huddersfield and Leicester in order to avoid elimination.

Three seasons ago now, Burnley took this very competition by storm when they dumped out Arsenal Chelsea and Fulham before suffering a 6-4 aggregate defeat to Tottenham in the Semi-Finals, this after taking the Premier League side to extra-time. So it would appear the Clarets are up to their old tricks. However, they too have been anything but convincing.

Burnley have faced lower league opposition in every single round, up till now that is, and when you consider how they almost came a cropper in all three ties, you cannot help but wonder whether Eddie Howe’s Clarets will get found out against far meaner opposition in the form of domestic rivals Cardiff. Burnley needed an extra 30 minutes in order to see off Burton and Barnet in the first two rounds, both high-scoring affairs as well, while their Third Round victory over MK Dons was only by a narrow one-goal margin.

Furthermore, this is the first League Cup match in which Burnley will have to fend for themselves, as they won’t have home comforts over in Cardiff, Wales. All three of their previous ties were staged at Turf Moor, a venue which has seen more goals in this season’s competition than any other – 17 in total. Their record away from home isn’t the best, either: W3 D0 L3, though they were victorious at Coventry on Saturday, winning 2-1 courtesy of Charlie Austin’s stoppage time winner.

With the Semi-Finals almost within touching distance – the stage where every team finally cave in and start to believe it could genuinely be their year – both managers could ditch their previous approach of making wholesale changes and name ultra competitive teams for Tuesday’s clash. But we won’t know for sure until a few minutes before kick-off. One thing that is for sure, this is a very evenly-matched contest and there shouldn’t be a great deal to choose between them come the final whistle – whenever the final whistle may be. This could go the distance.

Recommended Bet: Draw @ 5/2 VictorChandler

Value Bet: 2-2 Draw @ 14/1 Ladbrokes

———————

League Cup Results

Cardiff

Beat Oxford 3-1 at the Kassam Stadium, after extra-time.

Beat Huddersfield 5-3 at the Cardiff City Stadium, after extra-time.

Beat Leicester 7-6 on penalties at the Cardiff City Stadium, after a 2-2 draw in normal time and no score in extra-time.

Burnley

Beat Burton 6-3 at Turf Moor, after extra-time.

Beat Barnet 3-2 at Turf Moor, after extra-time.

Beat MK Dons 2-1 at Turf Moor.