blueball.gif (262 bytes) Fri 9th November 2001 - Chesterfield preview
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Cardiff City have a chance to put last Wednesday's embarrassing defeat behind them. City entertain Chesterfield at Ninian Park and the home support will accept nothing less than a win as repayment for the debacle in Bury.

Alan Cork will stick with his team and is likely that he will keep the same starting XI. There is a hope that Peter Thorne may be available to play but I don't think we'll find that out until just before kick off time.

"I don't see any sense in changing the whole side because of one bad game," said Cork.

"Until the Bury game we had the 11th-best goals against record in the country. We've done very well over the last few games and haven't let many goals in.

"One bad game doesn't lead to mass destruction. Dropping players is just going to ruin their confidence and I'm not going to do it."

The players themselves will want to make Bury striker David Borley eat his words he told the press after Wednesday's game

"Our manager said to us before the game that some of the Cardiff players are on 8,000 a week.

After the way they played against us tonight, that's a joke.They are big-time Charlies, and we were amazed by how bad they were.

Everyone knows Cardiff City have spent loads of money, but we stopped them playing tonight, and to be honest, if they play like that every week they'll get nowhere."

The City squad will want to prove to the home fans that Borley is wrong.

Chesterfield came up with City last season even though they were docked points for illegal dealings. This season they are in 18th place and have only won once on the road. We have seen though that in this division any team is capable of beating any other on the day and City will have to roll their sleeves up and not just think they can turn up to win games.

Graham Kavanagh thinks that maybe a fear factor is creeping into the players minds. At home the big crowds expect and so far City have not delivered. Kavanagh said

"We have a very good away record, but we need to start picking up more points at home.

I don't think it's a mental problem and in no way can I criticise our fantastic support. But, at home, if we don't score in the first 20 minutes the fans get a bit uptight and certain individuals get a bit of stick.

People must realise the club have signed experienced players that will bring on the younger element. The more experience they get, the better they will become.

So, it's a case of getting behind the team because the more encouragement the youngsters get, the better they will play.

There's two ways at looking at our form. We play a system of 4-2-1-3 and that is very attacking minded. It enables Earnie and Brazy to push on in attacking roles and that allows us to counter attack quickly.

Home sides expect to attack whoever they are playing against and our fans expect it of us when we play at Ninian Park.

So when we play at home the opposition play behind the ball and the space behind the back line is very limited.

The system is ideal for counter attacking. When we are playing away, teams come out and try and play against us but at home they tend to defend and sit behind the ball in numbers.

And that's why at home we have a lot of possession and the supporters and players get frustrated.

There is also a bit of fear factor in the team because we have not won at home for such a long time and that might be something that might be creeping in to play."

City v Chesterfield games have always produced goals. In 26 previous league meetings only two have finished goalless. The last 8 meetings have produced 29 goals. Last season Kevin Evans scored an injury time header to earn a 3 - 3 drawer (see below)

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Alan Cork beleives that City will get it right at Ninian park. He tells the Echo today

"It's not a problem, and it's definitely not something I'm losing any sleep over

I certainly don't think it's a mental thing.

It's just think teams don't fancy coming to Ninian Park, because it's a big match in their fixture lists now.

I think we play well at Ninian Park, we've done well for long period but have at times let ourselves down with a dodgy ten minutes.

But it's the case that when teams come to Ninian Park, it's a hostile place  to visit and a lot of them put ten men behind the ball.

Teams set their stall out, it's hard for us, and players get frustrated.

It means we are always liable to get hit on the break. The answer to that  is that when we have our chances, we need to score.

We will start winning games at home. It's one of those things that's bound  to turn around. 

I've no doubt that sooner or later we'll start winning at home, and then  perhaps our away form will suffer. In football, things always tend to turn  around like that."

Kick off at Ninian Park at 3:00pm and there will be the usual coverage in the chat room. First reactions will appear on the message board and reports and updates will follow on Saturday evening.

City have a 10 day league break after tomorrows game. The next action is the FA Cup on Nov 17th against Tiverton, a game being played at Ninian Park. Then City entertain Colchester Utd on Tuesday November 20th.

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Copyright Michael Morris 2001.