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| Sat 22nd September 2001 - Cardiff City 1 - 2 Huddersfield. Match report. | ||||
| September Headlines |
If it ain't broke don't fix it. It is broke so we must fix it. Some thing is wrong here. Its now midnight, 7 hours or so after the final whistle. I've waited this long to write in case my emotions get the better of me and I go off on one. Sam Hammam has spent a lot of money. Stop. An awful lot of money on quality football players. He has offered Cardiff City fans a chalice to drink from. It's a golden chalice, its pours riches we have never seen before. It spills million pound players, it spills the expectation that this club has not seen for generations. Why is it being fed to the fans by souls who want to see them choke on the good fortune coming their way. Cardiff City, man for man, are better than Huddersfield. We are better than Cambridge, and to be honest better than most teams in Division 2. Where we fall down is the ability to play football as a unit with correct tactics and motivation. One of our most effective players this season has been Des Hamilton. Today he was dropped. One of the most exciting players on our books is Leon Jeanne, today he never made the bench. There is a problem at Ninian Park. Its not Sam, jeez he has transformed Cardiff City from the tea boy to the boardroom. Its not the players, they are good players, we have top quality here now. The problem in my view lies with the management. Its easy to call for Alan Cork's head. Some will defend his record, promotion, record goals, a massive home run of games without defeat. In fact Alan, I champion that. The efforts of Cork over the 12 months he has been in charge have been very commendable indeed. Cork brought in Ian Butterworth. Together they masterminded last seasons promotion. This season there has been a change. Sam has brought in Ian Atkins. His appointment did not create mass hysteria and ensure street parties. Most people groaned and said Oh no, not the long ball bloke. Sadly its become a reality. City are playing the most terrible football since the negative days of Hibbit / Osman. What ever happened to the 5 - 3 - 2 wingback / sweeper system that blew Div 3 apart last year. Why can't we string more than two passes together. Why does Rhys Weston and Michael Simpkins have to lump it forward every time. Huddersfield won the game today with a patient passing game. I cannot recall one long hopeful punt from their defence unless there was no other option. We are lacking a strong minded footballing manager. Alan Cork, by his own admission is not a tactical genious. I think he will come in for some very harsh critisism and it won't all be justified. City need a Harry Redknapp type, maybe a Dave Bassett but I think we need an independant manager. A manager who will make decisions and get the best from his players. Corky is a motivator. He deserves a No. 2 role to a manager used to handling big money players, used to handling higher division players. Atkins, I'm sorry, does not some into that category. There is unrest. You get a feeling, you get it from the players and the backroom people. The biggest clue today was in the second half when Cork disappeared. Atkins took over. End result we lost. I'm trying to stay calm here. We were beaten today by a team that out-footballed us. We had better players and we resorted to hoofball. Over 12,000 people again. Over 23,000 in 4 days. How long will they keep coming, not very if they know they will see their team lump aimless balls forward. The one shining star is Peter Thorne. HIs header today was breathtaking. It has been well commented on all week that we are lacking width. Play wide men and get the ball in for Thorne and Leo. What do we do. Go 4 - 4 - 2 with Brayson (not a winger) on the right wing and Legg (not a winger) on the left. No Jeanne on the bench and Bowen when he did come on go as the player in the hole behind the strikers. PLAY SOME BLOODY WINGERS Our goal came from a cross, we are dangerous when we spread it. Lets do it more often. Well done to Huddersfield. Your heads did not drop when you went 1 down. You continued to play football. You got back into the game and were deserved winners. Its late now. I'm still so upset. We will of course go and beat Q.P.R. and everyone will thik we are the best thinsg since sliced bread. Sort it out Sam. Next thing will be the crown numbers dropping. |
Copyright Michael Morris 2001.