| Report
from NigelBlues. City had an unchanged
side from Saturday and started brightly, looking to
shake off last Saturday's defeat. However the pattern of the game quickly
emerged - City looked strong at the back, knocked the ball about classily in
midfield with Carpenter dominant (best game so far for City), Fowler and
Brazier showing their quality, O'Sullivan and Bonner grafting hard but nothing
happening up front. How much longer can we keep pointing out the problem and
requirements? Nigel USA recognised the problem after 10 minutes. This isn't
moaning after a 0 - 0, we've all been saying it even when we were winning.
The only time City looked dangerous was when the ball was moved at pace. They
did this often but nobody was more frustrating than Dai Thomas who rarely went
direct, laid the ball off even when there were shooting chances and is very
short on confidence.
The best first-half chances fell to Mark Bonner who shot narrowly wide after a
smart move of 5 or more passes and a well hit shot outside the area which
Orient's very able keeper saved confidently.
Best chance came a minute before half-time and it was Dai Thomas who missed a sitter.
Fowler hit the ball wide towards Brazier who closed down a defender
and won the ball near the corner flag. After cutting inside, he laid the ball
back to Dai standing on the edge of the area with the Orient keeper out of
position. He could have held the ball and run forward, he had that much
space, but elected to place the ball into the far right corner. Sadly, he put
his effort wide of the post - the ground sighed as one.
The referee was booed off by the ground as he let a number of strong
challenges go unpunished. There were numerous fouls from both sides but only
1 booking for an O's player. Ref's beeing booed? Never heard of that before!
HALF-TIME City 0 Orient 0
Dai Thomas had another goal-den chance almost from the kick-off when Jason
Fowler played him in superbly but, yet again, he held up the ball and the
opportunity had gone.
Shortly after, City had a lucky escape when Jon Hallwoth [producing a superb
stop from a far post effort. It surely is the sign of a top goalkeeper when
Hallworth can do this most games when he goes an hour with no action but stays
alert.
Showing up stronger still in the half was Richard Carpenter who looked
outstanding in his tackles, distribution to the wings and all he did.
City pressed on but rarely committing men into deep positions. Jason Fowler
created another opportunity for Dai Thomas. For once, he volleyed the ball
first time to bring an excellent save out of the O's keeper.
The game went quiet and it became obvious that in, Williams, Lee Phillips and
Middleton, there wasn't quality on the bench to change the game. Let's give
Earnie or Roberts a chance on the bench.
In the last quarter of an hour, City came closest. A Carpenter corner was met
full on at the far post by Scott Young who headed against the post with the
goalie nowhere to be seen.
Fowler had a couple of attempts but the best moment of the game came in the
final 15 minutes, when Brazier charged forward and smashed a 30 yarder which
beat the despairing keeper but also the post when the crowd believed he had
scored. A superb effort whih missed by a fraction.
City got it wrong tactically. For all their pressure, they rarely troubled
Orient and they failed to commit players forward. In the final 20 mins,
Orient had pulled 7 players back for corners/set pieces but City never had
more than 3 in the area!
The final whistle blew, decent performance, no penetration and no goals -
enough said.
Report from Muhz.
How can we dominate a game for such long periods and not make
the posession
count? We showed an alarming lack of creativity in front of goal and I predict
changes will be made to the starting line up before for next weeks game.
During the first half city played some quality football and stroked it around
nicely without looking to penetrate. Bonner in particular seemed too keen to
look for a square ball when surely he could see as easily as the rest of us
that Orient were prone to panic attacks when we ran at them. Poor Dai thomas
desperately wanted to do well tonight but has no confidence whatsoever. On
three occasion he should have shot but chose to chip to the far post or lay it
square to a team-mate, and when his golden opportunity came before half time
after a superb pull back by Brazier he pushed it wide from twelve yards when
he should have scored.
brazier in the first half was an inspiration, and City will struggle without
him. Even though I thought he only came out of the tunnel half an hour after
half time I do feel the club should try to sign him. £100k for a player of
this quality is not a lot of money, and I think a bid of £75k might be
successful. On tonights evidence brazier would not disgrace Juventus, while
Dai Thomas is destined for Fray bentos.
One or two funny decisions from the officials as usual, and The full back
marking O'sullivan could have been booked on two occasions in the first half.
he wasn't, and his confidence grew as the game went on with the result that
the second half saw little progress down the right. Ford doesn't look fit to
me, and his support play was poor. Young was sound, Mitchell generally
untroubled but a couple of silly moments.
Fowler promised much but the final ball was never a telling one, and his head
dropped like a schoolboy's in the final half hour. Brazier shone as did
Carpenter. Bonner came into it more as Osullivan faded from an excellent
start, but Bonner must be more positive.
As for the front two - We had two target men again tonight. Nugent was a
little off his best, but Dai and he were playing "either or". Neither one was
capable of playing off the other. A Nugent / Dale sort of partnership would be
the one I'd pick if I could, but maybe its time to give one of the youngsters
a chance, or even reduce the thing to a simple level and play Williams' speed
off Nugent for the first hour.
Changes needed! Five points wasted in four days which could have seen us well
clear.
Report from AOL
Cardiff City dropped two more points at home when they failed
to beat a poor
Leyton Orient side at Ninian Park.
Dai Thomas had a shot palmed away by Orient keeper Chris MacKenzie and a Matt Brazier
effort flew just past the post.
The match started in promising fashion for the Bluebirds with Brazier
prominent down the left flank.
Orient rarely troubled the City rear guard and Jon Holworth was only tested
once by an Alex Inglethorpe shot in the second half.
City brought John Williams on for Thomas in the last 10 minutes but they were
unable to break down a solid Orient defence. |
