Cardiff - home - match thread

[seventwo]

I will be surprised if we make it three league wins in a row.
Not having Cunningham available will be a big loss and I'd hate to go back to Bell at LB, he just isn't good enough.

You'll know by now that I have a love in with Tosin and we'll need him to combat the aerial attack so my back four would be Bennett - Lenihan - Tosin - Williams. I know we shouldn't be tinkering with a successful CB pairing but TM is a tinkerman.

That's the only change I'd make to the team at Hull but TM will probably make one or two more.

[champs95]

I will be surprised if we make it three league wins in a row.
Not having Cunningham available will be a big loss and I'd hate to go back to Bell at LB, he just isn't good enough.

You'll know by now that I have a love in with Tosin and we'll need him to combat the aerial attack so my back four would be Bennett - Lenihan - Tosin - Williams. I know we shouldn't be tinkering with a successful CB pairing but TM is a tinkerman.

That's the only change I'd make to the team at Hull but TM will probably make one or two more.

I just think that CB partnership can't/won't be broken up. Its too effective and conceed's so little goals.
I just think he will go back to Bell, like for like (apart from the relative stanards of the 2 players)
I'm much more concerned about RB. Everything attacking wise from Hull the other night, came down his side again.
He improved and did a few ok things, but overall he just isn't up to it. Not in the side we have now. He stands out by a mile.
Concerning he is captain, as it appears he is there to stay for at least this season.
Lenihan is a born leader and captain of this young side, it's a no brainer.

[seventwo]

Yes, without doubt, Bennett is our weakest link in the current line up

[champs95]

Yes, without doubt, Bennett is our weakest link in the current line up

It's the one I just can't get my head around. I know TM likes experience in certain area's but we can see the quality in Johnson and Downing and if you compare that to Bennett, he is miles away from being good enough.
Also we can see the big impact getting in a decent LB does for the whole side. If we addressed the RB issue, I genuinely think we have a real chance this season. There is no outstanding side in this division.
I just feel a side with a big weakness in one position, with us its Bennett, it can hold you back. As well as we played the other night, he was laboured again. And we got lucky in that opening period where every attack was coming down his area of the pitch. I don't think Bell is that much of a liability, so I am not as concerned about him coming in for this game. That said, I do feel us missing Cunningham, is big loss. And he's only played a few games.
I really don't get why Bennett is captain, it means we are stuck playing him most weeks. And he isn't adding anything.

I have a similar opinion on Rothwell. I just don't believe he will ever get into the starting line-up. He was pretty poor the other night when he came on. He gave the ball away too much in those last 15 mins. I still see no improvement, he flatters to deceive. He just runs, head down into dead-ends. There is a reason why after all this time, he still can't be trusted. that one off goal vrs Forest was exactly that. A one off. He won't repeat that again in his career.
I would much prefer to see Chapman get a chance, who could be a good impact player. Rothwell just isn't. Buckley is a better player all round. Despite his physical attributes being a little on the thin side.

[seventwo]

It'll be a sad day when Chapman gets a game unless he's learnt to be a team player.

[AucklandRover]

I still think you're going over the top with your criticisms of Bennett, Champs.
He played very well against Fulham and Boro. For sure, it was tougher against Grosicki (who is an excellent player), but he got several important tackles in. Also there definitely wasn't as much assistance on that right flank as Cunningham got on the left.
Having said that, I DO agree that right-back is the problem position. I would much rather see Bennett doing what he does best: covering the central midfielders; protecting his full-back; picking up loose balls outside the opposition area.
The basic issue seems to be this: Mowbray is not convinced Nyambe is up to the job.
Personally, I think he should be risked, as long as Bennett is in front of him. However, we can't really have both Bennett AND Downing in wide roles unless we switch to 4-4-2, which TM simply doesn't seem to like. He definitely prefers to have three forward players.
Rothwell is a puzzle. Towards the end of last season, he had two or three very influential games. Unfortunately, he just isn't consistent. To be honest, I don't think either he or Armstrong read a game brilliantly. A couple of times on Tuesday, it looked like Armstrong didn't understand the off-side law! Did he do his wish to be the centre-forward any good? The jury's out! All the same, his pace is a real threat and he will surely earn penalties this season, especially as his small stature sometimes gets big centre-backs in a tangle.
Brereton is fit again, so - effectively - TM can choose any three from Graham, Gallagher, Dack, Brereton, Armstrong, Rothwell, Chapman, Butterworth.
I actually think it would be sensible for Butterworth to go out on loan to a lower Division, but I don't know if that window is still open. I can't see him getting much senior game-time with us, this season.
For the Cardiff game, I did wonder about 3-4-3, but TM is probably reluctant to try that experiment this early in the campaign.

[seventwo]

I've contemplated this match with a glass of wine
Cardiff are known to use two wingers and play a bit of route one.
Our full-backs are useless and the centre backs are midgets.
Surely this can't end well!?

[AucklandRover]

Seventwo - I think I have the answer:
Walton
Nyambe Tosin Lenihan Williams Bell
Bennett Travis Johnson Evans

Graham...

[seventwo]

But no playmaker....

[seventwo]

Well I guess there was never any doubt he would pick that team