MATCH DAY POST: Cardiff v The Mighty Blades

[Not_A_Cheat]

So after the narrow defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday, we're back on the road with the long trip to Cardiff. Colin's side have started the season in excellent fashion, along with an impressive 3-0 victory over Villa on Saturday. For me this is a tougher game than the one we faced Saturday due the fact that Cardiff seem to have started in excellent form. However they have never in their entire history won their opening 3 league games..... ;)

Anyway....

Any team news? :)

Unchanged from Saturday?

Or a slight shuffle of the deck? :)

Ched to get some game time in Wales? :)

We all know the disappointment of the manner in which we were denied a late equalizer at the weekend, but we can take heart from the fact we remained in the game until the final whistle. Anything similar tonight would be very welcome but Warnock's record against us since he left is excellent. Can't really see beyond a Cardiff win, perhaps 2-1. Really can't see us scoring more than one so if we are to get any positive result it will need an excellent defensive performance to secure it. Not saying to play defensive by any means, I just mean the defence will need to be on top of it's game......

Anyway safe journey folks, and I hope we get something for the travelling faithful

UTCB

[CHIPBUTTYBLADE]

Cardiff are expecting to win http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-v-sheffield-united-13474038

I'm going for a 1-0 to Blades with Ched getting the goal,but if they score i expect a hammering along the lines of 4-0.

[shorehamoldboy]

once again a point would be a great result wouldnt be suprised if we started with just 1 up front and carruthers or brooks just in behind even if we lose i expect us to stuff the dingles saturday so 6 points from the first 4 games would not be too bad imo

[Blade for Life]

I think Chris will keep it tight tonight and i am going for 1-1. I would be tempted to start Ched and Clarke with Duffy coming in for Carruthers. Samir and Billy coming on midway through the second half when Cardiff players are tiring.

[FatherKnowsBest]

Another difficult test for us tonight, especially with the Neil Warnock factor. It will start to show whatwe learned on Saturday,and whether we have enought to change it around. I think we'll do well to get out of Wales with a point, but I think thats what I'm predicting 1-1.

[rodcurrie]

Another difficult test for us tonight, especially with the Neil Warnock factor. It will start to show whatwe learned on Saturday,and whether we have enought to change it around. I think we'll do well to get out of Wales with a point, but I think thats what I'm predicting 1-1.I'm more worried abart that big bull of a Centre Forward Zohore and the speed of Mendez Laing,than the Colin factor.UTCB

[AceOfBlades]

i'm worried about where our 1 is going to come from

thats due to service more than strikers

[U-F-O]

i'm worried about where our 1 is going to come from

thats due to service more than strikers

Our strikers also need to be more clinical with the fewer chances that we'll get in this league as compared with Div1. I thought Clarke was waiting for a written invitation to shoot when he had that clear opportunity against Boro . When he did pulled the trigger it was far too late, the chance had gone.

[bulmer1889]

I've gone 2-0 on super6 not confident, hope I score no points of course along with Cardiff

[rodcurrie]

I've gone 2-0 on super6 not confident, hope I score no points of course along with CardiffSurely tha not losin faith already are ya Bully?:O UTCB

[Ayamonteblade]

Our strikers also need to be more clinical with the fewer chances that we'll get in this league as compared with Div1. I thought Clarke was waiting for a written invitation to shoot when he had that clear opportunity against Boro . When he did pulled the trigger it was far too late, the chance had gone.

Agreed UFO (whoever you are)............Clarke was way too slow on Saturday - not sure if he good enough to take the step up that this division demands.

[Blade for Life]

Sounds like we are under the cosh, Stearman pulled up and gone off. There pace is the difference.

[FatherKnowsBest]

Bit battered but still having a go...

[CHIPBUTTYBLADE]

Lucky to get away with just 2 in the onion bag.

[bulmer1889]

Surely tha not losin faith already are ya Bully?:O UTCB

Not losin faith at all me old pal,knew tonight would be a tough ask Cardiff are flying and they have something that could hurt us,pace up top,always bet with the head and not the heart,we will come back I'm sure of it,I have faith in the messiah

[bulmer1889]

I top scored in our super6 league at work rod btw ;D

[GuancheBlade]

Starting to realise why the likes of Clarke, Freeman and Fleck have always been perennial League 1 players. We need physically strong and pacey signings and we need them sooner rather than later.

[shorehamoldboy]

yes the wallet needs opening mr mcabe 😉

[Ayamonteblade]

Its up to the players to raise their game.............some will, some won't............but time should be given to allow them to adjust. We're not far off being decent, and I believe all of them are potentially good enough if they put the work in.

There aren't many "great" players in the Championship - but quite a very good professionals who are making the most of what they have.

[LesHiboux]

Tufty's hampered by the current wage structure. There are good Championship players out there (eg Winnall 500K, McGugan £350K), but it's the wages which are the sticking point at the moment. Wednesday's wage structure is ridiculous and ruinous, but there's a happy medium.

A lot of the sides in this league are physical, and you've got to batter them. The game between Cardiff and Wednesday at Hillsborough in the spring was a physical encounter, so what happened last night doesn't surprise me. Those who worry that this is becoming a non-impact sport would have had their fears allayed that day. 6012

[FatherKnowsBest]

Its been really interesting to see the reaction to our first back to back defeats in ages. Its been a lot more measured here than on S2, but its still being seen as the signal that we need to smash it up and spend, spend, spend. But hang on...

When we were all giving our predictions for the coming season, we were all talking about mid-table/lower mid-table. Therefore we'd have to ask...are Boro and Cardiff away, games that we might reasonably expect to win if we are in 15th place. It seems to me that these are not the games we need to judge ourselves by.

I'm not minimising the need for more pace and more strength, but we are meeting teams coming down from PL or those who have spent very heavily over several seasons to build their squads. Maybe we need to take a reality check based on what we all thought before started. Seems like since the first kick, there's a lot of Unitedites who imagine that we should really have had 9 points.

[Ayamonteblade]

Its been really interesting to see the reaction to our first back to back defeats in ages. Its been a lot more measured here than on S2, but its still being seen as the signal that we need to smash it up and spend, spend, spend. But hang on...

When we were all giving our predictions for the coming season, we were all talking about mid-table/lower mid-table. Therefore we'd have to ask...are Boro and Cardiff away, games that we might reasonably expect to win if we are in 15th place. It seems to me that these are not the games we need to judge ourselves by.

I'm not minimising the need for more pace and more strength, but we are meeting teams coming down from PL or those who have spent very heavily over several seasons to build their squads. Maybe we need to take a reality check based on what we all thought before started. Seems like since the first kick, there's a lot of Unitedites who imagine that we should really have had 9 points.

Everybody is vying for attention over there FKB - its a bit more chilled and reasoned over here :cool:

[U-F-O]

Its been really interesting to see the reaction to our first back to back defeats in ages. Its been a lot more measured here than on S2, but its still being seen as the signal that we need to smash it up and spend, spend, spend. But hang on...

When we were all giving our predictions for the coming season, we were all talking about mid-table/lower mid-table. Therefore we'd have to ask...are Boro and Cardiff away, games that we might reasonably expect to win if we are in 15th place. It seems to me that these are not the games we need to judge ourselves by.

I'm not minimising the need for more pace and more strength, but we are meeting teams coming down from PL or those who have spent very heavily over several seasons to build their squads. Maybe we need to take a reality check based on what we all thought before started. Seems like since the first kick, there's a lot of Unitedites who imagine that we should really have had 9 points.

Couldn't agree more FKB. As fans we all want the best for our club, but some surely need to mange their expectations a bit better. We've lost, not been embarrassed either, to two clubs that will surely be top ten or even better this season. We knew it was going to be a tough start so just need to calm down a bit. Lets see where our bar is set on Saturday against a club that did well last season and has had a mixed start to this but are apparently playing well.

[bulmer1889]

We're a point up on where I expected us to be and a point down on where I hoped we'd be so I'm not too concerned like FKB has said if we were to finish mid table who did everyone expect us to lose to or were we just going to draw every game ? I feel we need the extra players as we are light in a couple of areas especially now stearman may be out but as I said no panic here just yet