Time to raid fellow surprise team Brann 29/11/2011
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2011/12.Tags: Brann, Coventry City, Kim Ojo, Nottingham Forest, Rudolph Austin
add a comment
Coventry City 1 Cardiff City 1
Cardiff City 1 Nottingham Forest 0
As Cardiff keep the impressive unbeaten run going, the Norwegian season ended on Sunday with SK Brann in a surprisingly good fourth place and as losing cup finalists.
(more…)
Points in the bag are better than games in hand 02/03/2011
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2010/11.Tags: Dave Jones, Nottingham Forest
add a comment
Just a few weeks ago Nottingham Forest had two games in hand on most teams above and around them, including Cardiff, and you felt they had a psychological advantage especially as they were in great form. They even looked like they could close the gap on leaders Q.P.R to just a couple of points.
Now those games are played and Forest are in fourth, two points behind Cardiff in third. That’s particularly sweet as Forest beat us 2-1 just ten days ago to go second!
It was nevertheless disappointing that Forest equalized so late on last night against Middlesbrough, but the most important thing was they didn’t win. Not many expected Scunthorpe to beat the Reds in the other game Forest had in hand, and it just goes to show, like Dave Jones likes to point out, just how unpredictable and tough the Championship is.
Another blast from the past 20/02/2011
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2010/11.Tags: Aaron Ramsey, Dave Jones, Jay Bothroyd, Lee Camp, Leicester City, Mark Hudson, Michael Chopra, Nottingham Forest, Peter Whittingham, Robert Earnshaw, Steve Thompson
add a comment
Nottingham Forest 2 Cardiff City 1
For the second time in under a week a former Cardiff City player got applauded by Cardiff supporters, did the Ayatholla and then scored against us. Steve Thompson’s goal for Burnley on Tuesday cost us two points, Robert Earnshaw’s goal for Nottingham Forest yesterday cost us three.
Shalom, Dekel Keinan! And a surprise reunion with Aaron Ramsey 21/01/2011
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2010/11.Tags: Aaron Ramsey, Blackpool, Dave Jones, Dekel Keinan, Nottingham Forest
add a comment
These are exciting times as new players keep arriving at Cardiff City!
What a contrast to the January transfer window last year, and this might be exactly what’s needed in our hunt for promotion to the Premier League.
After weeks of spuculation linking us with the player, Israeli international Dekel Keinan was today confirmed to have joined Cardiff on a two and a half year deal.
When I first heard about City’s interest in Keinan I was a bit skeptical as this is a player who have failed to break into the Blackpool first team since arriving from Maccabi Haifa in the summer. Having learned more about the 26 year old though and heard that Dave Jones actually tried to sign him before he joined Blackpool I’m more optimistic that this is a good signing. I think we’ll see Keinan partner Mark Hudson in Cardiff’s central defence very soon, although probably not against Watford tomorrow as the work permit still isn’t sorted out.
This Sky Sports’ portrait of Keinan is brilliant:
More surprising today was the news that Aaron “Rambo” Ramsey is returning to Cardiff on a one month loan from Arsenal.
Dave Jones tried to get Ramsey on loan last November, but Arsenal and Ramsey for some reason opted for Nottingham Forest back then, and it was reported that it was Ramsey’s own wish to go there and not back to Cardiff. Having played five games for Nottingham Forest before the new year, Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies made no secret of his wish to bring Ramsey back for a further period, so if Ramsey were to go back out on loan it seemed obvious he would be going back to Nottingham. Luckily for us that didn’t happen, and today the surprising but excellent news that Ramsey is back in Cardiff broke. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is keen to get Ramsey fully match fit after his lengthy injury layoff.
How Dave Jones will juggle all Cardiff’s loanees about, as only three of them can be on the field at the same time, I’m not sure, but to have Ramsey in our already strong squad is a great boost!
November rot 21/11/2010
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2010/11.Tags: Adam Matthews, Craig Bellamy, Darcy Blake, Dave Jones, Jason Koumas, Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra, Nottingham Forest
1 comment so far
Cardiff City 0 Nottingham Forest 2
I can’t help but to join the moaning choir: for Cardiff City November is for some strange reason a very bad month. Not even an England International and Craig Bellamy in the team seems to be able to change that. I fear it’s another case of Manager of the Month backlash, as the Cardiff manager winning that award never seems to be a good omen for the next month.
It’s somewhat of a mystery to me why City, sitting on top of the Championship and with the quality players we’ve got, didn’t seem to fire on all cylinders and see off Nottingham Forest at home. I understand Jason Koumas and Michael Chopra were the most notable players to have a bad day on Saturday, and when Bothroyd failed to put away two good chances it just wasn’t our day.
Adding to that, maybe all those people making a point of how Dave Jones seems to be “Plan B-less” are have more of a point than I’ve been willing to admit. Putting Adam Matthews on for Darcy Blake with nine minutes to go and being 0-1 down doesn’t exactly ooze with offensive guts. Perhaps Jones was hoping that some of Matthews’ trademark long throw ins should do the trick?
Next weeks top of the table clash with Q.P.R. in London is turning out to be even more crucial than expected, and with Q.P.R .still unbeaten and with our current form it’s not looking too promising. The only consolation must be that City are actually better away from home and that the motivation shouldn’t be a problem when the Bluebirds enter Loftus Road on Saturday.
I decide to remain optimistic and hope that Saturday will be the day that we show why we’re the best team in the Championship and the coming champions!
DJ sets the tune 11/05/2010
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2009/10.Tags: Blackpool, DJ Campbell, Fotballpuben, Nottingham Forest, Robert Earnshaw
add a comment
What a thriller of a match as Blackpool booked their place in the Play Off final tonight! Two goals from Cardiff icon Robert Earnshaw wasn’t enough for Nottingham Forest as Blackpool keep up their impressive form. DJ Campbell was the Blackpool hero with his hat trick and he’ll be a handful for City’s defense should we make it to the final.
Let’s hope for a cracking match tomorrow night as well – as long as Cardiff win of course!
I’ll watch the match at Fotballpuben in Bergen. Hopefully along with a few fellow Bluebirds supporters.
No fears 05/04/2010
Posted by NB in Cardiff City, season 2009/10.Tags: Anthony Gerrard, Chris Burke, Chris Gunter, Dave Jones, David Marshall, Joe Ledley, Kelvin Etuhu, Nottingham Forest, Peter Whittingham, Robert Earnshaw, Ross McCormack, Stephen McPhail
add a comment
Nottingham Forest 0 Cardiff City 0
An away draw against Nottingham Forest is definitely a point gained, and it’s great that having beaten both Leicester and Swansea recently Cardiff have shown there’s no need to have any fears in meeting these teams again should that happen in the play offs.
I got to watch the game thanks to the live streaming at bet365.com, and despite the game ending all square it was an eventful and fun match to watch.
Cardiff had to play without the injured Peter Whittingham which made way for Joe Ledley in the starting eleven. Chris Burke is still injured, so Kelvin Etuhu took place on one wing and Ross McCormack on the other. Etuhu deserves a mention, as he had a very good first 45 minutes making some brilliant runs showing his Premier League class.
There were two former Bluebirds in Forest’s line up: Robert Earnshaw and Chris Gunter. It was a nice gesture from the former when he just after missing a chance in the first half did the Ayatholla at the request of the Cardiff following.
There were chances both ways before the break. Cardiff looked particularly dangerous on corners and set pieces, but sadly couldn’t convert any of them into goals.
The first half also saw two “suicide attempts” from City. The first let Earnshaw through one on one with Marshall after a ball strangely being played high back into Cardiff’s own half by a City player. You would expect Earnie to score given a chance like that, but Marshall saved brilliantly. The second one came as Stephen McPhail wanted to take a free kick quickly in Forest’s half ignoring the two Nottingham players standing in his way only a meter or so in front of him. The ref let play continue probably thinking he’d punish McPhail for being stupid enough to take the free kick too fast, and Forest immediately attacked and nearly scored.
In the second half there was another “suicide attempt” as City gave the ball away near the goal, but again David Marshall pulled of a world class save.
Towards the end there was an unbelievable situation when Gerrard and Marshall – yes, that’s two Cardiff players – literally got in the throat of each other. What stupidity! They should have been booked the pair of them, and judging from Dave Jones’ reaction he’ll probably give them a deserved talking to. It was Gerrard who started it when he in a not very friendly way told Marshall he should have shouted for the ball. Marshall reacted and it was embarrassing to see them not being able to calm down and leave the discussion for after the match. Going off the field after the final whistle you could see them shaking hands and smiling, but a bust up like that doesn’t happen unless there’s some underlying reason.
Four league games to go now and Cardiff are still fourth with a six point gap down to in form Blackpool in seventh place. Sadly Swansea, Leicester and Blackpool all won today, so we’re not there quite yet. Apart from the incident involving Gerrard and Marshall though City can at least go into the final games feeling confident.
