Watford, lobotomized chickens and chasing a relegation place

Ok, here is my moan to kick start the rest of the moans. I travel from a village in North Wales to watch Cardiff city. It takes me over 4 hours to get here and over 4 hours to get back. I have to ensure my company’s workload doesn’t go across the weekend so I end up working long hours in the week.

I do this in order to watch my team run around the pitch like lobotomized chickens. Ah no, I do not want to be unfair to lobotomized chickens, some of whom may have a clue as to where they are going.

midfield tussle

It is nothing to do with the quality of the players. 

The keeper Marshall is one of the best in the championship and by rights should be playing in a higher division. Without him we would be floundering in the relegation zone. Today Watford ought to have scored at least 6.

The back four or Declan John, Brayford, Manga and Morrison would not disgrace a lower premiership side. If any are injured we have quality like Connolly, Fabio and Turner ready to step in.

Across midfield we have Gunnarson, Adeyemi and Whittingham,  all of whom would be snapped up by any other championship side.

Upfront we have LeFondre who has scored goals for fun before coming here and Kenwynne Jones, described by John Terry as one of the best strikers in the world – ok maybe Terry was being generous. We did have a whole carpark full of strikers after Ole Solskjaer’s pre season purchases.

As subs we have the quality of Ralls and Harris who haven’t had the shit kicked out of them by the coaching staff. They always impress.

So we have the players. We have the stadium. We have the support. Over twenty thousand at every home match. Everything is in place.

Except for … the managers.

Why do Cardiff bring in inexperienced managers?

OK I know I have being saying this for an age now, but Malky, Ole and Russell just have not achieved anything at this level. Oh I am sure they would all have learnt. Ole would have cottoned to the fact that you cannot change your defence every day the way you change your boxers. Malky would have noted that upsetting your boss isn’t going to work out in your favour. Russell will, I am sure, get there. But we don’t have the time to train him. 

defence

In all his games going back to November the following has been true: the opposition manager has changed tactics and confounded Russell. Russell looks a s bewildered the lobotomized chickens. Indeed after every match he expresses the same shock, surprise and wonderment at how we lost. Isnt he the one who ought to know why we are losing the mid field battles?

Watford was no exception. For about twenty minutes in the first half we were playing well, not exactly bossing the match, but playing ball to feet football and getting up the field with some purpose. Our attacks are still way too slow and why is Declan John so isolated when he powers up field with the ball? Where was his support? But we scored and appeared reasonably confident.

Then they equalised. Now from where I was sat, there were two offside players for Watford in their build up to the goal both of whom the linesman missed. But once they scored City just imploded. It was back to hoofing it up field with hope in the heart and nothing in the head.

Watford bossed the game. They dominated midfield as every team seems to have done since Russell took over.

Cardiff haven’t an answer in terms of tactics nor do they possess bite. There are no leaders either on or off the pitch.

There may still be time to hunt for a play off spot, maybe. Just maybe. We can forget automatic promotion as we are 17 points behind Bournemouth, a team who were almost relegated from the football league back in 2009.

The manager

We are only 11 points from a relegation place and as we haven’t won a game at home for six weeks then you would be better putting your money on relegation over a play off spot.

I have been saying we are a middle of the table team but now I know the truth, we are a poor team in the championship. Everyone will fancy their chances against us.

The answer lives down the road. Tony Pulis. He is available. Dunno if he fancies this poisoned chalice. What I fear is that Vincent Tan will still be saying Russell Slade is an honourable man in May when we are relegated to the division Slade knows so well.