Blue shirts, Fulham, Saddam Hussein and more urinals.

 

The fans applauded the players and the players applauded the fans. 

Mehmet Dalman and Ken Choo walked around the ground applauding the fans and the fans 

applauded Mehmet Dalman and Ken Choo for walking around the gorund. 

Russell Slade applauded the fans and the fans applauded Russell Slade.

The fans applauded themsleves and then reciprocated the gesture.

If Saddam Hussein had walked on to the pitch he would have got a round of applause and no doubt returned the applause.

It was that sort of day. 

Well it is not every day fans get their club back. I know it is not usual for blokes to get so worked up about the colour of the shirt they wear but then this is football. Tribal, divisive, us and them. And we are Blue. In fact, apparently, we will always be blue. 

By the start of this season I was beginning to think I would never hear the ‘Bluebirds, Bluebirds’ anthem again. The song echoes across the ghost of the Ninian Park Stadium, around the disembodied bob bank and billows at the back of mind. ‘Bluebirds – Bluebirds.’

Today it was back at the front of my mind. It boomed about the stadium, sung with gusto and relish by fans for whom Christmas came late but was no worse for that.

Talking of relish, if city continue to get gates this size they will have to increase the number of concessions below the stands else no one will get their burgers and relish on time. I don’t know if it was the cold, the excitement of the colour change or Cardiff still being 1-0 up at half time but you could barely get into the gents to take a wee. More beer stalls and more urinals  - else, I guess, no beer stalls and keep the same number of urinals. Something has to give and it could be my bladder.

Oh yeh, the game. Sorry, almost forgot.

Well, erm, better. I know I should be full of complimentary, flowery adjectives on this momentous day in the second decade of this wondrous century but all I saw was a visible improvement in the performance, nothing more. This is not the finished article.

Morrison scored in the 14^th minute and we tried to think of a Morrison song. There isnt one. I think we need to give that lapse in the hymn book some thought. 

Wth Fulham enjoying rejuvenation under Welshman Kit Symons you waited for their equaliser - and then their match winner. In fact as they picked up the pace in the final fifteen minutes that seemed the most likely result. Yet we somehow kept a clean sheet, also a wondrous event, and amazingly didn’t let a single goal lead slip away from us. When was the last time that happened? For that I say kudos to the players. We can build on that. That is a sea change in the expected way city play.

Some idiot on the radio on the way home said that Fulham were an average side. He should look at the table. They have won 5 of the last ten games before arriving at Cardiff on this extraordinary day. And you could see why. Ross McCormack is back to his busy-bee best, unlucky not to put a curling shot away in the first half.

But …no I mean BUT!!!, but Cardiff stuck to it. We gave the ball away far less than usual and when we had the ball there seemed to be options. Nice one Whitts, Adeyemi and Gunnarson. I like that set up. They can all play football, can all tackle and all have what it takes upstairs. Maybe when Pilkington returns we should be thinking of a 5 man midfield with a lone striker so that this trio can remain. All these midfielders can score so a single striker option should work. They seem to work together as well as any famous trio, the Musketeers, The Three Tenors or the Three Stooges. If Russell can find a way to keep them and put Pilkington on the wing opposite Noone then all he would need is a single classic number nine.

Noone sparkled, always dangerous. Fabulous athlete.

New lad Malone did a great deal well, but at times the left hand side of defence was as scarily deserted as when Fabio and Declan John play. He clearly has skill, wants to impress and has a knowing quality about him. Interesting that John not Fabio was brought on to replace him in the second half.

Simon Moore was pretty much untested because the defence seemed to have a better idea of closing down and the midfield worked harder to protect the defenders. It looks as though Russell has been working his lads hard over Christmas. What Moore did he did well including an important second half save.

Strikers. Hmmm. Don’t know. No one shone. LeFondre and Kenwynne are not delivering. Too early to commit myself about Alex Ravell. He seemed to get better as the match progressed but doesn’t seem to possess a whole lot of class. Please prove me wrong Alex or at least stick the ball into the net a few times. What I liked about him was how he shouted to other players about where he wanted the ball. So let us say there is promise.

Promotion? We are 11^th on 34 points. Watford, the sixth placed play-off side have 41 points. So do-able. Maybe. But we need other teams to drop points. The great thing about the Championship this season is that it isn’t - great that is. It is mediocre. The top side Bournemouth seem to have the best manager but are running with players largely from a division below, whilst City are running with players largely from a division above.

So I expect teams to drop points and the championship is famous for teams coming through on the inside. It could be Cardiff. The biggest question mark hangs over Russell Slade’s peaked cap. Has he got what it takes to craft these players into a side that is difficult to beat yet still capable of grabbing important goals.

Fulham was a landmark game, not because of the shirts but because it shows we can keep a clean sheet and hang onto a lead. After all that is all we need to do to get promoted.