Derby Beat Cardiff by Cheating ... they know what they are doing. Mister Tan has saved enough money from cost cutting to buy a proper manager

Since Russell Slade took over I have been saying we are a mediocre side in a mediocre championship. I have changed my mind. We are now a poor, gutless, directionless side in a relegation squabble.

We now have to win just about every home and away matches to get into the top 6 and we are a long way from drawing matches.

The reason it gets worse every week is that the players and the crowd have lost confidence in the manager. We know we cannot compete with sides like Derby who actually play a stylish possession and passing game. It is the sort of game we could play. We have the quality players who can pass and move ….except they don’t.

Honestly, the long ball game doesn’t work. Believe me. it gives away possession and then brings us under pressure.  Russell has been trying it since he arrived and the results are grow more and more  shabby. One win in 8 games. When you think of the fa cup fixture as being against a fellow championship side, Reading, then you can say it is one win in 9 championship fixtures. That is not relegation zone form that is bottom of the league form.

Oh yeh the game … well city showed a little more bite and determination, which was appreciated. Derby were given a penalty for reasons that even mystified them. Moore saved brilliantly to give City fans the first genuine cheer in eons. Their opening goal was unlucky with the ball touching Malone’s outstretched foot with just enough energy to miraculously make it spin slowly out of reach of the diving keeper. Just before half time the nail was thumped into the coffin with a far post header.

The second half showed some spirit but a complete lack of ideas. What do city players do on the training grounds? They must practice the long ball so why don’t they know what to do when they play it?

Ok here we go. I take no delight in saying any of this. Russell Slade may just be merely  incompetent in the lower leagues, (remember he was about to be sacked by Orient after a dreadful run of results) but in a higher league he is shamefully exposed as tactically inadequate. Game after game we are outplayed.

While Derby pass and move City get trapped and hoof. 

While Derby know where everyone is going to be City look as lost as someone arriving in the Cardiff city centre and trying to follow the mystifying road signs.

While Derby have a few opportunities to score City have just one.

While Derby play their best players City have Manga, Fabio, Adeyemi, Ralls and Kenwynne Jones warming the bench.

Slade is right in that we need more bite but we also need a little class too. How can you win matches with your best players sitting on the bench while reading the South Wales Echo -or whatever the subs do when waiting to come on.  I hope they don’t watch the match like the rest of us.

Slade must go. We need a professional in straight away. Maybe Russell Slade will learn the game at this level before the end of the season but we no longer have the luxury of waiting for him to master the basic aspects of the game. A month on from now surely we will be in the whirlpool of the relegation zone and then it will be too late. That it is a loathsome place to find yourself where everything always goes wrong.

I know I am repeating myself but please remember Neil Lennon, yes that Neil Lennon, wanted the job!

Tan may cut the players wages, and God knows they deserve to have their wages cut, but he must find the money to tempt someone who can do the job and motivate these players –unless it is already too late.