After beating Nottingham Forest: Give a man both hope and bread or just Warburton

Notts Forest 1 Cardiff 2

Give a man both hope and bread.

You had to rub your eyes. It was a dream from heaven. Here were the blue shirts of Cardiff City attacking with pace.  Attacking the Dougie Freeman’s Nottingham Forest With pace? No. Surely not. We know how Cardiff’s team play. Slow, slow, sideways, slow. Always wait until the opposition have plenty of time to compose their defence before doing anything so impolite as to actually launch an attack. Then try and catch them off-guard with a long aimless ball hoofed up to the opposition centre half so that they can attack us with their extra man in midfield.

Mason, in disguise with his new haircut, and Doyle reminding us what it is like to play with flair up field.

 

But, no. City players actually appeared to know who their team mates were and where they might be standing. They even passed the ball to each other in telling areas. Before you start up with the ‘argh if only we had been playing like this since Russell took over,’ let me remind you that this was against Notts Forest who are having a pitiful, gutless run. They were there for the taking. But in fairness City did a wonderful job in taking advantage of this.

But everything in perspective.

It was good to see Russell finish his time at Cardiff with a big smile and applause from the generous fans. We may not think highly of your tactical nous but we appreciate you are a good man dropped into a nightmare with no support. We can see the good traits shining out even when the world was against you. You were noble when the shit was thrown and restrained under fire. Hopefully these qualities will hold you in good stead for your next job.

Russell as I'd like to remember him. Good luck and happier times where ever you end up.

 

I know there may be some in the City boardroom who might just squeak ‘maybe loveable Russell isn’t so bad after all.’

Now hear this: we must have greater ambition. We need a manager who can move us forward.

The new bloke might be a young chappie who has actually watched continental teams playing and said, hey, even my Bournemouth can get results if we play possession football. Eddie Howe has developed a system of 4-4-2 that breaks into a high pressing 2-4-3-1 in attack. They have scored at least once in every game they have played.

http://outsideoftheboot.com/2015/01/14/bournemouth-tactical-analysis-of-the-cherries/

 Certainly they were the best championship team to come to Cardiff City stadium this season and it will be interesting to see how they do in the Premier League- with or without Kenwynne. Is there another Eddie Howe out there?

 

The new guy doesn’t have to be an old boy like Harry Rednap. Rather he could be someone with promise like Brentford’s Warburton. He seems to be getting the vote from many city fans and is definitely  a guy of interest. He is clever, he even worked as a city trader to keep his family going in a style to which his wife would like to remain accustomed. After ten years as a trainer he told his wife he was going on a tour of Europe to see all the different styles of play. (Yes Russell, there are systems other than 4-4-2). Along with this knowledge he developed a reputation as a tough guy, becoming known as a ‘marine’ to the players whose fitness and ability he bruisingly challenged. The result is for all to see. Brentford stormed into the championship and are now, in their first season, in the play offs. Just think what he would have done with that squad of players we had when Solskjaer moved on. I know, it makes me tearful too.


Warburton The Marine ...Cardiff is just over the Severn bridge, just turn right after Bristol. You will find us. We will line the route to the Cardiff Stadium with blue scarves to guide you.

Warburton has said he is leaving Brentford come what may at the end of this season. City fans must hope Brentford do not win promotion in the play offs else surely even he will change his mind.

 

In a nutshell beating Notts Forest 2-1 at their ground with a certain amount of panache brought a grim season to an end with a hefty dose of joy. We share Russell’s smile. But the future will be bleak if Vincent doesn’t raise his sights for a higher quality manager.

 

I will never forget this season’s despair. Not just the results, but the misery of seeing quality players appear inept and dull. Sometimes I left Cardiff City Stadium so full of despondency that I was unable to share my brain addled views on this blog. Mrs Scribe hid all sharp objects until mindless optimism returned on Monday morning. Better though than fans around me who would leave at half time with shaking heads, wondering why they bothered to come in the first place.

In truth, given what happened with Russell Slade, it might have been better to have stuck with Solskjaer and hoped he understood that a team has to defend first and foremost else a hundred attackers on the pitch won’t make a difference. A real shame it didn’t happen for him.

So Mister Tan, cheque book out and point Mehmet Dalman’s purposeful charm at Mister Warburton’s home address. Give us hope. A man needs both bread an hope to survive.

Mister Tan: The bread has paid for a wonderful ground, a reasonable squad and an excellent training ground. Thank you for that. Now give us hope with an exciting new manager.