Cardiff City v Ipswich Town
Saturday 12th March 2016 – 15:00
Cardiff City Stadium
Opening Thought – Jamma
What a perfect night for Ipswich Town. With all of the teams around us slipping up, our third win on the bounce at Bolton sends us back into the top six. We just have to see out a nervy six – no, seven – minutes of stoppage… Ainsley! What are you thinking?!
I’d like to believe you don’t think I’m foolish enough to write the preview before the previous match is over and done with. I’ve been an Ipswich Town supporter long enough by now to know that we can take nothing for granted following this team of ours, even when 2-0 up against the side bottom of the league with 20 minutes to go! And the funny (perhaps not the right word) thing is, even as Christophe Berra added to Kevin Bru’s sublime strike, there was somehow the sense that the points weren’t safe. This feeling of unease was heightened when Lawrie Wilson lashed into the net for an instant response, before that late, late drama. Whether or not Ainsley’s Arsenal teammate Wellington Silva – having already been booked for diving – did a passing impression of Ruud Van Nistelrooy going to ground, we should never have got ourselves into that position. Maitland-Niles will not need telling that he should have put the ball into the stands, but this will be a steep learning curve for him, as well as the team in general. After Town conceded similarly late equalisers at Brentford and Forest earlier in the season, Tuesday night’s capitulation comes as a timely reminder that the game often lasts the best part of 100 minutes. We may have again ridden our luck, against a Bolton side which defied their precarious situation to turn in a commanding performance. But, regardless of how many world-class saves Bartosz Bialkowski is called upon to make, we have to be picking up the 3 points from such a position.
With four of the top nine losing, including three of Ipswich’s immediate rivals in the table, there’s no getting away from the fact that the two dropped points were an opportunity missed. Arguably even more important than a return to the top six would have been the sustained momentum which would have come with a third successive victory. As it is, Saturday will pit two wounded animals against each other, with Cardiff coming off the back of a home defeat to fierce rivals Leeds. I’m usually loath to use the term ‘must-win’ – in a league as competitive and unpredictable as the Championship, you have to pick up the points where you can get them. As Mike said pre-Bolton, and Mick post-match, we would probably have taken 7 points from the 9 available if offered them from Huddersfield, Forest and Bolton. But, with both clubs locked on 55 points, the winner on Saturday would have an advantage beyond just the 3 points. A home victory would put our opponents just out of our immediate reach, given their superior goal difference. If Town were to win, on the other hand, we would not only leapfrog Cardiff but would still have a game in hand on them to go with the 3-point cushion. With so much at stake, we really need to make sure we have got Tuesday’s disappointment out of our system.
The Opposition – Cardiff City FC
Riverside A.F.C. was formed in 1899 as a way of keeping players from the Riverside Cricket Club together and in shape during the winter months. In 1905, Cardiff was granted city status by King Edward VII, and as a result the club put in a request to change their name to Cardiff City, but the request was turned down as they were deemed to not be playing at a high enough level. To combat this, they arranged to join the South Wales Amateur League in 1907 and the following year they were granted permission to change the name of the club to Cardiff City.
Over the next two years, the club welcomed many of Britain's top sides to Cardiff, including Middlesbrough, Bristol City and Crystal Palace, with the matches being played at various grounds in Cardiff and nearby towns. The club would eventually move into their new ground, Ninian Park, in 1910.
With the new ground in place, Cardiff joined the Southern League Second Division. Their first match was a 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa. They stayed in the division for the next decade, apart from when the league was suspended due to the outbreak of World War I.
The club's most successful period so far has been the 1920s, in which they finished runners-up in the old Football League First Division, followed by two FA Cup finals in 1925 and 1927, the latter against Arsenal. The final against Arsenal saw Cardiff become the only team to have taken the FA Cup out of England, with a 1–0 victory. The final was also notable as it was the first to be broadcast to the nation by BBC Radio.
On 30 August 1920, Cardiff City played their first Football League match at Ninian Park.
This early Cardiff City team showed more than enough class to match others in the league, and they were promoted to the top flight of English Football at the first attempt.
1923–24 has proved to be the best ever in the league for Cardiff City. After a dramatic season in which they and Huddersfield Town tussled for the Championship title, Cardiff would have to settle for 2nd spot on goal average.
The following season was the first time Cardiff City appeared at Wembley Stadium in an FA Cup final versus Sheffield United, which they lost 1-0, and, as mentioned above, in 1927 they won the FA Cup final against Arsenal.
That FA Cup win was not the end of their cup exploits that season; they also won the Welsh Cup, defeating Rhyl by a scoreline of 2–0, and would go on to win the FA Charity Shield after beating the Corinthians 2–1 at Stamford Bridge.
In the 1928–29 season, Cardiff City were relegated from the First Division of the Football League. However, this was only a sign of things to come for the Bluebirds, and after two seasons in the Second Division, they were once again relegated in 1931 into Division 3 South, and in 1934 they had to re-apply to stay in the Football League after finishing last.
They were crowned champions of Division 3 South and returned to the Second Division in the 1946–47 season. Finally, they finished second level runners-up and returned to the top level after 23 years in the 1951–52 season.
During the 1960s, Cardiff began qualifying for European competition for the first time through the Welsh Cup. Two years later, the club would go on to reach the semi-final of the Cup Winners’ Cup, the furthest any non-top division club has ever gone in European competition.
The club remained in the old Second Division except for the 1975–76 and 1982–83 seasons.
Between 1985 and 1993, Cardiff were continuously in the lower two divisions of the league after being relegated to the Third Division. They were relegated to the Fourth Division once in the 1985–86 season and were promoted to the Third Division in 1987–88 as runners-up. Two years later, they dropped into the Fourth Division for the second time. Cardiff won the new Division Three championship in 1993 but were relegated two years later, and in 1996 finished in their lowest ever league position – 22nd of 24 in Division Three. They finished third in Division Three in 1999 and won automatic promotion to Division Two.
Having sold his interests in Wimbledon, Sam Hammam purchased control of Cardiff City in August 2000. Shortly after he took over at Cardiff, the club crest was redesigned. This new design incorporated the Cardiff City bluebird in front of the Flag of Saint David, and featured the Club's nickname superimposed at the top of the crest. Lennie Lawrence guided Cardiff to promotion via a Division Two play-off triumph in 2003.
The Bluebirds established themselves in Division One during the 2003–04 season, finishing in 13th position. They struggled to a 16th position finish at the end of the 2004–05 campaign and ended the 2005–06 season with an 11th position finish.
After failing to get the new stadium plans agreed by Cardiff Council due to concerns over financial security in 2006, Hammam agreed to a takeover by a consortium led by new chairman Peter Ridsdale but the club remained £40 million in debt.
Datuk Chan Tien Ghee (TG) took over as chairman on 27 May 2010 after a meeting on the same day. Vincent Tan also invested and joined the board.
Cardiff changed their home colours to red and black, as well as their badge, from the 2012–13 season in exchange for an investment plan from the Malaysian owners, including a new training facility, stadium expansion and a transfer budget. Cardiff topped the Championship and with it gained promotion to the Premier League for the first time, but were relegated after only one season with 30 points from 38 matches.
Last season, Cardiff finished 11th place in the Championship table on 62 points.
One To Watch – Lex Immers
Cardiff City are a very different animal these days, having replaced a team of big-name high earners with some hungry youngsters and players with a point to prove (sound familiar?
). One such player who is looking to make a name for himself is recent arrival Lex Immers.Immers has enjoyed a good start to life at the Cardiff City Stadium, having signed on loan from Feyenoord in the January transfer window. He hasn’t taken long to settle, scoring 3 goals in his first 6 outings for the club. The 29-year-old started out with boyhood club ADO Den Haag and scored a number of crucial goals in his five seasons in The Hague. His form attracted the attention of Feyenoord, who snapped him up for a reported €1 million in the summer of 2012, with the Rotterdam club’s Kevin Jansen also going the other way. Immers arrived at De Kuip with a big reputation, and lived up to it by scoring 30 goals in his 100 appearances. Russell Slade decided to add to his striking options for the run-in, and it seems to have been a shrewd move so far, as Immers has added two further goals to the one he scored on his debut against Huddersfield. This has not been the only factor behind the new arrival’s popularity amongst the Bluebirds’ support. On being officially unveiled as a Cardiff City player, Immers said, ‘I’m very excited to be coming from one of the biggest teams in the Netherlands to the biggest team in Wales’, much to the annoyance of Swansea fans. But Cardiff’s big rivals may have had the last laugh, when their director John Van Zweden posted the below picture of the Dutchman apparently supporting the Swans in the 2011 play-off final!
…and in his Swansea-supporting days!
The Gaffer – Russell Slade
Slade started out as a PE teacher at Frank Wheldon School after studying sport at University. Having had an extended career at reserve team level, Slade entered professional sports coaching with Notts County in 1993.
Slade was assistant manager to Mick Walker at Notts County, and took over as caretaker manager when Walker was sacked in September 1994. When County appointed Howard Kendall as manager in January 1995, Slade stayed on as his assistant.
Slade was then appointed manager of Midland Alliance side Armitage, then moving on to Southern Football League side Leicester United before having two separate spells as caretaker manager at Sheffield United.
Slade's first permanent managerial post was at Football Conference side Scarborough. When he arrived in November 2001, the club were adrift at the bottom of the Conference and looking doomed. However, a remarkable run of 39 points from the final 19 games of the season meant Scarborough finished 12th. In January 2003, two days after the club went into administration, Slade tendered his resignation. The fans presented a tearful Slade with a petition at the next game and on the Monday morning he changed his mind.
The following season saw mixed league performances, but a tremendous FA Cup run, with victories over Hinckley United, Doncaster Rovers, Port Vale and finally Southend United following a replay, meaning a glamorous home tie against Premier League Chelsea. Despite losing 1–0, Slade's side had put up a tremendous battle.
At the end of the 2003–04 season, Grimsby Town decided not to renew the contract of manager Nicky Law following relegation to League Two. Slade was appointed as their new manager. A midtable finish ensued in the 2004–05 season but Grimsby spent most of the 2005–06 season in an automatic promotion spot in League Two, also managing to topple both Derby County and Tottenham Hotspur in the Football League Cup. Town eventually finished the season in 4th place but were unable to secure promotion, losing in the final against Cheltenham Town.
Slade's success with Grimsby had attracted League One side Yeovil Town, and he was appointed as the Somerset club's new manager. Slade led Yeovil to a surprise 5th place play-off finish in the league. Slade's successful first season at Yeovil saw him win the League One Manager of the Year award. Slade left his post at Yeovil on 16 February 2009, despite having won four consecutive matches immediately prior to this, as he had become frustrated with the club's lack of ambition.
On 6 March 2009, Slade was appointed manager of struggling Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season, and succeeded in ensuring they avoided relegation from League One.
Slade was appointed manager of Leyton Orient on 5 April 2010, six matches before the end of their season and with the club in danger of being relegated from League One. However, Slade managed to win the club 10 points from their last six matches, enough for Orient to avoid relegation by a single point.
The following season, he guided Orient to 7th place, one point outside the play-off places, as well as a fifth round replay at Arsenal in the FA Cup.
Slade was unable to build on the previous season's promise during the 2011–12 season and the club finished in 20th, but the next season he was able to guide Orient to another 7th place finish.
The 2013-14 season was Slade's most successful as he led the club to the play-off final, where they were runners-up after a penalty shoot-out. It was a record-breaking season, though, as Orient recorded their best ever start to a season and highest ever points tally. Slade twice won the Manager of the Month award and was named as the League 1 Manager of the Year.
However, after the takeover of Francesco Becchetti during the summer of 2014, Slade's Orient side started poorly, failing to win any of their first 3 home games. Slade was given an ultimatum by Becchetti that he had one game or it was ‘curtains’.
Just days after being issued the ultimatum, Cardiff parted company with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Slade became the favourite. After four attempts by Cardiff to bring in Slade, he tendered his resignation at Orient, on Wednesday 24th September.
Last season, Slade led Cardiff to 11th place in the Championship.
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
Trev's Trivia
Players to play for both teams
Andy Legg ITFC LOAN 1997 CCFC 1998–2003
Neil Alexander ITFC 2007–2008 CCFC 2001–2007
Mark Kennedy ITFC 2010–2012 CCFC 2008–2010
Michael Chopra ITFC 2011–2013 CCFC 2009–2011
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas ITFC 2011–2013 CCFC (loan) 2011
Media Watch - K L Blue
Kevin Bru on his season
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/29239/
MM on McGoldrick and Bishop
http://www.sudburymercury.co.uk/sport/m ... _1_4451690
Stat Time
Head to Head
Cardiff City Wins...................11.....(25.58%)
Ipswich Town Wins................19.....(44.19%)
Draws................................13.....(30.23%)
Cardiff City Goals.................46.....(1.07 Ave Per Game)
Ipswich Town Goals...............68.....(1.58 Ave per Game)
Head to Head at Cardiff
Cardiff City Wins....................7.....(33.33%)
Ipswich Town Wins.................8.....(38.10%)
Draws.................................6.....(28.57%)
Cardiff City Goals..................25....(1.19 Ave Per Game)
Ipswich Town Goals................31....(1.48 Ave Per Game)
The Predicted Teams
Cardiff City
Russell Slade will have been happy with many aspects of Cardiff’s play in defeat to Leeds, as they created enough chances to get something out of the game. One enforced change will involve Fabio, who will be suspended following his red card. This could mean a recall for Sean Morrison, with Matthew Connolly filling one of the full-back slots.
1 David Marshall
16 Matthew Connelly
4 Sean Morrison
5 Bruno Ecuele Manga
28 Scott Malone
8 Joe Ralls
22 Stuart O’Keefe
7 Peter Whittingham
37 Tom Lawrence
13 Anthony Pilkington
27 Lex Immers
Ipswich Town
Mick McCarthy will again be sweating on the fitness of one or two players, with Kevin Bru being forced off with a nasty-looking knee injury in midweek and Cole Skuse and Daryl Murphy hoping to pass their respective fitness tests. This could lead to a rejig in formation, with five across midfield a possibility to lend added protection for the back four.
33 Bartosz Bialkowski
4 Luke Chambers
5 Tommy Smith
6 Christophe Berra
3 Jonas Knudsen
19 Luke Hyam
8 Cole Skuse
15 Ben Pringle
22 Jonathan Douglas
20 Freddie Sears
9 Daryl Murphy
Marko's Caption Competition
Some excellent captions there for the ITFC bath picture. Very amusing. Some weird scores as well as there were draws! So the scoring is as follows:
Scores
Barmy (lifting out the bath caption) 5pts
Quasar 4pts
Derick (bellend caption) & Number 9 3pts
Barmy (photographer caption) & Hallamblue 2pts
LEAGUE TABLE
DerickIpsw 71
Ando 68
Frosty 59
Blueblood 59
Barmy Billy 55
Nicscreamer 50
James Scharmann 44
Number 9 43
Herforder 36
Quasar 28
IpswichtownNO1 25
Shed on Tour 25
Bluemike 19
Watership Down 17
Ashfordblue 17
Floors 16
Hallamblue 12
Tangfastic 10
Charnwood 10
Kerry Blue 9
Longjohn 9
Foxy Lady 8
Loudnproud 6
Ohiotractorboy 3
Karlywoo 1
Have a go at Vince.....
Match Referee - Andrew Madley
Final Thought - Frosty
In true Ipswich Style we manage to make things hard for ourselves, but then again, why take the easy path when you can keep your fans on the edge of their seats until probably the last regular season fixture?!
In all honesty, disappointed but not overly surprised, everything has been already said by others in regards to the Bolton game so let’s just put that behind us.
Saturday’s visit to Wales is an interesting one, we might have been disappointed with our points return from Tuesday night, however Cardiff will be gutted at gaining nothing from the visit from Leeds the other night also.
Everything points to a nervy tense match as both teams are tied on 55 points on the table, chasing a playoff berth and in recent times the results have been shared between the two sides. A draw is probably where the smart money lies on Saturday.
Only two fixtures to keep an eye one this weekend, the Owls are visiting the Forest and Wolves could do us a favour on Sunday if they win their local derby against Birmingham.
One thing I noted when reading through the threads after the Bolton game is the massive commitment of fans on here who travel many miles and many hours to support the side wherever they are playing, often arriving home again in the early hours of the following morning. No doubt there are many of us that would love the opportunity to do the same, but full credit to the fans that do make the effort come rain, hail or shine match after match.
Let’s hope after being totally outplayed by Cardiff on Saturday we come home with the 3 points after an own goal by the opposition in the 94th minute.
COYB!
CARDIFF CITY 1 IPSWICH TOWN 1
very good.
makes me giggle too.
