10/1/15 - Cardiff City v Fulham Ill open today by quoting Kavanagh, our old captain. He said, to become a hero when the going gets tough you fight to improve and give everything to the cause; cowards want out or give up or just hope things improve. We certainly arent a club of cowards and whichever side of the politics surrounding OUR club you lean to, what Kav said is our best way forward. Thank you to GL for our chat about this. My third round FA Cup tie blog caused a real stir in the forums and on Facebook. I was dismayed at people running down my opinions because they dont match theirs when actually, everyones counts. People seem to think that because I wasnt a fan thirty years ago (literally was busy being born) that my fresh take on it all is just for limelight. Thats genuinely not the case. I blogged before and Ill blog after. I stand by the fact that I enjoyed the beginnings of a positive atmosphere, I did also pay homage to the fact that the stadium was eerily quiet but it WAS great not to miss any action through fans walking out during the game and blocking my view. Ill also confirm that what was rare about Kenwynes goal was that he scored it within the same minute as walking on to the pitch, I am aware of Kenwynes consistent achievements for us. Onwards and upwards, because I really shouldnt have to explain myself. This is a blog and a blog is one persons opinion the second its published. Like our club, I am ever-changing. That all said, which I wrote earlier in the week is water under the bridge because the boys are back in BLUE! So, Cardiff City v Fulham - lets go! I arrived early to a busy stadium (with a fixed roof !), I dont know what to expect atmosphere wise, its busy outside and around the band, which is where I can always be found pre-match but the crowd are fairly subdued - I think were all in shock! The sea of blue is a pleasure to view. Its the 25th fixture of the current season and the magic for us has finally happened. We are blue again, blue to the public anyway, because we were always blue inside, as I always said. Parka announces to our block hes going to propose to his girlfriend tonight if we win...I so want to know if he does! Pre-match, as Dalman and Choo do their lap of honour - to tumultuous applause - were all chanting away, theres a real party atmosphere, I cant help but wonder who the next City fall guy might be, Russell, sort it out... Kick off, its the loudest roar this season, we all stand up, amazed to finally hear and say the boys are back in blue! Our January signing, Scott Malone starts for us with Alex Revell on the bench. I was watching Malones pre-match warm up on the headers with Brayford, he has pace and flair, but needs to leave the hair alone... 6th minute and City are down after a dreadful tackle, only resulting in a yellow card for Fulhams number four. For the first time in what seems forever, the Canton stand demand Slade does the Ayatollah. He does, we want to get behind you Slade, show us you want us there. Doing the Ayatollah is like a NASA small step. Brayford looks handsome back in blue, Welsh Girl definitely approves for that reason alone! Brayford and blue - my two favourite b words. 12th minute and we get to witness the first of these superbly long throw-ins that Gunnarsson is producing lately. They almost bring about the same opportunities at goal as a corner does. Theres another in the 14th minute which results in an excellent goal by Sean Morrison. The initial header was saved by Fulhams keeper, back out to the players and Morrison finds it to send to the net. One nil to the boys in blue. UPS (although this one of his isnt so useless!) reminds them not to let it slip now. Im enjoying Ben Turner as Captain, there was just a tense moment as Fulham advance towards Moore and Turner is really directing the play and I can see the players actively looking to him for this lead. Brayford has upped his pace of late, I may be biased, he is a WGOTB favourite. I also really like Adeyemi in our starting team, hes a worker, tearing up and down the pitch, really putting pressure on the opposition to make mistakes, to retreat and ultimately give the ball up. This is a real skill of his. However, the ball does end up back in our box, Malone is on it with an awesome header away (still fixing his hair though) and Fulhams ex-Bluebird Ross McCormack does the Ayatollah. 27th minute, Fulham win a corner, outed by City, clawed back by Fulham, claimed again by Craig Noone and pushed up. Allowing, in the 29th minute, yet another Gunnarsson long throw, no goal here, but I note that City maintain the pressure to keep the ball passing around in the same end for a good five attempts to take it back to at least near the goal. We havent seen play like that for a long time. Bemused by the fact that some fans - not at the ground - are still moaning. This time about Fabio and Machedas non-presence in the starting lineup. Personally, I like that were mixing it up a bit and utilising our fresh signings. Regular WGOTB readers will know that I LOVE Fabio and much to my dismay, Im pretty sure hell be on the move this month. Welsh Girl will miss you, Da Silva. 39th minute and Fulham put Simon Moore to good use, the ball was way closer to our sticks than it needed to be, not sure how that came about, but it was a real chance, which breaks the Fulham fans silence. We appreciate you letting us have our moment. Kenwyne Jones is our biggest and best brick in the wall; our striker is also a versatile and determined defender as we saw today. To respond to the moans about Macheda, I think this is the reason hes not consistently making the start. In this game, Macheda would have remained central on the pitch, waiting for the ball to be brought to him, whereas Jones creates the play. 45th minute precisely and City excitedly skim the crossbar. 2-0 would have been nice... Half time, we sub Jones for new boy Alex Revell. Malone and Noone are already showing signs of a phenomenal partnership; Malone is just what Noone needed, they seem to have a good understanding of one another already. A Whittingham corner almost straight away, Morrison on the header, hes definitely after a second goal today, no luck this time. Im noticing Adam Le Fondres new found spirit too, hes running down the Fulham keeper (whos had a ball popping our blue balloons !) We havent seen this drive for a while either. Momentum to our play. The first ten minutes of this second half were feisty, our City players were albeit queuing up for a try at goal, putting great pressure on Fulhams defenders and keeper. 59th minute and Fulham earn a shot at goal, Referee uses the foam technique but the ball finds itself safe in the hands of Simon Moore. Wheres Marshall, is he off this month too? I sit back and take in the rounds of Ill be there... - fellow Bluebirds, we missed you while you werent actually here, but glad youre back with us, united through blue, to quote Madam Low Sieng Beng, togetherness, unity and happiness. Thank you. Noones turns on the ball are just pure class, hes thriving today, if only he could be rewarded with a goal. His Fulham partner, their number 37, is literally glued to him. 66th minute, corner given to Fulham, very lucky not to see a change to the scoreboard with that. 67th minute, a Whittingham corner curled too far, landing on to and going over the crossbar. Heres a UPS classic for you, as we enter the used to be dreaded seventieth minutes, they can do it when they try... Cant we all? This game is a clash of two mid-table teams, the opportunities were present, could have been a high scoring game if either had the depth to see them all through. Times like this I miss the presence of Hudson, Macnaughton and Mutch. 79th minute, ALF turns to goal with a kick lacking power to no avail. 81st minute, that fans applaud Malones debut as hes subbed off the pitch for Declan John. 83rd minute, another Whittingham corner, it goes straight to Morrison who heads it Adam Le Fondres way, so close to goal, ALF heads it too, just the defensive way and away it goes to the other end. 89th minute and Simon Moore flies through the air to catch a Fulham free kick. Tense. 90th minute, a potentially fateful corner to Fulham on the announcement of three long minutes of Added Time. City sub ALF for Kadeem Harris, why? Id love to know. No score from the first corner but Fulham straight away win another, luckily one of their players - Im too wired to see who - donkey kicks it way up into the air and away from goal for us. A win in blue at home, just a perfect day. Lastly, to the lady who stopped me and congratulated my efforts, thank you, you made my day, which was already pretty ace. DIOLCH. #ILikeMyBallsRound #OneNilToTheBoysInBlue #22515 #ThankYouForTheSupport
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 21:47:17 +0000
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