With the majority of Bluebirds agreeing that Mark Hudson’s recent contract renewal was well deserved, it seems an appropriate time to assess how well our defence is doing. Particularly since the arrival of Ben Turner, this season’s defence is seen to be reliable and solid, but do statistics prove this impression to be correct?

Following the 0-0 draw with Doncaster (14/01/2012), Cardiff have conceded 27 goals in 26 games of the 2011-12 season, with a fairly even split between goals conceded at home (14 in 12 games) and away (13 in 14). Based on these figures, we are on course to concede 48 goals this season (27 at home, 21 away), whilst we are also on course for an impressive 18 clean-sheets (we currently have 10 in 26 games). To put this into context, the best defence currently in the division belongs to West Ham, on course to concede 41 goals (currently 23 in 26), whereas the worst are Ipswich, currently averaging 90 goals conceded across the whole season (51 in 26 so far).

It’s clear to see Cardiff are far nearer the top than the bottom then. In fact we are currently 8^th overall, and Southampton are the only club in the top 7 to have conceded more, but the gap to most above us in this table is 1 or 2 goals so it is fair to say the defensive is performing well, if not superbly.

So, if the impression that The Bluebirds’ backline is one of the better around seems justified, what about the suggestion that it matches up favourably to those in seasons gone by? One way of gaining a fair idea of this is by looking at the statistics for the previous four full seasons (not including play-off games), thus going as far back as 2007-08 season, where the most common centre-back pairing was Johnson and Loovens, a partnership very highly regarded by many City fans. The most striking thing about the numbers is the sheer consistency: in 2010-11, Cardiff conceded a total of 54 goals with 13 clean-sheets; in 2009-10 it was again 54 with 13 clean-sheets; 2008-09 saw 53 conceded with 14 clean-sheets; while in 2007-08 we let in 55, once again keeping 13 clean-sheets. Not for the first time, it can be said that Dave Jones’ side were nothing if not predictable! In comparison to previous years then, Cardiff are on course to concede fewer goals and keep more clean sheets – a definite improvement.

What has caused this improvement then? One explanation for our seemingly improved performance may be our choice of system. For much of the season we have been playing a 5 man midfield, which offers more protection to the defence than Jones’ four-man midfield. Our style of play could also play a part in this: in the previous four seasons we conceded comfortably more in away games than home ones. This season that pattern is reversed, suggesting that while Jones was punished for playing equally openly away as at home, Malky is content to keep it tight on our travels (hence the number of dull away draws), while opening up more at the Cardiff City Stadium. It could also be argued that the acquisitions of Turner and Taylor have significantly strengthened our back 5 in terms of adding greater individual quality.

Another reason may be the relatively settled defensive unit: Marshall has started all but one game in goal, while McNaughton, Hudson and Taylor all have above 20 starts in defence. The only position left is that of Hudson’s partner and even that has been consistent in that Turner has been the clear first-choice once fit (he has 16 starts, Gerrard 13). The other seasons in question saw far more disruption: the 2009-10 season was the only one of the four under Jones examined where one ‘keeper played more than 40 games. It was similar story in defence, other than the 5 mentioned above, Darcy Blake is the only defender with more than one or 2 starts (7) and a number of these were in midfield. The only year with a defence seemingly as settled was 2008-09, where 5 defenders each started at least half of our league games: McNaughton, Purse, Gyepes, Johnson & Comminges(!), even then, this backline faced the disruption of playing under 4 ‘keepers who made more than 5 starts each (Heaton, Enckelman, Taylor, Konstantopoulos). Perhaps this serves as a warning: injuries and suspensions do mount up during a season, affecting the consistency of selection, and may move our projected total nearer to the mark of previous years.

Over the four full Championship seasons examined, the average total number of goals conceded by those who finished in the play-off positions was 49. This is slightly lower than Cardiff’s projected total, but it’s also worth noting that in the past 2 seasons we have been comfortably above that figure and finished fourth – the goals going in at the other end make a difference too! Interestingly, the average number of goals conceded by teams in the top 2 positions is 47, just 2 lower than the average for teams 3^rd – 6^th, perhaps proving once again that one or two goals can make all the difference (just ask our 2008-09 team!). If Cardiff can maintain their current defensive efforts, the statistics suggest we are on course for a play-off finish, if they can improve on their projected total and keep scoring at the other end, The Bluebirds could be flying even higher.

Right, before starting let’s make a few things absolutely clear: this is not a criticism of Malky Mackay, who’s doing an excellent job. It is not a criticism or examination of Malky’s appointment. It is not even an analysis or debate over whether or not sacking Dave Jones was the right move. What it is, is a defence of Dave Jones, an angry reaction to the near constant criticism he seems to be receiving, either directly or implicitly by comparing this season’s team to last. It is also an attempt to remind those with short memories what a superb job Jones did at Cardiff City, as depressingly, many seem either to have forgotten or to have never appreciated it in the first place.

On Tuesday night, co-commentating on our game with Coventry for Radio Wales, Jones informed listeners that he had applied for the vacant manager’s position at Leicester City, saying that he had come down to the final two applicants, before the Foxes opted to appoint Nigel Pearson for a second spell at the club. This revelation prompted what was essentially guffawing on twitter from a decent number of Cardiff fans. Comments flew in, most with the general message of “Yeah right, whatever Dave” and “I applied for the Leicester job too and got down to the final two, I just didn’t tell anyone. Hahaha” – wit worth of Oscar Wilde, undoubtedly. Why did this suggestion cause such amusement and consternation?

Any relatively objective examination of Jones’ CV proves him to be a more than viable candidate. Even ignoring (for now) his job at Cardiff: he has earned promotion to the Championship (then known as Division 1) and reached a League Cup semi-final with Stockport; did a very steady job at Southampton in the Premier League (before the horrendous, disgusting and unfounded accusations that changed his life); and earned promotion to the Premier League with Wolves (where “choker” Jones’ side won a play-off final 3-0). Clearly, the man has an excellent track record at Championship level.

This brings us closer to home, and Jones’ job at Cardiff City. Any way you view it, Jones’ tenure saw massive and hugely impressive improvements at the club. Off the field, most of his time as manager was with the backdrop of horrendous money problems behind the scenes that had a huge effect on the playing squad: Jones was forced to sell the likes of McAnuff, Collins, Gabbidon, Jerome, Gunter, Ramsey, Chopra, Loovens, Johnson (the list goes on and on), simply to keep the club afloat. He did this, bringing in replacements for a tiny fraction of the money received, and continued to improve the team year on year, a remarkable achievement.

Want more evidence of the club’s growth under Jones? Just look at average attendance figures. Jones’ first season’s average 11,802 whereas by his final season (in a new stadium of course) that average had almost doubled to 23,231. That constitutes a huge increase, considering we did not change division in that period, and represents the growth in stature of the club under Jones, as well as making the club much more money from ticket sales, of course, helping to make the club a far more attractive proposition for investors (and indeed, prospective future managers).

On the pitch, as fans we were privileged to see the sort of success unheard of for decades at Cardiff City. Fourth place finishes in the last two seasons constituted the club’s highest league finish for 40 years. Looked at objectively, Jones’s teams overachieved in every season of his tenure, apart from his final year. Even this though, is debatable. As @mirkobolesan has pointed out on Twitter, of Cardiff’s squad last season, only 2 players (Bellamy and Bothroyd) are now playing in the Premier League, so perhaps the squad wasn’t as good as often assumed.

Supporters were able to see some of the most talented players to play for the club in generations: Bothroyd, Koumas (first time around), Ramsey, Whittingham etc were/are wonderful players to watch and played for a side committed to good, attractive, attacking football. This last point is an important one to remember, especially considering how many Championship sides and managers achieve (or try to achieve) success based on dour, defensive, long-ball football. Of course, probably Jones’ biggest achievement was taking the club to the FA Cup final in 2008. Us, Cardiff City, in an FA Cup final! Who can honestly say they thought they’d ever see that? Yet the manager who took us to Wembley is so often and easily derided by large sections of our fan-base.

The final point, one particularly relevant recently, is the denigration of Jones by unfavourably comparing this season’s team to last, or to his teams in general. After the Reading away victory, even a Cardiff City employee tweeted: “As against Southampton, Palace & every game in Cup, today’s was a game we would not have won last season.” This sort of quote is basically being regurgitated from a lot of people every time we win a game this season, presumably because we show “grit” and “passion” and other things terrace geniuses seem to believe have more input than tactical intelligence and, y’know, ability to play football. Funnily enough though, after we drew 1-1 away to Leeds, a game in which we were battered for the vast majority of the 90 minutes, nobody seemed to be pointing to last season’s 4-0 annihilation of the Yorkshiremen at Elland Road and saying “see, these are the types of games we’d have won last season”.

The easiest way to debunk this myth is to resort to cold, hard, facts. Cardiff City are 18 games into the season and have 31 points. After 18 games last season? 36 points. For those who don’t trust their maths, that’s 5 points more. Clearly, to this point at least, we are not winning games “we wouldn’t have won last season” or if we are, we’ve dropping points in a lot of games we wouldn’t have done last term! This isn’t a criticism of our performance this season, which has been very impressive and hopefully will continue to be, but it does clearly show that lazy comparisons with last season are not based in reality and those making them should try doing some research to back up their views.

Obviously, Jones had his faults, no-one will argue otherwise and he wasn’t perfect. What this doesn’t change though, is that the job he did was nothing short of excellent, and whether you like him or not, one of our best ever managers earned and deserves the respect so many idiots seem desperate to deny him.

There are nine league games sandwiched between this week’s international break and the Championship’s next recess, and for Cardiff City it’s a run of fixtures that starts with Reading and ends with Reading; a mid-winter gauntlet that could define the Bluebirds’ season.

Of these upcoming clashes only one is against a side currently in the top half of the table, third-placed Middlesbrough. The remaining eight games pit Malky Mackay’s men against lower-half opposition, presenting them with an opportunity to amass a decent points tally and in a division notorious for being tighter than Joan Rivers’ face, a fruitful period could see Cardiff edge away from their rivals and set up camp in the play-off places.

It’s often said that the Championship is an unpredictable league; with everyone capable of beating each other, but wouldn’t it be nice to peer into a crystal ball and discover what lies in wait for the Bluebirds over the coming nine games? Well I’m about to make your wishes come true with the unveiling of an infallible scientific formula.

If one dissects the current league standings into quarters rather than halves, some interesting patterns emerge regarding City’s results against teams residing in each zone.

They have played four of the top six (not including themselves of course, that would be silly), winning three of them and drawing a game against Blackpool that ought to have been a victory had it not been for an extravagant level of profligacy in front of goal. The Bluebirds have had similar success against the teams propping up the table; of the bottom six, Barnsley, Bristol City and Doncaster have been defeated in comfortable fashion while games against the remaining three strugglers are due in the coming weeks.

It’s not all sunshine, lollipops and rainbows though. Cardiff have played every side currently placed seventh to twelfth, winning only once, drawing twice and losing to Hull, Brighton and Peterborough – the only three losses of Mackay’s reign – while half of the teams situated between thirteenth and eighteenth have been faced with the games against Ipswich, Portsmouth and Burnley all ending in stalemate.

Ignore the fact that the fixtures against the relevant teams took place when the standings weren’t as they are now and just marvel at the simplistic brilliance of this flawless discovery; the top six tend to be defeated, the bottom six are beaten comfortably, a game against an upper-mid table side is likely to end in a loss, and a clash versus lower-mid table opposition is a certain draw.

What connotations will this incredible scientific breakthrough have for the Bluebirds’ impending fixtures? Will they triumph against teams in the tables’ nether-regions and falter against mediocrities’ finest?

It would be foolish to predict upcoming results based solely on this bulletproof theory, not least because by Christmas the table will look like a distant, slightly older relative of the present one. I may be many things but I’m certainly no fool, which is why I’ve recruited the help of the BBC’s football predictor to give an extra layer of impenetrable certainty to these forthcoming prophecies:

19^th Nov – Reading (a) DRAW (0-0)

At fourteenth in the table Reading lay firmly in the gut of the Bluebirds’ lower-mid table excitement vacuum. With six draws so far this season, four of those at the Madejski, Reading are the league’s draw specialists, alongside Cardiff and four others. They boast one of the division’s most frugal defences but are hampered by the least prolific attack outside the bottom six (and the freakishly goal shy Hull), and with half of City’s away clashes ending on level terms a certain stalemate beckons. Sadly, Cardiff fans hoping for payback on the teams that inflicted 2010/11’s end-of-season embarrassment will have to wait a few more weeks.

22^nd Nov – Coventry (a) WIN (4-0)

Relegation certainties Coventry have won only twice this season and have picked up a meagre twelve points. Worse still for the Sky Blues, their hammering at home to West Ham in their previous game will leave them marooned at the foot of the table, in the category of opposition against whom Cardiff have a 100% win ratio. This success rate may have been achieved in games at the Cardiff City Stadium but the trip to the Ricoh Arena should still be like taking candy from a baby for the Bluebirds, or at least like taking three points from big, bald, baby-lookalike Andy Thorn.

26^th Nov – Forest (h) DRAW (1-1)

Forest’s victory over Ipswich the preceding weekend has hoisted them out of the bottom six and its guarantee of failure, and into eighteenth, the draw quarter. It’s the third November in a row that City have hosted the Tricky Trees and this has all the hallmarks of an epic one-aller similar to the encounter at the CCS in 2009. The Bluebirds will take an early second-half lead before a last-minute Dexter Blackstock strike levels the score on his return to the ground where he suffered a nasty knee injury last year. Ironically, the stalemate will see Forest drop back into the table’s danger zone.

4^th Dec – Birmingham (h) DRAW (1-1)

Oh joy, by virtue of playing four games fewer than the rest of the division Chris Hughton’s Europa League adventurers are another team placed firmly in the heart of dullsville. The pessimism corner brigade will be thrilled with consecutive home draws but Cardiff may have dodged a bullet. The point gained from this game and the three from their subsequent win over Hull lift Birmingham to tenth – if this encounter had taken place a week later the Bluebirds would have been doomed. As it stands City remain fourth, one point behind Middlesbrough and five adrift of second-placed West Ham.

10^th Dec – Millwall (a) WIN (3-1)

Thank Gawd for the lowly Lions. After only one win in four for the Bluebirds, Kenny Jacket’s men provide the perfect fodder, and by ‘eck it’s a tasty victory. A comprehensive demolition of the division’s twentieth team sees Cardiff pick up their fourth away win of the campaign and neatly sets up a third versus fourth battle with Middlesbrough the following weekend. Poor Millwall never stood a chance and the remainder of their season promises to be a tough old slog, their only saving grace is that they aren’t Coventry.

17^th Dec – Middlesbrough (h) WIN (1-0)

It’s appropriate that this clash takes place in the chilly grip of mid-December because, as everyone knows, revenge is a dish best served cold. It was the humiliating capitulation to Boro at this venue in May that ended Cardiff’s automatic promotion hopes and the Bluebirds’ impressive record against the top six this season will allow them to take a small measure of retribution on their dream slayers. This early Christmas present means the Taffsiders usurp the Teesiders in the race for promotion and it extends Cardiff’s unbeaten run to ten games, their longest spell undefeated since March 2010.

26^th Dec – Watford (a) WIN (2-1)

Malky Mackay’s return to his former employers’ gaff promises to be a balls-out-ding-dong-toe-to-toe scrap befitting of Boxing Day. Don Cowie and Andrew Taylor bag the win for the Bluebirds over a Watford side long acquainted with the league’s relegation zone. Cardiff fans travel back down the M4 to tend to their turkey leftovers in jubilant mood after three consecutive victories for the first time under Mackay. Regardless of the result against Forest on New Year’s Eve they will end 2011 as they started it, in the Championship’s top three.

31^st Dec – Forest (a) WIN (4-2)

A Christmas miracle occurred on Boxing Day! Forest’s loss at home to Peterborough confirmed they’d head into this encounter as one of the Championship’s bottom six, or as it’s also known ‘Cardiff City’s din-dins’. A fourth win on the spin sees the Bluebirds close the gap to second-place to two points and ensures they end the year on a high. Tonight, City fans are going to party like it’s 1999, although back then they had Jorn Schwinkendorf, Winston Faerber and a competent Robert Earnshaw for company. Oh how times have changed.

2^nd Jan – Reading (h) DRAW (0-0)

And so we finish where we began, a nil-all draw with Reading, bringing to a halt a successive run of victories. The Bluebirds can’t be blamed though, if Brian McDermott insists on keeping his side in the quarter of the table designated draw-friendly then try as they might a scoreless impasse will always be reached. It shouldn’t take the shine off an unbeaten run of results (five wins, four draws) that has seen City climb to third in the table. They may remain four points away from the automatic promotion spots, but they’re also only four points from top and nine points clear of seventh. And with Cardiff three points better off than at the same stage last season promotion surely beckons.

Place your bets now, science has spoken.

After 16 league games, more than a third of the season, most people are starting to form (or have formed already) concrete ideas on both the team and each individual new player. It has now been long enough to go beyond mere first impressions and has been enough time to offer a cautious initial evaluation of the players signed by Malky Mackay and Cardiff City over the summer. Of course, while most fans have already formed opinions on the players, it’s still far too early to be definite about them, there is plenty of time to prove any doubts wrong (or indeed for performance levels to drop off). It’s also important to remember that the disintegration of Dave Jones’ squad at the end of last season necessitated a lot of signings (10 have been made in total so far) and also meant that the club perhaps needed to buy more players to go immediately into the first team than they might do normally.

(part one of ‘Mackay’s buys’ can be found here.)

Filip Kiss (Season-Long Loan)

Another young midfielder, Kiss came to Cardiff as current captain of the Slovakia Under-21 side. However, despite his youth he’s certainly not lacking in confidence on the pitch, flying around snapping at the heels of the opposition to the extent that despite starting fewer than half the league games so far, he has committed more fouls than any other Bluebirds player. Kiss’ aggressive style has won him friends amongst the fanbase but it has to be said a number of his tackles are excessive and he definitely looks like walking the disciplinary tightrope on numerous occasions this season.

His ability on the ball has also been questioned, though in certain games, particularly away from home, he has impressed: scoring his first goal at Derby while also driving a depleted team forwards at times in the second half at Hull. Kiss is very much a rough diamond at the moment, but if we harness his ability and aggression correctly he should prove a valuable addition to the squad, as he adds a bite that our midfield can otherwise sometimes lack.

Joe Mason (£200,000)

A relatively unheralded signing from crisis-club Plymouth Argyle, Mason’s impact has surprised and impressed many. Making his debut as an early substitute against Bristol City, Mason was superb, running the Robins ragged all game. A creative player, capable of playing up front or behind a striker, Mason likes to control the ball before looking for a clever pass, while his movement is also impressively intelligent for one so relatively inexperienced.

There are some reservations to be made though – he does not look ready to play up front against some of the better defences in the league (his best performances have been against woeful Bristol City and Barnsley sides) and his finishing is far less impressive than his build up play. The advantage is that for one so young he has plenty of time to improve, experience tends to be a great aid to creative players and he has experienced players around him at the club to help him improve further. He has already shown more than enough to suggest that years down the line we could be looking back as his signing as an outstanding bargain.

Kenny Miller (£750,000-ish)

The most high profile (and oldest) of our summer signings, Scotland striker Miller initially struggled badly for form and confidence, despite the perfect start of the opening day, Robert Green assisted, winner at Upton Park. However, as he was late into pre-season and playing catch-up somewhat, particularly when dealing with the transition from another country, that was not entirely unexpected and some of the criticism received was unwarranted.

Hopefully, in recent weeks he has really seemed to hit his stride, becoming our leading scorer with 5 league goals and exhibiting the type of finishing that has made him sought-after throughout his career. His movement is outstanding, as is his work-rate, though his all-round game outside of the penalty area leaves a lot to be desired. Established as the focal point of the side, leading the line alone, he has thrived on the chances being provided from midfield. If he stays injury-free, which has been something of a problem so far, he looks like being the regular goal scorer all good teams need as well as justifying his price-tag.

Andrew Taylor (Free Transfer)

A cynic might say that Andrew Taylor’s greatest asset is not being Lee Naylor, but snideness aside; he certainly seems to be the long term filler of a left-back position that proved consistently problematic last season.  After playing under Mackay at Watford, Taylor chose to join the Bluebirds despite numerous offers from other clubs and has cemented his position in the side. Clearly a player who fits into what Mackay wants from his full backs, Taylor can also play in midfield as is clear from his comfort higher up the pitch. Having already scored once from open play and provided a number of assists, Taylor’s attacking threat from full back offers a very useful outlet for the Bluebirds.

However, there is a downside in that the defensive side of his game is less impressive. Taylor looks very uncomfortable against wingers who run at him, backing off an alarming amount, and this is a very definite vulnerability in the Bluebirds defence. However, his positive impact on the team certainly outweighs the negatives at the moment and as long as this stays the case, he looks to be another very good value signing.

Ben Turner (750,000)

The last of the summer signings and frankly the strangest. Turner looks potentially a very good player – he is a big, dominant presence at the centre of the defence and his form since becoming first choice has gradually improved and is more impressive when considering his nine months out of action through injury. The question surrounding this signing though is that in a summer when relatively little money was spent (Turner is one of only 3 signings who came with a fee), why was so much money spent on a centre half when the first team squad already had 6 player who’d proved themselves capable of playing that position at Championship level (Hudson, Gerrard, Keinan, Blake, Gyepes, McNaughton and possibly a 7^th in Quinn).

It is also reasonable to suggest that Turner doesn’t seem to add anything particularly lacking in the squad: he is a very similar player to Hudson and Gerrard. Evaluating his signing is therefore quite complicated: he looks a perfectly good player, but perhaps not at this stage good enough to justify spending money on a player in a position already so thoroughly covered when other clear gaps remain in the squad.

So in summary, it’s fair to say that Malky’s forays into the transfer market have so far been a great success. While none of the 10 signings have been an unmitigated success, it would be very, very harsh to describe any of them as failures. All have already made important contributions to the side and/or look capable of doing so later in the season. It is also important to note that, perhaps due to having to replace so much of the first team squad, all have already seen considerable amounts of action, there have been no instances of players signing, then seemingly disappearing off the face of the Earth (Martin John, anyone?).

The consistency in performance and lack of weak links when analysing the signings is exceptional, and if Malky is able to strengthen the squad while maintaining these high standards, and the current new boys continue or even improve their current level, the Bluebirds could be in for a very exciting season.

After 16 league games, more than a third of the season, most people are starting to form (or have formed already) concrete ideas on both the team and each individual new player. It has now been long enough to go beyond mere first impressions and has been enough time to offer a cautious initial evaluation of the players signed by Malky Mackay and Cardiff City over the summer. Of course, while most fans have already formed opinions on the players, it’s still far too early to be definite about them, there is plenty of time to prove any doubts wrong (or indeed for performance levels to drop off). It’s also important to remember that the disintegration of Dave Jones’ squad at the end of last season necessitated a lot of signings (10 have been made in total so far) and also meant that the club perhaps needed to buy more players to go immediately into the first team than they might do normally.

Craig Conway (Free Transfer)

Most fans would agree it has been very much a mixed bag from the burly Scotsman so far. Capable of looking our most dangerous player but also of being maddening ineffectual and frustrating, and sometimes both things simultaneously! Scoring just 1 goal so far, a 20-yard drive against Bristol City, Conway has laid on numerous goals for his teammates through his dangerous crosses into the box. Playing on the left, he has a habit of cutting inside to produce in-swinging crosses, sometimes to excellent effect, but he appears to rely on this too much and needs a bit more variation. His decision-making and finishing can also let him down, the game at Blackpool being a perfect example: time and again Conway was released on the left and though he provided the cross for Don Cowie’s goal, he could have produced so much more and helped the Bluebirds to a richly deserved victory.

Since returning from an injury picked up against Leicester, Conway’s level has dropped and there has been frustration in some quarters at recent performances. His potential is clear to see though and he could benefit from the purchase of another winger – currently the only natural one in the squad, another similar player could offer a bit of variation and perhaps allow Conway to play on the right-hand side sometimes. For a free transfer though, he is definitely representing excellent value for money at this stage.

Don Cowie (Free Transfer)

The only player Malky has brought in directly from his old team Watford, Cowie is the epitome of what Mackay wants from his Bluebirds side. With fitness levels already becoming legendary amongst fans (Kevin McNaughton described him as the fittest player he’s ever played alongside), Cowie’s energy around the pitch is ceaseless. Having started all league games (and 3 of 4 League Cup ties), he is clearly seen as indispensible to Malky’s team and it’s easy to see why.

He already has 3 goals in the League and numerous assists and seems able to link up very effectively with the likes of Kevin McNaughton and Peter Whittingham. The only criticisms so far is that he occasionally goes missing for periods of games and sometimes looks slightly uncomfortable on the right wing, appearing more suited to a central role. These are minor complaints though, and few would argue that signing him on a free transfer represents anything other than very good business for the club.

Robert Earnshaw (Free Transfer)

As discussed at greater length in a previous blog, those currently criticising and writing off Earnie are somewhat short-sighted. Unlike his incredibly successful first spell, he is not the focal point of a team built around his attacking talents, but the predatory instincts remain. 3 goals in 8 starts represents a more than decent return (in fact it is a ratio almost identical to that of Kenny Miller) and at the start of the season, with Miller struggling for form, Earnie was clearly our biggest threat.

His performances dropped off somewhat more recently though, and it is clear that he isn’t suited to playing up front on his own. However, for influence both on and off the pitch it would be harder to find a better player to have on your bench in the Championship: if he’s provided with chances, he will score goals and this knack could prove crucial towards the end of the season in a potential play-off chase.

Rudy Gestede (Free Transfer)

A real bolt from the blue for City fans, young French forward Gestede signed after a successful pre-season trial spell and has quickly established himself as a popular figure with fans. Another player whose tireless work rate has impressed, Gestede is capable of making himself a real handful: he’s not short of pace and is 6”3 as well as being armed with a great leap.

Probably more impressive than many people expected, he has seen most of his action from the bench but is off the mark in the league. Concerns remain about his erratic finishing and susceptibility to injuries (particular hamstrings) but his emergence has been a pleasant surprise to most fans and he seems to be another astute free signing by Mackay.

Aron Gunnarsson (Free Transfer)

Despite still being just 22 years old, the Icelandic midfielder joined us with three full years of Championship experience under his belt, which has helped him slot into midfield without too much fuss. After returning from an injury suffered early in the second game of the season, Gunnarsson was initially deployed at the base of the midfield diamond employed by the Bluebirds. In this position his performances were somewhat erratic – some brilliant ones mixed in with others that were very average.

However, since the side moved to a 5 man midfield, Gunnarsson has thrived. Given the freedom to burst forward from midfield, the timing on his runs into the box has been exemplary and has led to him scoring 3 league goals. As yet another bargain free transfer, with time on his side, if Gunnarsson can maintain the high level of consistent performance exhibited recently, he could become a very important player for the side for years to come.

(The second part of ‘Mackay’s buys’ will follow tomorrow.)

On Wednesday Cardiff City released a statement detailing the pricing structure for the forthcoming League Cup fixture against Blackburn Rovers. The ticket prices had increased, which was to be expected. What wasn’t expected, however, and what has caused upset and unrest amongst some fans, was the decision to reward ambassadors with cheaper tickets.

In the current economic climate, many fans have found themselves in a position where they simply can’t afford a season ticket but try to get to as many games as they possibly can. The cup run has been a godsend for these people who are on tight budgets. What this pricing arrangement has done is to alienate these fans by questioning their loyalty as they don’t have a season ticket.

The attendances for the home cup games so far has been akin to Welsh internationals. Against Huddersfield it was 6,829, while 8,697 saw us go through on penalties against Leicester, and in the last round, 11,601 saw us see of Burnley. Many of the ambassadors that I have spoken to haven’t been bothered to go to these games and from my understanding, a large proportion of the crowd was made up of fans who do not have season tickets.

Let me make this clear, it is not the price of the ticket that is being called into question; it is that non-season ticket holding fans that have ticket stubs from the three home cup matches are not being rewarded for their loyalty. Would it not have been easy, or a nice gesture from the club, to include these people in their ‘reward’? Or even better, just have one fixed price for everybody, therefore nobody feels hurt or let down by the club?

Just because a fan doesn’t have a season ticket, it does not mean they are not a loyal supporter and maybe the club need to consider this in future announcements.

The clocks turned back an hour this weekend but if they had rewound a little further, to mid-June, they would have found a football club heading for a shipwreck.

Cardiff City was rudderless. Davey Jones’ had walked the plank and returned to his locker after six years at the helm, and the club’s board were floating in murky waters, sifting through the flotsam and jetsam of managerial candidates and drifting perilously close to Alan Shearer.

Michael Chopra had become the latest of the crew to abandon ship following the departures of Jay Bothroyd, Chris Burke, Gavin Rae and Adam Matthews while seven loanees had returned to their home ports, most notably the talismanic Cap’n Craig Bellamy.

Nemesis-in-chief Swansea City had navigated a course to Treasure Island and there was a consensus that the Bluebirds’ lily-livered scallywags had blown their chance to plunder such riches. Fans had abandoned all hope; the club was sinking and only Cod could save them now.

Four months on and City appear ship-shape and back on course. Supporters have taken to the cut of Malky Mackay’s jib and his eleven summer recruits are finally finding their sea legs. The fishy whiff that stank out the Cardiff City Stadium in mid-June has a-bait-ed (may have jumped the shark with that one).

Now almost a third of the way into Mackay’s debut season and Cardiff have a brace of upcoming fixtures against opposition currently higher in the table but above whom they finished last season. And with Derby and Palace remaining largely unchanged from their classes of 2011 the outcome of these games should provide a barometer of how Mackay’s men are faring in comparison to Jones’.

Sunday’s draw with Leeds offered some indication as to the differences between the two sides. Mackay’s side turned in a toothless display but earned a point courtesy of the fine custodianship of David Marshall. The stalemate was the fourteenth game of a season that has so far seen the Bluebirds pick up five wins and amass 21 points.

At the same stage last year Jones’ Cardiff had twice as many wins and a healthy tally of 32 points. The Elland Road fixture was the thirteenth of the 2010/11 season and a majestic attacking performance resulted in a 4-0 victory that hinted at a table-topping campaign. Jones’ side failed to fulfill the promise shown that autumn evening and the massacre of Leeds remained the high-water mark. They won only thirteen of the remaining 32 games, finishing the season with 80 points.

Mackay’s team are projected to earn 69 points if they maintain their current form; a total likely to leave them outside the play-off places. This though is a side still gelling and victories were expected to be sparse in the season’s opening fixtures as the players became familiar with their new teammates, tactics and manager.

Mackay assembled his squad for around £2m, slightly more than the amount raised from the sale of Chopra to Ipswich, and in a matter of weeks rather than the six years Jones had to gather a squad capable of earning promotion, albeit under financial constraints that dictated the sale of his best players each season bar his final two.

The current Cardiff side may not have attacking players of the calibre of Bellamy or Bothroyd but they have netted only four times fewer than at the corresponding time last term and have only failed to score once. Mackay’s squad can boast midfielders and defenders equal and arguably even superior to their predecessors but more importantly the Scot has formed an adhesive and competent unit with an impressive work-rate. Jones’ Cardiff was not a team but a collection of occasionally inspired individuals who would puncture often drab performances with moments of brilliance.

The most significant difference between the classes of 2011 and 2012 though is not the manager, the tactics or the quality of player but the level of expectation from supporters.

In many ways Jones was a victim of his own success, expectations rose each season with the club’s continued improvement and grew further with the boom or bust loan signings of Bellamy, Jason Koumas and Aaron Ramsey. In maintaining successive promotion challenges and assembling the most talented group many fans had ever witnessed, Jones made a rod for his own back. Anything short of promotion was likely to end in his departure, and his side, though brimming with ability, was lacking in coherence, determination and fortitude, and it failed.

Mackay on the other hand is armed with the defence of ‘transitional season’. After losing thirteen players – most prominently four of Jones’ famed front five in Bellamy, Bothroyd, Chopra and Burke – Mackay is being afforded some leniency and sympathy as he begins creating a new team. This may in part be due to the indication that, in signing seven players under the age of 25, he is building for the future and filling the squad with promising young talents itching to showcase their skills at a higher level.

As understanding within Mackay’s team develops and players grow comfortable with each other’s games the squad could realise its potential and register a final points tally that stands favourable comparison with last season’s. If, however, promotion is not achieved, fans can take comfort from a season in which Mackay has laid the foundations for the following years and with it ensured a summer that’s unlikely to see Cardiff City floating ominously towards the rocks.

We’ve seen the banter on twitter, most of us have met at least one of the players at some point, but what are they really like? How do they really interact with each other? Wouldn’t you just love to be a fly on the wall when they’re all in a room together?

Friday 28^th October, I was lucky enough to get that opportunity. Not actually being a fly obviously, that would just be weird! Rhi Davies @smileyrhi had won a ‘training day experience’ and invited her cousin to join her and her friend Carl and his son. Fortunately, her cousin had to drop out, so I bravely stepped in!

On arrival, we were shown into a room where we were told we would have tea and toast brought to us. What we weren’t told, was that this was the players dining/hang out room and as we took our seats at our table in the corner, it very much felt like all eyes were upon us. The room consisted of 5 big tables, a staffed kitchen area in the corner, a group of 3 sofas arranged around a television, which I didn’t see changed from Sky Sports News and then three rooms along the side. Malky’s office, the coaching staffs office and a player recreation room – a small room with some sofas, a television and a PlayStation.

Trying to casually look around without staring, it was all just a bit too surreal; McPhail was sat on the sofa behind us reading the paper, Darce and P-Whitts were sat next to each other at one table having a quiet chat, Parky was bounding around with his larger than life personality clear for everyone to see. Gyepes, randomly, just kept appearing from various doorways!  It was all very laid back.

With the players off getting themselves ready for training, we were given a tour of the facilities. I was struck by the large canvas prints on the walls, very much focussing on the team and the ‘in it together’ mentality we’ve seen displayed on the pitch. I wanted to pinch one for my lounge but unfortunately, I didn’t have a screwdriver. Also, I may have had issues sneaking one out to be fair!

The relaxed atmosphere from the dining room continued onto the training pitch. Don’t get me wrong, they were working really hard, but they were laughing and joking, clearly enjoying themselves. It was a pleasure to see. Also, anyone who assumes certain players aren’t playing regularly due to a lack of effort in training can stop with that rumour straight off. Among the last players to leave the training pitch were Anthony Gerrard, Darcy Blake and Dekel Keinan. Other players were already upstairs tucking into their lunch by the time those three disappeared into the changing room.

Back in the dining room for lunch and soaking up the great atmosphere between the boys, it made us stop and think what it must have been like last season.

It’s been suggested that a certain player’s attitude to playing for Cardiff changed after a certain international call up and that there were a couple of tensions amongst the squad, I imagine that atmosphere must have been very different. There are no apparent cliques amongst our current squad, everyone seems to get on really well and there was plenty of light banter in the room.

And then we get to Malky, who could not have gone to any further lengths to make us feel more than welcome and relaxed in this very alien environment. It’s still early days for him, yet you can’t imagine Dave Jones being like that. I can’t put my finger on it but Malky is definitely the one as far as I’m concerned. We may not get promotion or even finish in the play offs this season, but there is something very special going on at Cardiff City.

Everybody at the club made the effort with us from one of the directors, to the manager and players and the backroom and behind the scenes staff. We have a fantastically likeable bunch of players who are extremely down to earth without an ego in sight. It is definitely an ‘all for one’ ethos that is engulfing the squad and it is coming through in their performances. It was an honour to be a part of it for a day.

There are 108. 108 reasons not to doubt. 108 reasons criticism is unjustified and over the top. 108 reasons to have faith. 108 reasons that legendary status was deservedly acquired and is deservedly maintained. 108 reasons that surpass Carl Dale, Michael Chopra, John Toshack, Derek Tapscott, Nathan Blake, Craig Bellamy, Brian Clark, Phil Stant or any other forward for Cardiff City since the Second World War. 108 reasons to expect Robert Earnshaw to prove every one of his critics wrong.

Following the game against Peterborough, the latest in a string of games without a goal, Earnie seemed to become one of the bigger targets of criticism within the team (obviously slightly less so than the defence). Ignoring the fact that in this, a ‘quiet’ game, Earnie forced the ‘keeper into a good save from distance; hit the post; and forced another excellent close-range save and set up a goal (ludicrously) ruled out for offside, it is also staggering that it takes just a few games without a goal for some fans to, if not turn on him, start to question his role.

‘Past it’, ‘not the player he was’, ‘not suited to our system or style of play’, ‘living off former glories’ are just examples of some of the criticisms being thrown about regarding our Number 10. The primary issue these comments illustrate though, rather than any reflection of Earnie, is how short fans’ memories can be.

108 goals in 213 games for Cardiff City, our second top scorer of all time behind Len Davies (who, at current reckoning, scored 40 more goals in more than 100 more games). That, by any standards (Messi & Ronaldo aside) is a fantastic record; above the magic ‘1 in 2’ mark all top strikers aim for, and even more remarkable when you consider many of those appearances were made as a youngster learning his trade and/or from off the substitutes’ bench.

As well as the fact that this statistic alone should provide him with, at the very least, the benefit of the doubt, it is also mere months since this ‘past it’ striker came within the width of a post of pretty much single-handedly knocking our dear neighbours out of the Play-Offs in about 20 minutes. Add in that earlier this season, with Kenny Miller struggling for form and fitness, Earnie’s pace, energy and predatory instincts made him easily our biggest threat. He was only really dropped from the team due to a perceived failure to gel with Miller (who was clearly playing the worse of the two at that stage). Short memories indeed.

These types of criticisms also raise the question of how well the people making them remember Earnie’s first spell at the club. It could be that some memories have been clouded by nostalgia or even that as it is now more than 7 years since he departed, many fans watching and commenting on his form simply didn’t see him the first time around. What the insinuation that he is ‘not the player he was’ ignores is that Earnie was never a brilliant all-round player, at the centre of all attacking moves and constantly involved in games like a Suarez or a Rooney. He was a predator supreme, a master of getting the ball into the goal from inside the area any way he could, coming alive when the ball moved to within 20 yards of the opposition goal. Quite simply, provide him with chances and he provided his teams with goals. There is no reason for that to have changed. His goals so far this season prove the instinct in front of goal is as natural and sharp as ever.

Earnie was always at his best when combined with a more selfless partner, particularly the superb Peter Thorne. This perhaps explains the lack of immediate spark with Miller, a similarly predatory striker who adds little to the game outside of the area, but this is not to say they cannot ever work together, or that Earnie could not play with Gestede or with any other of our forward options.

There is also the fact that this time around, Earnie offers a valuable presence in the dressing room. Now one of our more experienced players, he has developed leadership skills not present during his first spell as well as being a player who as a local boy, truly understands the club and what it means to the fans. His infectious personality also helps bring a fresh air of optimism and fun around the place.

On a more practical side, his influence could prove invaluable for Joe Mason. A potentially very talented all-round player, Mason still has plenty to learn before he becomes a constant threat to better defences at this level and he does not look the natural striker Earnshaw always has been. That being the case, who better to have around to learn from? I’d argue Mason’s first goal for the club, a close-range tap in against Barnsley, had the definite impression of Earnie’s influence and this can only continue to be of great help to the younger player.

Finally, back to on the pitch. As mentioned above, one vital feature of Earnie’s game hasn’t changed: given chances, he will score goals. He may go a few games without them but all goal-scorers do and the best, like him, have mentalities positive enough not to let that sort of thing get to them – see how he scored for Cardiff the game after his horror miss for Wales at Wembley. The 46 game Championship season certainly falls into the old cliché of being a ‘marathon rather than a sprint’ – a squad of players is always going to be used, and Robert Earnshaw is a fantastic player to have in any Championship squad. So pay him the respect and have the confidence in him that he deserves, then sit back and enjoy seeing his somersault many more times this season.

WARNING: Christmas jumper, rubbish quality footage, awful lighting, bad editing, no Ben James to tell him it was a terrible idea.