Cardiff City 1 Wigan 0 > Pretty Ugly Win

August is becoming a month of feasting on football, overindulging like Augustus Gloop on chocolate or me devouring the Diamond House Chinese Takeaway menu.

Just three days since the Bluebirds b**ch slapped Huddersfield into the dirt, we were back at the CCS for another ruck - this time with Wigan Athletic.

After his controversial withdrawal from Saturday’s game, the Pops was also back in attendance for his first home game of the season.

Wigan were always going to be a tougher task than Huddersfield were on Saturday and they dug their heels in restricting City and even starving super Kenwyne Jones (the goal machine)… which takes some doing these days.

Some have called these kinds of victories ‘Malky style’ with a tight defence and a suffocating midfield cautiously protecting a slender lead. This may be true in some ways but Ole deserves credit for sorting out a defence that looked like an under 10s team last season.

New fella Sean Morrison looks smooth at the back and a mention must go our left back who looks just like Fabio (below) but played much better than him. He was on a red arrow up in terms of Pro Evo and put a monstrous shift in on the flank. 

Although I don’t rate him, and thought he was a waste of a player on the night, credit should also go to Nicky Maynard for grabbing a true Gary Lineker-ish poachers goal for the winner (below). 

This goal trickled in shortly after me shouting repeatedly to substitute him - we were even doing the international arm spinning gesture to call for a sub and trying to catch Ole's eye. 

Confidence could serve Maynard well but City have much stronger options in the squad. Even out on loan (Mason).   

With back-to-back wins off the back of stuttering performances, the Bluebirds are just warming up with more to come.

Thankfully, all the away fixtures coming up force us into a rest. It’s not like last season where we can watch City away games at the pub via a dubious satellite link. Nowadays we are forced into resorting to BBC Radio Wales commentary. I would rather rely on morse code or just check the score at full time. 

Cardiff City 3 Huddersfield 1 > Cruising

Myself and trains enthusiast Mr @gavinbonson attended our second game in a week together at this stadium, although in quite differing circumstances.

The FIRST being a glitzy spectacle of the best footballers in the world showboating their way to the Super Cup trophy to a global audience and the second being Cardiff v Huddersfield.

It almost felt a bit perverted to follow the first occasion with the latter.  

The Pops pulled out for this one, the first home game of the season, and was instead spotted attending a wedding in Treorchy. It was unfortunate for him to be dragged into such a situation but (as I’ve told him) this is what can happen when you make friends with people who have the potential to plan weddings during the football season. 

On arrival, we noted the stadium is in-between dress ups and looking a bit miserable (below). 

Perhaps the giant Vincent Tan stickers are still on order? 

The shop was also looking a bit barren and uninviting. 

A series of lame club decisions and a lack of knowledge also appears to have led to the new kit not being on sale until mid September. Seeing as our owner's company are making it, surely that would help get it in stock to sell the f**king thing? A true facepalm moment for the club. 

On the pitch City were business-like against an average Huddersfield side and got the job done without being the cut-throat attacking force we are told (a lot) they will become under Ole Gunnar Solskjær. What was most important though was the three points and momentum.  

Besides conceding a sloppy goal from a corner before half time, Cardiff were Malky-style solid at the back and worked their nuts off in the midfield. Complimenting the do-or-die ethics of the previous regime and pimping it with attacking vibes is not the worst idea Ole's had. 

All action new boy Tom Adeymei was impressive breaking up play, bursting forward and making his predecessors (Medel/Mutch) seem sluggish. Out of Ole’s new signings Tom stood out. Then there was @gavinbonson ‘s least favourite player Peter Whittingham (the enigma) a constant threat who seems to be ‘on it’ this season. Whitts’ (below) appears to be enjoying being tasked with pulling the strings like a slap bass-player in the middle. 

His goal was, of course, not celebrated as Whitt’s doesn’t celebrate goals (even ‘worldies’) – It’s just his job. In Pete’s mind It would be the equivalent of an office worker celebrating sending a fax and Klinsmann diving across the office.  

It may not have been like watching Real Madrid the other night but the Bluebirds were efficient and, with super Kenwyne Jones up front and in form, there’s goals in us.

After a nice break from watching the City with Pops his nihilistic existentialism returns on Tuesday night as August’s football feast continues to warm the cockles of the soul.

Wigan will be tougher opposition (afterall they do have Don ‘donaldinho’ Cowie in their roster!) but they will be ‘bricking it’ about coming here.

Bring them the f**k on. 

Kadeem Harris is Really Fast

Signed in January 2012 from Wycombe by Malky Mackay and his admin henchmen, Kadeem has had a frustrating start to his time with City. Arriving under the radar with signs of raw potential, the boy brought with him the League Two Apprentice of the Year gong for 2011 and hopes of kicking on at Cardiff.

Malky soon wiped the boys smile away early doors though making it clear that Harris would need to earn his shirt by running himself into the ground playing for the clubs ‘development team’ (part reserves and a bit under 21s).  

During a time where the City first XI cried out for Harris’ main assets though (pace and creativity) he was only used sparingly as an unused substitute and only found rare game time in an FA Cup defeat at Macclesfield in January 2013.

What the plan was for the wasted young talent twiddling his thumbs appeared to be a bit noncommittal and after getting his head down in the 'DVP' side for what feels like seven years he eventually went out on an impressive loan spell at Brentford.

There, Harris got to run around a lot and morphed into a cross between his former self and the incredible hulk – see below. 

With a new dawn at Cardiff City in 2014 and managerial change, Kadeem has returned and been handed an olive branch by Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and some precious minutes with the first team.

After some minutes against Wolfsburg in pre-season, Ole appears to rate Harris by not only including him in the squad for the league cup game at Coventry this week… but playing him.

Cardiff fans are still recovering from the shock of seeing the pup off the leash.

Kadeem’s pace from the bench gave Coventry’s back line the heebie-jeebies and he even forced an own goal with pace and power from right flank (below pic). 

With Solskjaer acknowledging Harris’ efforts post match is he forcing his way into the Norwegian’s plans along with other young urchins like Joe Ralls and the fantastically named Jazzi Barnum-Bobb? I think he is y'know.  

With new wingers Anthony Pilkington and Guido Burgstaller joining over the summer and City’s main wide threat Craig Noone recovering from injury, it will be tough.

Perhaps a loan spell at a lower Championship side is more realistic but don’t be surprised to see Kadeem Harris in the next round of League Cup against Port Vale. 

Another glamour tie.  

Uefa Super Cup Final > Real Madrid v Sevilla... IN CARDIFF!

Don’t worry about how Cardiff got to host this final. Never mind whether Lord Vincent Tan slipped Uefa a red envelope of Malysian cash for the prestige and TV screen time.

Come to think of it… has anyone even asked how Cardiff got to host this? Don’t answer that.

Myself and @gavinbonson (below) were licking our lips at the prospect of Real Madrid with all their razzmatazz and superhuman PlayStation footballers squaring up to fellow Spaniards Sevilla in our City for a trophy.  

The lip licking though was probably linked to our pre match Thai food in Canton. With a few red massamam curries sunk we ambled to the stadium like the old days when we each used to reside in this hood.  

Unlike your average Cardiff City match though, the walk down to the ground was in amongst feverish excited Spaniards as apose to your more run-of-the-mill grumpy Bluebird.   

Inside we were treated to an impressive opening ceremony type situation of middle-earth style epic sounds booming from the PA, some enthusiastic choreographed tai chi and giant letters. 

No hats made from cereal boxes and PVA glue were on show though and thankfully tin foil was left out of the whole thing. 

The stadium was split 80-20 in favour of Real Madrid with the locals backing Gareth Bale for obvious reasons – mainly that he’s f**king awesome.  In terms of noise though, it was the Sevilla end (see above) bossing things showing their rich glory seeking counterparts how it’s done.

In fact, Sevilla have to go down as the best set of visiting supporters to visit Cardiff City Stadium since it was built with co-ordinated chants, bouncing in unison and a LOUD club anthem. Even when things on the grass were going tits-up for them their noise never dipped.  

On the pitch Sevilla couldn't get near Madrid and up in the stands we sat open mouthed at how slick their movement and speed of thought was.

Ronaldo and Bale didn't stop moving and with Kroos, Modric and James Rodriguez pulling the strings in midfield, they suffocated their opponent. Madrid cruised the first half, winking to the cameras as they took in an easy-peasy 1-0 lead.

It should have been over within half hour but they toyed with Sevilla like my cat Diego when he decapitates a bird he hunts in the garden. 

Second half saw Sevilla put up a fight but Ronaldo was playing like he’d been beamed in from another galaxy. 

Like the fella next to me said: ‘He may be a c*** but he’s f**king brilliant’. 

My sentiments entirely. 

Cristiano may even go down as the most impressive player I've seen live with my eyes, up there with Juan Riquelme and... Peter Whittingham. 

Real eventually finished them off and ran out 2-0 winners.

Another trophy for this guy then... 

Well done Señor Bale. Madrid will take some beating this season. 

Blackburn 1 Cardiff City 1 > Mixed Start!

First game excitement levels were cranked up for City's opener with Sky choosing it as the Friday night live game. 

We chose the Pops' garage for the event venue (see above), a cave man sanctuary where we would be safe to shout obscenities at the TV and pace the room. 

As usual with Solskjaer's reign at City so far it took a while to work out his team selection and tactics. Sky were utterly convinced it was a 4-4-3 from the Bluebirds but it wasn't.  

Adam Le Fondre was playing a deep, wide role in a 4-4-2 system.

Fair play to ALF (above) for putting a graveyard shift in out wide, but why couldn't we just play a wide man there with ALF through the middle? 

We were guessing it was another 'SHOCK' tactic which Ole seams keen on every week. 

The Bluebirds were good value when they took a 1-0 lead through Kenwyne Jones' massive head and a fiendish Peter Whittingham free-kick flicked on by Mark Hudson. 

Super Ken's subsequent celebration (below) showed more energy than the boy's input during the whole of last season. 

A somersault I was worried might not be landed at one point. 

Although KJ has taken some stick from me since arriving, he had shown he was keen & could be a handful this season. 

City had played some sparkling slick football at times, but their flowing style seemed to stop after they went ahead. 

The foot came off the gas for some reason and sadly Solskjaer’s lads gifted Rovers an equaliser, from a Peter Whittingham mistake in midfield, dithering on the ball. 

What was Whitts up to? 

It's not often he gets slated on here but, after getting roughed up a bit in midfield he'd had a strong first half, pulling strings like a bass player and delivering some delicious dead balls. 

He should have done more to avoid gifting possession for the goal though and City went in 1-1 at half time. 

Whitts was subject of some colourful cussing from Pops in the garage. 

The second half was a case of City scrapping in the dirt to keep their point, with centre backs Hudson and Connolly locking things down at the back very nicely.

City seemed tired at times and faded badly as an attacking force. Even spinning midget genius Mats Møller Dæhli was anonymous.   

New lad Tom Adeyemi (below) came off the bench and brought energy, pace and bite in the tackle but Blackburn smothered us and seamed content with a point. 

Jordon Mutch's replacement Tom shows promise, whereas Mutchy may have been sulking about the place at this point. 

It could be argued (maybe) that Solskjaer was bold and brave with his tactics, playing Kenwyne Jones in attack from the start, but having taken command we wanted to see City push on.  

They did the opposite.

Given we took a pummelling in the second half though, a point away from home on the opening day at a strong side isn't a terrible thing. Especially when you consider there are several hundred games to go. 

Also, when you consider that forwards Guerra and Macheda are about to return from knocks, the squad is looking healthy and there are options. 

Even the king of pessimism (above) was upbeat at full time but I drove home thinking City are in for a rough ride this season. 

City need to light the fuse Saturday against Huddersfield with a win. 

Over to you sir... 

Kenwyne Jones Venn Diagram

In the spirit of the Venn diagram I've also produced one relating to my own dwindling playing days: 

Cardiff City 3 Wolfsburg 3 > Pre Season Done!

Upon taking our seats we discovered that the dark lord Sir Vincent of Tan has had his minions install an elevated plinth (see below) where his throne sits on the half way line. 

Presumably this is to optimise the view of the great one to enable him to analyse opposition tactics and pass expert suggestions down to Ole in the technical area. 

Awaiting the posh red buckets seats, It's a bit like a mini stage, which is fitting for a panto villain goon. 

For regular games in season I avoid the complimentary team sheets that get handed out in hospitality. People clammer for these even though the news hits Twitter an hour before. 

I even see people taking them home with them. Why?

For this one-off pre season game at the stadium though it appears an intern typed this (see below) ad hoc version up on Word fifteen minutes before kick off. 

The first thirty minutes of the game consisted only of Wolfsburg taking the piss out of City pulling the defence around with slick movement. They went for the throat twice and scored twice. 

At this point it looked like it could end 0-9. 

Our defence were on the ropes. 

Belgian lads Kevin De Bruyne and Junior Malanda bossed the game and the City midfield rolled over for a tummy tickle. 

Peter Whittingham the enigma kickstarted things singlehandedly in the middle after half hour though and City woke up. His delicious free kick fed through a gap thinner than two coats of paint breathed life into the whole operation. 

Before you knew it, City went in 2-2 at half time with Nicky Maynard poaching one after a strong run from Fabio. Nicky Maynard did well to bag one considering it looks like he's been chowing down KFC for most the summer. 

Aron Gunnarsson and Kim Bo Kyung looked six months off fitness in the midfield but Whittingham was pulling the strings like a bass player. Pete was everywhere even bone crunching a few lads. 

Le Fondre looks like the type of striker City have needed since Chopra left, a box player who lives for goals alone. 

Overall, a promising performance from a City side playing in first gear yet still matching a handy German outfit playing at a higher level.  

This new giant red stand (above) will take some getting used to. Some serious noise could be generated if Ole's team can fill the beast. 

Bring on Friday and the start of the proper games, stress, joy and shouting.