Cardiff City Festive Blues

It only truly feels like the festive season when Cardiff City FC start disappointing you.  Whether it’s the owner embarrassing fans, or sacking Managers and hiring idiot replacements, or simply just being rubbish at football. City do seem to save their darkest times for this time of year.

With limp defeats at Birmingham and MK Dons in the books and a lifeless home draw with a dire Nottingham Forest side, this year fans we served up a run of poor results with only a 1-0 bore win against Blackburn to cheer.

Now, as we move into 2016, Cardiff appear to have shot themselves in the foot at a key time, loosening their grip on their goal of a top six play-off finish. 

Whilst some fans may revel in the negative drama, there are positives to draw upon though and mild hope for the new year.  

I've even decided to list the positives in a user friendly way because it can be tough to dig these ones out. 

Tony Watt

It’s taken waaaaaay too long but City have finally signed a forward with a brain who can do more than one thing. He’s not a ‘big man’ (Kenwyne Jones) or ‘little man’ but he could do both and he’s not a ‘fox in the box’ (Adam Le Fondre) or a ‘number ten’ (Mats Daehli) but he can do either. Not since Ross McCormack have we had a front man with pace, a trick and a bit of spunk. Get this too… he can score frickin’ goals!

With his loan deal looking set to be made permanent, young Watt (he’s only 22) is good to watch and City look better with him in the team. Given the tactics and playing style are well documented as being mundane under Russell Slade’s stewardship, a bit of rouge creativity is to be cherished at the moment. 

January Transfer Window is Open

Firstly, let us celebrate that Kenwyne Jones is leaving this week – Not only is his contribution outlandishly over paid weekly but there is no excuse for his lack of effort in a Cardiff shirt, particularly this season.  With Jones’ carthorse backside out the door, this frees up some cash for new faces and hopefully a reluctance to play the dreaded long ball football.

With the window now open and City reportedly looking for the classic ‘one or two’ signings, this latest roll of the dice could bring fresh impetus to the team.

Russell Slade and the club’s transfer committee may have less football knowledge than my Mum but you never know – they could get lucky and bring in another Watt as appose to a Doyle or a Revel :) 

There’s Always Ice Hockey

This festive season I once again turned to Cardiff Devils to remind my blood it can still pump at a sports arena. The Devils dug deep to swarm back from a 0-2 deficit to maul their opponents 5-2 in a fun game full of heart, speed and proper hard Canadian blokes smashing each other. Like a sporting hangover cure, a trip to the Big Blue Tent can lift the spirits after a lifeless outing at the Cardiff City Stadium.