Llantwit Fardre FC Reserves 2 v Ystrad Stars 3

Above: Dressing room psychology. 

There are two ways of looking at this defeat.

One, I scored my first goal since my return, a 25 yard Peter Whittingham-esque top corner peach. The other way is that I scored my first goal since my return, a 25 yard Peter Whittingham-esque top corner peach.

At this point, to avoid being a complete wang, I should point out that the result was disappointing. 

Particularly considering we missed at least 478 chances, one being an open goal from 3 yards (not me) and then later conceded a comical own goal whilst poor Alan tried to avoid posting himself defending a corner. 

I also feel I should serve up some excuses for the defeat (our first at home this season)…

Ystrad Stars have struggled in the league table BUT…

We only had eleven players (no luxuries such as subs to aid weary legs).

Several lads were forced to play out of position.

At least 25% of our team were hungover and/or still p**sed from the night prior. 

Prior to this latest setback was the humiliating 12-3 bitch-slap from Ynysybwl Athletic last week - a game I missed while watching Cardiff City also get smashed. (I always add I that I missed the game when referring to this one) 

We need to sort our s**t out with the following factors permitting: 
Number of players available 
Alcohol consumption of said players on night prior

Stay tuned. 

Cardiff City 0 Middlesborough 1 - #OLEOUT

The tide has turned on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and it seems fans patience (mine included) has run the f**k out.

Some fans sat around us have gone from grumbling quietly to themselves on Saturday to standing up and shouting ‘WAKE UP OLE’ and ‘SORT EM’ OUT SOLSKJAER’ red-faced at the top of their lungs three days later.

Four winless games and the manner of Saturday’s capitulation against Norwich has been insulting to fans but last night’s defeat was confirmation that Ole can’t coach his team. After the weekend the players had a point to prove and fans were expecting a reaction on the pitch after the standard hairdryer treatment they all deserved.  

A quick aggressive start was in order but Ole sent his team out half asleep and we were 0-1 down within 120 seconds to a soft goal. 

For the next thirty minutes I found it hard to even look at what Ole had put on the pitch instead opting to examine my shoes and eat two packs of Starburst... 

Many questioned the Norwegian's motivational skills last season when the chips were down and last night was evidence that this area is seriously lacking in a time of need.

While the players sulked around the pitch clueless wishing they were somewhere else Ole stared aimlessly into the abyss with folded arms and as the clock ran down and points slipped away he puffed out his cheeks and scratched his head.

During breaks in play the players approached the technical area for a drink and instructions from the Manager – there weren't any. 

The blood and guts of the Championship will swallow many a coach whole and fans knew it would be a rough season, but the club have built a squad to rival any in the league. 

They just need coaching...

And Ole isn’t up to the task. 

Being tactically naïve is one thing but not being able to galvanise the group is the clearest indication yet that we’re in trouble with this guy steering the ship. 

Time to ring Tony Pulis (top / bottom pic) a coach with integrity who demands desire or you're out. A street-wise man's man who can drag us up the league with no bulls**t. 

If ringing doesn't work I would suggest emailing him and If that doesn’t work perhaps turn up at his house. If he’s not in, wait outside in the car or pop a note through the letterbox. 

(Pathetic) Cardiff City 2 Norwich 4

Football changes quickly, massaging your soul one minute and slapping you across the mush the next.

Take the title of the post below this one for example - That team lost 12-3 on Saturday!  

Then there’s Cardiff City FC, the gift that keeps on giving! 

Just when you think the club can’t shock or embarrass fans anymore, the team deliver one of the limpest most lifeless second half performances I’ve seen… ever.

So, why did this City team switch off to such an extent they threw away a two-goal lead and lost in circumstances which were bizarre - even by Cardiff’s standards? What happened?

What makes the Norwich turnaround especially difficult to accept is how well City played in the first half of course. Against a strong side, fancied by many for promotion, the Bluebirds controlled the game with slick passing, flair and desire.

Peter Whittingham orchestrated everything from his quarterback role and big Kenwyne Jones up front was winning battles he had no right to win. The bluebirds were hungry and the crowd were purring, witnessing the most eye catching attacking football perhaps ever witnessed from the home team at this stadium.

Then the half time whistle went.

Whilst myself and the Pop (above) supped a half time coffee, I can only imagine Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was handing out cigars to the players in the dressing room and telling them the job was done. 

He might have also been showing everyone Youtube clips of his best moments from his playing days and showing the lads how many keepy-uppies he can do. 

Whatever happened in the dressing room didn't work.  

As Solskjaer looked on from the dugout (hands in pockets) Norwich threw everything at us as we slowly retreated back down the pitch. Inevitably they grabbed one back and then two to pull level.

At this point Solskjaer acted by making one of his classic baffling substitutions, leaving City with FOUR central midfielders on the pitch and replacing our biggest threat (Kenwyne) with a player lucky to be on the bench (Maynard).

These strange decisions were made with arguably our best striker (Adam Le Fondre) and most creative attacker (Mats Daehli) sat next to him on the bench. 

At this point much of the Grandstand engaged in a simultaneous facepalm moment.  

It’s strange for a man famed for his ability as a substitute in his playing days that Ole often misreads his substitution choices.

Norwich brought on Cameron Jerome who in turn bullied our back four who rolled over for their tummies to be tickled. 

Where were the leaders? 

From a commanding position, the whole operation had capitulated and by the time I’d unwrapped my next sweet we were looking at a demoralising 2-4 defeat on home turf.  

For the first time since his appointment in January, on Saturday it seemed like larger sections of the City crowd are beginning to lose patience with Ole Gunnar's management. 

He’s a likeable fella is Ole, who seems to be able to deal with the club politics and media well. The thing is though, no matter how experienced he was as a player, his coaching experience falls short, needing time he doesn’t have.

Don’t forget though, football can change quickly and tomorrow City play Middlesborough. 

By 10PM tomorrow City could have clawed back some pride, or on the other hand Ole could be under a tad more pressure not only from the furious support but from Lord Vincent Tan and his henchmen. 

Llantwit Fardre FC Reserves - We Don't Lose!

The Fardre 2nds kept on truckin’ this weekend with a classic ‘ugly’ 1-0 win overcoming some slapdash (facepalm-worthy) refereeing and a decent Nelson Cavaliers AFC team. 

The boys dug deep for the clean sheet with Sweeney (above back middle) saving a penalty with a shin and the back four throwing limbs at shots, putting their plumbs on the line. 

You take what you can and this week it was a scrappy goal from a corner scuffed in off Smo's head. With this advantage and both teams missing chances, the Fardre suffocated the life out of the game and took the points from a game so ugly it could give Freddy Kruegger nightmares. 

Four games down and we’re still undefeated, winning three and drawing one. 

Next up: Ynysybwl Athletic

My personal post match ache-o-meter is again off the scale and should my legs return from the dead by midweek i'll be chuffed. 

Llantwit Fardre FC Reserves Venn Diagram

It appears obvious now that Llantwit Fardre FC Reserves might just be awesome on several counts. See above Venn diagram. 

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.