Post 12 - Championship match day 6, Leicester City v Cardiff City

Welsh international Andy King scored a second half double as Leicester City posted their first win of the season and in doing so put an end to Cardiff's unbeaten start as they came from behind to win 2-1 on a wet night at the Walkers Stadium.

For the second time within four days Cardiff were without the injured quartet of Bellamy, Bothroyd, Drinkwater and Chopra, but Seyi Olofinjana, who has been as important a player as any during Cardiff's impressive start to the season, joined them on the injured list.

Cardiff, starting in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Koumas supporting loan striker Keogh, started well enough and although not exactly on top, were seeing as much as the ball as the home side and it was the visitors who had the first shot of the game when Koumas forced Ikeme to save down to his right after an effort from the edge of the area.

There was little much to report on in the next 15 minutes or so, Marshall comfortably saved from Howard and the pacey Dyer threatened down the left without yet creating anything clear cut, but Cardiff looked strong at the back with Gypes and Hudson winning pretty much everything both on the ground and aerial.

But things were to change in the 26th minute.  Koumas spread the ball out left from a central position with a sweeping pass and Naylor picked it up, carried the ball a few yards forward and smashed it in from all of 40 yards over the head of the helpless Ikeme.  Did he mean it? I'm not so sure - I would guess not - the way he shaped it, a cross would be the best bet but as soon as it became apparent it wasn't going anywhere near a City player there was only one place it was going and that was the back of the net.  I know it's a clichéd thing to say, but it just looked in as soon as he hit it.  The City fans went mad, it was a screamer whether it was intentional or not. 1-0.

The goal seemed to perk City up, although they hadn't been playing badly before the goal, at the same time they hadn't really threatened, but Koumas and Burke started to get more involved and City looked as likely to score during this 10 minute spell as they did in the whole match.  Koumas shot wide and Keogh had a decent effort stopped by Ikeme.

But that was as good as it got for Cardiff as Leicester began to take a stranglehold on the game.  With 10 minutes to the break Leicester threatened the Cardiff goal for the first time in the night.  Howard had a goal bound shot blocked (by his own player) and Keogh cleared off the line in the space of seconds. 

Cardiff's thoughts would have been solely on getting to the break with a clean sheet and would've failed in doing so if Martyn Waghorn had successfully have finished from 3 yards after Dyer had broken and crossed down the left hand side.

Despite the pressure and the chances, the Bluebirds did manage to hang on to their lead until the break, but there was still a sense that a draw would still be a decent result against a Leicester team not too dissimilar to the side that they played in the play-off semi-finals just a few months ago.

Leicester started the second half as they finished the first and it didn't take them long to draw level as Wellens  crossed for the unmarked King to head home just 6 minutes after the re-start.  Leicester continued to press and if Cardiff were going to leave with anything tonight they needed to weather the storm.  

Leicester looked likely to take the lead at any time and with 68 minutes on the clock - after a few decent saves from Marshall - managed this, as King, finding himself unmarked on the edge of the area fired into the top left hand corner.  It was a quality strike and capped off a fine display by the Welshman.

Cardiff, looking fatigued, made substitutions, with Wildig and Blake coming on for Koumas and McPhail respectively, both replacements are decent enough players, but neither were likely to get Cardiff back in the gane.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, Dyer was given the perfect chance to seal the win as Marshall inexplicably passed the ball to him straight from a goal kick, the winger dribbled into the box and hit the post, but he really should have scored and put any comeback by Cardiff out of the question.  Marshall's distribution was terrible all night and he was extremely lucky to have gotten away with this.

Just minutes later Cardiff could and maybe should have been awarded a penalty when a Foxes defender clearly pulled on the shirt of Keogh.  It wasn't the worst foul in the world, but a clear one all the same.

Despite 5 minutes of injury time Leicester easily held on for their win and it was thoroughly deserved.  Two games within four days was too much for a depleted Cardiff team stricken with injury's, however I'm sure any City fan would've taken 2nd spot with 13 points after 6 games if offered at the start of the season.  It's a long season and even if we are to have a successful campaign, there are bound to be blips on the way.  I left Leicester feeling obvious disappointment, but confident we can and will bounce back on Saturday against Ipswich.  

As for me, that's it for a few weeks, I've decided against making the long, expensive trip to Suffolk on Saturday and I will more than likely miss the next 2 home games as I will more than likely be taking some time off to recover from a nephrectomy, all sympathy gratefully accepted and appreciated.

Result - Leicester City 2 Cardiff City 1

Scorers - City: Naylor (26) Leicester: King (51, 68)

Attendance - 20,510

My Man of the Match - Gabor Gypes.  Solid throughout, won everything in the air and was solid on the ground.

Post 11 - Championship match day 5 Cardiff City v Hull City

Cardiff kept up their unbeaten league run and stayed in second spot as they beat Hull City 2-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.  The home side were without key players Bothroyd, Bellamy and Drinkwater, as well as the still sidelined Chopra but showed that even when missing players with injury they have the strength in depth to cope.  Despite the pre match rumours of the aforementioned injury's, spirit's were still high, which I will put down to the free ice cream pots being given away outside the ground, 4 for me, thanks.

As their record suggests, Hull are a poor team on the road, having not won on their travels in a league match since March 2009 and aside from that they haven't won at all since beating Swansea on the opening day of the season.  But still, the job needed to be done and Cardiff turned out a very professional, if not thrilling, performance in doing so.

The Bluebirds started with the same 4-5-1 formation that had seen them win their 3 previous league games, with new loan signing Andy Keogh making his debut up front in place of Bothroyd.  Keogh had a decent game today and although he is a different type of player to Jay, he showed enough to suggest he may be a valuable signing for the season to come.  He didn't stop working and got a good going over by the Hull centre backs, getting very little from the referee in the process.

City started the better of the teams and the excellent Stephen Mcphail went close with a side footed shot from 12 yards, but it was his centre midfield partner Seyi Olifinjara who broke the deadlock on the 20 minute mark, when he headed home an in-swinging Whttingham free kick from 6 yards - his first for Cardiff and against the team he is being loaned from.  Seyi had started the game in fine form, playing once again in front of the back 4 and the goal was no less than what his performances so far this season had deserved.

Cardiff continued to look the better team and went close to doubling their lead 6 minutes later when Kevin McNaughton hit the post from outside the box after a run.  McNaughton had an uncharacteristically poor first half looking unsteady at times, but improved as the game went on.

Cardiff went into the break 1 0 up and although it wasn't pretty, it was effective and grinding out results isn't something they have always managed in the past, however the job was only half done,  too many times last seasons they were unable to complete the job.

The second half got under way and although Hull had a couple of shots they were restricted to shooting from distance.  The Bluebirds looked more likely to stretch their lead than the visitors did to equalising with Jason Koumas - making his first league start of the season - twice coming close with decent right footed efforts.  Koumas still looks like he could do with a few more games under his belt before he finds his best form, his touch let him down on a few occasions and he got caught out a few times too.  But everyone knows the class he possesses and with injury's already seemingly coming thick and fast he may get his chance to get the run that he needs to regain full fitness and form.

By now the the injured Seyi had been replaced by Gavin Rae.  A few weeks ago, after a string of poor performances and the signing of plenty of new midfielders, it was widely thought Rae had played his final game for Cardiff, but apart from him first touch - when he shockingly put a Hull striker through - he was both solid and creative and this was without doubt his best performance for some time.  It was the the ex Scottish international Rae who sealed the win with a rare goal after 81 minutes, after being expertly set up by fellow sub Wildig following good work by the once again influential Whittingham.  It wasn't the most stylish of finishes - it somehow slowly crept through the keepers legs - but it was a goal nonetheless and a valuable one all the same.  

All in all it was a much deserved victory and City put in a professional performance against what has to be said, a poor Hull team.  Special mention is deserved for the centre back pairing of Hudson and Gypes who seem to be building a stable partnership together, they have both taken some stick in the past but apart from a misguided header by Hudson, letting Simpson through, they were solid today.

Cardiff go to Leicester on Tuesday night, the scene of a memorable play off victory last season, they should have players back from injury, but will be confident of getting a positive result regardless of what team they field and rightly so.

Result - Cardiff City 2 Hull City 0

Scorers - City: Olofinjana (20), Rae (81)

Attendance - 24,083

Fans man of the match - Seyi Olofinjana

My man of the match - Peter Whittingham. There were a few candidates today, Seyi was once again fantastic when he was on, Stephen McPhail was excellent and the centre back pairing were solid.  However my MOTM goes to Whits; he set up the first, had a hand in the second and showed some sublime pieces of skill.  He may not be getting the goals he got last season, but arguably has a more influential role to play this term.  It  seems that he is thriving in a 3 man midfield and long may it continue.

Post 10 - Cardiff City v Hull City, a preamble

For the past two weeks Championship football has taken a back seat as qualification for the European Championships 2012, to be co hosted by Poland and the Ukraine, got under way.  After just one match, qualification is already looking like an uphill struggle for Wales as they somewhat embarrassingly lost to Montenegro by one goal to nil in Podgorica.

As disappointing as it was, a surprise it wasn't, this is, after all, Wales we are talking about.  Since the defeat the national football team has been in disarray with coach John Toshack announcing his imminent resignation from his role.  As bad as Tosh has been - and there is no denying that - there is no obvious choice to succeed him, I, personally, would be happy for a foreign manager to take over the reins, I really don't know who, but thankfully it's not my job to pick one.

As much as I would love Wales to qualify for a major competition, I know that there is little to no chance of this happening and this lack of expectation at least partially contributes to my lack of enthusiasm, I also don't feel the same despair when they lose as I do when Cardiff lose.

After a decent start last season Cardiff came back from the September international break only to lose 4 of their next 5 games, and although 2 of those matches were against a Newcastle team who ended up winning the league at a stroll and Villa (away) in the league cup, it is something they will be keen not to repeat.  City are visited tomorrow by Hull City, who - after a 2 year stint in the Premier League - will be keen to defy the odds and get back amongst the Premier elite.  However after a poor start to the season, Championship consolidation is likely to be a more realistic objective.

But whatever does happen tomorrow and indeed during the course of the season it is important not to forget just how far the two teams have come since the turn of the last decade.  Since locking horns in the basement division just 10 seasons ago the Bluebirds have celebrated 2 promotions, made 3 Wembley appearances and 1 at the Millennium stadium.  In the same time the Tigers have been promoted 3 times, been to Wembley once and enjoyed 2 season in the Premier League.  Not bad really, is it?