We can blame Dean Smith and Craig Shakespeare, or the players, or some lamentable refereeing all we like for the defeat in Cardiff but the fact of the matter is the die was cast at 10:27 yesterday morning.
A Twitter account for The Second Tier – a reputable podcast that covers all things Championship – posted the following…
“Cardiff have only won 1 of their last 9 opening league matches. They face Norwich this afternoon. #CardiffCity #NCFC“
And that was it. There was no way back. We’ll ignore the fact our record is arguably worse – two wins in 20 seasons I believe – because I’d prefer to apportion the blame elsewhere and assume it to have been a result beyond our control.
Except it wasn’t.
This was the Norwich City we’ve become used to. The one that lacks fluidity, that concedes sloppy goals from seemingly benign situations and which huffs, puffs but struggles to create a single goalscoring opportunity worthy of the name.
In other words, the same Norwich City that crashed and burned in last season’s Premier League.
And why wouldn’t it be?
It was a starting XI void of any new faces – all still appearing bruised and jaded from the horrors of last season. A team devoid of a spark and lacking in belief. One that has forgotten how to win.
Dean Smith spoke afterwards of his team deserving a point and he was probably right. It was a game that had 0-0 scrawled all over it even if Cardiff, with seven players making debuts, had verve and energy we can only dream of.
But neither keeper had very much to do. One of Tim Krul’s only two actions of the afternoon was to pick the ball out of the net. But that was all it took – a Romaine Sawyers shot probably intended as a slide rule pass that somehow found its way into the net, Norwich City-style.
Those whose toys flew from the pram following the friendly defeat at Celtic Park were quick to point out their concerns were justified, and they may have a point.
But, to try and offer some light to the shade, if we go back two seasons to the opening day of the 2020-21 season, the performance at the Cardiff City Stadium was not dissimilar to the one at Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium.
On that day, we didn’t concede a daft goal but instead hung in there and conjured up a chance of our own in the dying minutes that was converted by Adam Idah. This time around there was no Idah and no late chances but in terms of the performance level, it was on a par.
That team too looked, for the opening four games, as if it was still nursing a Premier League-induced hangover, but by game five the collective head was clear and the vigour had returned
The big question is, can Smith and Shakespeare find that extra spark that Team Farke was able to eventually reignite?
For some, the question is, are Smith and Shakespeare capable of finding anything?
And, while calls for them to be sacked off the back of yesterday’s defeat are, of course, ridiculous and I’m less precious than some about there not yet being a style and method as clear and decipherable as Farke’s, they have had enough time to make some of the players in this squad better.
The saying that good coaching turns average players into good ones and good players into great ones is an over-simplification, but the gist is right. And in the nine months this coaching team has been here, not one player has improved.
And there’s a justifiable concern too around their use of Teemu Pukki – one of the greatest goalscorers ever to pull on the yellow shirt – who currently spends more time wrestling and grappling with lumbering centre-backs than he does peeling off them and sprinting into the channels.
For us to be successful this season that particular conundrum, above all others, has to be solved. Whether it be via Todd Cantwell in the 10 role or one of the new midfield signings, we simply have to find a way of giving him the type of supply on which he thrives.
As things stand, those heady days of Stiepi or Emi getting on the half-turn, driving into the space and then threading a pass for Pukki in that gap betwixt centre-back and full-back seem a long time ago.
It didn’t help that, yesterday, Tim Robinson was doing Tim Robinson things and gave Pukki no protection whatsoever from defenders whose raison d’être was to ensure the Finn was buffeted, blocked, nudged, tripped and fouled. But fair play to Cardiff – they did what they had to do and did it well.
We have to handle it better. We have to be prepared for sides who want to win the physical battle and who set out to stop those sides who prefer the ‘tippy-tappy’ stuff – tippy-tappy stuff that we’re not actually very good at, at the moment.
But in the games to come, we (and Smith and Shakespeare) need to see more players rising to the challenge of the Championship.
Yesterday was poor both collectively or individually. Too loose, too many lost 50/50s, too many over-hit passes, no precision, and a central midfield that, aside from Sorensen’s tidy first half, was weak, lightweight and wholly unable to control the tempo of the game.
Put simply, if we have to persist with that holding pair for a chunk of the season we’ll not be troubling the top six, which in itself places a huge burden on the new midfielders who we’ve yet to see.
But a team that lacked dynamism, athleticism and power last season, without those new additions, still lacks dynamism, athleticism and power. They certainly did yesterday.
There are 45 games to go of course and ample time to put right the wrongs of Cardiff but, by the same score there, is still much work to be done before this squad is anything like ready for the challenges ahead.
From watching the Championship highlights last night, there will be plenty of teams itching to have a piece of Norwich City right now.
This team desperately needs to find a way to experience that winning feeling again because it’s become so used to losing it now feels like the accepted norm.
It was no coincidence that Onel Hernandez – one who was spared the pain of last season – was yesterday’s brightest spark, along with flashes from a hungry-again Cantwell.
But even amid the gloom, I had to smile when the season’s first two set-pieces – both taken by Cantwell – were gently floated gifts into the palms of the Cardiff keeper. What we really need now is a set-piece coach. 🙂
Anyway… off to the worst possible start, which seems somehow appropriate given that, like the players, we’ve also forgotten what it’s like to win. But it’s still not time to lose our heads.
On that note, I’ll leave the final word to my dad who, following our debrief at 5pm yesterday, left me (as ever) with some words of wisdom:
“Don’t get too down, boy – we’ve been here plenty of times before. And Ipswich only drew at home to Bolton. There’s always someone worse off.”
Perhaps the twenty minute man rashicca should take a leaf out of hernandez book power pace and positive something he lacks and the whole team lacked last 12 months and we loaned him to Birmingham really.
Smith & Shakespeare are fulfilling their potential, ie. achieving very little. Style, charisma, results? All missing. I’m starting to suspect players don’t want to come here. The legacy of humiliation perhaps?
Perhaps things will improve…
It was a very poor performance and reminded me of the Bryan Hamilton error, I mean era. This comparison was compounded when Smith was quoted as saying we deserved to get something out of that game. By that he meant a 0-0 draw. Looking at the team we had 2 seasons ago. Krul, McLean and Pukki are all coming towards the end of their careers having served us well. We have lost Buendia and Skipp and have not replaced them. Our purchases last Summer have either left or are underperforming in our current squad. That transfer window is going to haunt us for a long while. Will we write down the values of squad players like Tzolis in the way we did with Naismith at the start of the Webber era? We have a straightforward August but we seem a long way from being able to take advantage of it
The most telling comment for me over the weekend was the guy on the radio who spoke about Burnley. In a short time Kompany has gone there and stamped a style on a team that everyone knew only played one way. We have Smith who has done the opposite. He had his failure at Villa, his time with us in the Prem and now it looks like he has brought his losing formula to the Championship. What is his preferred playing style? Goodness knows. Where was the evidence that the players were up for the challenge yesterday? Smith was the appointment nobody wanted.. If he left tomorrow would anyone notice? I don’t think so. It looks like nobody cares and that hurts. The better players on show yesterday were the older versions. That tells us everything. Nobody ever got promoted or relegated on an opening game but things had better improve pretty quickly.. Ex Millwall player takes over at Cardiff and we didn’t foresee what sort of game it would be? I don’t see any improvement in any of our players and yes, we badly need a striker. Pukki can’t do it forever and the rest of our forward line are League 1 level.
Hi Gary
I wonder if the DS&SS era is rapidly coming to an end he looked so forlorn on the touchline yesterday, subbed his best player and left the Traffic Warden on, Morison was wise in taking players off with yellow cards Smith left Hanley out to dry knowing that Cardiff players were going to target him.
To much has been written on Smith’s experience in this league he done well at Brentford with a team built by Warburton, and got Villa promoted with a team build by Bruce.
He spent close too £200m at Villa just to get sacked and Stevie G was rubbing his hands together on the jewels that Smith couldn’t get a tune out of.
Players seem to be going backwards under his coaching and his set piece coach hasn’t improved our set pieces will it take time I’m not sure they have the time.
Was DS&SS a panic recruitment as the first choice wasn’t available I’m not sure but it’s telling that Webber said once he heard that Smith was available he changed tact and went for him with his experience another poor decision.
Although we don’t usually start well, yesterdays performance did not bode well for anyone connected at the club, as there is too much wrong. My nephew made it all the way to Cardiff and simply said that ‘Nothing had changed’. So whose fault is that?
Our play was weak, ineffective and disjointed. The play from midfield was disconnected, so chances were very few. The only thing that succeeded was Grant Hanley trying to get sent off. He did.
Smith and his backroom staff have had long enough with these players to have an opinion and get something out of them. The latter has not happened. To their defence, they are not their players, which is where I think the problem lies.
I don’t think Smith is the type of manager who can work successfully under a D.o.F, especially one such as Webber. I would love to know whether Stuart has placed any pressure to play his ‘star’ buys from last year to add some sort of value from their paltry position. Josh Sergeant looked completely out of his depth yesterday, and we are talking a league lower that he was initially bought for. This league cannot carry passengers, so Smith and Co and heavily comprised by Webber’s appalling recruitment that has left the club with no identity and that cannot be turned round over night.
We are a club of individuals, rather than a focused team. That is potentially relegation.
While Smith will ultimately carry the can if things remain the same, he is not the one pulling the strings. If he goes, the same problems shall remain will some players and staff that are familiar with failure.
Norwich City will frighten nobody because they simply don’t show the quality or structure to do it. This season is going to be very hard indeed, with or without Dean Smith,
I actually think with the right manager these payers will turn it around I just don’t think we have the people in the coaching department to do it also maybe Webber has been at the club to long.
I suspect that him being involved with aiding Michael Foulger sell his shares he could have strengthened his position within the club.
Our best chance came from a corner- but without a traditional centre forward we’re going to struggle. We have got to try something new, we cannot keep on relying on Pukki for promotion then worrying about it when we get there. The long term plan has disappeared. I’d prefer 9 million and Josh Martin to Josh Sargent- or even without the money.
The “pant wetting” last night after one defeat was a disgrace.
Don’t people know that the City always lose their first fixture of the season?
Do they not realise that it’s not Dean Smiths team? After all he’s only had nine months in charge.
Why don’t people understand that nobody could have foreseen that the 2 players brought in during our hectic transfer window carrying injustices would not be fit to start the season?
Had people taken the trouble to watch our pre season fixtures they would know exactly what Dean Smith is trying to do. Who could forget our wonderful win in marseille? Particularly as Dean Smith hasn’t been lucky enough to win more that two or three games yet.
As Stuart Webber said in the summer the negative attitude of the supporters was the biggest factor in our relegation, undermining the brave efforts of our players and the ambition shown by the board during the January window to drag us clear of danger?
Ignore the noise, anybody who disagrees should support Ipswich.
I’m not surprised by yesterday’s performance. When we won the championship a couple of seasons ago we looked very ordinary and struggled whenever Skipp and/or Buendia were unavailable.
Let’s hope the incoming players are ample replacements.
Gary, your comment that in 9 months of Smith and Shakespeare in charge “not one player has improved” is absolutely damning. There is absolutely nothing to be lost by starting the Brazilian lad next week.
Listening yesterday to the match commentary was all a bit Groundhog Day. It is patently obvious to even the least tactically aware supporter that every team needs a midfield that functions. I do believe that Hayden will be key once he is fit. I’m excited for the creativity the South American’s will bring however I also think if there is a possibility of some sort of deal for Matthias Norman then that has to be worth a go.
If and it’s a big if the new signings work out then we could be in for good season.
Except cantwell
People are entitled to have a moan and groan, or do we shut up, say nothing and carrying on forking out of our pockets ? I won’t go and support Ipswich, I’ll probably do Dereham instead.
I expected nothing else than we got, This will be Millwall, whoops sorry Cardiff’s style, and we could not cope, we have got nobody with the gonads to get in there and dish some back. A Bradley Johnson type or for us oldies a Trevor Hockey.
What Richica and Sargent doing getting selected? Neither look to have the guile or the know-how to play in either Prem (proved) or championship (in progress). S&S have had these player long enough to know what they are about, they have had yesterday’s whole squad long enough to tune and fine-tune, you did not have to be tone deaf to realise they were so out of tune enough to make your teeth on edge.
That is just one game 45 to go, but for me another 9 and if there is no distinctive change they have to go and start knocking on some doors , any compensation money must be worth it. Rotherham won’t want too much
My post was slightly ironic
Was hoping for a glimmer Gary and left with Father’s wise words to conclude.
Great write up buddy and thank you Dick, I’m taking that.
And Daniel Farke’s team winning 1-9 away from home in the top division perhaps shows what he might have been able to achieve here were Webber to have provided him with some half decent players. I was delighted for Farke, but could have cried for us. Yes, there are always those worse off, but when you throw away your own good fortune…