Andy Munro watches Blues abroad for the second time in a week.
Not too long ago, pre noveau-Wembley, one of the Bluenoses’ favourite songs was the Cardiff Dance. Unfortunately, if this had been ‘Strictly’, Blues performance against Cardiff would have failed to make the cut.
If Blues are serious about being play-off contenders then they needed to aim for at least three points from their two games against Cardiff and Hull. Defeat against the former meant that the latter is now really a must win game.
The game itself started off promisingly in a gritty sort of way with Blues more than holding their own. Indeed they might have gone into the break one nil up if Ziggy (yes that man again) had netted when clean through on goal, instead of having an attack of the Cameron Jeromes. In fact,during the first 45 minutes Blues had battled away without showing any real fluency especially with Chris Burke, as expected, well marshalled by his old club’s defenders.
The second half started as drably as the first and a valuable point seemed on the cards until Curtis Davies received his marching orders following a last ditch, but seemingly fair, challenge after making contact with the ball. The ref saw things differently and suddenly the balance of play changed with the home side increasingly in the ascendancy. Pablo Ibanez was at fault when Cardiff took the lead and that perhaps proves that nothing can beat regular match practice.
A bit similar to the Braga game, there was no way back from a goal down and, even though Chris Woods was thrown on I would like to have seen Redmond at least on the bench and given a run.
Let’s hope that we don’t end up concentrating on a domestic trophy (the FA Cup), although a home win against the Wolves is definitely doable. Certainly Roger ‘the Dodger’ Johnson can be sure of the sort of welcome that should bring his trademark smirk to his face. Never to play European football and fighting a rearguard Premier League action is a fate that he ultimately faces and his talent befits.