Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Off to see the Mouse

Very shortly we're off to see the mouse in Florida, so things may be quieter than normal for a week or so.

I'm taking my iPhone and Asus Eeee, and although I won't be using the iPhone much for data stuff during the day (at £6 per MB on O2's roaming data rates you'd be foolish to), the villa we're staying at does have wifi, so I may get round to posting stuff in the evening.

Point made: City 1-1 Sheffield Utd

Cardiff City turned on the style in the first half of this match, playing better than I've seen them play since about September. They carved the Blades open time and time again, only to lack the final finish, until a screamer from Bothroyd found the top corner on 45 mins.

Inevitably, City found it hard to keep up the pace in the second period, and Sheffield re-organised and gradually found their way back into the game. On 67 minutes Quinn (Sheffield's Stephen not City's Paul) toe poked a ball which it appeared the City keeper Marshall could have easily saved, but seemed to want to tap it away, only for Quinn to follow up and prod home from a yard.

Chopra replaced McCormack late on and almost made an instant impact hitting the bar, but it was not to be and both sides had to settle for a point. The Blades will be the happier of the two with that result, this being a match in my view that City should have won - but at least they played some decent football.

One other talking point was referee Danny McDermid, who in my opinion made several "bottle" decisions. twice in the opening 10 minutes City players appeared to be elbowed, or at least have arms raised against them, only for yellow rather than red to be brandished. In the end he booked 5 Blades players and 2 City players. How Sheffield finished with 11 men is a wonder to me. Frankly the quality of refereeing in this division this season has been very poor.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Steady: City 3-1 Watford

Another three points in the bag for City who are now 5 points clear of 7th placed Sheffield Utd who visit CCS on Wednesday, and we have a game in hand.

In truth, this was a games of three sides. City before they scored their first, City between scoring their first and half time, and City in the second half.

The opening spell by City was reminiscent of those first few games of the summer when we were pinging the ball around and scoring for fun. The goal came after a deep Whittingham corner was volleyed home by Ross McCormack. Immediately after the goal, City retreated (as usual), and were massivley second best to a poor Watford side who could have levelled and gone ahead by half time. Howe City still led at the break was anyone's guess.

In the second period, City grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and started to play football again. When they do that, they're a match for anyone in the division. The games was effectively made safe on 63 minutes when Whittingham headed home without having to leave the ground, and Burke wrapped it up with a good finish after a long solo run.

Inevitably, City couldn't keep a clean sheet, and Watford grabbed a consolation in the 3rd minute of injury time.

Still, City looked better overall with McPhail and Whittingham in the middle, but defensively, we're still a bit all over the places.

Blades on Wednesday. Bring it on!

Up the City

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Massive: Coventry 1-2 City

City won for the first time in ages (or so it feels) with a last gasp penalty at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. In an end to end game, both sides had chances, and it was Coventry who went ahead in the first period with yet more sloppy defending from a leaky City defence.

Just before the half Whittingham had a goal ruled out for offside, but Chris Burke from short range levelled it going into the break.

City had two great chances early in the second period, but both sides could have made further inroads. In the end it was deep into injury time when City were warded a penalty, and Peter Whittingham added to an impressive goal tally under the severest of pressure to ensure City travel back to South Wales with three massive points in the bag.

With Forest and more importantly for Bluebirds fans, the Jacks both above City in the table, losing, the gap has narrowed to 5 points between the Bluebirds and Swansea and Leicester. City remain sixth, and have a three point advantage and a game in hand over 7th placed Sheffield Utd.

A massive, massive win.

C'mon you Bluebirds!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Outfoxed: Leicester 1-0 City

City's onfield woes continue, this time on the wrong end of a one nil scoreline at the Walker's Stadium.

The bright spot for City was seeing the return of Stephen McPhail, who we've sorely missed in the centre of midfield. But although the midfield is a concern, the biggest problem is at the back, where pretty ordinary defending yet again accounted for the hosts goal.

City have now only won once in the last 7 games, and lost 5 of those including the the FA Cup loss to Chelsea. How we are still in 6th spot beggars belief, but we are, and with a game in hand over most of those around us. Nevertheless, unless we can turn this run around, we aren't going to be there for very long, and this could very quickly turn into another case of "so nearly".

C'mon City, pull your finger out!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

4th gen iPhone pictures? Or not

Saw this post over at JKOTR which purports to show a 4th gen iPhone.

Of course these things are never cast in stone, and it could well be someone who's more than a bit handy in Photoshop. It's funny how there's never much detail in these "leaked" shots - if indeed that's what it is, or they're just too blurry or far away to give you any real sense.

I'd take this with a hefty pinch of salt, but thinner will always be a good selling point - unless it buggers up already less than stellar battery life.

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Gritty 3 points. City 1-0 Boro

Around 1,500 "fans" marched to CCS before today's game to protest about City's dire financial situation and
demand the resignation of Chairman Peter Ridsdale. Whether they thought they'd achieve anything is a moot point. PR can't have failed to be aware of the feeling of many City supporters.

As I've said before, I think he's done a pretty decent job, though not entirely openly, and transparently, but things sem to be coming to a head now.

Anyway, City came into this match on the back of some very poor displays, and really needed to show some grit and passion. They did just that against a Boro side that have been on the up recently. It took just three minutes for City to bundle home a scrappy goal that to be honest looked way offside. Despite Boro's protests the goal stood. City were dogged in midfield, generally sound in defence, and did create some chances up front.

A classic it wasn't. City should have been 2 up on half time when Chris Burke having fought into the box was patently clipped (it was right in front of us), and the ref booked him for diving. Actually, the ref, Mr Deadman was pretty rubbish throughout making some very inconsistent decisions for both sides.

Inevitably Boro came back in the second period, and on 60 minutes appeared to have equalised from a free kick but to massive protestations from Boro players and staff, the linesman ruled a handball and the goal was disallowed.

City hung on and indeed hit the bar on a swift counter just before the end. But it was City's day and 19,800 saw a determined display from the Bluebirds.

Up the City!

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Did you know?

1981
  1. Prince Charles got married.
  2. Liverpool crowned soccer Champions of Europe.
  3. Australia lost the Ashes.
  4. The Pope died.

2005
  1. Prince Charles got married.
  2. Liverpool crowned soccer Champions of Europe.
  3. Australia lost the Ashes.
  4. The Pope died.

Lesson to be learned:
If Charles gets married again, someone better warn the Pope

Monday, March 01, 2010

Toodledo

I'm still trying to find the perfect to do app for the iPhone, over a year after moving to the platform.

Recently I've been using 2Do, and it's kind of OK, though some feel it's more form than function with it's colourful, nice to look at interface, which can at times feel a bit cluttered.

I use Appigo's Notebook app for my notes, and I find this a very decent app. It syncs to Toodledo, a cloud based to do/note application, but I've never bothered with it's to do element before now.

I've forked up the £1.79 asking price for the iPhone Toodledo app (come on, it's not even the cost of a pint of beer), and of course setting up the sync was a piece of cake.

I'll see how this goes - it's more like a traditional to do list rather than the over complicated (for me) "getting things done" model, though it does have folders, a hotlist and starred list options.

Pretty much all I'm after is a basic and easy to enter in, app that tells me when a task is due to be done and can give me an alert.

I'll see how this goes for a while.