In the balance: Reading 0-0 City

Bloody hell I've been so nervous all week, and it was a nervy 90 minutes watching City play the first leg of this Championship play off semi-final away at Reading. I was so nervous I had to hide behind two bottles of SA Gold.

It was a real hustle and bustle encounter, feisty at times in the first half and when Bellamy went off after 16 minutes I admit I feared the worst.

I though we were poor in that first period, giving possession away too easily in the middle of the park, unable to string two passes together. In truth though Reading pressed the last 20 of the opening half, neither side had a real clear chance.

In the second half City played better, but again the defences cancelled each other out. Neither keeper was troubled, and although Reading came close at the end, a draw was probably a fair result. I thought my MoM was Nauts (again) who was magnificent. I thought JET and Oli were poor. Oli wins the ball OK, but his control and passing so often let him down. The others worked hard, but no-one really stood out for me. Burke didn't get the ball often enough for my liking, and too many long high balls again to Bothroyd & Chops. We play so well when we play fast and on the ground. Why do we insist on booting it long?

So back to CCS on Tuesday and do it all over again. You'd like to think City have the advantage, at home in the second leg, but Bellamy's a doubt, Quinn limped off...but remember we beat Leicester last year, albeit on pens. I don't want to do that again though....Let's be positive. You'd take a 0-0 away from home any time in a two legged tie. Let's do 'em at home!

So no doubt the bookies will be odds on a South Wales final. There's water to pass under the bridge before that though.

Come on City...one more push.

Bluebirds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Play-offs (again): Burnley 1-1 City

Well it's a bloody good job we didn't have to win at Turfmoor on this, the last day of the regular season to gain automatic promotion, because we didn't.

Where to start?

Well, I guess it all started to go wrong when we had 4 to play and everything was in our own hands.

Then we drew with QPR and it was out of our hands.

Then we needed Ipswich to do us a favour against Norwich and they got stuffed by the Canaries.

Then we needed Norwich to slip up against Leeds and they didn't.

Then we needed to beat Middlesborough and we put in arguably our worst performance of the season and got stuffed.

Then we needed Norwich to slip up at Pompey and they didn't and secured that precious 2nd automatic promotion spot..

Then we needed QPR to be docked points for the naughtiness over the Alejandro Faurlin affair and the FA dilly dallied and then got cold feet and smacked a fine on them which their owners can pay out of the petty cash tin.

Not that it wouldn't have made any difference though. After the debacle against 'Boro, with the side needing to re-assert their play-off credentials and at least give the fans something to shout and cheer,we were behind in the 13th minute and in what was a pretty tame performance by all accounts stayed that way until Bellamy equalised in the 90th minute. And that poor draw means the Jacks who once again showed that they play decent football in a squad with no delusions of grandeur, stuffed an already relegated Sheffield Utd 4-0, and in doing so finished the regular season above us in 3rd place on goal difference, shunting us to 4th.

And so it's the play-offs. After a run that saw us almost nick automatic promotion, we play Reading in the pot luck chance that is the playoffs. At least finishing 4th means the second leg is at home. All the other play-off contenders though finished with a win, whilst the best we could muster was a last gaps draw. I don't think any of them will be shaking in their boots at the prospect of playing us.

And so it's nicely set up for a South Wales derby at Wembley in the Championship final. IF we beat Reading, and IF the Jacks beat Forest. What a day that would be.

I hope to God we can do it. The torture of last years play-off final is still hard to bear. The thought (should we get there) of losing to the Jacks, well......

But there's a long way to go yet.

I am keeping the faith. It's back to nil points for everyone in the lottery of the play-offs, and literally anything can happen. We're two games from Wembley, and three from the Premiership. But so are the others.

Please.....just this once?

City blow it big time

A win for City today would have heaped pressure on Norwich, playing later at Fratton Park.

Instead, City succumbed without even a whimper, 3-0 at home to a team lying 16th. Expectations were massive ahead of this match, with most fans still believing that the Bluebirds could clinch the 2nd automatic promotion spot.

All those expectations disappeared inside 3 minutes, as a long cross saw Leroy Lita outjump McNaughton to head back across Heaton into the corner for 1-0.

Worse was to follow 10 minutes later when Robosn made it 2-0 after more poor defending, and on 21 minutes the score was 3-0 when another poor defensive error saw Smallwood nick in at the near post.

By then, City were dead and buried. Heads were down, and though I hate to say it, they deserved to be behind. They couldn't pass, they were second to everything, when they did get the ball instead of playing the football we know they can they were just hoofing long balls up the field. It was a truly, truly abject display by virtually every single City player.

The second half saw Blake on for McPhail, and eventually, Chopra for Quinn, but despite almost all the second period possession, they could hardly muster a shot on goal.

City really know how to bottle the big occasion, and boy did they bottle this one. It's the worst home performance I've seen all season, just when they needed a good one.

Here's a tweeted account by a lad I sit next to, who's quite astute, and incidentally a ref. (@pearcey147).

Thought the whole team was utterly crap today, didn't look interested at all and couldn't have scored if we had played for a month.
Back four missed Hudson badly. Keinan lost his head, Samuel was being destroyed by Lita briefly and Kev is too short to be centre-back.
Olofinjana can't control the football, McPhail was non-existent, Burke was off the pace and Whitts and Koumas kept playing long balls.
Bellamy was trying to force it too much and can't cross the ball at all, whilst Bothroyd looked totally disinterested and was shit.
The referee was crap, thought we were playing basketball, was throwing cards around and the male lino didn't know the offside rule.
Jones should've gone in December, didn't pick Hudson for some reason, changed the setup about 5 times and has no motivational skills.

I'm gutted. Really gutted. And yes, the referee was crap.Appallingly so - talk about comedy officiating. Needs to learn the rules. Handball for one. Can't be offside from a throw for another.

Norwich will go up if the beat Pompey today, and I can't see them not doing that. Jones might have done a lot for City, but he can't get the best out of them in pressure games.

So it looks like playoffs again. I said I didn't want to go through the heartache of playoff again, but I'll take it now. But if we play like this, we'll be out of them in a hurry.

Of course, if QPR get deducted points we may still go up automatically, though we still need to beat Burnley, but that's just clutching at straws, and I wouldn't want to go up that way. Probably....

Saw a tweet from someone I follow suggesting City fans hadn't helped by booing their side. Well excuse me. I pay good money to come and watch 11 highly paid men kick a bag of wind about. When they play well, I'm entitled to clap and cheer. When they play like they did today, I'm entitled to my opinions that they were crap.

If I had a cat I'd kick it. Wait I minute, I have.....here puss.........

No I wouldn't kick the cat, but if you're a football fan, and particularly one of the almost 25,000 City fans who were there today to watch that debacle, you'll know how I'm feeling tonight.

Too nervous to post

As I've said before on more than a few occasions, it's never an easy ride with City.This Championship run-in is as nervous a time as I've ever had in the years I've been supporting City. So much so that I've not even posted much and missed commenting on the last two results v QPR and Preston.

On Saturday, it was still all in City's own hands. A simple equation. Win their remaining 4 matches and they'd be promoted, whatever anyone else did. But QPR aren't top of the table for nothing, and twice came back against City in a pulsating match. On any other day, you'd have taken the point, gone home aglow with the quality and the superb goals and had a few beers. This though, felt almost like a defeat, because that result combined with Norwich's thrashing of Ipswich on Thursday (thanks Ipswich) meant automatic promotion was out of our hands.

So to Deepdale, just two days later a place we've not had the happiest of times at recently. I was listening to this on the radio, and how we didn't win about 8-0 was anyone's guess, but we did win, although a 1-0 win where despite early superiority we were hanging on at the end wasn't quite how I'd scripted it.

And for much of the last few minutes of the match it looked like Derby were doing a job on Norwich. They'd pulled back to 2-2 and as the City game finished it looked like we were back in 2nd with it all in our hands again, but cruelly, Norwich scored in the 7th minute of added time (yes 7th) to win 3-2 and keep hold of 2nd spot.

So two more matches to go. Again we need someone to do us a favour against the Canaries but with their matches against Pompey and Coventry, both with nothing to play for except pride, it's hard to see them slipping up.

We have Boro on Monday, followed by our last match at Burnley on 7th May. It's not over yet, and f we don't get it, we still have the play offs, but after last year I'd really rather not go down that route again if we can avoid it.

Come on City!

Come on Pompey!

Come on Coventry!

Closer and closer: City 3-0 Portsmouth

Every game is a massive game now. With Norwich winning last night, City had to win to go back to 2nd spot, and they did so in some style.

The game started fast and open, and the atmosphere was brilliant with a big travelling support, it looked like we were going to be in for a treat, although to be honest I'd have settled for a boring match and all three points.

It took only six minutes for City to take the lead, when Bellamy's wonderful first time cross was headed back and into the net by Seji Olifanjana. Portsmouth were contesting everything though - sometimes quite robustly it has to be said. They looks so pumped up you wonder what their manager had said to them before the kick off. Whatever it was , it came back to haunt them on 18 minutes when Ricardo Rocha was given his marching orders after what appeared to be a head butt on one of the City players. It was always going to be hard from then on, and City doubled their lead in first half stoppage time from a corner. Bothroyd, who when the corner was given was on his knees, looked injured and then limped slowly into the box. The corner wasn't cleared properly, and after McPhail had had a stab at coring the ball fell to Bothroyd from a yard out. He doesn't miss those. Miraculously, his injury appeared much better as he raced to the Ninian stand to celebrate. I'll forgive him his theatricals this time.

In the second half, City continued to push and Pompey, became more and more exasperated as they chased the ball and 50/50 decisions went against them (though apart from being a bit picky about where throws and free kicks were taken from, I though the ref had a decent game).

A third goal was on the cards and came after Bellamy broke down the right, looked up and squared the ball for an onrushing Whittingham to smash into the roof of the net from six yards.

A few changes ensued - Parking for Bothroyd, Koumas for McPhail and Blake for Quinn, as City saw the game out without any major concerns.

I thought the whole team were first class today. Bar a few moments of long ball madness when playing to feet would have been better given Pompey were down to 10, and keeper Bywater's kicking which has to be some of the worst I've seen in a keeper for a long time, City were professional and committed throughout. I particularly though Bellamy, Olifanjana, McPhail and Whittingham were outstanding, but the rest were right up there too.

So, back to 2nd, and we are now just 4 wins from the Premiership. We know if we win the next four games, nothing can stop us, and that's a great position to be in. A tough match next week v table topping QPR, but we shouldn't fear them, especially at home.

Though we should only concentrate on ourselves, it's hard not to look around. Norwich scraped past Forest last night, and lie 3rd a point behind with a GD five worse than us. Two points behind them in 4th are Reading, the form team, unbeaten in eight . The Jacks lost against Burnley today and are 5th, five points behind us, whilst Leeds in the final play-off spot are 10 points adrift of us after their 2-2 draw with Watford.

But, as I say, all that doesn't matter if we win the next four games. So keep the faith, and let's do it!

City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Massive night in the Championship: Sheff Utd 0-2 City

It's been a massive night in the Championship. City started in 3rd place, but a 2-0 win at Brammall Lane, combined with the Jacks been held at home by Hull, and Watford drawing with Norwich, means the Bluebirds finish the night in the 2nd automatic promotion spot behind QPR who won again.

It was Craig Bellamy who got things off on the right foot, with a great goal in the 21st minute. JET notched the 2nd to ease nerves after City had been under a bit of pressure, and despite some late chances for the home side, City kept a clean sheet.

It's all in City's own hands now. Win all the remaining and we'll go up - simple. Obviously, it's not that simple. With the table so tight, nerves will play a part, and there are surely more twists to come, including a home fixture against QPR who are nailed on and have been for a long while) as division Champions.

Still, City should fear no-one. We know we can perform. The nerves will be the same at Carrow Road, at the Liberty and the Madjeski.

Come on City. Three points on Saturday at home v Pompey please!

And whilst I'm at it, congrats to Brighton, promoted to Championship on 11th April! Stunning!

Quick note: Doncaster 1-3 City

Just a quick note to record City's great away win at the Keepmoat last Saturday. I've been up to my eyes in Dinas Powys Cricket Club's Nat West Cricket Force weekend (all Friday afternoon, and all day Sat & Sun, plus a club disco on Sat night), so haven't had time to breathe let alone update blogs.

Anyway, I knew amongst the painting and grass cutting that City were 1 up courtesy of Burke, and I heard they'd been pulled back to 1-1 with minutes to go. Somewhere between a paint can and a ground roller, someone mentioned that Koumas of all people had scored a brace and it had finished 3-1 to the Bluebirds. Stunning.

Back to (relative) normality now, and looking forward to seeing if the Bluebirds can stick one over the Blades tomorrow and then even more excited by Saturday's home date against Pompey.

Up the City! Keep it going lads....

That's more like it: City 4-1 Derby

City needed a big performance after the international break. With only 8 games left, automatic promotion is still in the grasp of several teams, so no slip ups were needed.

Derby have been struggling at the foot of the table, but frankly anyone can beat anyone in this division, and City have often struggled against those fighting for safety.

The arrival of Derby also f course brings Robbie Savage. Love him or hate him, you can't ignore him. He was booed off the bus, booed in warm up, and booed every time he touched the ball. I reckon he loves it!

One amusing sight was City's 'keepers warm up. With goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson out there, there were no less than 5 keepers warming up. A new strategy perhaps. Don't even know who they all were - we had one other (Bywater who's on loan from Derby, not even in the squad today).

City with the solid Heaton back between the sticks started brightly enough. It took just seven minutes for them to take the lead from the spot, courtesy of Jay Bothroyd, after Bellamy was brought down.

City settled after that, and whilst Derby frankly posted no threat thereafter throughout the whole match, a few comedy defending moments did raise the heart to mouth on occasions.

City should have been two up after Bellamy was set free, but in taking the ball past Derby keeeper Jones, his touch was awful, and the angle became too acute and allowed the defender to clear off the line.

Half time, 1-0 City.

As we settled for the second period, I said to @ministats, "an early goal, the pressure will be off, then settle back and enjoy it. Sure enough, three minutes in, Dekel Keinan was first to a corner with a powerful header, and it was 2-0 City.

Just under 10 minutes later, it was the occasionally maligned defender Paul Quinn who stabbed home with a Derby player lying injured in the box, but the goal stood.

And on 68 minutes, after it looked like a great move had fallen apart as Chris Burke mis-controlled and the ball ballooned up, Peter Whittingham struck a thunderous volley past Brad Jones to make it 4-0.

Derby did carve a couple of chances due to poor defending, but one (I was at the other end of the ground) appeared to be hit over the bar from about a yard, and another clear header went yards wide.

The last 20 minutes or so was frankly pretty rubbish. City subbed Bothroyd and then Bellamy, and didn't look like scoring again. They just took their foot right off the gas (unlike Norwich who improved their goal difference by 6 at Scunthorpe). It was almost inevitable therefore that Derby grabbed a consolation five minutes into the added six, when a very dubious looking penalty (the player seemed to first lose control of the ball, and then run into a City player) was converted by - yes, none other than the ponytailed Savage.

So a good win (at last) for City. They looked hungrier than of late, and I thought Bellamy, Kienan, McNaughton were on top form today. Bothroyd, Whitts, Burke, Olifanjana and Quinn showed flashes, whilst McPhail was steady and debutant Jlloyd Samuel did OK. Heaton was completely untroubled, and almost got to the penalty.

I suppose you shouldn't look for negatives - after all it was a 4-1 win and we've moved up to 3rd after the Jacks lost, but there were a couple for me.

City could have dominated the game far more. Derby were poor - no question, but Parkin and JET who came on for Bothroyd and Bellamy didn't inspire confidence and neither threatened to show any goalscoring prowess. Parkin was penalised virtually every time he touched the ball for "nudging" defenders, and JET just looked lazy - "job done" attitude, being robbed of the ball for lack of opponent awareness on several occasions. And whilst we almost kept a clean sheet, there were some unforced errors at the back that need to be eradicated in the last few games.

Still to concentrate on that would be churlish. We won, we scored four goals, and we're third with 7 games to go.

Keep it going lads.

Blooobirds!

We Will Rock You

All the Stattos went to see We Will Rock You at the Millennium Centre last night. As a Queen fan, I was looking forward to it, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed.

Though the story is a bit of a stretch, it's the music that counts and it was brilliant.

The lead role of Galileo was performed by Noel Sullivan ex of Hear'say, a completely rubbish "band", and one that would have ironically typified the story's "Ga Ga" bands (no instruments, dancing and no talent). But to be fair to the lad, he was excellent - a superb voice and a very good actor to boot and really stole the show.

The other well known "star" was Rhydian - he of the odd hair, eyes too close together and booming voice from the X-Factor a couple of years ago. He too was good, though I felt that Queen's songs weren't really his forte. He really on sung on a bout two or three though.

The other main leads weren't household names (at least not in this household) although "Pop" was apparently played by the bloke who was "Tricky Dicky" the market inspector in East Enders years ago when even I used to watch it. He too was good.

It was a real blast as all the biggest and best Queen tracks were bashed out, woven into the story with artistic licence used in some lyrics on occasions. And it wasn't just a soundtrack - the music was being played by a real band - hidden for the most part until the end of the show, they were truly awesome.

It was a great show - if you haven't seen it, it's highly recommended.

Divided loyalties

It's one of those divided loyalty occasions tomorrow. England play Wales at the Millenium Stadium in a Euro 2012 qualifier, with Wales playing only for pride, and England needing the three points to keep their qualification aspirations on course.

And here's the issue. I of course am English, married to a Welsh lass. My kids are Welsh, and I'v lived in Wales longer than I've lived anywhere else (32 of my 51 years). I love Wales and the Welsh. Ordinarily I'd be desperate for Wales to win, and genuinely support Wales in all manner of things. But just for one day, I' going to have to revert to my roots.

Sorry folks, but that's just the way it is. At least for tomorrow.

And just for the record, why can't fans just get on? Why the need for hate?

Yes, no, yes, no - bugger: Millwall 3-3 City

What a match. Listening to the commentary - especially in the second half, it was a roller coater of emotions, but in the end City failed yet again to see of opposition when they had the chance.

A goalless first half saw City lose Bothroyd (hamsting) and Hudson to injuries, though City dominated possession.

It was the second half where the blue touchpaper was lit.

On 49 minutes Chris Burke slotted home in the six yard box to give City the lead, but less than a minute later the conceded a penalty and it was 1-1. 10 minutes later Lisbie scored to make it 2-1 to Millwall. Shortlay after City were awarded a penalty, only for the decision to be switched to a corner after a consultation between the ref and linesman (who was miles away).

City pulled it back to 2-2 though Whittingham on 72 minutes and then to the delight of the travelling faithful City went ahead again on 79 minutes.

But you know what's coming. Millwall rallied again, and a goalkeeping error by Bywater, who has yet to convince a lot of people (me included) saw him rush of his line only to be lobbed by Morison for 3-3.

And deapite further chances for both sides to snatch all three points, that's how it ended. Breathless stuff, but not the result City wanted or needed. To go away, score three goals and not win is frustrating. With Norwich being held at Hull, the Jacks beating freefalling Forest, and lowly Sheffield Utd doing for Leeds, City stay 4th - a position they'd be in even if they'd won, but importantly they'd only have been one point of Swansea instead of three.

Personally, I can't see City getting 2nd and an automatic promotion now. I think it's between the Canaries and the Jacks.

City continue to flatter to deceive. Play some good stuff, but can't kill off games and concede sloppy goals, So, play-offs I think. Would we/I have settled for that eight months ago. Probably, but I was thinking back in August that if we didn't get an automatic spot, we'd only have ourselves to blame, and so it's proving.

One mention of a bad incident at the game. A City supporter fell from the first tier whilst celebrating City's opener. Sounds like he was badly hurt. Hope he's ok.

1,000 posts

Blimey - realised tonight that I've posted over 1,000 times on this blog. Mostly mundane rantings of a deluded Cardiff City fan or inconsequential ramblings about shiny gadgets granted, but who'd have thought?

When I started this blog way back when, I posted a few times and virtually forgot about it. I've had another "break" along the way.

I'm not sure too many people apart from my mate Mike "Stabber" Baker (don't ask) read this drivel, but who cares?

Week Cal for iPhone

For many iPhone users the default Calendar app is OK, but for others it's perceived as one of the weaker areas on the device. For a generation brought up on Palm's calendars, or third party offering like Datebook, the standard iPhone app just didn't cut the mustard.

Many pretenders to the crown have come and gone, often stymied by Apple's reluctance or stubbornness to let developers get right at the heart of the functionality they need to produce a decent competitor.

But then along came Week Cal by Wasabi Apps, http://www.wasabi-apps.com/weekcalendar/.

All of a sudden, here was an app that looked like it could offer a decent alternative including that fabled week view missing from Apple's native app. It got some pretty decent reviews, and I decided a few months back to stop using the default Calendar app in favour of the new pretender. And I liked it. It wasn't particularly barnstorming for me, but it was efficient, and that week view certainly made it better.

It's just gone to v3.0, and there are some great new additions to it's functionality. It's got a new year view - OK, not much detail here on an iPhone screen, but very easy to quickly navigate to a month/day.

More tellingly, and something that will possibly swing it for ex Palm users is a terrific Agenda/week view that you can customise with up to 8 different layouts. It almost looks like a Palm! (Note to self....move on...Palm's gone).

Additionally you can rotate views and have a different view depending on whether you're in portrait or landscape mode. For those that want it, there.s a global birthday alert (I have a wife for that). There are a myriad of other features including various full screen options, the ability to auto-hide bars, have different badge alerts according
to your preference, show or hide week numbers and change font sizes.

The neat ability to tap and hold to start data entry makes it feel much more useable than the native app, and generally this whole app gives a feeling of being very polished. I highly recommend this app for anyone who's serious about using a calendar on an iPhone. It's miles ahead of the native app, and Apple really should take a long hard look at this.

Hidden data use and the iPhone

A salutary tale

I'm on O2 as my carrier using an iPhone 4. I, like most people was a bit miffed when O2 slapped on a 500mb cap on data usage. On reflection though, I rarely get even close to using that. Sensible use on 3G, plus using wifi wherever I can, including at home means my typical monthly data use over 3G is in the region of 80mb - 100mb.

A couple of days ago I paid a cursory glance at my usage in Settings/General/Usage and it was around the 30mb mark. About right given my billing month runs from 25th of the month.

Over the weekend I've mostly been at home (on wifi) or at Cardiff City Stadium - where regular readers will know I don't get a data signal. I haven't been doing anything different, or downloaded any new apps - though I have updated a few existing ones.

Imagine my surprise therefore when at 8.57am this morning a text from O2 pinged in saying I was at 80% of my data limit and they'd let me know if I went over it. Sure enough a quick check in settings showed around 400mb used. Somewhat perplexed, but with no time to check anything (I'm a busy man) I vowed to check things out this evening. Then 30 minutes later I got another text saying I'd exceeded my limit and now needed to buy a bolt on.

I suppose at least they told me rather than letting me carry on and shafting me with a hefty bill at month end.

Anyway, busy I may be but not that busy. I checked again, and use was at 477mb according to Settings. I re-booted the iphone and made sure there were no apps running. What I should have done was check what apps were running - but as I've said before I wasn't doing anything differently to normal.

I then contacted O2 - via chat as it happened. Their phone lines - my first port of call said they were very busy, but within 20 secs of being on the web site I was offered a chat session which I gratefully took.

The next 20 minutes basically confirmed what I'd been told by text. Yes I was over my limit, yes I'd need a bolt on and given I said I'd not normally come near this level of use, they did agree to "look into it", but I suspect they won't find anything.

So, for a £5 bolt on I've got another 500mb to tie me over to my next billing date in 10 days time. Worryingly, I still have no idea which app was the culprit.

My vague recollection is that the following were in the multi-task bar - but remember these apps re supposed to be in a suspended (ie effectively stopped) state.

Sky Sports Football, Safari, Mail, Twitter, Messages, ECB Cricket, Notes, Reeder, Facebook, Contacts, SafeWallet and Angry Birds. I don't (or rather very rarely) stream video or music and certainly haven't been doing this in the last few days. One of them though, appears to have been doing something rather naughty. Two pieces of supporting evidence were significant battery drain - down from 100% at 7.30am to 68% by 9.30 when normally I'm not down to 68% by the end of the day, and the fact the phone did appear to be quite warm at one stage.

So, conclusions?

Well, clearly not all apps go into a suspend state when you open another app or return to the home screen, despite what most people would have you believe. I've heard of this with apps like Pandora and Spotify but I don't use those. Gavin suggested it might be a location services issue, although I don't think I've changed anything since yesterday.

A bit of a mystery then. One things for sure. I'll be paying a regular trip to the task bare to check what's there and clearing them down, and I'll be paying a bit more attention to my data usage over the next few weeks.

City cock it up for the third time in a week: City 2-2 Barnsley

Do Cardiff City really want to get promotion to the Premiership?

On the basis of the last week, you'd have to say no.

They've had three chances in the last 8 days to stamp their authority on the race for 2nd spot as sides all around them have faltered. But have they taken them? No they haven't, and worse, they haven't looked like being worthy of promotion contenders in any of the three matches.

Last Saturday, City bested an poor Ipswich for 45 minutes, and then switched off and were undone twice by the best player on the pitch, Jimmy Bullard.

On Tuesday, City were woeful against a Crystal Palace, but had the chance to go ahead through a penalty, but fluffed that and lost to a comedy goal.

Today against mid table Barnsley, the chance was there to leapfrog Swansea and Norwich into 2nd spot and they twice surrendered a lead through lapses in defending.

City started today's game at a snails pace, and you have to wonder if the desire to stamp a mark on game early is there. If City (and more particularly manager Dave Jones) think they have the quality to dictate the pace of play, than there are deluded. If you pass crisply and accurately to feet, counter fast and take you chances, then fine, but City are not able to do that despite their so called "talented squad". It's almost as if Jones tells the players to go out, be patient and chances will come. Come on, we're at home with the likes of Bellamy, Bothroyd, Chopra and JET. If we can't dictate a game at home we might as well all bugger off now.

The highlight (and I do mean "the only" highlight) of the fist half was a stunning strike by Peter Whittingham into the top corner to open the scoring on 21 minutes. But that's the sort of chance that misses 99 times out of 100, and it wasn't indicative of a dominant City, and it certainly wasn't indicative of the run of play. And it was countered by two lowlights of the first period when Chopra went off looking like he's done a hamstring on 25 mins, and the Tykes equalised after some poor defending on 29 minutes.

There were disgruntled sounds by the fans at half time, and you just hoped that Jones was giving the side a rollicking and telling them to go out and win the game in the second half.

But things didn't get much better in the second period - at least not at first. Passes were going astray, City were second to everything and Bothroyd was looking dreadfully off the pace, and the fans were getting on his back - deservedly so I think, for not chasing down balls and generally putting effort in. It seemed to work because he then started to play some of his best football of the game, but then in the footballing world that only Dave Jones occupies, he decided to sub Bothroyd for Parkin. Brilliant. Wait until you main man starts to play like he should and then sub him. Idiot.

Nevertheless, City were fashioning chances, and eventually the pressure told with a sublime Burke cross nodded in at the back post by Dekel Kienan. 2-1, seven minutes plus stoppage time, and the relief was palpable, and the crowd, having been so frustrated were delirious.

But of course this is Cardiff City, and again, they switched off. Barnsely made a sub at a free kick on halfway. The sub came on, the ball was passed to him he crossed and Gray headed home. 2-2.

It wasn't even comedy defending. It wasn't defending at all.

Inevitably, at full time, the boos rang out. I have to say, I can't blame anyone booing. City just don't look like, haven't looked like, promotion contenders since about October.

Jones goes on and on about the crowd getting behind the team. Well, 23,000 people were behind the team today. OK, the frustration was there at times, but after (both) out goals, but especially the second, the place was rocking. It would rock longer if City weren't so good at leting sides score so quickly after we do. But City are so, so fragile. Don't blame the crowd Dave Jones - you're the manager. You're the person who dictates how we play; who plays; gives the team passion, belief. And you're not doing it. It's all cliches and managing by numbers.

Frankly I have now given up on automatic promotion. If it happens great. I can't see it. We need other teams to keep faltering, and they won't. If City want to play next season at places like Glanford Park (Scunthorpe), or Brighton next season fine. If they want to play at places like the Emirates, Anfield and Old Trafford they have to buck their ideas up - now.

And, as ever, a word on the delightful officials. You''ll know by now, my general view of the standard of officiating in the Championship is, well, let's now beat about the bush, it's crap, bar one or two.

Today's villian? Take a bow Mr RJ Booth and your companions. Truly awful.Offside that weren't, onsides that were off, fouls that weren't, time wasting by Barnsley so blatant they must have a doctorate in it, handballs missed....the list goes on. How are these people allowed to officiate?

You can probably tell, I'm not a happy man tonight,

I give up. City bottle it (again) Palace 1-0 City

OK, I'm done with the optimism. I'm seriously hacked off as City manage no point from 6 as they throw away the points against an average Palace side.

I can't believe we're going to have to settle for a play off place (at best), but the way it's going, that'll be as good as it gets.

Away at Palace tonight chances came and went. In other matches, City looked to be slipping down the leaderboard (again) as the Jacks, Forest, Norwich all went ahead, only for the Jack and Forest to be pegged back. At the same time City got a penalty, only for Peter Whittingham to hit a woeful penalty against the post, and Palace, inevitably end up grabbing a winner.

It's bad enough not being able to break down and beat sides like Ipswich and Palace, let alone throwing away glorious opportunities such as penalties when they present themselves.

It really feels like City are bottling it. I hate to say it, but you have to wonder.

City have been their own worst enemy this season, spurning chances, playing with an arrogance on occasion that other teams have just buckled down and ignored, worked together as a team and run rings around our 11 individuals.

I don't know what to say any more.

Never mind, maybe Jay Bothroyd will say "it's all ok because we played well and we'll definitley go up."

Get real.

Excuse me?

Twitter is a marvellous medium. It's great that "celebs" and us ordinary folk can mix it together - or at least use the same medium - they rarely mix it with us plebs.

But sometimes they say such the most ridiculous things.

As you'll have seen from my previous post, City were beaten today by a mediocre Ipswich team that had more guile in one player than we've got in most of our squad.

Very shortly after the match, City striker Jay Bothroyd, tweeted "If we play like that we will def get promotion can't believe we lost that game "

Now where I come from, losing games, and getting NO points, is generally not the way to get promoted. There's absolutely no point in playing well if you don't turn that into points.

Now before everyone goes off on one, I'm generally a fan of Bothroyd. He had storming first half of the season, though personally, since his England cap and return from injury I think he's looked a bit "precious". He has undoubted skill, but is currently spending too much time with his hands in the air claiming fouls or the floor looking aghast at why he hasn't been given a free kick. However, I digress.

I'm sure he meant this tweet in the right way. I'm sure I could be more objective and say I understand what he's saying; that if we continue to play well, chances will come (and be taken), we will pick up points and we will be promoted. But that's at least one "if" and three "possibly's". I'm not that optimistic.

But tonight, I'm not being objective. I've spent more of my hard earned (relatively speaking as I've got a season ticket) going to the match, paid money for a programme, two 50/50 tickets to support the academy, drinks and food for my daughter, and watched a bunch of blokes trying to pass a bag of wind about, who are being paid handsomely to do so. And often they couldn't even do that.

We hear all the rhetoric. We (try) and remain positive, we support the team through thick and thin, we watch them lose against teams they should be hammering....

And then we see people say if we keep playing like that (erm ..... losing) we'll definitely be promoted.

We won't Jay.

The only way we'll be promoted is if we win (and that's the crucial word, win) more matches than everyone else around us. It'll be no good saying at the end of April/May when God forbid we're consigned to another year of Championship football, ah, but we played well.

I'm stopping now, because I'm getting really mad the more I write.

Aaaaaaarggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no!!!!! City 0-2 Ipswich

I'm very upset. Can you tell?

We knew Ipswich had two outstanding players in Connor Wickham and Jimmy Bullard. When you give a player like Bullard the run of the pitch, it'll come back to haunt you - and did it ever. But it was Bullard, and the Tractor Boy's 'kepper Martin Fulop, not Wickham who did the damage.

Ahead of the match kicking off, spirits were high. The Jacks had lost, Forest had lost, Norwich had drawn. A win and we'd be back to second spot. All in our own hands.

With Stephen Bywater getting the nod ahead of Jason Brown in City's goal, the Bluebirds started like it had to be wrapped up inside the first half. They played some outstanding football, JET in particular who looked the Premiership quality he undoubtedly is.

With Peter Whittingham pulling the strings vacated by Ramsey's return to Arsenal, City poured chances onto Fulop's goal, but the keeper stood firm. The one time he didn't, Keinan's headed goal was ruled offside. Whitt's hit the underside of the bar with a free kick, and Fulop pulled off several amazing saves when it looked easier for City to score.

All this was leading to one of those "could it be (another) one of those days", and on 67 minutes when Bullard ran on to a wide ball and smashed home from outside the box. City, who had been the only team in the match were stunned. Heads dropped, and they just forgot how to play.

with minutes to go, City conceded a free kick well over 30 yards out, and man of the moment Bullard stepped up and blasted home a shot to make it 2-0. Only a desperate save by Bywater kept it to 2 and denied Bullard his hat trick.

For me there were a number of key things in this match.

• City played well, but Bothroyd, Chopra, and Bellamy did not. They spurned chances, controlled the ball poorly and made the wrong decisions when they had the ball.
• City laid off Ipswich. They gave then far to much room/respect. In the first half Ipswich were poor, but everything, - really, everything was going through Bullard - and he had so much time and space to pull the strings, you just knew it would eventually come to something.
• In the second period City were poor. Whatever Jones's half time talk was about, it was fatally flawed.
• When we were chasing the game Jones made a substitution. A full back for a full back. Eh?
• City's strikers for all the efforts we had in the first half were far too static. Musical statues anyone?
• Bothroyd fell down a lot (again)
• The ref could have been in a an Ipswich shirt. Seriously. I try to be objective about refs, but again the standard of all officials was shocking. Every 50/50 challenge went Ipswich's way.

I'd struggle to name a City MoTM. Whiits perhaps. But Bullard and Fulop were a different class today. Good honest pros who know what it's effort and hard work that win matches, not flah and talk.

City had a massive, massive chance to state their claim today, in front of a TV audience. Not sure what the half time chat was in the TV box, but along the lines I expect of about how it was only a matter of time before City scored.

On the pitch after the full time whistle, the only people the TV wanted to talk to were Bullard and Fulop.

Oh how they must be chuckling at the Liberty and Selhurst Park tonight.

Not good enough City.

Keepers, keepers everywhere...

You've got to hand it to Cardiff City. They've found a foolproof way of keeping clean sheet's for the rest of the season - they've got five (yes 5) goalkeepers.

To be fair, they've always liked having at least three or four in the squad, so five's not too much of a step up, but stringing five across the goal line is an ingenious idea!

Actually, of course, it's not quite as simple as that. The current holder of the starting shirt, Tom Heaton (pictured), who's been in pretty spectacular form of late can't play tomorrow 'cause he's on the telly (Soccer AM). Or rather, he apparently needs a groin operation so he's out for a bit. The lad who started the season as number 1 - David Marshall, who's fallen out of favour has had surgery on an elbow injury - or maybe he's out of favour because he's had elbow surgery, so he's out - possibly for the rest of the season. City's 3rd choice 'keeper, the young, inexperienced at first team level, and it has to be said, very short, Jordan Santiago has a broken finger so he's out too. City's GK coach, who was a fine keeper, and is a great coach, Martyn Margetson probably isn't registered to play. So with City fighting for an automatic play-off spot, finding not one, but two 'keepers to come in and provide cover was an absolute necessity.

Earlier this week, after a bit on "is it on, is it off?", it looked like former England stopper Chris Kirkland, currently with Wigan was coming, but for various reasons, that's fallen through.

I can't say I'm dreadfully disappointed. Kirkland is undeniably a great keeper when he's fit, but he's had such a torrid time with injury - it would have been City's luck to get him, and then end up with him getting blown over by a gust of wind in the first match and dislocating a shoulder or his back going. On reflection, maybe just as well.

So City have turned to Blackburn and Derby, securing the services of one of Wales's own, Jason Brown, and Stephen Bywater - who if I remember correctly (it does, I just checked on Wikipedia) served for a brief loan spell with City back in 2002.

There's no easy ride for either of these guys. City are home against Ipswich tomorrow, and it's on the telly, at the unusual (for City) starting time of 5:20pm. Dave Jones will have a tough call deciding who starts, as I don't think either of them have had too much action recently. Brown of course is with a Premiership team, so perhaps the favour is with him. We'll see soon enough.

It's another big match for City. They're coming thick and fast now. Our recent record against Ipswich, home or away isn't great, but we need to win this one and keep the pressure on at the top of the table.

And finally, congratulations to the Jacks manager Brendon Rogers has just won the Manager of the Month award. That's usually a catalyst for an alarming slump in form. Let's hope it holds true..

Up the City!!!!

The iPhone Twitter app v3.3 Spawn of the Devil

I have 3 or 4 Twitter apps on my iPhone, but my preferred one is the actual Twitter app itself. Simple and intuitive, it does all I want in a slick and easy way.

Today v3.3 became available, and it brings a number of neat tweaks and updates that make the whole process of tweeting even better.

BUT, and it's a huge but..............

One of the updates in v3.3 puts a trend bar at the top of the timeline - it's that horrible grey box with #worldbookday in the screenshot here. It constantly updates with the latest trending topics, and here's the rub. You can't turn it off.

I'm personally not interested in trending topics. I've never taken any notice of them, and I don't want them forced on me in a way that I can't turn off. They're worse than ads. I've got a few "lite" apps that have ads, and they're nowhere near as obtrusive and annoying as this.

The iTunes stores already has a ream of responses (including one from me) about how absolutely annoying this is.

A piece of software shouldn't make you angry, but this has. It's turned an app I use every day - several times a day, and generally have found to be a very decent app into something I hate in an instant.

I hope Twitter takes notice of user feedback and at the very least provides a quick update with the opportunity to turn this bloody thing off.

In the meantime I've switched to another twitter app.

I can't believe I've got so het up about this, but there you go. I am. Grrrrr....

Spring

Don't generally post much about gardening on here, even though it's one of my "interests".

I don't have a big garden. Certainly not as big as I'd like, although it is south-west facing, so gets plenty of sun. It's on a bit of a slope, and has really heavy clay, so at the moment it's just like a bog. As it dries out it in the summer heat it opens into huge cracks.

I love this time of year. Been out in the garden a fair bit today "pottering" as I call it. The weather has been great, with the sun on my back it's been very warm. I haven't been at it hammer and tongs - mostly tidying up here and there and so on. It's amazing how much you can see when you get out there. The garden still looks bar, cold and wet from a distance, but get up close and there's all sorts poking through the wet soil. Spring is truly on the way.

My delphiniums (which I don't have much success with usually) are about 2cm high, and lupins are also on the way. Both usually succumb to a massive slug attack - the penalty from having heavy wet clay soil, so fingers crossed. I've got crocuses growing through the lawn, though the recent heavy rain has done for quite a few of them. And the buds on the roses and clematis suggest things are in full swing.

I've also been sowing a whole load of seeds - flowers and veg, using the conservatory in lieu of a greenhouse. Already stuff I sowed last week is beginning to show. Have to be careful though - a couple of sharp frosts and it could all go pear shaped, so have to be careful about what I do sow at this early stage.

What I enjoy most about gardening is it pretty much allows me to shut off from everything else, and just wander about at my own pace. I like that.

Tigers tamed: Hull 0-2 City

City secured three important points at the KC Stadium this afternoon, overcoming a dogged Hull side featuring on loan City player Anthony Gerrard. Hull's loanee at the CCS, Seji Olifanjana didn't make the squad today carrying a niggling injury.

In a scrappy first half, neither side managed a breakthrough, although City arguably had the better chances including a decent shout for a penalty. Bothroyd managed to get the ball in the net, but was flagged for offside.

In the second half City stepped up a gear, and pressed looking for that elusive goal. Eventually it came on 65 minutes when Chopra headed in from McNaughton's sweeping cross. Shortly after, Craig Bellamy was booked for what seems like dissent, and Stephen McPhail followed him into the ref's book a few minutes later.

JET came on for Bellamy - looked like a tactical change as Hull were clearly targeting Bellamy with a view to him getting another yellow, and Burkey came on for Chops.

It looked like City were going to have to hang on for a tight 1-0 until well into the 4 minutes of added time, when JET, juggled the ball and then on the volley squeezed home from an acute angle to make it 2-0 and confirm the three points for the Bluebirds.

A great afternoon's work for City. Another clean sheet for Heaton and the back four, some great work in midfield from McPhail who was very impressive, and Ramsey who sadly looks like he's going back to Arsenal after this match, and importantly, goals from the front men.

A win was a huge result given the Jack's demolition of Leeds earlier, and with Forest drawing at Millwall, City sit third, one point behind fierce rivals Swansea, two in front of Norwich who won again, and 3 in front of Forest, who still have a game in hand (their match away at 'Boro on Tuesday) and have the same goal difference as us.

Blimey, this is going to be a tight run in.....

Next up for City, Ipswich a week today and a rare 5:20pm kick off.

Bluebirds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Foxes hunted down: City 2-0 Leicester

A massive three points for City tonight as they saw of Leicester at the CCS in front of 22,000. I was nervous about this game. Leicester, another side on a good run, with some dangerous players pushing towards the play-off spots.

City, without Bellamy, saw Chopra & Ramsey both pass late fitness tests. The opening exchanges were brisk, but neither side really penetrating. The officials were sharp on offsides a couple of times when City looked to have broken the trap.

The breakthrough came on 21 minutes as from a throw the ball was swept across the 18 yard box and Chopra coolly slotted home his 10th of the season.

After that, City sat on things a bit. They were a bit static in the first half all round, and several times players got caught waiting for the ball to come to them, or just ball watching generally. You could feel the crowd urging them to up the tempo, but it wasn't happening. Leicester had several corners, but bar one headed effort and a few long range shots there was little to test Heaton.

Leicester started the second half the better, and Heaton did have to tip one round the post. However, City sealed this game seven minutes after the break, when McNaughton, who was generally having an off night for him, slotted the ball across the box from the left, and on loan Arsenal (but always for us City) player Aaron Ramsey despatched the ball for 2-0.

The Foxes heads dropped after that, and despite plenty of endeavour, never really threatened again. City in contrast built their confidence. Chopra came off (a precaution I think) for McPhail, and Bothroyd for Burke, whilst Olifanjana went off injured and was replaced by "The Beast", Jon Parkin. City saw out the remaining period almost at training match pace, and were never threatened.

I thought JET had the best game he's played for us (that I've seen) tonight, though Ramsey was king pin. I wonder of we can keep him a bit longer. DJ certainly hopes so. We need his craft and control. Bothroyd and Nauts had off nights and Paul Quinn, who I've derided a few times this season, had another good game. Whitts was pretty awful in the first half, guilty of playing long raking balls to no-one in particular. When they come off they're great, but it wasn't working tonight, and his tracking back was also not very good. However when we went 2-0 up and the pressure was off, he improved significantly.

Defensively, we're looking better than we've done all season.

A great win, a big three points made all the better as Forest only managed a draw against Preston. With the Jacks still winning, we're now 3rd behind our fierce rivals, but only five points separates them from Leeds in 6th spot. Forest, a point behind us have a game in hand.

It's going to be a tight, nervous run in, and any one of those probably down as far as 10th will be thinking play off at least.

Hull next up for City, away on Saturday.

Blooobirds!

Slip sliding away...: Forest 2-1 City

Not much of a report this week, as 1) frankly I've just been too busy, and 2) I'm feeling pretty depressed about it all.

City again failed to show the necessary mettle to beat one of the other Championship high flyers, and I'm wondering (again), why with the quality we supposedly have, we can't really turn the screw.

Yes, it's been a decent run of late (too many draws for me), but we just can't seem to put a run together that has other sides/commentators saying "look out, watch Cardiff go".

Massive match v Leicester on Tuesday. Despite the fact there are still a lot of matches to go, I'm now beginning to think that a play off spot rather than automatic promotion is the more likely. And frankly, that gives me the willies. I really don't want to go through the play off saga again (though I'd take it rather than finish 7th or below), but it is a lottery. And I don't like lotteries, and the pain of last year's day out at Wembley is still very, very hard to bear.

So come on City. Pull your collective fingers out, and lets win at least 10 of the remaining games, though it might take more than that now for automatic.

So frustrating: City 1-1 Burnley

Let's get this out of the way. This was a better game than Saturday's against Scunthorpe (though that wouldn't have been hard). In the first 20 mins it was actually quite exciting - open and fast. Then City retreated into a shell, forgot how to pass,forgot how to hold the ball, and were very poor. But Just on the half, Bothroyd dinked a delightful cross over, Chopra 4 yards out should have headed it in, but took it on the chest before smashing it home. 1-0 at half time, and City would have been very relived, Burnley, very disappointed.

In the second period, City again were far from their best, and Burnley grew in confidence. They were playing the best football, and it seemed only a matter of time before the got a really good chance. Inevitably, it was City old boy Steve Thompson, who couldn't hit the net with us if he was a yard out, who did just that, coming off the bench to glance a corner in at the near post through what looked like at least three City bodies.

Dave Jones had left Bellamy and JET on the bench in favour of Whitts and Burke, but Bellamy came on in the second period, but really didn't threaten too much.

This was City's game in hand, and we didn't make the most of it. Sure it's a point, but when defender wins MoTM (again), you have to wonder why your red hot strike force isn't getting the awards.

Hudson again immense at CB. He and Keinan have formed a decent partnership very quickly, and the defence looks strong now. But Ramsey was quiet after a great opening half hour, Olifanjana's second touch so often let him down and his distribution was poor, Whittingham looked lazy, and Bothroyd spent about 50% of the match on the floor. So often he's the difference. Tonight he just looked precious.

Burnley in contrast looked sharp, eager, willing to play, make runs, and for a side with relatively few "stars" and I say that with no disrespect, they looked a good side. Too often we still look like a side of 11 players, rather than 11 players who are a side.

Ref. Awful again.

Forest on Saturday away, and Leicester at home next Tuesday. Massive matches. Ordinarily I'd say we need 4 points from 6 from those two, and we really, really need something from the Forest game. Is it too much to hope for an away win? Then we need all 3 from the Foxes game. So 6 from 6 really. Huge ask, but it's getting to the business end of the season, and time will start running out very soon for those clubs aspiring for automatic promotion. We can't keep syaing we've got the squad if we're not getting the results.

Come on Bluebirds. Time to up the gears.

Turgid: City 1-0 Scunthorpe

This was hard work. Very hard work.

City almost scored from the kick off with a quick break. The next 45 minutes it looked like they were playing "how many times can we pass it back to our 'keeper". Tom Heaton certainly had about as many touched as anyone else in that first half.

To be fair, Scunthorpe seemed to be playing a 5-5-0 formation, and the only time they had a whiff of pushing forward was when City lost possession casually.

There were a few boos at half time, which was harsh, but in some ways understandable. Scunthorpe were dreadful, and a side like City pushing for automatic promotion and with the talent at their disposal, should be flaying sides like Scunthorpe - even if they were packing the middle of the park. You've just to find a way through. But City were static, lethargic, and so often playing in isolation. Sound familiar? Me, and many others have said that a lot this season.

Quick word on the ref as usual. This week's candidate for clown of the year was Mr Crossley, who denied Craig Bellamy what seemed a blatant penalty for being hacked down in the box, along with several other bizarre decisions throughout the match. Admittedly he was nearer to the action than we were, but he seemed to be watching a different match to the other 21,000 people in the CCS (and I'm honestly trying to be objective here).

City's most likely route to goal was through Bellamy who made several good runs, but the options and finishing were poor. JET also got through and hit one thunderous shot, that was well saved.

JET is an enigma. Clearly he's got talent - he's played a Champions League match for Arsenal this season. But either he doesn't really want to be here, he's playing out of position or we just haven't seen the best of him. He slows it down every time he gets the ball, cuts back inside (left footed player playing on the right), and as I've said before appears pretty u/s in the air for a big tall lad.

Second half City pushed, the Iron packed the midfield again, and it looked like it was heading for a 0-0, despite City's dominance (they ended the game with 64% possession).

Burke came on for JET (as in the Reading game the crowd had been calling for this) and immediately City looked to have more about them. Koumas came on for Chopra who'd huffed and puffed without much joy, and eventaully the "beast", Jon Parking came on with Bellamy making way. Parking got the ball in the net but it was ruled offside, but a few minutes later, the breakthrough eventually came, with 4 minutes left on the clock. Koumas looped a cross for the left, Parkin headed back across goal, and Olifanjana nodded in from close range. The relief around the CCS was palpable.

Inevitably the game opened up as Scunthorpe who had clearly come for a draw were suddenly looking down the barrel. But City held fast again bot much pressure all told, though Heaton had to be sharp to keep one effort out.

It was a bizarre game. City had 21 attempts on goal (half on target) but it didn't feel like it. Scunthorpe had 5, and arguably the better chances of the match.

Why City don't play fast and furious against teams like Scunthorpe I don't know. When they slow it down they look pretty ordinary. When they up the pace they look in a different league.

On the plus side, it was three big points, especially as everyone else in the top 8 who were playing also won. It was also a second clean sheet - Hudson again had a stormer, and Kienan looks good.

It's another big match on Tuesday, when our game in hand against Burnley takes place at the CCS. Two things I want from that match. Burke to start, and three more points!

Bluebirds!!!!!!!!!!

Ubuntu Linux

I'm feeling pretty chuffed with myself.

I've got an old Asus Eee 701 netbook, which has been gathering dust for a while. Originally it had Xandros Linux as an operating system (OS), which was OK, but not great. I eventually took the plunge and after much tweaking managed to install a very cut down version of Windows XP on it. That gave me the comfortable Windows interface, but to be honest it wasn't much fun on a 7" screen. Additionally the arrival of a 13" Macbook Pro consigned the Eee to the furthest corners of the study.

Recently, I got it out and was fiddling around, and decided to have a crack at installing Ubuntu's netbook Linux edition on it. Ubuntu is now one of, if not the Linux distro of choice for many, and has come a long way from the old command line only interfaces of Linux variations of yore.

So armed with a USB flash disk to download the distribution and act as the install disk, I duly cracked on. In the end, it was pretty painless - I consider myself an experienced rather than advanced user, and I can follow instructions, and it was straightforward. The Ubuntu interface was a revelation after my previous (albeit limited) experience of Linux. It's far more "Windows" like, and the Ubuntu software centre in particular does away with all that synaptic and repository stuff for installing software. which had previously put me right off. It's there hidden away if you want it, as is the terminal console - but I don't particularly.

It hooked up to my network like a dream, and I installed OpenOffice with no hassles - all this on a netbook with only a 4GB SSD mind you.

So, I've got a working Ubuntu netbook. Next up, though I wanted to connect my printer. This works over a wireless network, and the Ubuntu software centre didn't find the relevant printer drivers (it's a multi-function Canon MP560. So I downloaded the drivers after a quick google. I hadn't a clue what I was supposed to do, so double clicked a bunch of files, seemed to extract from the archive, tried to open/run some files that looked like executables and got a few errors. Another google suggested I had to edit an install executable. So I found a text editor, edited the offending line as instructed, and via a quick trip to the terminal window (really, this is gobbledy gook to me too) and a comand line instruction - bingo! Installed. Not only working, but I can print and scan - first time. Brilliant (considering I'm flying by the seat of my pants).

I've also just installed the brilliant Dropbox that allows you to store files "in the cloud" and then sync them and make them available to any device you install Dropbox on.

That just about does it for the moment. I've now got everything I need. A small, robust device, running a tidy OS that's Internet connected, I can print from and has all my key documents available to me via Dropbox.

If you're a real tech-head, this probably doesn't sound like very much of an achievement. Believe me, installing ANY OS is often fraught, one you are unfamiliar with is often treacherous. To get everything up and working, almost first time is an achievement, especially when you have to go digging in executables and editing files.

So all in all I'm very pleased with myself. I can now truly say that I am diversity personified when it comes to computing. I've got a Windows 7 desktop PC, a Macbook Pro laptop running Snow Leopard, an Ubuntu Linux driven netbook and an iPhone running iOS4.2. A tool (and OS) for every occasion!

Neat

Monster: Swansea 0-1 City

There are games of football. League games, cup games, and derbies.

And then there's the South Wales derby. Cardiff vs Swansea. One of the fiercest rivalries in professional football, anywhere on the planet.

The Jacks had beaten us at the CCS back in November, and since then we've been pretty ordinary to be fair. I hate to say it but Swansea can play attractive football, and are a decent side. Neither side has ever done the double over the other in the league (any league) before, so this game had more than the usual bragging rights hanging onto it. In addition, with both sides pushing for a realistic chance of promotion to the big time, it was, truly a monstrous game.

Jones started with Bothroyd & Chopra upfront, many people preferred pairing, including mine. Bellamy and Whitts wide, Big Seji and little Aaron in the middle, and the back four of McNaughton, Quinn, Hudson and a debut for Israeli centre back Dekel Kienan. Swansea had 11 players also.

City should have been ahead inside a minute when Bothroyd turned inside the box with only the keeper to beat and dragged a tame shot wide. Otherwise it was a typical cagey start, with both sides probing. Ramsey had a couple of decent chances running at the defence, and had one good shot parried, which Chopra leapt onto but was marginally offside. There were the usual niggles you'd expect, with both Chopra and Bothroyd seemingly quite happy to be physical. Bothroyd and Tate had handbags at one stage, and Bothroyd looked in danger of being yellow carded for dissent. Sure enough, Bothroyd eventually went in for one (fairly pointless in my book) challenge in the middle of the park, and ref Mark Halsey decided he's had enough. To be fair, on replay it looked like the big man had trodden on Tate's boot with more than a hint non-accidental about it, but hey, he's a hard man and can take it.

Chopra then came very close to being booked with a two footed lunge, and was lucky to be carded, or worse. As the scrappy half drew to a close, Pratley for Swansea rushed at the defence and blasted high and wide. Heaton in City's goal had pretty much zilch to do in the first 45.

City made a change at the break with Darcy Blake coming on for the brilliant Kevin McNaughton in what must have been an injury worry - Nauts was seen wincing a few times in the first period.

City started the second half brighter, with Swansea right on the back foot, but the game again became scrappy as both teams looked for openings. Eventually the Jacks settled, and when they got the ball they usually got it to Sinclair who attacked with pace and directness.

City had another great chance to go in front when a ball whipped in saw Quinn head it tantalisingly wide. Then a few minutes later, Darcy Blake played a great one two, cut inside beating three Swansea players into the box and looked certain to score on the angle only to see his shot come back off the post. At that time I was wondering if that was it, whether we were heading for a goalless draw - or worse.

Swansea were also starting to get up a head of steam and Sinclair had a great run and shot which went over the bar. Burkey came on for Whitts after the latter was injured, and soon after Sinclair again got through only to have his shot superbly blocked by Blake.

A disappointed Chopra was replaced by JET, who's still to convince me. He looks good, but doesn't jump for headers, and seems deceptively slow for someone who's supposed to have pace. Another City chance went begging when Burke was released in the box, but instead of shooting which seemed the only option, he squared the ball without looking up and it was cleaned up by Swansea.

Sinclair was still the most likely and dangerous outlet for Swansea, and on his next run, Quinn took him out, and was deservedly booked for it. A couple of minutes later, the two tangled again when Quinn was trying to let the ball roll out, and he appeared to shove the Swansea player in the back. He could have gone for that, though it would have been harsh. Swansea by this time were coming back into the game strongly, and it was Sinclair yet again carving through the defence, only to be blocked by Hudson who was having an outstanding game at the back.

It looked like the sides were going to have to settle for a draw, when in the 85th minutes, Bothroyd controlled the ball out on the right, held it up, turned and sent the ball long and square. Ramsey controlled the ball and layed it off to Bellamy fully 25 yards out. With virtually no back lift he blasted a wickedly curling shot past the outstretched hand of de Vries and in off the post. The City fans at the Liberty Stadium and in my living room erupted as the Bluebirds took the lead. With five minutes plus 4 of added time, there was still time for Swansea who piled on the pressure, but City, so flaky in defence this season, stood strong. Hudson, Kienan, Quinn (who I've long worried over) and Blake were immense and when Mark Halsey blew the whistle for full time the relief was immense, on and off the field.

So, still neither side has done the double. City move up to 3rd, a point behind Forest, but crucially with a game in hand, whilst the Jacks drop to 5th.

City were good value for the win, looking far more solid at the back. My MOTM was Mark Hudson who I think had an exceptional game, but Ramsey ran him a close second. Kienan looks good in the centre at the back with Hudson, but needs to stay on his feet. Hopefully the injury to Nauts isn't too bad.

Massive, massive win. City fans will be happy tonight if it's anything like in our house! I haven't had a beer as I've had to take ministats to his cricket training after the match, but no doubt I'll have the odd celebratory snifter later!

City now need to push on, score goals and keep more clean sheets. Next up Scunny at the CCS next Saturday. Bring it on!

City!

Crazy: City2-2 Reading

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's never easy supporting Cardiff City. With the buzz of new players coming in, and importantly Jay Bothroyd not leaving in the transfer window, 21 thousand packed inside CCS to watch City take on a useful Reading team.

Useful maybe, but City were packed with quality. Bothroyd and Whittingham (our own), Bellamy (Man City loan), Jay Emanuel Thomas (Arsenal loan), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal loan). On the bench we had Jason Koumas, Jon Parking and Michael Chopra to name a few. The quality is mind boggling (to a Cardiff City fan). So hopes were high. The challenge though for Dave Jones is to get the quality playing as a team.

City looked bright early on, but it was a bit of sparring with both sides looking good going forward. Reading in particular had done their homework and singled out City's left back Lee Naylor as a weakness. Let's be frank here. He is. He's awful, and error after error had the crowd on his back early on. God knows what Dave Jones sees in him, but he continues with him, and every side who visit CCS pile everything down the left. But with the game looking evenly poised, City threw it away. Lee Nalyor (inevitably) failed to deal with a ball down the left, the resulting hacked clearance is hit back in by Liegertwood and deflected past Heaton. City stunned, and it should have been 2-0 a minute later as McAnuff weaved virtually unchallenged past static defenders into the penalty area and only a last ditch tackle by McNaughton saved the day. After this it was all Reading, and City were booed off by some of the crowd at half time. They had been poor - very poor.

Tactical change for City in the 2nd period, with Chopra on for Olofinjana, and immediately City looked brighter (no doubt with a flea in their ear too). And inside three minutes it was level, albeit from where I sat rather fortuitously. Reading's keeper Federici gathered the ball. Chopra, as he's want to do stood in front of him. As Federici made to punt, Chopra moved in front of him. In 99.9% of cases, the ref (of whom more later) would give a free kick to the 'keeper but he didn't. The kick was hacked only as far as Bothroyd, still wandering back. With no-one but Chopra and the keeper in from of him, he ran the ball back, round the keeper and slotted home for 1-1. Reading were furious, but to no avail, and frankly I couldn't care less.

City then picked up the pace and started to dominate. It wasn't great though. Emanuel Thomas who's a big lad was not having a good game. He won't (or can't) jump for headers, looks fast but plays very slowly (lazily?) and for a big lad isn't strong enough on the ball. The crowd were calling for Chris Burke, who duly replaced him and again City looked brighter almost straight away.

Reading still looked dangerous on the break though, and had a few chances, but it seemed only a matter of time until City scored. But it was Reading, breaking away in the 92nd minute who looked to have broken City hearts when they snatched a late, late goal though Manset. Half the crowd started leaving (and I was tempted), but with a few minutes of added time left, us die hards decided to stay, glum though we were. Then, in the dying embers, City got a free kick about 20 yards out when someone (not sure who) was hacked down. Reading were angry about the free kick, but it all kicked off as one of their players kicked the ball away and Chopra reacted. He and the Reading player were booked. Reading's wall looked about 7 yards back, with Whitts and Bellamy over the ball. It was Bellamy, and he hit it into the right hand side of the goal...2-2. Unbelievable scenes. That was the last kick of the match. If that hadn't gone in, City would surely have been booed off, despite a rousing second half. As it was it felt like a win, but sadly only one point, whilst those above us all won.

I think we should have started with Chopra (and Whitts on the bench), and with Kienan (and Naylor not even in the squad).

A word on the officials as promised. Mr GL Ward and his team. Frankly they were a disgrace. For one, one of the linesman needs a lesson from Sian Massey on the offside rule, because he made two or three appalling decisions. He also allowed play to go on when the ball was clearly over the touchline on one occasion when he was about three feet away. Not a bit over..a lot over.

Mr Ward himself was just, well, just crap. The bloke sitting next to me commented at one point (and he's not prone to comments like this usually) "it's beginning to look like a stitch up". On the other hand, he didn't award a free kick to the keeper on our first goal. But it does reinforce my belief that the majority of refs at this level really aren't that good.

So, where does that leave us? In practical terms, 5th, albeit with a game in hand over most around us, and only 3 points off 2nd. It's the bigger picture that's more worrying. Jones has a quality squad. But it doesn't look like he knows what his best starting XI is, or what to do when things aren't going right, or what formation to play. It's no good having the best "pound for pound squad in the league" (his words) if he can't get them playing the way other managers see to be able to get their players playing for each other.

And Naylor.....well, he's got to go.

My MOTM. Again, Kevin McNaughton. But I don't want our fill in centre back to be getting MOTM every week. I want our striker, or creative midfielder to be getting the plaudits.

Oh well. What's next up. Oh yes. Little local derby on Sunday. Away to the Jacks.....

Bluebirds......