Player Slatings (see what I did there?)

Marshall 8 Today would have been an humiliation but for several smart Marshall saves.

McNaughton 4 Is this really the stalwart of the Jones era? Poor decisions, outright bad passing and he even struggled with rudimentary defending. I don't know if it's worse that he was subbed because of poor play or through yet another injury. Either way, it was a substitution wasted on a position that's not going to change the game. I fear we are seeing the end of Super Kev's time. We need to move up, we need to improve. Inevitably, players will be left behind.

Connolly 6 We needed him to show off his footballing capabilities today and he didn't.

Turner 7 He stood up defensively but we sorely missed Hudson's leadership at the back. Senselessly booked when he should have showed more maturity.

Taylor 5 Timid in possession, non-existent in defence he had a chance to be a hero when he was brilliantly played in for a late opportunity but it fell to his right foot. He'd just as well swung a dead hobbit at the ball for all his shot or pass or cross or visualisation of ennui (answers on a postcard) amounted to.

Conway 5 Not good enough for a team trying to win the division. Not fast enough. Not strong enough. Not consistent enough. Had a chance equal to his goal against Wednesday and hopelessly messed it up. A selection mistake from Malky.

Cowie 5 He is not better than Gunnarson or Mutch and doesn't deserve to play in front of them.

Whittingham 7 Not a good day for his dead ball play to falter and no opponent has come even as close to nullifying him more effectively than Cowie and Conway did by basically taking the match off.

Noone 6 At 0-0 Bellamy played Noone in for a good chance but to get the shot off our winger would have to be brave and put himself in front of some oafish centre half. Discretion was the best part of Noone's valour and the chance was wasted. He must not become the stereotypical lightweight winger.

Helguson 4 We lost by one goal and our centre forward missed three absolute sitters. Anyone think we might buy a striker in January?

Bellamy 7 He made three very good chances for his team mates and watched them all squandered. Perhaps somebody might like to make him a chance.

Gunns 7 Hands up who thought we were switching from 4-4-2 when Gunns came on. You can put your hands down, I can't see you. He does seem to be growing into the right back position but he needs to be in central midfield.

Mutch 6 Better than Cowie and tried to pull the strings but looked a little rusty

Gestede 7. He's been a bigger threat and missed chances. Today he found a way to score. Might have played a bit longer.

Malky - Full credit to Malky for our ten game run but today he made poor selection mistakes. McNaughton clearly wasn't ready to come in. Whether Super Kev wasn't fit, confident or his abilities have degraded, Malky should've seen it and played Nugent or Lappin. It is quite rare to see a team play tow out and out wingers unless they have three in the middle. It worked for us at Blackburn but it wasn't working today and Malky was slow to react as our midfield was over run. Cowie just shouldn't play in front of Mutch and Gunns. He just shouldn't.

Best summation of Cowie ever.

I can't help but agree with all of your points of frustration.


Cowie under performed again (as usual).

Although I think prior to the game, we all assumed malky would put kev on and with Connelly moving in to the centre - so I don't think he can be blamed there.

Had we been found out or were we just unlucky? How much did we miss Hudson? If he were present, would it have been a different game? If Maynard was around, would he have taken some of the several missed opportunities of the game? All ifs and buts at the end of the day, the thing is we lost. Just as well it was against a team who will be unlikely to cause us problems at the end of the season.


Bring on Leicester and Palace - its time to see what we are made of!

Another great piece of analysis... Have some flair... But it was Cardiff that really lacked flair yesterday, no leadership from Whitts and no one else stood up, sluggish, imprecise sloppy football, better side won

Malky said in the post match interview on cityplayer that McNaughton coming off was a tactical decision and he isnt injured,for Malky to take Kev off and put a CM player in his place he must think Kev just isnt good enough at this level.

I also am starting to think we will never see the silver fox again.

I can't remember the thread, but I said before the match Connoly should stay at right back and Nugent should replace Hudson.

Me > Malky, clearly.

I'm not slating Malky, but I am very concerned a new striker will pair Helguson rather than replace him. Malky seems worryingly fond of him regardless of how many shots he squanders. He's a great squad player, but should he be a regular first team player for a team that want to win the league? The same can be applied to Cowie.

I can see where Rhys is coming from with the McNaughton decision but Malky has to make choices us fans couldn't. If Red could see the value of playing Nugent then why couldn't Malky? In the days of constant tinkering and huge squads most managers try to make as few adjustments to the back four as possible. We had to make a change yesterday but why not make just the one - Nugent for Hudson?

Thewelshfella's post makes the decision look even worse. Malky wasted two substitutions yesterday putting his own selection mistakes right. I was talking with Damon Searle* yesterday about his mate Leon Britton (they were at Southend together) and he was saying how the notion that a player can be good enough but too small was outdated - Velcro anyone?

*I should point out I am not connected, in the know or relevant. I just happened to be next to someone Searle was talking to and joined in.

I think what has happened is that the level of skill in the side is that much higher this season and the better players from last year have responded accordingly.

Unfortunately, the limitations of players such as SuperKev and Cowie are that much more obvious.

Nevertheless, i believe that Cowie still has an important part to play, particularly away from home, but players that do not have basic passing / crossing skills are a severe hindrance.

Connolly has improved that situation on the right no end since moving out to full back. I trust that is where Malky will leave him until reinforcements arrive.......

Kamuza wrote:I can see where Rhys is coming from with the McNaughton decision but Malky has to make choices us fans couldn't. If Red could see the value of playing Nugent then why couldn't Malky? In the days of constant tinkering and huge squads most managers try to make as few adjustments to the back four as possible. We had to make a change yesterday but why not make just the one - Nugent for Hudson?

Thewelshfella's post makes the decision look even worse. Malky wasted two substitutions yesterday putting his own selection mistakes right. I was talking with Damon Searle* yesterday about his mate Leon Britton (they were at Southend together) and he was saying how the notion that a player can be good enough but too small was outdated - Velcro anyone?

*I should point out I am not connected, in the know or relevant. I just happened to be next to someone Searle was talking to and joined in.

Lionel Messi isn't exactly Mike Tyson either, is he? And before the 'La Liga is a soft league' critics try and counter it - Santi Cazorla anyone? Doing just fine at Arsenal despite a particularly long piece of grass being capable of overpowering him.