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,
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