Behind Enemy Lines: Cardiff City

In what will be our biggest test so far this season, Newcastle United travel to Cardiff City on Sunday for a what should be an end to end affair.

With us unbeaten and sitting top, Cardiff have bagged 11 goals so far and sit third in the table, Chopra being at the heart of their current success, we ask Cardiffcity.com their thoughts on the game…

The lad’s over at their forum have been fantastic with their responses, but, we have to pick one for the site, and here it is, courtesy of The Other Bob Wilson:

First of all, Dave Jone’s seems to be doing a fantastic job, what’s your opinion on the bloke?

Firstly, he is not as popular with a lot of supporters as most non Cardiff fans would imagine and there are many who would welcome a change of manager. I wouldn’t put myself in that camp, but, if we were to have another mid table finish this season (that’s where we have finished in five of our seven Championship campaigns since being promoted in 2003), I think he would come under, justified, pressure – the fact that he makes no secret of his contempt for some in the local media wouldn’t help him in that respect either.

You’re sitting in 3rd and the leagues top goalscorers, did you expect the start of the season to be so good?

I can’t speak for others, but I am very pleasantly surprised by our start. I thought we would see a hangover from our woeful finish to last season, but the opposite seems to be true so far.

I was surprised you got beat by Doncaster, what happened?

I wasn’t there, but an awful lot of people underestimated Doncaster last season and, having sold a couple of influential players, I think that is happening again this time around – Doncaster are a good side though who are very hard to get the ball off. As for us, despite what I said in answer to your last question, there is still a nagging doubt about some players in the squads stomach for a fight – we only just got away with a point at Blackpool as well.

Do you expect one of your players to be a real star this year?

We have some very good players for this division who are pretty well known nationally, but one who not many will have heard of is 17 year old right back Adam Matthews who has broken into the team this year – he could make a big impact this season.

Where about do you think you’ll finish this season?

Well, more important than what I think is that our Chairman was quoted in the local media yesterday as saying “Fans should expect the club to finish in the top six at the end of the season” – that seems to be a realistic expectation when you consider the size of our wage bill (allegedly!).

Is there anyone we should look out for on Sunday?

Peter Whittingham’s attitude and inconsistency drives many City fans mad, but if he decides he wants to play, he is too good for this league. Chris Burke is an old fashioned Scottish dribbling winger who can cause havoc if he gets the right service.

Chopra’s boot might be on fire, do you think he’ll be up for it against his former team?

I keep on remembering when he passed instead of shooting last season against you lot in what I think I am right in saying was his last appearance for Sunderland. Many Mackems are adamant that he would have shot, and probably scored, against different opposition and so I can’t push that entirely from my mind – I suppose it could go either way really, but it will certainly make life easier for us if he is of a mind to prove a point against the team he grew up supporting!

Do you think we represent your biggest test so far?

Yes.

What do you know about NUFC?

Honest answer is I know that you are not as good as the media and many of your supporters think you are. Many people (myself included) from all over the country remember the Keegan years with affection, but that period wasn’t typical of your last fifty years by any means.

I also think that the supporters at your club (and I am not talking about the rent a mob muppets who turn up at St. James Park every time the Sky Sports News cameras are in town here!) deserve far, far better than they have got from those in the boardroom over the last ten or so years.

Where do you think we’ll finish?

Well, given results like 6-1 at Leyton Orient and the general turmoil and atmosphere around the club, I had you down as a mid table side before a ball was kicked. However, it appears, albeit from a distance, as if the shambles off the pitch has galvanised and united your squad (which I would say has the ability to be Champions of this league) in the best possible way. Because of the level of expectation and pressure that a Newcastle team has to deal with, particularly in this division, I don’t see you finishing in the top two, but you certainly look like a top six team to me.

Any team news?

Ross McCormack and Kevin McNaughton, two of our better players, are both out, Joe Ledley has a broken wrist but should be able to play wearing a cast and Jay Bothroyd is a doubt. I was one of many City fans who were not fussy at all about us signing Bothroyd, but he has proved to be an excellent signing and I would go as far as to say he is our most important player – I don’t think it’s a coincidence that our defeat at Doncaster came after Bothroyd went off injured in the first ten minutes.

Finally a score prediction?

It’s a head and heart job – head says a 1-1 draw, heart says a City win by 2-1 or 2-0.

Cheers, just had a look the Behind Enemy Lines Section of your fanzine – I think that Palace fan was being wildly over optimistic!

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