Cardiff Take On Hull

Cardiff welcome the visitors from deepest, darkest Hull on Saturday. The Bluebirds take on Peter Taylor’s side that will be looking for more points to keep a gap between them and the relegation places. Dave Jones on the other hand needs the points to keep up his side’s play off hopes.

Three points on Saturday will not only keep Cardiff up with the pack, it will fill the side full of confidence for another difficult game against Watford at Vicarage Road next week, which is of course another game that has to yield points.

Vital Quotes:

Peter Taylor:

‘I’ll see Cameron on Sunday night for the representative game and hopefully he won’t have a smile on his face.

‘His strength makes him a handful and he hits the target more often than not.

‘He’s a very willing boy who will be a threat – we have to watch him closely.

‘Jason Koumas is another very good player and a real threat to us. He’s a Premiership player but it just so happens that he’s playing in the Championship.

‘There will be clubs looking to buy him in the summer and whether Cardiff make it up or not, I think he’ll back in the Premiership next year.’

Cardiff Team News:

Striker Steve Thompson should be back in the side after returning from an injury to his hand which needed surgery.

He should go straight into the side to partner Cameron Jerome meaning that Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu, who stood in for the recent games against Stoke and Luton, will return to the bench.

Dutch defender Glen Loovens is still out with a hamstring injury, so is Paul Parry with a knee injury.

Player to watch: Steve Thompson

Scored a brace on his debut to become an instant hero and will be looking to celebrate coming back from injury with a goal or maybe two.

Hull Team News:

Sam Collins misses the game through a knee injury and another absentee will be Ryan France who misses the game through suspension after picking up his fifth yellow in the game against Norwich.

Mark Noble is expected to make his debut.

Long term absentees are Nick Barmby, Ian Ashbee, Danny Coles and Steve Mcphee.

Player to watch: Jon Parkin

Parkin has hit four goals in six games since joining from Macclesfield, he has made the step up pretty easily and is always a handful.

Match Facts & Stats

In December Hull won the game at the KC Stadium 2-0 with goals from Billy Paynter and Craig Fagan, but not before the referee, who was also called Peter Taylor, had sent off Darren Purse.

Cardiff’s last six home games have produced three wins, two draws and one defeat, four goals have hit the back of the net of our visitors while four have been conceded.

Hull City come to Ninian Park with an away record of two wins, two draws and two defeats. They have scored a creditable ten in that time while shipping in nine.

Ref Watch:

Brian Curson ? Leicestershire.

He has been in charge of 34 games this season, in that time he has given out 74 yellow cards and six five players off.

Match Prediction:

Home win but narrow, maybe 2-1

Next Fixtures:

League Championship Watford vs Cardiff 25-02-2006
League Championship Cardiff vs Sheff Wed 04-03-2006