Cardiff’s McPhail’s Crazy Tactic ?

Cardiff City have not enjoyed the best of starts this season, the away form has been good (2 wins and a draw), but 2 defeats at home have seen City down in 14th place.


We play a deliberate high-tempo passing game. We lack pace up-front so try to use wingers and get midfielders to support our strikers.


After dominating the home games against Stoke City and Coventry City, we ended up with two 1-0 defeats. Teams allowed us little space and we failed to create clear cut chances.

However, in an interview this week with the SW Echo, the captain Stephen McPhail made what I regarded to be strange statement:


‘Teams are going to come at us from the off.’

‘We`ve got to ride the first half-hour or 40 minutes of these games – and then try to stamp our authority on them.’


To me this seems extemely odd, and somewhat foolish. We can’t afford to ‘ride’ the first half of any game – who can? Surely we need to stamp our authority on a game from the off?


Is this the reason we have gone behind in 4 of our 5 games?!?



Of course, the onus is on a home team to dictate the play, and many away sides will defend deeper and try to counter-attack. It’s our home form which has been poor, with a toothless attack and lack of creativity – it seems to me we need a higher tempo, more intelligence to creat space and pull defenders away with more emphasis placed on the final ball.



What do you think? Is McPhail right to ‘ride’ the first period of our games? Is this a problem, misunderstanding or valid tactic? Let Us Know!!!


Leave a comment at the foot of this article with your opinions….