You know you’ve made a great start to the new season when you do a lap of honour after the first game.
The win over Norwich City at the weekend was pulsating and I can’t remember an opening game quite like it. Normally the first game of the season is usually reserved for finding your sea legs, but this game was played more like a play-off semi-final, with both sides tearing into each other.
Norwich, who have spent the last few years yo-yoing between the top two divisions, occupying the hinterland of being too good for the Championship and nowhere near accomplished enough to remain in the Premier League, looked a little undercooked and it was clearly a good time to play them. I don’t doubt that after a few weeks, they will have reacclimatised and found their rhythm, but this game was all about the new-look Cardiff City.
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With seven debutants, eight if you include the returning Sheyi Ojo, we were entering uncharted waters and it was sink or swim. Suffice to say, expectations were exceeded and optimism has been cranked all the way up.
The first thing that struck you was the strength in depth on offer. Thirteen new signings will, or at least should, do that for you. There will be casualties every game now and last week Mark McGuinness, Ollie Denham, Joel Bagan and Jaden Philogene, who may not yet be match fit, all missed out. Competition will only get more intense when Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill return to fitness.
Those that made the cut certainly seized their opportunity. Ryan Allsop, who has just turned 30 and is now an elder statesman of the squad, played with maturity and the authority that comes with it. He made a very impressive debut. Hardly bombarded with shots like he would have become accustomed to at Derby, he dealt with everything that came his way in a cool and calm manner.
Allsop looks more accomplished with his feet than any previous Cardiff keeper in recent memory and he maintained absolute authority of his penalty area. His unflappable, unflustered manner is shared by Cedric Kipre, who is reminiscent of beloved former Cardiff favourite Bruno Ecuele-Manga. Kipre looks a real asset on the left side of central defence, a calming influence who is comfortable in possession and adept at playing out from the back.
Kipre and Ng both look like they have the odd mistake in them, and Ng had two on Saturday, picking up two yellow cards in close succession, but they complement each other and appear to compensate for each other's errors and lapses. McGuinness and Curtis Nelson are also waiting in the wings, so whoever deputises for Ng’s suspension will jump at the opportunity and not relinquish their place without a fight.
The two full-backs were also flawless. Mahlon Romeo may not be the force of nature Cody Drameh was last season, but he didn’t put a foot wrong all game. On the opposite flank, Jamilu Collins was deservedly named man of the match after a thrilling debut, where he proved as adept in attack as he was in defence. The new back-five has a little bit of everything and will improve the more they get to know each other.
There was far more ferocity in midfield, too, with the powerfully-built Andy Rinomhota patrolling the centre of the park. Romaine Sawyers added some much-needed silk, while Ryan Wintle plugged holes and kept things ticking over. They offered a nice blend and captain Joe Ralls sat this one out, but was influential when introduced late in the game.
The wingers played their part, too. We already knew that Ojo has great feet and he combined well throughout the game with the central trio. Callum O’Dowda played a big part in the winning goal, cutting in from the left before teeing up Sawyers. They were both tidy and played their part in an impressive collective effort, but they both have far more to give in terms of providing a cutting edge.
It was in the final third where Cardiff struggled to make much of an impact. Max Watters, always a willing runner, was starved of service and looked a little bit off the pace. This was a game where both sides recorded a very low expected goals score, with Cardiff’s xG a mere 0.08. They scored from a long distance snap-shot and otherwise never tested the Norwich keeper.
It’s well documented that Cardiff need a couple of strikers to really tie everything together and if the budget affords them the chance to bring in real quality, Cardiff will have far more fire power and cutting edge in order to make a real impression on this division.
It was an incredibly intense contest and if every week is played at this tempo, I fear I might expire by Christmas. The referee lost control of the game, both sides suffered as a result and Norwich didn’t know what hit them. It proved a baptism of fire for them and it was the sort of game that energised everyone in attendance. Those in blue, that is.
There was a very positive, patient and encouraging atmosphere at the game and that has probably been lacking in recent years. I think that is in recognition of the massive turnover in players and the relative lack of money available, but long may it continue. As long as the good outweighs the bad, which it certainly did on Saturday, and you can probably chalk any bad down to teething problems, there is no reason why that goodwill shouldn’t continue.
Most of the pre-season opinion polls have tipped Cardiff to finish in a broadly similar position to last year, but last season was a bit of a car crash and it would take some doing for them to plumb those depths again. Some of the groundwork was laid for this year and smart recruitment has now made Cardiff genuine dark horses, with the chance to really upset the odds and surprise a few people.
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