Fan's View FAN’S VIEW: 24/25 – No.48: CARDIFF AWAY

[Paul B]

FAN’S VIEW: 24/25 – No.48: CARDIFF AWAY

 

[Lost Marbles]

FAN’S VIEW: 24/25 – No.48: CARDIFF AWAY

Great as always but one correction: Brannagan is definitely not a Scouser!

 

[Colin B]

A very good write up, as usual, Paul.

You pose some interesting questions about the style of football v league position. I'm not enjoying some of what I'm seeing at the moment, but am prepared to put up with it, if it has the desired end result. I'd like to review it after seeing what a Garry Rowett transfer window produces, and wonder if we'll see a better version of "Rowettball" with his kind of players? Also, if you give me another year of this style of football, in the Championship, verses five years of Karl Robinson's attractive, but ultimately unsuccessful football, in the league below, I'll take Rowett all day long.

A couple of other points. Brannagan is from Salford, although we signed him from Liverpool. I usually go with a car full of mates, but drove on Saturday, as one other wanted to come, so could have given you a lift from my place in OX5. If you're in the same position again, give me a shout.

Edit: Just seen @Lost Marbles has beaten me to it regarding Cam, as I was typing.

 

[Paul B]

Thanks guys - he is now a Mancunian.

 

[Paul B]

A very good write up, as usual, Paul.

You pose some interesting questions about the style of football v league position. I'm not enjoying some of what I'm seeing at the moment, but am prepared to put up with it, if it has the desired end result. I'd like to review it after seeing what a Garry Rowett transfer window produces, and wonder if we'll see a better version of "Rowettball" with his kind of players? Also, if you give me another year of this style of football, in the Championship, verses five years of Karl Robinson's attractive, but ultimately unsuccessful football, in the league below, I'll take Rowett all day long.

A couple of other points. Brannagan is from Salford, although we signed him from Liverpool. I usually go with a car full of mates, but drove on Saturday, as one other wanted to come, so could have given you a lift from my place in OX5. If you're in the same position again, give me a shout.

Edit: Just seen @Lost Marbles has beaten me to it regarding Cam, as I was typing.

Thanks for the offer Colin.

 

[Lost Marbles]

We were also on the train that terminated at Bristol Parkway. As soon as we got off, there was an announcement saying the next service to Swi**don would be the 19.56, which meant a 50 minute wait. I was therefore very surprised at how few Oxford fans made it over to the pub 2 minutes walk away! They even had Tribute on.

 

[Paul B]

We were also on the train that terminated at Bristol Parkway. As soon as we got off, there was an announcement saying the next service to Swi**don would be the 19.56, which meant a 50 minute wait. I was therefore very surprised at how few Oxford fans made it over to the pub 2 minutes walk away! They even had Tribute on.

Didn't realise there was pub that close. Thought we were in the middle of nowhere - oh well. It wasn't a drinking day for me.

 

[MarkG]

I was on the later 19:18 to Paddington that picked up the 18:18 passengers at Bristol Parkway.
I had checked after the match and knew there were issues between Reading and Twyford, but getting any reliable information was impossible. I got into Reading twenty minutes late so missed the 20:54 home. Then the 21:35 was cancelled for lack of train crew, and then had to wait for the 22:35.

 

[Big Ron]

I actually thought Placheta was doubly lucky - it looked like a straight red card at the time and he was probably saved by the actual level of contact. However, by all rights he should have been booked early on for the pull back on O'Dowda - he certainly wouldn't have had any complaints.

I'd actually booked trains, including that same 18.18 back but had some prior warning on Friday (although the signals problem was an added issue), so cancelled and then drove. I was back in London just after 8pm, so no too bad on reflection.

 

[MarkG]

I was on the later 19:18 to Paddington that picked up the 18:18 passengers at Bristol Parkway.
I had checked after the match and knew there were issues between Reading and Twyford, but getting any reliable information was impossible. I got into Reading twenty minutes late so missed the 20:54 home. Then the 21:35 was cancelled for lack of train crew, and then had to wait for the 22:35.

This is one drawback of me booking a return to Reading and then a TwoTogether return from Reading to Cardiff. Even though GWR resulted in me getting home 90 minutes late, I could only claim for half of my return to Reading.

I don't really know how it works if for instance I book with SWR to London and it's late and I then miss a connection on LNER. Can I reclaim for all of the journey delay?

 

[NottsYellow]

Not only did we not have a corner, apparently Cardiff did not even have a goal kick!

 

[Paul B]

Not only did we not have a corner, apparently Cardiff did not even have a goal kick!

That has been pointed out to me elsewhere. Sad indictment but a draw is a draw however it is achieved and this was a massive draw.

 

[Lost Marbles]

I don't really know how it works if for instance I book with SWR to London and it's late and I then miss a connection on LNER. Can I reclaim for all of the journey delay?

Definitely. You claim with whichever TOC caused the delay. You can claim for split tickets although in my experience they quite often reject it first time and you have to argue with them a bit.

 

[MarkG]

Definitely. You claim with whichever TOC caused the delay. You can claim for split tickets although in my experience they quite often reject it first time and you have to argue with them a bit.

Ok I’ll bear that in mind.
I have since found out that for the Leeds away game when I missed my London train due to SWR I should have gone to the LNER staff / ticket office.



Not sure how I’d go about this journey which was partly twotogether and also returns to reading. And also I didn’t have the TTG as was an e-ticket

 

[Manorlounger]

Came back from picking up a sourdough loaf from Bampton Garden Plants yesterday (best thing since sliced bread!) to be welcomed by Mrs L making a cup of tea. "Here's your tea, I'm off back to watch our boys at Wembley - last time that they played any decent football" she said.
I had to agree, since getting into the Championship, the football has been tense, dour, not very good or, plain rubbish. Ok, interspersed with a few moments, Brannagan's free kick and resulting goal being the best.

How I long to read more upbeat @Paul B fans views!

 

[BrockBuster]

Question – would you settle for these top half finishes in the next four years playing Gary Rowett style football?

Maybe I'm naive or maybe I'm a dreamer but I would answer this 'no', simply because I don't think it's impossible to stabilise at this level playing balanced football with games on the front foot, and that's what we should be striving for.

I'm hopeful he'll get us to a stage where we do play 'rowettball' in those tough games against the top teams in the division, but against the teams we're equal to or expected to win, we play on the front foot and show more ambition. Hopefully a window or two and strengthening our forward players will allow him to do that

If we keep up this mentality of keep it tight in all away games no matter what (even against out of form teams at the bottom) and then a good chunk of home games too, then the lack of ambition will be difficult to stomach.

Again comes back to why do people watch football? So they can feel good about themselves because they back a winner? So they can rub it in others fans faces when they're 'better' than them? So they can be entertained?

Everyone has their own answer and I don't think there's the same right one for everyone.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

Great write up Paul

My opinion is that if we can stay up we need to stabilise for a few years, might not be pretty but it will be effective. I don’t want us to be a yo yo club at best. Look at some of the teams in League 1 who have come down from the Championship and failed to get back up.The exception are Birmingham who have a budget bigger than half of the Championship Clubs.
Hopefully we can push on just as we move into the new stadium, hopefully in a couple of seasons time.
Coventry and Sunderland went up a few seasons back and stabilised and are now pushing for the big time,so that would be the blueprint for me.