City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:43 am
Craig Noone has admitted Cardiff City’s final push for the Premier League will be taken ‘game by game’.
The precociously talented Noone is preparing to unleash himself against Brighton tonight in a match which is ironically, for him anyway, perhaps not just another game. The 25-year-old winger actually played for Brighton against Cardiff in the reverse fixture on the south coast back in August which finished in a 0-0 draw.
After one more appearance for the Seagulls, Cardiff boss Malky Mackay finally got the player he wanted for a fee a little over £1m.
Noone has thrilled in the Cardiff shirt and has played a big part in helping the Bluebirds stay at the summit of the table where they currently reside with an eight-point gap over the chasing pack.
As the season counts down Mackay has found one of his biggest tasks of late is defusing any mounting sense of excitement at the thought of promotion. And it certainly looks like Mackay’s mantra is getting through to the likes of Noone at least, who it also seems is one of the few people in South Wales not to take an unhealthy interest in the Championship table.
“I think we are taking it game by game,” said Noone.
“After every game we consider it just as another game done and dusted and out of the way. That’s what our mentality is all about right now. It’s the way we are doing things.
“The manager is drilling that into our heads and the players are not getting too excited which is definitely a good thing.
“Those behind us are doing well, but we are not looking down at them. We are not looking over our shoulders to see how close they are. We are just taking it game by game.
“We are not worrying about how far ahead we are.
“We are scratching each game off one by one. Hopefully we get the win and move onto the next one.
“I haven’t looked too much at the table. I know we are top and I look out for Brighton too. I could not even tell you who are second.
“People tell me that we are getting close. But anything can happen in this league so we have to take it game by game.
“That’s the best way to do it.
“I was at the top with Brighton in League One and people were saying the same thing.”
It’s fairly safe to say Noone and his Bluebirds team-mates are ‘taking it game by game’ the visit of Brighton takes on maximum importance with just 15 outings left in the drive for Premier League football.
After a vibrant start Gus Poyet’s Brighton topped the table early on but now find themselves in seventh with four points to make up if they are to creep into the play-off places.
Noone admits he is looking forward to facing his former team-mates and said he keeps in close contact with his pals on the south coast including former boss Poyet himself.
But despite expecting a stern examination, the exciting winger said right now the Bluebirds fear no-one especially in their own backyard having dropped just four points at the Cardiff City Stadium all season.
“Brighton started well and have been in the top 10 for most of the season,” said Noone.
“They’ve got a great team and a great manager. It’s going to be a difficult game for us like every game is in the Championship.
“Brighton are a team who will want to get up there and stay up there until the end of the season. It will be tough.
“We’ve played the top teams at our place and beaten them so we fear no-one when they come to our place.
“It was funny, I played against Cardiff in the third game of the season I think it was. Then I signed for Cardiff.
“I’m looking forward to it. I still know a lot of the people at Brighton. I still speak to a lot of them.
“The manager is great. He texted me when I signed for Cardiff saying congratulations. He still texts me when I’m doing well, when I’ve scored.
“I’ve got friends in Brighton and my girlfriend is from Brighton too. We are back and forth there a lot because she moved down to Cardiff with me.”
It has indeed been a thrilling first season at his new club for Noone, if one tinged with one great mystery – his manager’s reluctance to play him regularly away from home.
Before Saturday’s win at home to Bristol City, Noone played no part at all in the Bluebirds’ previous three away games at Blackpool, Leeds and Huddersfield.
His last turn out on the road for Cardiff was off the bench in the win at Birmingham on January 1 and his last away start was way back in early December at Blackburn.
With the array of talent in his squad Mackay looks to be opting for more defensive minded wide players out on the road and is perhaps trying to save Noone from the quagmire pitches Cardiff have been asked to operate on of late.
Noone himself admits he is not sure of the reasons, but with Cardiff returning with seven points from nine from their last three away matches he admits he’s not in much of a position to complain.
“I’ve not featured as much as I wanted to, but that is the manager’s decision. Whoever he chooses for the games is up to him and he’s getting results so I’m not going to complain,” added Noone.
“Some of the pitches away were awful, but you would rather be playing than a spectator. I’ve played non-league so I’ve played on worse pitches than those anyway.
“I don’t know what it is. I’d like to play in more away games. I’d like to play every game obviously. I’m not sure what the manager’s decisions are.
“But he picks the team and they are teams which have gone away and picked up big points. In the end we won’t go up as individuals. If we do go up we will be going up as a team.”
Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2LKCOnI3s
The precociously talented Noone is preparing to unleash himself against Brighton tonight in a match which is ironically, for him anyway, perhaps not just another game. The 25-year-old winger actually played for Brighton against Cardiff in the reverse fixture on the south coast back in August which finished in a 0-0 draw.
After one more appearance for the Seagulls, Cardiff boss Malky Mackay finally got the player he wanted for a fee a little over £1m.
Noone has thrilled in the Cardiff shirt and has played a big part in helping the Bluebirds stay at the summit of the table where they currently reside with an eight-point gap over the chasing pack.
As the season counts down Mackay has found one of his biggest tasks of late is defusing any mounting sense of excitement at the thought of promotion. And it certainly looks like Mackay’s mantra is getting through to the likes of Noone at least, who it also seems is one of the few people in South Wales not to take an unhealthy interest in the Championship table.
“I think we are taking it game by game,” said Noone.
“After every game we consider it just as another game done and dusted and out of the way. That’s what our mentality is all about right now. It’s the way we are doing things.
“The manager is drilling that into our heads and the players are not getting too excited which is definitely a good thing.
“Those behind us are doing well, but we are not looking down at them. We are not looking over our shoulders to see how close they are. We are just taking it game by game.
“We are not worrying about how far ahead we are.
“We are scratching each game off one by one. Hopefully we get the win and move onto the next one.
“I haven’t looked too much at the table. I know we are top and I look out for Brighton too. I could not even tell you who are second.
“People tell me that we are getting close. But anything can happen in this league so we have to take it game by game.
“That’s the best way to do it.
“I was at the top with Brighton in League One and people were saying the same thing.”
It’s fairly safe to say Noone and his Bluebirds team-mates are ‘taking it game by game’ the visit of Brighton takes on maximum importance with just 15 outings left in the drive for Premier League football.
After a vibrant start Gus Poyet’s Brighton topped the table early on but now find themselves in seventh with four points to make up if they are to creep into the play-off places.
Noone admits he is looking forward to facing his former team-mates and said he keeps in close contact with his pals on the south coast including former boss Poyet himself.
But despite expecting a stern examination, the exciting winger said right now the Bluebirds fear no-one especially in their own backyard having dropped just four points at the Cardiff City Stadium all season.
“Brighton started well and have been in the top 10 for most of the season,” said Noone.
“They’ve got a great team and a great manager. It’s going to be a difficult game for us like every game is in the Championship.
“Brighton are a team who will want to get up there and stay up there until the end of the season. It will be tough.
“We’ve played the top teams at our place and beaten them so we fear no-one when they come to our place.
“It was funny, I played against Cardiff in the third game of the season I think it was. Then I signed for Cardiff.
“I’m looking forward to it. I still know a lot of the people at Brighton. I still speak to a lot of them.
“The manager is great. He texted me when I signed for Cardiff saying congratulations. He still texts me when I’m doing well, when I’ve scored.
“I’ve got friends in Brighton and my girlfriend is from Brighton too. We are back and forth there a lot because she moved down to Cardiff with me.”
It has indeed been a thrilling first season at his new club for Noone, if one tinged with one great mystery – his manager’s reluctance to play him regularly away from home.
Before Saturday’s win at home to Bristol City, Noone played no part at all in the Bluebirds’ previous three away games at Blackpool, Leeds and Huddersfield.
His last turn out on the road for Cardiff was off the bench in the win at Birmingham on January 1 and his last away start was way back in early December at Blackburn.
With the array of talent in his squad Mackay looks to be opting for more defensive minded wide players out on the road and is perhaps trying to save Noone from the quagmire pitches Cardiff have been asked to operate on of late.
Noone himself admits he is not sure of the reasons, but with Cardiff returning with seven points from nine from their last three away matches he admits he’s not in much of a position to complain.
“I’ve not featured as much as I wanted to, but that is the manager’s decision. Whoever he chooses for the games is up to him and he’s getting results so I’m not going to complain,” added Noone.
“Some of the pitches away were awful, but you would rather be playing than a spectator. I’ve played non-league so I’ve played on worse pitches than those anyway.
“I don’t know what it is. I’d like to play in more away games. I’d like to play every game obviously. I’m not sure what the manager’s decisions are.
“But he picks the team and they are teams which have gone away and picked up big points. In the end we won’t go up as individuals. If we do go up we will be going up as a team.”
Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2LKCOnI3s
Re: City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:17 am
Did he play against us this season? 
It was second game I thought.
But an excellent read and he got the MM theory in his head which is it's a team and no individuals.
It was second game I thought.But an excellent read and he got the MM theory in his head which is it's a team and no individuals.
Re: City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:43 pm
Re: City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:09 pm
If I was a seagulls supporter I don't think is ould take kindly to my manager texting Noone and saying "congratulations". Sounds like he moved up in the world.
Re: City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:25 pm
Re: City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:47 pm
A different player each week says this "game by game" stuff.
Re: City taking title push game-by-game
Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:59 pm
Karl wrote:A different player each week says this "game by game" stuff.
Drilled into them!!
Right lads, in a few days time we are playing Brighton. 90 minutes. Thats all I
want from you, 100% effort for 90 minutes against them.. lets start focusing now.