So, DJ went to see Ried and Delph

on Saturday, according to The Western Mail.....


Cardiff City hopeful over fixture backlog threat

Jan 4 2010 by Terry Phillips, Western Mail



CARDIFF CITY are hoping a fixture backlog does not disrupt the second half of their season.

Having seen their Championship home game with Leicester City on December 19 fall victim to a frozen pitch, Cardiff suffered further frustration on Saturday.

Their third-round FA Cup tie at Bristol City was an early casualty of the freezing conditions with the game called off at 10am.

Temperatures plunged to minus six on Friday night and, with no under-soil heating at Ashton Gate, the frost worked in under the pitch covers.

“The ground staff made a great effort to try and get the game on,” said Northamptonshire-based Premier League referee Peter Walton.

“Three-quarters of the pitch was totally playable, but unfortunately at the top (East) end, where the sun doesn’t get to it, the ground was very hard.

“In terms of safety and finishing the game, perhaps the game would have become a lottery at times in that particular area.

“I wasn’t prepared to gamble and called it off.”

The game will now be rescheduled for Tuesday, January 12, exactly two weeks before Cardiff are due to visit Ashton Gate for a Championship fixture.

If a replay is needed, Cardiff will stage the game on Tuesday, January 19.

Cardiff had hoped to re-arrange the Leicester game for the FA Cup fourth-round weekend of January 23-24 if both teams were eliminated in round three. But Leicester’s last-gasp 2-1 victory over Swansea on Saturday makes that a non-starter.

Despite his disappointment over another postponement and the lurking worry that fixtures could yet pile up on Cardiff in the new year, Bluebirds boss Dave Jones insisted Walton was correct to call the game off.

“I entirely agree with the referee’s decision to call the match off,” said Jones. “Referees often come in for criticism, but on this occasion he was absolutely right.

“Players’ safety must come first and there were areas of the pitch that were dangerous.”

Following the postponement, Jones headed to the midlands to conduct a spying mission at the third-round tie between Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers.

It is understood that Blackburn’s Steven Reid and Villa youngster Fabian Delph were the subject of Jones’ scrutiny, with Cardiff desperate to strengthen central midfield.

Reid, the Republic of Ireland international, underlined his progress after long-term injury problems and proved his fitness with a 90-minute display.

Former Leeds ace Delph made a rare first-team outing before illness forced him off at half-time.

Club chairman Peter Ridsdale was also due to take in an FA Cup match and left Ashton Gate with the intention of going to the Wigan-Hull tie, where Jason Koumas was among the players involved.

Jones has already made a couple of enquiries about Koumas, but the former Welsh international is not keen to drop down to the Championship from the Premier League.

“The manager was out watching players on Saturday and we fully intend to strengthen the playing squad as soon as possible,” said Ridsdale.

“Dave has given me a list of players who would fit the bill and we are working on that.”

More than 10,000 Bluebirds fans have snapped up season tickets for 2010-11 to hand Jones a £3m January war chest.

“The chairman has promised that all the money that comes in will go to bringing in players,” Jones said last week.

“Up to £3m has been mentioned and, if that is the case, we could do a lot of damage with that.

“For the first time since I have been here we are able to push on during the January transfer window.”

Cardiff hope to bring in at least one player, possibly two, in time for Saturday’s Championship home game with Blackpool.

With Stephen McPhail (thigh) and Gavin Rae (broken fingers) now ruled out by injury and Riccy Scimeca retired, the Bluebirds have big issues through central midfield.

Joe Ledley is playing on despite a problem with his hips but will have benefited from the rest provided by the postponement of the FA Cup tie at Ashton Gate.

on Saturday, according to The Western Mail.....


Cardiff City hopeful over fixture backlog threat

Jan 4 2010 by Terry Phillips, Western Mail



CARDIFF CITY are hoping a fixture backlog does not disrupt the second half of their season.

Having seen their Championship home game with Leicester City on December 19 fall victim to a frozen pitch, Cardiff suffered further frustration on Saturday.

Their third-round FA Cup tie at Bristol City was an early casualty of the freezing conditions with the game called off at 10am.

Temperatures plunged to minus six on Friday night and, with no under-soil heating at Ashton Gate, the frost worked in under the pitch covers.

“The ground staff made a great effort to try and get the game on,” said Northamptonshire-based Premier League referee Peter Walton.

“Three-quarters of the pitch was totally playable, but unfortunately at the top (East) end, where the sun doesn’t get to it, the ground was very hard.

“In terms of safety and finishing the game, perhaps the game would have become a lottery at times in that particular area.

“I wasn’t prepared to gamble and called it off.”

The game will now be rescheduled for Tuesday, January 12, exactly two weeks before Cardiff are due to visit Ashton Gate for a Championship fixture.

If a replay is needed, Cardiff will stage the game on Tuesday, January 19.

Cardiff had hoped to re-arrange the Leicester game for the FA Cup fourth-round weekend of January 23-24 if both teams were eliminated in round three. But Leicester’s last-gasp 2-1 victory over Swansea on Saturday makes that a non-starter.

Despite his disappointment over another postponement and the lurking worry that fixtures could yet pile up on Cardiff in the new year, Bluebirds boss Dave Jones insisted Walton was correct to call the game off.

“I entirely agree with the referee’s decision to call the match off,” said Jones. “Referees often come in for criticism, but on this occasion he was absolutely right.

“Players’ safety must come first and there were areas of the pitch that were dangerous.”

Following the postponement, Jones headed to the midlands to conduct a spying mission at the third-round tie between Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers.

It is understood that Blackburn’s Steven Reid and Villa youngster Fabian Delph were the subject of Jones’ scrutiny, with Cardiff desperate to strengthen central midfield.

Reid, the Republic of Ireland international, underlined his progress after long-term injury problems and proved his fitness with a 90-minute display.

Former Leeds ace Delph made a rare first-team outing before illness forced him off at half-time.

Club chairman Peter Ridsdale was also due to take in an FA Cup match and left Ashton Gate with the intention of going to the Wigan-Hull tie, where Jason Koumas was among the players involved.

Jones has already made a couple of enquiries about Koumas, but the former Welsh international is not keen to drop down to the Championship from the Premier League.

“The manager was out watching players on Saturday and we fully intend to strengthen the playing squad as soon as possible,” said Ridsdale.

“Dave has given me a list of players who would fit the bill and we are working on that.”

More than 10,000 Bluebirds fans have snapped up season tickets for 2010-11 to hand Jones a £3m January war chest.

“The chairman has promised that all the money that comes in will go to bringing in players,” Jones said last week.

“Up to £3m has been mentioned and, if that is the case, we could do a lot of damage with that.

“For the first time since I have been here we are able to push on during the January transfer window.”

Cardiff hope to bring in at least one player, possibly two, in time for Saturday’s Championship home game with Blackpool.

With Stephen McPhail (thigh) and Gavin Rae (broken fingers) now ruled out by injury and Riccy Scimeca retired, the Bluebirds have big issues through central midfield.

Joe Ledley is playing on despite a problem with his hips but will have benefited from the rest provided by the postponement of the FA Cup tie at Ashton Gate.

Well he never got there, he said to me the weather made him turn back, but DJ watched some-one yesterday.

Probably some parks game with our finances.

Probably some parks game with our finances.

Probably some parks game with our finances.

Negative Alert!! Negative Alert!! Boooooooooo!!!

DJ watched some-one yesterday.

Yesterday's games

Chelsea vs Watford
Man Utd vs Leeds
Sheffield U vs QPR
Tramere vs Wolves
West Ham vs Arsenal

And in Scotland

Celtic vs Rangers
Hibs vs Hearts

Any possibles come to mind?

I have a funny feeling about Chris lwelumo of Wolves

I had a feeling it would be a Wolves player. Could have been Gibson at United though.

Akos Buzsaky

Akos Buzsaky

Yes please !

No, not Buzsaky! We're better than that! He's no better than McPhail and Ledley.

I hope we don't go for Koumas any more. He's had enough chances to come to us now and has repeatedly beat us off by saying he doesn't want to drop down a division.

I wouldn't mind Chris Iwelumo. I think he could do a job as back up to Bothroyd and could form a decent partnership with Chopra or McCormack.

As for the original post, I'd gladly have Delph or Ried on loan.

No, not Buzsaky! We're better than that! He's no better than McPhail and Ledley.

Really?

Also, he's a pretty different type of player to either McPhail or Ledley. Quite an out and out attacking midfielder if I'm correct? Certainly could do with a player like that in our team.

As for the original post, I'd gladly have Delph or Ried on loan.

No, not Buzsaky! We're better than that! He's no better than McPhail and Ledley.

Really?

Also, he's a pretty different type of player to either McPhail or Ledley. Quite an out and out attacking midfielder if I'm correct? Certainly could do with a player like that in our team.

Tough tackling Delph with him in Midfield would be great.

Likes to chop a few players according to Curtis Davies.

Delfouneso.

Delfouneso.

He would be great but do't think we got a cat in hells chance of getting him, a real star of the future.

Iwelumo would be a fantastic signing
did tom cleverly play for watford yesterday?