Russell Slade should ignore the heirachy

‘ Russell Slade should ignore the heirachy ‘

By Carl Curtis

After seeing one of, if not the best, Cardiff City away performances under Russell Slade on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Wolves, I sincerely hope that the manager goes again with the same formation at home games.

It may be serendipitous that he stumbled upon this line up but whichever way it came about, it worked!

Playing Joe Mason in the hole behind Anthony Pilkington looked like a partnership that had played together many times before and not making this debut partnership at Molinuex.

Mason linked the midfield superbly with the front line and his first touch was excellent and his hold up play too, it allowed and afforded Craig Noone the time to join the attack and our centre midfielders Joe Ralls and Stuart O’Keefe were able to assist the frontline also.

Peter Whittingham, despite his critics even at Wolves (and there were quite a few of them around me on Saturday) played some of the best passes I have seen for a long time by a City player, in spells he was sublime with his awareness and accuracy, most players would not have dared attempt to try the cross field pass, let alone deliver like he did, that found Joe Mason with the half volley with the outside of his left foot.

It has been said many times that interference from above has been problematic at City, not just under Slade but also Solksjaer and Mackay, but on Saturday it is said that Slade went with his belief and played his game plan, if that is indeed true then I genuinely hope that Slade does so at home games.

The 4-4-1-1 worked on Saturday and I see absolutely no reason why it cannot work home either, when we play 4-4-2 we look too flat in midfield and up front but with the one playing in the hole it all connected.

I am actually looking forward to a home game for the first time in a long time and even though it has been just one win and one excellent performance, it has really given me hope to what we could possibly achieve in the remaining games of the season, I hope that the players and management feel the confidence that the fans felt after Saturday’s win and go and express themselves at the Cardiff City Stadium starting this Saturday.

Slade should ignore the heirachy, including the comments of the chairman last week, and stand by and fall on his own sword if necessary, because if that performance is repeated again this Saturday then I believe Russell Slade can start to ‘ prove people wrong!’