Cardiff City 0 West Ham Utd 2 (04/03/2012)

[Dyer's Leg]

V

12:45pm Sunday, 4th Mar 2012

Cardiff City Stadium

Live on BBC Television

Reverse Fixture: West Ham United 0-1 Cardiff City, 07-08-2011 http://www.whufc.com/articles/20110807/ ... 4233_58440

West Ham visit the Carling Cup Runners-Up with almost a full squad to choose from, apart from Matt Taylor, (Suspended) and Guy Demel. Skipper Kevin Nolan returns from a 3 match ban, and is in contention to return straight to the team after his red card against Millwall.

The Hammers go in to this game with in-different form, having won 2, drawn 2 and lost one of their last 5 in the league. Not a bad return for the team with the best away record in the league, but with the size of the squad and quility on offer from West Ham, thier fans would have expected a better tally than that.

Cardiff will be going in to this game on a low, after narrowly losing to Liverpool in an epic Carling Cup Final on penalties. They will need to dust off from that defeat by focusing on the task ahead in the league, and former Hammer Malky Mackay's men will be hoping their form will pick up, after winning just once in their last 5 in the league, losing three and drawing the other.

Man to watch: Kenny Miller The former Rangers striker scored in stoppage time in August to condemn United to their first defeat in the season opener.

KUMB.com Match Preview (by Preview Percy): http://www.kumb.com/article.php?id=3005

[prophet:marginal]

This shall be my 3rd live game of the season.

I've seen a poor home defeat (Ips)

A fun away draw (Palace),

So am hoping for a memorable and uplifting away victory.

This is on TV too, isn't it?

[Matt of iron]

Yep, tis on the beeb

[Aceface]

This is a really important game. Lose this and all of a sudden we might need to start worrying about shoring up second place rather than first. Southampton - on paper - have a fairly easy run in, and we - on paper - do not. And with Reading scorching away at the moment, plus Brum looking strong, we need a win to keep our noses clear.

It'll be a miracle if we're not set up to play one up front here - and that has to be Cole given how isolated Maynard looked against Palace.

[ForeverWestHam]

Getting to the ground is gonna be such a nightmare, with the f-ing voucher situation!

[saludo de carlitos]

Cant see us getting anything from this, especially with us sunning ourselves in Dubai, these things never work.

[Puff Daddy]

Cant see us getting anything from this, especially with us sunning ourselves in Dubai, these things never work.

No, nor can I. Crazy decision to take the players off to Dubai in preparation for such an important game. Warm weather training ? It's gonna be 68 degrees here by Wednesday, so why take the players all that way and have then travel back some 4,000 miles just 24 hours before this game. Don't understand it and it defies all logic

[DDRS]

Watching Cardiff today (Cup final) then if they recover from their cramp then they'll be lucky... However, the spirit in their side is tremendous, Malky has transformed them from chokers into winners. We'll have to be top of our game next weekend to win. Maybe the sunshine will do us some good?

[GwentHammers]

Haven't Cardiff got a game mid week before this as well ?

I have posted elsewhere but if anyone has spares happy to take you to services and to ground as a local !

[Dyer's Leg]

Haven't Cardiff got a game mid week before this as well ?

No, according to the Cardiff OS, we are their next game.

[Gerblatz]

Read on another thread that the squad are due back from Dubai on Thursday, at least 48 hours before this game. I think getting away to prepare for this is a good thing. Getting something from the game isn't dependent on whether the squad have gone away or not, but whether Allardyce has got us organised for it.

I expect us to be wound up for this; a tight game that we can win 1-2.

[w6hammer]

Will be a tough game and Cardiff today played out of thier skins.but hopefully a few of them that played today that limped off/struggling at the end wont make it next week.They could also feel deflated/fatiqued after losing such an important game in a cruel way.Lets hope this works to our advantage.

[hammersgirl7573]

Getting to the ground is gonna be such a nightmare, with the f-ing voucher situation!

Spot on. I got some tickets in the home section after seeing the palaver with the vouchers. And I'm from Cardiff!

Hope everyone makes it on time.

[Pop Robson]

Cant see us getting anything from this, especially with us sunning ourselves in Dubai, these things never work.

They'll come back and it will be snowing in Cardiff, mad going to somewhere so hot when it's going to be pretty warm here all week.

[Longneck'd Iron]

Perfect KO time for getting to & from Cardiff, my 8th away game this season 3 wins, 2 draws & 2 losses so far.
Bit of a nuisance with the voucher system though.

[the pink palermo]

Think the trip to Dubai is a good idea .

Cardiff have slogged all the way to Wembley , played 120 minutes and got a losers medal to remind them they weren't good enough .Their Manager faces a challange to pick them up ahead of Sunday.

By the time this kicks off Cardiff could be as low as 9th in the table, should Brighton, Hull and Boro all win on Saturday .

Our lads will return from 5 days in the sun, feeling special with a consistent positive message being drilled into them by Sam and the staff - perfectly timed with 8 matches in March .

A win at Cardiff would be a massive, massive result , and we need to do whatever is needed in terms of preperation to help get the mindset right .

[saludo de carlitos]

Green
Faubert Faye Tomkins Macca
Morrison Lansbury Noble Vaz Te
Baldock Cole

[prophet:marginal]

Green
Faubert Faye Tomkins Macca
Morrison Lansbury Noble Vaz Te
Baldock Cole

No way on earth Nolan won't start.

[richneal]

Green
Faubert Faye Tomkins Macca
Morrison Lansbury Noble Vaz Te
Baldock Cole

I love the idea of a 4-4-2, with 2 proper strikers mate . . . no idea how it would actually work of course . . . But, do you think we have any hope of seeing Mr Entertainment playing that formation? Away from home? Against Cardiff?

[Heart0fIron]

I'm going for a 2-0 away win, we will be solid and clinical when the chances come. Nolan and Cole for the goals.