COBBLERS LAST VISIT TO THE CCS FOR THE SEASON

ccfcinsider
2 days ago
2 min read

Cardiff City close their home campaign against already relegated Northampton Town.

Cardiff City Head Coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

The Opposition:

Northampton were the first side to be relegated to League Two next season a few weeks ago, summarising just how poor The Cobblers' season has been.

Colin Calderwood is current interim manager. Calderwood typically favors a disciplined, organized defensive structure, often setting his teams up in a compact shape that prioritizes shape retention and limiting space between the lines. In attack, his approach tends to be pragmatic rather than expansive, relying on quick transitions, set-pieces, and direct play over sustained possession.

The Cobblers sit bottom ahead of this one, and would remain their with a victory in the Welsh Capital.

The Bluebirds:

City come into this one on the back of a 1-0 win against fellow relegated side Port Vale. Rubin Colwill's second half header was enough to secure another three points for Brian Barry-Murphy's Bluebirds.

Cardiff can disrupt a Colin Calderwood setup by stretching that compact defensive block—using width, positional rotations, and patient circulation to pull defenders out of shape rather than forcing play through the middle. Once gaps appear, quick combinations and third-man runs through half-spaces can break lines, while an aggressive counter-press prevents Calderwood-style direct transitions from ever getting started.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Midfielder Dean Campbell has impressed at Northampton since his summer move from Barrow. Campbell is a tidy, left-footed midfield controller who anchors play with calm ball retention, sharp positional discipline, and simple but reliable progressive passing.

The Scotsman began his career with Aberdeen. After loan moves to Kilmarnock and Stevenage, Campbell departed permanently in the summer of 2023, joining Barrow. After two seasons at The Bluebirds, Campbell joined Northampton in the summer, where he has contributed with five assists this season.

Last Meeting:

Northampton Town 1-3 Cardiff City (2025)

Despite a battling home performance in November, it was The Bluebirds that ran out winners in the reverse fixture.

Joel Colwill opened the scoring, before Ethan Wheatley equalised for the hosts. Wheatley would soon turn from hero to zero as he converted into his own net. Chris Willock wrapped the game up with an excellent strike from the edge of the box in the final moments of the game.

Team News:

Cardiff City - Isaak Davies back available for Cardiff. Eli King, Cian Ashford and Calum Chambers remain out.

Northampton Town - Jordan Willis, Michael Forbes, Elliott Moore, Joe Wormleighton and Ben Hammond miss out with injuries.

Preferred XI:

GK - Harry Tyrer

RB - Ronan Kpakio

RCB - Dylan Lawlor

LCB - Gabriel Osho

LB - Calum Scanlon

CDM - Alex Robertson

CM - Joel Colwill

CAM - Rubin Colwill