DEPLEATED CARDIFF FACE BIG TEST

ccfcinsider

2 days ago

3 min read

Cardiff City are back in the Welsh Capital as they host Scott Parker's West Ham United.

The Opposition:

West Ham were narrowly relegated from the Premier League last season with one of the highest point tallies of any relegated side from the English top flight. After a slower start than expected, Nuno Espírito Santo was sacked with the Hammers sitting in 8th place. Scott Parker was chosen as the Portuguese's successor.

The Hammers were big spenders in the summer, as they look to bounce straight back to the Premier League. Espírito Santo added Arne Engels from Celtic, Manor Solomon from Tottenham Hotspur, Morato from Nottingham Forest, Adama Borio from Athletic Club, Joël Piroe from Leeds United, Keiber Lamadrid from Deportivo La Guaira, Joël Veltman from Brighton & Hove Albion, Edvin Austbø from Viking, and Divine Mukasa from Manchester City.

Parker favours a structured, possession-based approach, typically utilising a 4-2-3-1 formation to control games through patient build-up and positional discipline. His sides look to play out from the back, stretch opposition defences through wide areas and create openings through clever passing combinations. Out of possession, he prioritises defensive organisation, compactness and a disciplined press, often sacrificing attacking freedom for greater control and security.

The Bluebirds:

City come into this one on the back of a disappointing 3-0 defeat away at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Cardiff should look to disrupt Parker's structured build-up with an aggressive, coordinated press, forcing turnovers before his team can establish possession. By playing through the press with quick combinations, exploiting the spaces left behind and attacking at pace, City can expose their defensive shape. Maintaining a high tempo and constantly rotating positions will prevent Parker's side from settling into their preferred rhythm.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Jarrod Bowen has started exactly as expected in the Championship, with the 29-year-old looking central to any potential promotion this season. Bowen is a direct, left-footed forward who thrives cutting in from the right flank, using sharp movement, acceleration and intelligent positioning to get into dangerous goalscoring areas. He combines a clinical finishing ability with excellent off-the-ball movement, making him equally dangerous attacking space in behind or linking play in the final third.

After a failed trial at Cardiff City as a youngster, Bowen's career began with Hereford United. Following Hereford's expulsion from the National League, the winger joined Hull City. After a successful three-and-a-half season spell with the Tigers, Bowen returned to the Premier League with the Hammers in January 2020. The 29-year-old is now closing in on 300 West Ham appearances, having contributed 157 goal contributions, fifteen of which have come this season.

Last Meeting:

Cardiff City 2-0 West Ham United (2019)

The last time these two sides met was Cardiff City's most recent Premier League home win, as the Bluebirds ran out 2-0 winners.

Junior Hoilett opened the scoring in the fourth minute, rounding off an excellent team goal, before Victor Camarasa added a second seven minutes into the second half from close range.

Team News:

Cardiff City - Cardiff hopeful of having Krystian Bielik and Perry Ng available, with late checks to be made on Will Fish and Alex Robertson. Dylan Lawlor remains out. Gabriel Osho sees out the last game of his suspension.

West Ham United - Konstantinos Mavropanos could return for West Ham. Late decision to be made on Kyle Walker-Peters. Edson Álvarez and Maxwel Cornet are likely to be absent.

Preferred XI:

GK - Nathan Trott

RB - Perry Ng

RCB - Krystian Bielik

LCB - Joel Bagan

LB - Calum Scanlon

CDM - Alex Robertson

CM - Joel Colwill

CAM - Jack Moylan

RW - Ollie Tanner

LW - Cian Ashford

ST - Yousef Salech