Cardiff City are back in the Welsh Capital as they host league leaders Sheffield United.
The Opposition:
The Blades had a disastrous 23/24 season with a rock bottom finish in the Premier League.
Chris Wilder was tasked with a summer rebuild after many summer departures. Wilder recruited Kieffer Moore from Bournemouth, Tyrese Campbell from Stoke, Harrison Burrow from Peterborough, Mike Cooper from Plymouth, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Crystal Palace, Harry Souttar from Leicester, Sam McCallum from Norwich, Jamie Shackleton from Leeds, Alfie Gilchrist from Chelsea and Callum O'Hare from Coventry.
In the current season, Chris Wilder’s formation uses a different type of structure and fresh ideas than his first spell at the club. Now, Sheffield United tend to play with a back four. We can say that they use a 4-2-3-1 shape, but it frequently changes. During the build-up, they usually play with a symmetrical backline and a double pivot, while Gustavo Hamer’s role constantly changes. Hamer, a player for inner channels, starts as a left-winger and is free to drop in to build a temporary 4-3-3 when the play is being built on his flank. Once this happens, Callum O’Hare (attacking midfielder) or Tyrese Campbell/Kieffer Moore (striker) can move to Hamer’s original space and progress from wide. What Chris Wilder applies in the final third is a central overloads-tendency.
In the final third, Gustavo Hamer and Rak-Sakyi tend to move to the centre, and Chris Wilder’s full-back attacks depth, looking for crossing/finishing zones.
Harrison Burrows from the left frequently finds goal opportunities in this way.
The Bluebirds:
City come into this one on the back of a 2-2 draw against Stoke City. Anwar El Ghazi struck in the first half, before an own goal gave Cardiff a second half lead, unfortunately Stoke struck late on meaning the two sides shared the points.
Cardiff tested a new system against Stoke, and their were signs that could be an extremely effective system for the current squad of players. Therefore, I'd like to see City stick with that system for the ultimate test, to really prove where the team is at the moment. Cardiff will need to play with the same intensity in the forward areas as they look to unlock the best defence in the division.
Team News:
Cardiff City - Ollie Tanner, Perry Ng, Aaron Ramsey, David Turnbull and Isaak Davies remain out.
Sheffield United - Anel Ahmedhodzic and Vini Souza could be back available for the visitors. Tyrese Campbell, Femi Seriki and Oliver Arblaster out.
Preferred XI:
GK - Ethan Horvath
RWB - Andy Rinomhota
RCB - Will Fish
CB - Dimitrios Goutas
LCB - Jesper Daland
LWB - Callum O'Dowda
LCM - Alex Robertson
RCM - Manolis Siopis
RAM - Anwar El Ghazi
LAM - Chris Willock
ST - Yakou Meite
Prediction:
Cardiff City 0-1 Sheffield United
I see it being a much closer game than on paper may suggest, but I see The Blades edging it with their added quality.
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