Cardiff could be this season’s PL punch bag
On Saturday at 3 o’clock Cardiff are heading to the south coast to meet Bournemouth. The Cherries are a team that have made a number of changes ahead of the new season, but they’ve kept in tact a strong, core group of players with a solid coach in charge. On the other hand, I don’t think Cardiff have fared so well in the transfer market this summer in a bid to step up to compete with the big boys.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth will head into this season with a similar tactical outlook that’s driven them in recent years. Their brand of football is to sit tight, pass the ball when they can and find the perfect opening to strike against their opponents. Ultimately, this either ends in big wins or bigger losses.
An impressive run of results such as this allowed them to finish 12th place in the league last season
Now Bournemouth are well versed in their own scripture. Manager Eddie Howe has had time over the summer to broaden his outlook with his new signings, rather than simply stick to established methods.
In fact, Eddie Howe is a bit of a football philosopher, and I think that Bournemouth’s tactics and playing style work well, especially against lesser teams. If we cast our sights back to spring last season, the Cherries snatched win after win against teams lower than them in the table (2-1 vs. Burnley. 1-0 vs. Swansea, 2-1 vs. WBA, 2-1 vs. Stoke).
An impressive run of results such as this allowed them to finish 12th place in the league last season, and equal on points with 10th placed Newcastle. Key players this season will be their battle-hardened backline of Cook, Francis and Daniels.
Cardiff City
I’m sticking my neck out early on and saying Cardiff City are coming dead last this year. On the whole they simple just don’t have enough players with marked quality, and it was obvious how they were forced to head into the transfer market in a desperate attempt to make a challenge in this year’s Premier League. It’s simply not come to fruition.
They’re going to find it difficult away against Bournemouth
They’ve mostly signed players from the Championship, but in reality it’s pretty much the same team from last season. I don’t really see any of the players they’ve signed in the transfer window making much difference, with the only possible exceptions of Harry Arter and Camarasa. Those two together could make a decent midfield duo if things go right.
Cardiff will find it difficult against a Bournemouth side that in itself has problems to tackle in the Premier League. It is tough to define Cardiff before the start of the season, as it is with how any newly-promoted side will fare. But if you look at Cardiff’s squad, they’re going to find it difficult away against Bournemouth.
Match Tips
I think Cardiff are going to have a tough time of it. I reckon they could surprise a few teams when they’re at home, but on away days with a capable side like Bournemouth they’ll find it difficult. Bournemouth are experienced and they’re still in a stage where they want to build on previous merits to push into the top half of the table. I think Bournemouth will beat Cardiff and I’m playing a straight way on odds of 10/11 (1.91).
