Match Preview: Wednesday Vs Cardiff
By Nicholas Rigg
November 8 2005
Dave Jones brings his Cardiff side to Hillsborough on Wednesday night for the live Sky encounter. It's the first time the two sides have met in over 20 years. Cardiff have made a good start to the season after being dubbed relegation certs, while Wednesday will be hoping to carry on their good form.
Wednesday Vs Cardiff
Date: Wednesday 9th November
Venue: Hillsborough, Sheffield
Wednesday will face Dave Jones' Cardiff City for the first time in over 20 years at Hillsborough on Wednesday evening, live on Sky Sports.
The last time the two sides met was in 1984 where Wednesday ran out 2-0 winners at Ninian Park in the old Division 2. Wednesday also won the reverse at Hillsborough 5-2.
The outcome is likely to be slightly different this time around, with the Bluebirds finding themselves just outside the play-offs after an impressive start to the campaign.
Cardiff were many bookmakers favourites for relegation at the start of the season as the Bluebirds were forced to sell their top stars to raise some much needed cash. Since Dave Jones was appointed manager though, the clubs fortunes have been totally turned around thanks to some shrewd summer signings.
Darren Purse, Jason Koumas, Phillip Mulryne, and Neil Cox were all brought to the South Wales club just before the start of the season, and more were to follow.
Dave Jones has also worked his magic on Leeds striker Michael Ricketts, who seems to have found his form after poor spells at Middlesbrough and Leeds. The striker has scored four goals for Cardiff so far this season.
Cardiff have won just two games on the road this season, and Dave Jones knows he will have to improve on that record if he wants to make the play-offs. Their recent form has seen them win just once in the last five games, which was a 6-1 thrashing of Crewe Alexandre.
Ricketts has suffered an injury and is unlikely to feature on Wednesday night, but his strike partner Cameron Jerome is more than an adequate cover. Jerome has attracted the attention of Peter Taylor and will be travelling with the England under-21 squad to face France in the play-offs. Ex-Miller Alan Lee will replace Ricketts. Other than that, Dave Jones doesn't have any fresh injury problems coming in to the game.
Nicky Weaver will continue to deputise for David Lucas in the Wednesday goal after the ex-Preston stopped ruled himself out of action for at least four weeks. Steve Maclean, Graham Coughlan, JP McGovern, and Drew Talbot remain out of action, but Paul Sturrock has no fresh injury worries ahead of the match.
Previous Line-Ups:
Wednesday: Weaver, Lee, Hills, Simek, Wood, Whelan, Brunt, Eagles, Rocastle (O'Brien 59), Agbonlahor (Graham 66), Peacock (Bullen 87).
Subs Not Used: Heckingbottom, Partridge.
Cardiff: Alexander, Weston, Purse, Loovens, Barker, Koumas, Whitley, Ledley, Cooper (Ferretti 85), Lee (Parry 75), Jerome.
Subs Not Used: Margetson, Cox, Ardley.
Last Time Out:
12th May 1984
Cardiff City 0-2 Wednesday
Head-To-Head:
Wednesday Wins: 20
Draws: 31
Cardiff City Wins: 18
Current Form (last 5):
Draw (Watford H 1-1), Draw (Brighton H 1-1), Won (Norwich A 0-1), Lost (Reading A 0-2), Won (Derby County H 2-1)
Draw (Preston NE H 2-2), Won (Crewe Alex H 6-1), Draw (Sheffield United A 0-0), Lost (Norwich City A 0-1), Draw (Coventry City H 0-0)
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