A score to settle. City v Stoke preview.

Last updated : 07 November 2003 By Michael Morris
May 1st, 2002 was a shocker. City, 2 - 1 up from the first leg at the Britannia Stadium had to keep out Stoke for 90 mins and a place at the Millennium Stadium was waiting.

For 89 minutes it went well enough then disaster, soon after the pa man telling City fans not to celebrate on the pitch as the Cardiff team would be doing a lap of honour Stoke put the ball in the City net. The game was creeping to a close when Lennie brought on Andy Campbell. The crowd groaned as the XI on the pitch looked like carrying the job through. It was then unfortunate for Campbell to lose his footing allowing Stoke a break towards the City goal, they scored and then went on to nick it in extra time. (fitting that Campbell got the play off winner one year later).

Stoke won the play off final easy enough and laughed, oh how they laughed at us. They took great pleasure in giving Graham Kavanagh stick. Not so much Peter Thorne, they still like him, but they hate the Irishman who will lead Cardiff against them tomorrow.

Kav left Stoke with ambitions of joining a bigger club and getting back into the Irish squad and hopefully the Premiership.

It took Kav a while to shake off the disappointment of May 1st 2002 but now it's all coming good.

Just over a seaon later and it's Cardiff in the ascendancy. Kav is back in the Irish squad, City are 4 points off the play offs while Stoke are 4 points above the drop zone.

Kav's ambitions appear to be coming to fruition.

Stoke have the chance to spoil another minor party this Saturday. Cardiff are bidding for a record equalling 6th league clean sheet in a row at home. Nice if we get it but a win is more important, 3 points needed more than a clean sheet record.

Lennie has some decisions to make. He pust perm 4 from 6 in midfield and does he bring Gary Croft back in?

I think Croft will start again. Tony Vidmar was wasted at right back last week so I would go for Alexander behind Croft, Vidmar, Gabbidon and Barker. In midfield Lennie can choose from Robinson, Boland, Bonner, Gray, Langley and Kavanagh. We will not play the same 4 as last week, it was not effective so Langley or Gray must return at the expense of Bonner or Boland.

The best football played this season was with Robinson, Kav, Boland and Langley the midfield 4. I think Lennie may go back to that on Saturday. If he does it's tough on Mark Bonner who's done all that was asked of him over the past month or so.

Up front it will be Earnie and Gavin Gordon. There was a slight hint that Peter Thorne could be back but it's more likely to be the trip Wimbledon (Milton Keynes) in a fortnight's time that Thorne makes his comeback.

City possible

Alexander, Croft, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Barker, Langley, Boland, Kavanagh, Robinson, Earnshaw, Gordon.

Subs from Margetson, Prior, Collins, Bonner Gray, Campbell and Fleetwood.

City are still without the injured Bowen, Thorne, Lee, Weston and Whalley, although Weston, Whalley and Thorne could all be in contention for the trip to Milton Keynes on Nov 25th.

Cardiff must win this game and keep in touch as they have to sit out the round of games on Nov 15th because of the international play offs. City then face Wimbledon in another game they will be expected to win. The month ends with two tough games at Ninian Park against West Brom and Ipswich.

Cardiff City v Stoke.
Ninian Park, 3:00pm. Saturday November 8th.