Cardiff v West Brom. Match preview

Last updated : 13 December 2013 By Michael Morris

Early team news

taylor_Andrew Taylor (pictured) is fit and ready to start for Cardiff against West Brom tomorrow. Taylor has missed the last two games with Declan John replacing him.

Craig Bellamy, who has also been missing for two matches, will be assessed ahead of this contest, having had a knee problem.

Striker Nicolas Anelka could be back in contention for the trip to Cardiff this weekend.

The veteran forward has not played since October due to a groin problem but has been back in training this week.

Fellow forward Victor Anichebe is doubtful due to illness and the game comes too soon for goalkeeper Ben Foster (foot) but defender Jonas Olsson is back from suspension. 

 

The managers:

Malky Mackay (and Andrew Taylor)

 

Steve Clarke

Acknowledging his side are facing a relegation battle:

"We are down there anyway, the table tells you that. It is not an issue.

"All I would like to do is get back on an even keel. We have worked hard in training this week.

"Hopefully the performance at the weekend is good enough to get us three points.

"It will look bad if we lose four games in a row, of course it will.

"But that is where we are, that is the situation I am in. There is nothing I can do about it except try to make sure the team is ready to win the game."

 

Match Appointments

Referee: Howard Webb. Assistants: M Mullarkey, D Cann. Fourth Official: R East.

 

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

  • West Brom's last defeat away to Cardiff was a 3-1 top-flight loss on Boxing Day 1960. They are unbeaten in seven games away to the Bluebirds since then, with the last four ending in draws.
  • Cardiff striker Peter Odemwingie scored for West Brom to help eliminate his current employers from the FA Cup in a 4-2 win the last time the clubs met in the 2011-12 competition.

 

Cardiff City

  • Cardiff are without a win in five games since beating rivals Swansea in the south Wales derby.
  • Two of Cardiff's three wins have been at home.
  • Only Palace and West Ham have failed to score in as many games as Malky Mackay's side (eight) in the Premier League this season.
  • Cardiff have averaged fewer than three shots on target (2.73) per game in the Premier League this season.
  • The Bluebirds have picked up just six points from seven games against bottom-half opposition.
  • Nine of the 22 league goals conceded by Cardiff have come in the last 15 minutes of games.
  • Ben Turner, Steven Caulker and Peter Whittingham have played every minute of all 15 Premier League games for Cardiff this season.

 

West Bromwich Albion

  • West Brom have won once in nine matches since September's 2-1 victory at Manchester United, losing their last three games.
  • Steve Clarke's side failed to score for the first time in six games in Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Norwich City.
  • Gareth McAuley is the only ever present for West Brom in 2013-14.
  • Twelve goals (six for, six against) have been scored in the last 15 minutes of matches involving West Brom.

 

Teams

Cardiff (from): Marshall, Connolly, Taylor, Caulker, Hudson, Turner, Whittingham, Medel, Cornelius, Campbell, Odemwingie, Brayford, Kim, Smith, Noone, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Cowie, Maynard, Theophile-Catherine, Lewis, Bellamy, John.

West Brom (from): Myhill, Daniels, Jones, Ridgewell, Olsson, McAuley, Lugano, Brunt, Sessegnon, Amalfitano, Mulumbu, Berahino, Yacob, Anichebe, Vydra, Long, Anelka, Morrison, Popov, Dawson, Reid, Sinclair, Gera, Rosenberg.