Shrewsbury 0 - 4 Cardiff City

Last updated : 17 July 2016 By Michael Morris

City will have tougher challenges this coming season but yesterday's 4 - 0 win over Shrewsbury gave an insight into how City may play this year.

Paul Trollope employed a new system with three centre halves and wingbacks similar to the formation played by Wales in the Euro's.

Trollope of course was one of the coaching staff under Chris Coleman and he will have chance to put his mark on the way City play, whereas last season he was tasked with implementing the 4-4-2 system preferred by Russell Slade.

City played two sides at Shrewsbury, the starting XI played for an hour and thanks to first half goals by Anthony Pilkington and a header from new signing Frederic Gounongbe (pictured) they led 2 - 0 at half time.

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On the hour all eleven players were swapped and soon after the scoring recommenced. Tom James headed City into a 3 - 0 lead but the ball mayve had a final touch from a Shrewsbury player and minutes later Kenneth Zohore blocked the keepers clearance to tap in the 4th.

The squad are off to Germany for a tour that takes in two full games and inbetween those a tournament in Osnabruck next Saturday.

CARDIFF CITY (first 60 mins): Marshall, Ajayi, Manga, Connolly, Fábio, O'Keefe, Whittingham, John, Immers, Pilkington, Gounongbe.

CARDIFF CITY (60-90 mins): Moore, Wharton, Blaise, James, Tutonda, Dikgacoi, Adeyemi, Kennedy, Harris, Noone, Zohore.

 

Report from WalesOnline

Paul Trollope, who assisted Chris Coleman at Euro 2016, set his Bluebirds up in the same 5-3-2 formation the national side used in France

Paul Trollope's new-look Cardiff City setup cruised to a comfortable pre-season triumph at Shrewsbury in an outing which justified his adoption of the system which paid such dividends for Wales.

Trollope, Chris Coleman's assistant during Euro 2016, employed a similar 5-3-2 to that used by Wales during the tournament.

And wingbacks Fabio and, in particular, Declan John were able to reap the rewards as they proved a constant thorn in the side of the blue-and-amber-clad defenders.

Three days after a young side was defeated 3-1 at Forest Green, Trollope took a hands-on role for the first time at Greenhous Meadow as a totally different Bluebirds outfit dominated against the League One side.

A strong City side, including Belgian hitman Frederic Gounongbe up front, was named, and it was John - who came through the youth system at City - who proved to be a real handful, looking to get in behind the home defence at every opportunity.

The 21-year-old's input was key to the opening City goal, which came in the 26th minute. An attempt at another incisive run down the left flank was this time brought to a premature halt, but with referee Steve Martin waving a good advantage it was collected by Anthony Pilkington.

Wide out, it seemed as if there was no immediate danger, but the Irish international cut inside, wrong-footing a handful of Shrewsbury defenders, before picking his head up and curling a powerful effort into the top corner, well beyond the reach of keeper Mark Halstead's despairing dive.

It was a moment of real quality, but only served to emphasise the gulf in class between the two teams.

The one-way traffic continued during the first half, and although there was not a procession of gilt-edged chances, it seemed only a matter of time before City doubled their advantage.

It came 10 minutes from half time, with Peter Whittingham swinging in a corner from the left which new boy Gounongbe nodded in.

Two-nil was barely reward for City's dominance, but Trollope had seen enough, making 11 changes on the hour mark and switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

But he will be equally pleased with what his replacement showed him.

Although Shrewsbury - who made nine changes of their own at the interval - settled into the game more after the break, a quickfire double midway through the second period put the gloss on the City performance.

Cardiff City made 11 changes on the hour mark at Shrewsbury
The first came when a Theo Wharton made a tricky run forward, with Shrewsbury deciding the only way to stop him was to grab a handful of shirt.

The resulting free kick was expertly curled in by Craig Noone, with Tom James heading into the far corner.

A couple of minutes later striker Kenneth Zohore added his name to the list of scorers, scampering after a poor backpass which replacement keeper Callum Burton was forced to deal with. Burton's clearance was blocked by Zohore, with the ricochet falling kindly for the Dane to tap in.

It was the icing on the cake of a very satisfactory performance for City. They will face tougher opposition, but with a new system in operation this was a pleasing afternoon for Trollope.