Premier League Preview: Cardiff - Will defensive solidity be enough?

The Big Issue: Will defensive solidity be enough?

Balls to that. The question really intriguing neutrals is does Craig Bellamy still possess the roadrunner pace that he weirdly kept into his 30s, despite a long history of knee injuries? However, it isn’t the rapidity of their feisty star that Cardiff supporters are concerned about. It’s more that, despite winning the Championship by a comfortable eight points, their team lacked a pure goalscorer (see stat, below).

Boss Malky Mackay has solved this problem by breaking the club’s transfer record to spend £8m on 21-year-old Steven Caulker: a defender. Oh. He has also spent over £7m on target man Andreas Cornelius, but while the 6ft 4ins Dane netted 19 goals for Copenhagen last season, he’s just 20 years old and has played fewer than 50 club games – it’s asking a lot for him to be prolific in his debut season.

Instead, a team that came up playing functional football will need to rely on supreme fitness and solidity, with captain Mark Hudson the defensive rock alongside smooth-passing Caulker. The club’s prized asset is the gaffer, however, cut from the cloth of savvy Scottish motivators. With momentum, Malky Mackay in charge and vocal home fans relishing top-flight football, Cardiff may have enough to make it to safety. Just about.

Keep an eye on…

 
Kim Bo-Kyung - Cardiff may lack silks, as kids today express it, but South Korean attacking midfielder Kim began to showcase his skills at the end of last season. The 23-year-old’s quick feet, deft first touch, ability to spot a pass and tidy finishing have had his manager purring during the club’s pre-season. “You can see the talent there,” said Mackay after he scored the winner in a friendly against Chievo. Queston is: can he do it at the highest level?

The Stat
8 - No Cardiff player scored more than eight league goals last year: Aron Gunnarsson, Peter Whittingham and the now-departed Heidar Helguson.

If they were an animal, they would be a…
Chameleon - Have thrived following a change in colour. Not generally thought very attractive to look at, but may just prove sticky enough to hang around for a little while at least.