Cardiff City To Struggle With Lopsided Midfield

Cardiff City have been hit by a number of injuries already this season and now look set to struggle to find a balanced midfield.


Essentially, the injury to Riccy Scimeca against MK Dons deprives City of a midfield foil for Steve McPhail in the centre with Gavin Rae missing action after chipping a bone in his leg. In fact, Rae could play under painkilling injections but this option is far from ideal and could delay his recuperation.


If Rae is not fit, Darcy Blake could be an option as the aggressive ball-winning midfielder. However, the youngster also suffered a problem midweek and could also be needed to fill in as a right-back with our current full-back crisis!


That leaves us short, meaning that Joe Ledley could well be used in the centre. I have absolutely no problem with this, but do have serious doubts over a McPhail/Ledley partnership and fear we could easily be overrun in midfield.


That means that Paul Parry and Peter Whittingham seem likely to fill the wide berths meaning a completely left footed midfield for the Bluebirds. We don't actually have a right-footed wideman after Willo Flood was loaned out for a second successive season. Miguel Comminges has spent time in that position pre-season but could be needed as a full-back this weekend.


Other options include using McCormack on the right, or even Darren Purse in a holding midfield role - although this seems highly unlikely.


In any case, we anxiously await injury updates and hopefully some of our casualties can return to full fitness quicker than expected. As things stand, we could well have 4 right footers in defence, and 4 left-footers in midfield.


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