BLUEBIRDS BATTLE AT BOURNEMOUTH BUT CAN’T FIND CUTTING EDGE
PAUL Trollope is still hopeful that he will add to his Cardiff City squad this transfer window, but is comfortable with the options he has at his disposal.
The Bluebirds’ competed well with an excellent Bournemouth outfit on the South coast and the Head Coach felt that was evidence of a positive pre-season.
He said: “We’re looking, absolutely. There’s plenty of time and I’m sure there’ll be a lot of business between now and when the window shuts. We’re still looking and we’re still hopeful.
“I’m not going to go into details in terms of what we’re looking for, but we’re looking at certain areas we think we need to strengthen and add, both in terms of the first team and competition for places and strength in depth which we obviously need.
“But I’ll emphasise that the group that we’ve got here have applied themselves well and we were pleased with a lot of the aspects of the system today against a team whose philosophy set for a number of years, they know what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Yet we caused them as many problems as they caused us.”
Trollope also expects there to be outgoings before the end of August. Federico Macheda, Adam Le Fondre and Kagisho Dikgacoi have all been told they can find a new club and Macheda has been heavily linked with a return to Italy.
Trollope said: “We’ve got interest in a few of ours who we’ve made available, like I said before, we’ve been respectful to them and they’ve worked hard whichever group they’ve been with. If we can find a solution that would suit all parties.”
It was a good start to the half from the Bluebirds’, who were keeping possession well with Frederic Gounongbe looking a threat. Bournemouth quickly grew into the game with new left-back Brad Smith enjoying the licence to attack. The warning signs were there as Benik Afobe broke into the box and fired wide after ten minutes. Moments later, they were ahead. The excellent Jordan Ibe picked the ball up 30 yards from goal and the Cardiff defence backed away. They couldn’t close him down quick enough as he let fly from the edge of the box. Marshall did well to get a hand to it but couldn’t stop it dropping it into the far corner.
Bournemouth were the better team for most of the half and Ibe nearly scored again with a similar ef- fort that fizzed just wide of the far post. Cardiff’s best chance came when Anthony Pilkington fired over with a half volley from inside the box.
Cardiff enjoyed a bright second period, even if Benik Afobe should have scored when he was gifted the ball near the Bluebirds’ goal.
Anthony Pilkington and Joe Ralls both went close as Trollope’s side enjoyed a lot more of the ball.
Kenneth Zohore had the best chance as he headed a superb cross from Craig Noone just wide, but in the end the Bluebirds’ were unable to break down an impressive opponent.