Cardiff City: Premiership Rejects Turning on the Class

[Delima]

Hypothetical question. The partnership of Martins + Chopra. What do you think?

 

Squarefootball

 

Cardiff City: Premiership Rejects Turning on the Class

 

"Back in August, they looked set for a relegation struggle amidst talk of imminent financial meltdown and the sale of star striker Cameron Jerome."

 

Whatever the final outcome, it has been a positive season for Cardiff City. Back in August, they looked set for a relegation struggle amidst talk of imminent financial meltdown and the sale of star striker Cameron Jerome.

 

Instead they find themselves still in the hunt for promotion thanks largely to some inspired transfers by manager Dave Jones the most impressive of which has to be getting Michael Chopra for just £500,000. Not everyone was convinced at the time, but a goal on his debut in a friendly against Auxerre quickly started changing opinions.

 

Over twenty goals later, the England U21 striker has already become a legend in Wales. Given his abortive experience at Charlton, Les Reed’s judgement might not carry too much weight but in describing Chopra as having ‘outstanding anticipation and opportunism in front of goal’ the former England youth coach got it absolutely spot on.

 

At Cardiff he has displayed those talents to the full, easily filling the gap left by Jerome’s departure to Birmingham. His instinctive ability to make the right move and find space even against the tightest of defences has been troubling Championship defenders for all season. And there’s much to indicate that he could easily make the step up to the Premiership.

 

Bobby Robson once labelled him, somewhat predictably especially as they both went to the same school, the next Alan Shearer. Apparently, however, few at Newcastle shared that opinion despite claims that they wanted him to stay. They even offered Chopra a one year extension to his contract but unsurprisingly he refused. Over three seasons, Newcastle have spent around £30 million on strikers which didn’t indicate that they were willing to bet too much on a player born on their doorstep. It is, sadly, indicative of the way top flight football is going these days.

 

Not that you will hear any complaining from Cardiff or any other side wise enough to capitalise on this situation, especially as they’ve also managed to sign Peter Whittingham in similar circumstances.

 

A promising left midfielder, Whittingham broke into the Aston Villa first team as an eighteen year old but did so at left-back. He played well enough but it soon started to show that he wasn’t really a defender. The problem was that to play on the left side of midfield for Villa he had to get the better of captain Gareth Barry and that wasn’t going to happen.

 

So he either had to contend with playing out of position or else with a place on the bench. A frustrating situation that in the space of four seasons saw him make a mere 50 appearances for Villa.

 

It is perhaps why Cardiff paid just £300,000 for him. Whittingham’s form since that transfer has shown that it was quite a bargain: before his arrival Cardiff had won seven points out of a possible thirty three, since his transfer they’ve returned to championship winning form.

 

More than that, Whittingham has been playing excellently on the left hand side of midfield. In the 4-1 rout of fellow promotion chasing Preston he was virtually unstoppable with his constant running as well as talent with the ball at his feet.

 

As with Chopra, he is proving his previous employers wrong and that he has the talent to play at a higher level. Something that Cardiff hope they will both be able to do as from next season.

[Mowen]

Martins + Chopra = One good player and one not good enough.

[Cajun]

Chopra looked out of his depth on the few chances he got here imo, he has done well this season but then so have a lot of players who failed to make the grade in the top level. End of the day I doubt he would have gotten a chance ahead of Dyer up top and when Owen is fit he is even lower down the pecking order, add the fact he wanted first team football then there isn't really much to debate. We offered him a new contract, he chose not to take it.

[Delima]

I don't dispute he looked out of his depth in the few chances he had here. But he is doing great in Championship and he looks too good at this level at times. Forgive me for being too sentimental, but I hate the fact that we lost a local talent so easily and bought a certain Man City reject which no one expected him to do well (although he has been vital to us). I never understand why Ameobi get chances ahead of him times after times.

 

Hope Chopra would prove Newcastle wrong big time in the future.

[Cajun]

I don't dispute he looked out of his depth in the few chances he had here. But he is doing great in Championship and he looks too good at this level at times. Forgive me for being too sentimental, but I hate the fact that we lost a local talent so easily and bought a certain Man City reject which no one expected him to do well (although he has been vital to us). I never understand why Ameobi get chances ahead of him times after times.

 

Hope Chopra would prove Newcastle wrong big time in the future.

 

Aye that would be fantastic 

[The Bonk]

I'd have him back just to re-inact that goal celebration he did at the Scum away last year.  Fucking mint!

[Incognito]

I don't dispute he looked out of his depth in the few chances he had here. But he is doing great in Championship and he looks too good at this level at times. Forgive me for being too sentimental, but I hate the fact that we lost a local talent so easily and bought a certain Man City reject which no one expected him to do well (although he has been vital to us). I never understand why Ameobi get chances ahead of him times after times.

 

Hope Chopra would prove Newcastle wrong big time in the future.

 

Aye,cant wait for Chops to score a 90th minute winner past us.

[PM]

I don't dispute he looked out of his depth in the few chances he had here. But he is doing great in Championship and he looks too good at this level at times. Forgive me for being too sentimental, but I hate the fact that we lost a local talent so easily and bought a certain Man City reject which no one expected him to do well (although he has been vital to us). I never understand why Ameobi get chances ahead of him times after times.

 

Hope Chopra would prove Newcastle wrong big time in the future.

 

Aye that would be fantastic 

 

[Sparks]

Chopras' success in the championship, just shows how wide the gap is in quality between the Premiership and the lower leagues.

[M4]

Or it just shows what consistency has done to his game. He pretty much never played in three consecutive games at NUFC. Never given a proper chance.

[Guest theunis]

Yeah well he never looked great for us, but give the lad time lets see if they do promote what he can do against Prem defenders

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

Roeder,Souness,Robson....... All thought Chopra was not good enough for the Premiership. Well not with us.  Championship is his level, maybe a bottom 6 Premiership team.  He was only good enough for 4th or 5th choice striker here, so he had to go. Good luck to him.  Hope he downs the mackems yet agian this season.

[Guest nufc_geordie]

Chopra looked out of his depth on the few chances he got here imo, he has done well this season but then so have a lot of players who failed to make the grade in the top level. End of the day I doubt he would have gotten a chance ahead of Dyer up top and when Owen is fit he is even lower down the pecking order, add the fact he wanted first team football then there isn't really much to debate. We offered him a new contract, he chose not to take it.

 

I argued this at the time, before we sold him, if Chopra had played as many games as Shola in my opinion he would have scored a lot more goals than Shola. To be given a chance as a centre forward requires the opportunity to play a decent number of games in a row so the players around you learn how you move and you learn what to expect from your other team mates. Being given 20 minutes here, 90 there, 35 here, doesn't cut the mustard and I don't accept anyone's opinion that he was given a fair chance and failed at newcastle.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

I don't dispute he looked out of his depth in the few chances he had here. But he is doing great in Championship and he looks too good at this level at times. Forgive me for being too sentimental, but I hate the fact that we lost a local talent so easily and bought a certain Man City reject which no one expected him to do well (although he has been vital to us). I never understand why Ameobi get chances ahead of him times after times.

 

Hope Chopra would prove Newcastle wrong big time in the future.

 

Aye that would be fantastic 

 

 

'kin ManU fan FFS

 

 

 

I agree with everyone that he never got a proper run, which is why he is doing well at Cardiff

 

but let's all remember, he wanted to leave. Who knows if he had stayed whether he would be a regular now, but him not being is not entirely the clubs fault

[Guest Gemmill]

Not good enough for the Premiership.  And if he ever gets back into the Premiership he'll prove it. 

[Guest teepee]

Not good enough for the Premiership.  And if he ever gets back into the Premiership he'll prove it. 

 

agreed!

 

good champ.ship player - but not a pl striker - would have been nice to have had him around this season though...

[Cajun]

Chopra looked out of his depth on the few chances he got here imo, he has done well this season but then so have a lot of players who failed to make the grade in the top level. End of the day I doubt he would have gotten a chance ahead of Dyer up top and when Owen is fit he is even lower down the pecking order, add the fact he wanted first team football then there isn't really much to debate. We offered him a new contract, he chose not to take it.

 

I argued this at the time, before we sold him, if Chopra had played as many games as Shola in my opinion he would have scored a lot more goals than Shola. To be given a chance as a centre forward requires the opportunity to play a decent number of games in a row so the players around you learn how you move and you learn what to expect from your other team mates. Being given 20 minutes here, 90 there, 35 here, doesn't cut the mustard and I don't accept anyone's opinion that he was given a fair chance and failed at newcastle.

 

As I argued if he was better than Ameobi surely at least one of the managers would have noticed this and given him hios chance, especially considering Shola and Shearer normally looked horrible as a partnership!

[Guest Gemmill]

If he's that good, then he'll end up back in the Premiership, either via promotion, or by being picked up by a Premiership club.  I reckon neither will happen though.

[Ally]

Chopra was just a headless chicken for us, ran around annoying defenders but not posing any threat on goal. Pleased that he's doing well though, probably found his level - a quality Div 1 player.

 

Loads of strikers would score hatfuls in that division, someone like Shola would easily.

[M4]

Loads of strikers would score hatfuls in that division, someone like Shola would easily.

 

nope

[Cajun]

Loads of strikers would score hatfuls in that division, someone like Shola would easily.

 

nope

 

You know that how? Very good scoring record under Roeder when partnered with someone other than Shearer. He isn't the best player around but he certainly isnt the worst and poorer players have down well in that division.

[M4]

He's just typically the kind of player who would be average a most levels.

[Guest Gemmill]

Matt totally blinded by his irrational hatred of Shola.  

[Guest Darth Toon]

One of the bigggest differences between the Premiership and Championship is the pace of the defenders you come up against - have watched Chopra a few times this season and he can regularly be seen outpacing centre-halfs quite easily, while in the Prem he used to look like he was running in treacle up against the likes of Gallas, Ferdinand, Toure etc.

[Guest Knightrider]

People way overestimate the Premiership as if a player needs to be Ronaldo just to perform in it, it isn't that hard a league to crack, just look at some of the "shit" that has "surprised" everyone, is Doyle any better than Chopra? Earnshaw scored goals in the Prem, 1 in 2 game ratio I think. Chopra has the finishing abilities and the instincts to score goals in the Premiership, although he doesn't have much else in his locker. Anyway I can see him doing a good job for a Sheff Utd or someone like that.