Team Focus: Slade's Inconsistent Cardiff Could Begin to Test Tan's Patience

Russell Slade is one of the most genial managers currently in employment, so when his tone turns to annoyance it is immediately noticeable. A month into his tenure as Cardiff City manager, to say he has had mixed results would be underselling the contrasts between their dreadful away form and impressive home record.

His frustrations were entirely justified on Saturday after Cardiff drew 0-0 at Birmingham – although it was much better than the 3-0 hammering at a reinvigorated Bolton four days previous – and there is already a sense that pressure is creeping in, even if the owner, Vincent Tan, has preached patience. He still tried to stress there were positives on Saturday but acknowledged they spurned more than a couple of chances to put Birmingham to bed. "We couldn't have put that shift in three weeks ago," said Slade, referring to the condition the squad were in when he replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. "We couldn't have played [like that] in a third game in a week, there's no way. But we're fitter now and mentally a little bit stronger and tougher.”

However he cannot ignore the fact that they are one of only two teams yet to win on the road – Blackpool being the other – and have drawn five and lost four, scoring only five goals which all came before Slade’s arrival. 

Yet on Welsh soil they have been formidable. Under Slade, Cardiff maintain a 100% home record and have averaged two goals a game in total. Nottingham Forest, Ipswich and Leeds have been beaten since he took charge, though they failed to keep a clean sheet in all three. There appears to be a psychological barrier in the way. A table based solely on home form would have them in fourth. Away games would only see them in 18th.

Their plight is mirrored perfectly by Federico Macheda, who has shown numerous glimpses of quality at home but has yet to find the net on the road. He has scored in all of Slade’s three home games. After the 3-1 defeat of Leeds the weekend before last, in which Macheda scored from 25 yards via a deflection, Slade said he had to pick the Italian’s confidence up from the floor when he took over but pointed out that signs he was improving were there. “He’s a real confidence boy and needs a run of games. We’ve encouraged him to be a bit stronger but we know he has that ability and has that extra gear and good feet. There are some good qualities to his game. He’s still improving, still learning.”

Macheda himself admitted as much afterwards: “I’m close to being back to my best. I felt very good, my performance was much better. I am close to being 100%.” But he has fired a pair of blanks since.  At home he has managed just 1 shot per game and has an average rating of 6.86, on the road it is 0.7 with a drop to 6.13. The numbers are weaker across the board – from his defensive contribution to his passing.

And although Macheda is a strong case study, more should be expected of the squad as a whole. Many were in the Premier League this time last year and there is some real quality throughout the team. Alongside Macheda, Adam Le Fondre was a pricy acquisition from Reading in the summer but has only managed to score once in 907 minutes. Kenwyne Jones is top scorer with six but Macheda-Le Fondre is Slade’s preferred partnership.

It will also be fascinating to see if Ravel Morrison will feature more now his off-field issues have been resolved. To date he has started only once, coming off the bench on five occasions. He remains a gifted player and if Slade can coax him into a consistent run of playing at this level, Cardiff will threaten the playoffs. They are only five points off sixth going into the international break.

They must wait until November 29 for a chance to end the unwanted away record, though, with a trip to Watford, who are one of only two sides who remain unbeaten at home. It must change soon or Tan’s patience may start running thin.

What do you make of Cardiff's plight in away games? Let us know in the comments below