Marcus previews Town's next pre-season game
Shrewsbury Town return to Greenhous Meadow after a close season of transfer activity that may not be finished yet. I like the excitement of transfer activity but it's tinged with having to remember all their names, positions, where they came from and other facts that won’t stick fully until Christmas!
Cardiff have also been busy in close season with three strikers signed who come from three different countries, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. Danish Under-21 international striker Kenneth Zohore, who is no stranger to Bluebirds fans having scored twice in ten games on loan from Belgian club KV Kortrijk. They've also added 28-year-old Benin international goalscorer Frederic Gounongbe from Belgian side KVC Westerlo, a man who scored 22 times last season in the Belgian top flight. Their third striker signing this closed season is 30 year old Belgian Lex Immers, another player that City tried out on loan last season. The Ex-Feyenoord played six games in the Dutch Eredivisie league and fifteen games at Cardiff, scoring twice.
The Boss
New Cardiff Manager Paul Trollope has just returned from France having helped Wales to their highest ever finish in an international competition. Trollope was part of the Chris Coleman’s back-room team that finished above England and won so much praise for the spirit in which they played. Time for Cardiff now though, and the ex-Bristol Rovers manager has come back to earth with the small jolt of losing to Forest Green. But as we all know, pre-season games are more about fitness and tactical work than wins.
The Format
The original format of four 30 minute periods has been changed and the game reverts back to the more traditional of two 45 minute periods.
Prediction
We have a fair few new faces who will hopefully be massively loved heroes by Christmas when we're top by 6 points! Jokes aside we have made some very solid signings in all areas and I'm looking forward to seeing how they settle in with their new club. The result is almost immaterial in pre-season but it would be nice to see a few goals so my prediction is biased toward that hope.
Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Cardiff City
COYB!!!
Marcus Braddock