Revenge is sweet for Cardiff, after Whittingham shines again

Browsing through the national newspapers and various message-boards, it was no surprise to see who the majority of fans and pundits had awarded as their Man of the Match in yesterday’s clash at the Madejski Stadium.

It’s a player who was released from Premier League club Aston Villa at the age of twenty-three after four years and 56 appearances for the club. A player who has seemingly played in all midfield positions, whether it’s as a winger, attacking midfielder or, as at present, in a deeper role. The player I am talking about of course is Peter Whittingham.

The Nuneaton born midfielder has been at the centre of everything good about Cardiff City this season, becoming the first name on the team sheet week-in, week-out. His sublime 35 yard opener in yesterday’s tense encounter with Reading, combined with his brilliant delivery for City’s second, meant that Whittingham would go away with all the plaudits yet again.

Though in hindsight it seems like one of the biggest bargains in Cardiff’s history, Dave Jones took a risk on signing the Englishman from Aston Villa back in January 2007 for a fee of around £350,000. It didn’t take him long to make an impact at the club, scoring against Burnley a month after signing – a club whom he had previously been on loan at – following this up with his second goal in as many games away at Coventry.

Whittingham would go on to make 23 appearances in his first season at the club, chipping in from the left side of midfield with four goals in all.

In the following two seasons, Whittingham scored a total of 13 goals for the Welsh club in 46 appearances, not a brilliant return, but for a left-winger playing at a team who at the time were happy to just be in the league, it’s not a terrible return either.

Peter Whittingham, pictured, became the league's top scorer in the 08/09 season

It was in the 2009/10 season in which ‘Whitts’ well and truly came to life, and a big slice of the applause has to go to then manager Dave Jones, who awarded Whittingham with the duty of taking penalties. It was in this season that ever impressive Whittingham found the tag of Mr. Cool, scoring 25 goals in all, with the majority coming from the spot.

But it’s harsh to suggest that it was just the penalties which led to Whittingham becoming the league’s top scorer (ahead of Nicky Maynard, who I may add has been linked to Premier League clubs for a price of around £8,000,000 in the past), he also scored his fair share of goals from open play, including a run of six goals in nine games – the highlight being the hattrick he scored at Bramall Lance in a 4-3 thriller.

The 2009/10 season – a milestone year for Whittingham in many ways – also saw the England U -21 cap improve his team game, setting up 12 of the Bluebirds goals in all competitions, behind only striker Jay Bothroyd (13) who himself was beginning to find the kind of form which would see him linked to, and eventually move to, another club.

The FA Youth Cup winner proved the critics wrong who suggested it was a one off season, although he had to wait until mid October to score his first goal, or goals in fact, scoring a brace against Bristol City at the Cardiff City Stadium. It would help his side come back from two goals down to win a memorable Severnside Derby.

He may not have matched the 25 goals he had scored in the previous season, but he got himself on the score sheet a further 11 times, this occasion from central midfield, a position in which Dave Jones was keen to use Whittingham in, in order to fit in some of the other star names, such as Bellamy, Bothroyd, Chopra and Ramsey.

In the 50 appearances made in all competitions in this season, Whittingham assisted 10 goals – the joint highest at the club along with Craig Bellamy, a player who is now plying his trade in the Premier League with Liverpool. Despite moving infield, he was now being recognised not just for his calm head and goal scoring, but also as a key team player, someone who could link play and create chances.

The biggest credit given to the player came this summer, despite the club losing thirteen players, including those named above, some fans still had hope for the coming season, due to the fact that one of the key players, Peter Whittingham, was staying.

That leads us onto this season, and with a new season comes another new position in midfield – this time playing as a deep play-maker, known as a regista, similar to Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid. The recently turned 27-year-old still creates chances in abundance and chips in with the odd goal, but from a far deeper position.

In fact, it’s not just Alonso. Look at the recent winners of the Champions League and they have almost always had one of the world’s best at creating play from deep – Xavi Hernández, Andrea Pirlo, Paul Scholes and of course Alonso all spring to mind.

It’s a managerial master-class from new gaffer Malky Mackay, who immediately picked out Whittingham for praise upon joining the club in the summer. In fact, looking back at notes from the 2010 Play-off final match-day programme, who is it summarising Cardiff City? None other than Malky Mackay – formerly of Watford – the club which handed Cardiff their heaviest defeat last season, coming out 4-1 winners at Vicarage Road.

In those notes Mackay picks out Whittingham for praise, as well as fellow central midfielder, Stephen McPhail (and Michael Chopra). Despite having both McPhail and Whittingham available, as well as summer signings Aaron Gunnarsson and Phillip Kiss available to play in the defensive midfield position, Mackay went for a more attack minded player in Whittingham. The reason for this was simple, with a player of Whitts’s quality playing in front of the back four; it turns Cardiff from a long ball side, into a passing side. Whittingham has effectively become the ‘main man’, if you like, taking the ball off centre back pairing Hudson and Turner in order to start attacks.

He has also added a new aspect to his game, which involves tracking back and defending, putting it important tackles. This can be seen by looking at the disciplinary charts where Whittingham has so far picked up three bookings this season, bettered only by the four he picked up last season – although there’s still another six months remaining for him to better that. Unlike prior seasons, City may lose Whittingham through suspension, now who’d have thought that a couple of years back?

Speaking to fans in London on Friday night, prior to the game at Reading, Malky told those present that his philosophy was to create a passing side – this can certainly be achieved with Whittingham playing as the deepest lying midfield player. And so far it’s fair to say it has paid off. Cardiff are second only to Southampton for goals scored this season, scoring 31 goals, with Whittingham accumulating six assists so far, with a further seven goals.

One of those assists came yesterday at the Madejski Stadium, with dead-ball specialist Whittingham, who has already showed us his quality from free-kicks (Leicester City, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, and many more), curling in a superb ball down low for Hudson to tuck in past a helpless Federici.

This coming after the Englishman gave the Bluebirds a two minute lead with a 35 yard screamer, a goal which has to go down as one of his finest, sending 4,000 of the travelling Welsh fans into raptures. Many have claimed that this goal, if meant, is Whittingham’s finest, but for me it is still that strike against Barnsley last season (above).

City were unable to keep hold of their two goal cushion, and Reading’s danger-man Jimmy Kebe nodded home past Marshall to make it 2-1 with 13 minutes remaining.  Marshall may have been at fault for the goal, but over 90 minutes he was another stand-out performer helping to soak up much of the Reading pressure, which accumulated in 18 corners.

Despite the club losing thirteen key players in the summer, some fans still held hope that one of the key players, Peter Whittingham, was staying…

This combined with the fact that both Turner and Hudson seem to have gelled together nicely, meant that the result – despite Cowie unable to put the tie beyond doubt late on – was City’s for the taking, and they would get their revenge after losing out in the Play-off semi finals last season to the Royals.

Cardiff have this season built a side which looks to attack, the full-backs look to get forward and with seven assists between them already, it is clear to see that that both McNaughton and Taylor have an important role to play. But for a stand out performer, look no further than the man in the middle of the park, Peter Whittingham.

Cardiff travel to Coventry on Tuesday looking to make it four wins on the bounce, knowing a win would put them into third place in the table. As it stands, things are looking up for Cardiff, but if they are to get promoted to the Premier League they will need their own Mr. Cool to keep on providing.

Article also available on alternate websites:

http://www.thesprout.co.uk/en/news/weve-got-the-whitts/06685.html

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