Cardiff City will be looking to give the Bluebirds fans a late Christmas present when Plymouth Argyle visit Cardiff City Stadium on Boxing Day. Simon Glanville previews the game.
Cardiff team news: Although frustrating, the Leicester postponement has allowed a number of Dave Jones' players to recover from minor knocks over the past week. Joe Ledley, Peter Whittingham and Kevin McNaughton were all doubts for the Foxes clash, but now have a good chance of playing on Boxing Day.
Jones will be without the services of Riccy Scimeca of course, after the veteran midfielder decided to call time on his career due to injury problems, but Kelvin Etuhu's return to fitness has handed him a big boost. It was feared that Etuhu had damaged ankle ligaments again when he limped off at West Brom earlier this month, but scans have revealed no serious damage and he should be fit to take his part in the squad over the Christmas period.
Plymouth team news: Former Bluebird Chris Barker is itching to play against Cardiff to put his injury nightmare behind him. Barker has not yet played this season after suffering a calf injury in July, but is now back to full fitness and eager to return against 'City.
Luke Summerfield could come back in to the Argyle squad after returning from a successful loan spell at Leyton Orient. Plymouth will be without Shane Lowry however, after the defender returned to parent club Aston Villa following a successful loan spell at Home Park.
Plymouth's season so far: New Plymouth boss Paul Mariner has a tough job on his hands to keep the Pilgrims in the Championship, after their poor start to the season has left them in deep trouble. Mariner replaced Paul Sturrock on December 10th, with Sturrock adopting a business support role at the club.
A change is probably what was needed at Home Park, in a season that has so far brought little joy. It took Plymouth until the end of September to record their first win, whilst they were also knocked out in the Carling Cup First Round by League One Gillingham. There was a win at Middlesbrough to give the fans some hope, but that has been the only highlight in a league campaign that has so far brought only fifteen points from twenty-one matches. Argyle visit Cardiff on Boxing Day sitting bottom of the table on the back of five straight defeats and increasingly in need of points.
Last meeting: We have already met Plymouth this season of course, when Michael Chopra scored a hat-trick as City ran riot at Home Park in August. An injury time Alan Gow penalty did mean the Pilgrims had a consolation, but it was the Bluebirds who took all the points with a 3-1 victory.
Teams from last meeting at Home Park on 18th August 2009:
Plymouth: Larrieu, McNamee, Timar, Seip, Sawyer, Judge (Noone 74), Fletcher, Paterson, Mackie, Fallon, Sheridan (Gow 25). Subs not used: Letheren, Duguid, Arnason, Summerfield, Johnson.
Bluebirds: Marshall, Matthews, Hudson, Gerrard, Capaldi (sent off 90), Burke, Rae, Ledley, Whittingham, Chopra, Bothroyd (Magennis 88). Subs not used: Enckelman, Gyepes, Blake, Wildig, Morris.
Attendance: 11,918.
Plymouth last time out: The Pilgrims' poor form continued last weekend, as Freddy Eastwood's goal for Coventry condemned Plymouth to their sixth defeat of the season at Home Park.
Plymouth versus Coventry: Larrieu, Gray, Johnson, Lowry, Judge (Gow 85), Mackie, Clark (Noone 66), Fletcher, Duguid, Arnason, Fallon. Subs not used: Folly, Letheren, Sawyer, Barnes, Joe Mason.
