Clarets in Cardiff, Boyo!

The Clarets travel to Wales today to play Cardiff buoyed by the news that Chris McCann could be fit to play after a quicker than expected recovery from his hamstring injury.

The miserable news that Duff will be out though for the season with a cruciate injury will mean that Alexander will probably retain his more familiar right back spot vacating a place in midfield. Will Chris McCann fill that role or will Spicer keep his place? Spicer started his first game for the Clarets since April 2006 againt Ipswich in the midweek match plus James O'Connor and Joey Gudjonsson are also waiting in the wings. The only other injury for the Clarets is of course Berisha another of our players out with a season-long cruciate injury. I expect Steve Cotterill will play a similar team to the sixteen selected against Ipswich with possibly McCann in the starting eleven. Something tells me though that the gaffer might not risk him for the full 90 minutes and might prefer to have him on the bench.

The team is therefore likely to be something like this:

Kiraly, Alexander, Carlisle, Caldwell, Jordan, Spicer, Mahon, Elliott, Lafferty, Gray, Blake

Subs from: Jensen, Unsworth, McCann, James O'Connor, Gudjonsson, Jones, Akinbiyi

The Clarets will be hoping to continue their impressive away form and move up the table into the play-off positions. They are currently 9th on 13 points from 8 league matches, seven points behind the leaders, Watford with a game in hand over all the top 8 clubs, Cardiff, have had a less than impressive start and are currently in 16th place on 10 points after nine matches. They only just recently ended their run of three straight home defeats arfter getting a 2-2 draw against Preston, but the Bluebirds are still searching for their first home league win since March. Lets hope they dont get it today!

'We're not quite nailed on at scoring goals, and we're not nailed on at keeping a clean sheet. But there's a lot of new players, and it takes time to bed in.

'When I first came here we had no money, and everything had to be short-term fixes.

'Then the team went from getting younger to being old again and not having as much legs as I would like.

'We're in a bit of a transitional period again and I still think that by the end of the season comes we'll be in another.

'But what you have to look at now is are we in a better situation than three years ago or even 12 months ago?

'Yes. I think we are and I think most people would agree.'

'There is nothing wrong with our spirit and we have shown that by coming back from goals.

He also had this to say about our opponents today:

'I am sure lots of people will talk about Jimmy Floyd and Robbie this season and it's obviously something we need to be aware of at the weekend.

'But I am sure they would be the first to talk about the other players in the team who provide the supply to them.

'Stephen McPhail is a good supply and you have the lads at the back, like Darren Purse, Glenn Loovens and Roger Johnson, who have done well.

'Then you have the Joe Ledleys of this world, so they have a decent team ethic and we have to make sure we go down and play with that as well.'

The Bluebirds will be without former England midfielder Trevor Sinclair following minor knee surgery.

Darren Purse could possibly return, although Steve Thompson (shin) and Steve MacLean (ankle) will not be available. Ross Turnbull also looks set to return to Middlesbrough.

Robbie Fowler will always be a danger despite his advancing years. Peter Whittingham. our former loan player from Aston Villa is now a Bluebird although he seems to be a bench warmer recently.

Chris McCann could feature but Duff and Berisha are of course out with season long cruciate injuries.Everybody else would appear fit for selection

He seems to look better in every match and seems to be enjoying his wider role. He brings back memories of James and Kindon from the 70s to my mind!

These two teams last met at Turf Moor back in April this year. This was in the middle of our comeback from that terrible 19 match winless streak and we were in top form convincingly beating the Bluebirds 2-0 that day with goals from Jones and McVeigh.

We lost the battle at Ninian Park though 1-0 back in November 2006.

2-2 draw but hope we can nick it by the odd goal

The two week International break will be upon us after this match and we next play away againt Barnsley on Saturday October 20th @ 3 pm KO

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco