Today it was the fans turn to feel nauseous. This was our worst home defeat since Jan 2004 when we lost 5-1 to Palace, and the first time we'd lost 4-0 at home since the visit of Swindon Town in 1993.
It would be easy to be critical but having written what I did on Tuesday night I guess this is one of those games we are going to have to accept occasionally. To quote the programme again H made the remark that a team as young as this one will suffer periods of inconsistency and today our entire 14 were affected. What was most frustrating was that even the old hands who we should be able to rely on like Eustace, Lloyd and Harley were equally as ropey as the youngsters.
Cardiff were a lot better than us from the outset but we didn't help ourselves at all by gifting them two easy goals. In retrospect the ref awarding a penalty for Cathcart's tug seems very ironic considering that he never gave anything for the constant holding, pushing and jostling that we had to endure. He was easily the worst official we've had so far this season. I think the second goal just has to be put down to the continuing education of Scott Loach.
One hoped that maybe the interval would see us re-group and come out in a more determined fashion as we had done against Leicester. This time though we had no H to work his magic, although I felt we could've done with a substitution all the same. Instead we were just as turgid and it was no surprise they doubled their lead with two well taken goals. At least they weren't all soft.
Once we were 4-0 down we did actually start trying and played some nice football. Ellington looked especially hungry and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. We bombarded the Cardiff goal at times but it was clear it just wasn't going to be our day.
I am beginning to wonder about the impact of the loanees on the team. Certainly we need some help but Cathcart had a mare of a game and looks less reliable than the similarly skilled Dale Bennett at the back. Why are we persevering with Craig? I think it would make much more sense to be giving the experience to the player who is contracted to us, rather than one who'll eventually make his way back to Old Trafford. Lansbury seems to have got the skills but doesn't know how to work them into our team and hasn't grasped the concept of shooting at all. Only Cleverley seems to fit in well, and even then I might be confusing him with Hoskins as they look so similar.
This team was unlikely to beat a high flying Cardiff team anyway. But it was the manner of the defeat that was so depressing. Unlike Tuesday night this wasn't 100% effort. We could do without having two weeks now to mull over this game or the fact that the next one is away at Middlesbrough.
