Chasetown boss backs Wolves
FA Cup talisman Charlie Blakemore has the lowdown on Cardiff – and has backed Wolves to come up trumps and make the quarter-finals tomorrow.
FA Cup talisman Charlie Blakemore has the lowdown on Cardiff – and has backed Wolves to come up trumps and make the quarter-finals tomorrow.
Blakemore's Chasetown team bravely went down 3-1 to the Bluebirds in the third round after the tiny Scholars, 136 places and six leagues below them, took the lead.
Chasetown prepared for the tie at Wolves' £3m Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground and Blakemore received the benefit of Mick McCarthy's wisdom.
The Chasetown boss believes there are chinks in Cardiff's armour that McCarthy's men can exploit.
"Mick will have prepared far more thoroughly than we did and in more depth and I'm sure he'll know all about them," said Blakemore, a big Wolves fan.
"He was giving me advice about some of their players having played them this season, so he'll know their threats.
"They've got some good wide players in Peter Whittingham and Joe Ledley, who both cut inside and try to score from wide areas.
"They hold it well in midfield and they score a lot of goals from there. They play it into the front men, who hold it and up and the wide men join in very quickly.
"In the centre of midfield, Stephen McPhail, who didn't play against us, is a good player while they're good at the back.
"Cardiff are one of the form sides and they'll be favourites as the home side. In fairness, with the money they've spent compared to Wolves, they should be.
"But Wolves have to look at it as we did and say there's nothing to lose and get at them.
"It's a chance for Wolves to have a break from the pressure of trying to get into the play-offs, cut loose and for those young strikers to give it a go. That's what we did – we really unsettled them for 20 minutes and Wolves have to do the same. If they could get a lead like we did, it would be fantastic.
"That said, Wolves have to be aware – Cardiff have had quite a settled side and they have quality all over."
Blakemore is also convinced McCarthy is the man to follow Dave Jones as the only one to lead Wolves to the Premier League.
He added: "Mick is doing a fantastic job. People have short memories.
"I'm a Wolves fan and having spoken to him, he's as passionate about getting us success as anyone and I'm convinced we're in good hands. What would help is the fans getting behind them because they're a young side. Calls for change all the time won't do anyone any good."
