Go for it Malky

A short break form league football tomorrow night with follow Championship rivals Burnley the visitors to the Cardiff City Stadium for a Fifth Round Carling Cup clash. Cardiff and Burnley have already clashed in the League be it an away fixture at Burnley with the game ending all square at 1-1.

There is some history between the two in the Carling Cup (League Cup) but not relevant to today football it was way back in the 60’s/70’s the two tangled. In fact, Cardiff’s very first game in the League Cup at Ninian Park was back in 1960/61 a game Cardiff lost 4-0 in front of 8,110 fans. It just goes to show the attendances for the League Cup have always been poor. The previous Saturday Cardiff played Bolton at home with nearly 23,000 watching.

History lesson over and back to the present day I hoping Cardiff City boss Malky Mackey goes for it playing his best starting eleven available on the night. If nothing else, a win could see City pulled top team in the final eight, which would bring a good payday and the possibility of a TV appearance if the right name were to come out of the draw.

The Cardiff boss is talking positive about the encounter but he is hoping the game will not go in the extra time and penalties. In the previous three rounds both Oxford City and Huddersfield took the Bluebirds into extra time while in the last round Leicester took the Welshman all the way to penalties a long night out for the fans. The Carling Cup maybe the poor relation up against the FA Cup, but who would throw it out of there trophy cabinet if they were win it. Mackay said

"It's great to be through to this stage of the Cup, I want to go as far as I can. 

"Every game we've played the priority is to win the game in the Carling Cup. 

"Be it Oxford, Huddersfield or Leicester the priority was to win the game and I think you saw that, in terms of it going to extra time and penalties. 

"Players have been throwing bodies on the line and it'll be no different [on Tuesday]... I'll pick a team that I think can go and beat Burnley. 

"You don't want extra time, you don't want extra minutes with players on the pitch like we've had, but at the same time I certainly don't want to dilute the competition in any shape or form."

Both Cardiff and Burnley go into the game off the back of good wins and they drew 1-1 at Burnley in August meaning everything to play for. How bad would most Cardiff City fans fell if City was to lose and Burnley were to pull Manchester United home or away, that's if they over come Alershot and go through to the last eight.

Mackay will be going into the game with some problems up front and without strikers Rudy Gestede (hamstring) and Kenny Miller after he received 20 stitches in a facial wound.

That will leave Rob Earnshaw and Jon Parkin who is available after his loan spell at Doncaster as the only two out and out striker options for Mackay. There is youngest Nathaniel Jarvis and Joe Mason the Cardiff boss could call on, the latter opening his goal account on Saturday, his first since joining in the summer.