There is an expectant ‘aire’ around Cardiff this morning because this afternoon the Bluebirds welcome Swansea City to their stadium for yet another South Wales derby game.The expectation comes from the law of averages and the excitement is down to the fact this is very much Cardiff City’s cup final.

Surely today the Bluebirds can overcome the more psychological and demanding style of play the Swans will bring to this fixture once again ? With a new manager and new hope after winning two games at home this fixture it seems could well be a corner turner for Lamouchi and his charges. He has a few injury issues. The ball throwing Calum Robinson is out but there’s a chance Callum O’Dowda will make an appearance, and if so the Swans should target him if he does get on the pitch. He is recovering from a groin injury. Cardiff are just three points and one place above the relegation zone going into the game, but they do have a game in hand on the sides below them in the table. Reading have had a six point deduction endorsed but yet to be applied as well to make things more interesting down at the foot of the table.

Cardiff City fans have complained that their seats closest to the vociferous Swans support have been moved further away this afternoon. Some state that it’s due to coin throwing and blame Swansea fans for this. Of course the permanent scar on Mike Deans head now conveniently forgotten. That aside - all the sniping from Cardiff City’s supporters they know deep down they will never get over the seven goal demolition of last season, the double, and being unable to register anything like a real effort to stop the Swans in return.

Russell Martin knows the score on derby day, he has brought three victories out of three to Swansea since he started at the club. “I think because of previous results we can go into it with much less fear than we could have. We’ll embrace it all, feel it all and most of all, enjoy it. I’m excited about it. The guys made history last year. They did it again by winning three in a row at the start of this season. If it’s something that helps motivate the players, something they want to achieve again, then great, because they have a chance to make history again and do something that hasn’t been done. In football you don’t often get a chance to achieve those things”

For those who don’t know this is a ‘bubble trip’ so most fans have to travel via official coaches and escorted in to the stadium, this has been a feature of this fixture for many years now for both sets of fans. Whatever the result today the significance of it hasn’t been lost on Cardiff followers. How they have maintained any form of decorum throughout this fixture ( it’s rare they have ) with loss after loss coming their way says more about their I’ll founded belief they hold all bragging rights than anything else.

With an effective Swansea on form then Cardiff’s cup final could well become an engrossing fixture. The self belief on both sides is there, but the real belief in who is best belongs to history. Unchallenged and unrivalled evidence that Cardiff City are second best, so they have to do something to spur on their fans. Calling it a cup final might work, it’s worth a go, they seem to have tried everything else.

Cardiff City v Swansea City kicks off today at 3pm. The game is not being televised in the UK

Follow the game on our match day forum right here –> derby day match day forum

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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