Each day from now until the beginning of the Premier League season, we will preview two teams from England’s top flight. You can view them all here at PST Preview central. Don’t forget, the 2013-14 PL season begins on August 17th, and for the first-time ever you can watch every game live on NBC Sports.
For the first time in the club’s history, Cardiff City will compete in the Premier League after winning the 2012-2013 Football League Championship title. For the Bluebirds, this season will mark the club’s first taste of top-flight football in 51 years and they’ll look to one of the brightest young managers in the game, Malkay Mackay, to follow the successful path tread by fellow Welsh side and mortal enemy, Swansea City.
With Mackay’s vibrant, attractive style of football and the financial backing of their billionaire Malaysian owner, Vincent Tan, Cardiff City will seek to avoid the jaws of relegation that snap up so many Premier League newcomers.
Transfers In: GK Simon Moore (Brentford); D Steven Caulker (Tottenham); D John Brayford (Derby County); F Andreas Cornelius (FC Copenhagen)
Transfers Out: GK Elliot Parish (Bristol City); D Ben Nugent (Brentford, loan); M Stephen McPhail (free agent); F Nathaniel Jarvis (free agent); F Heidar Helguson (free agent); F Jesse Darko (AO Episkopi Rethymno, Greece)
Key Player: If there is one spot on the field where Cardiff may lack bite, it’s in the box. Enter 20-year-old Danish international Andreas Cornelius (pictured).
The striker signed with Cardiff in July 2013 for a then club record transfer fee of $12.3 million (£8m). He arrives in South Wales after just one season of first team football, but what a season it was for the youngster, scoring 18 goals and notching five assists in 32 Danish Superliga matches with FC Copenhagen.
His lack of experience, however, shouldn’t come as a worry to Bluebirds supporters as Cornelius gained valuable experience playing in six Champions League qualification matches and four Europa League matches last season.
Cornelius’ strength and power should further enable him to compete well in the Premier League. The 6'4" striker has been known to bully defenders, possesses strong aerial capabilities and is good at using his body to hold up play. On the ground he’s skilled as well, with a smooth touch, an eye for the cheeky pass and a strong left foot.
Helping Cornelius adapt to life in England’s top flight will be Craig Bellamy, the heart and soul of this Cardiff side. The Cardiff-born striker has plenty of Premier League experience - with spells at Liverpool, Manchester City, West Ham United, Blackburn and Newcastle - and at 34 years old still terrorizesdefenses with gut-busting runs, searing pace and a fiercely competitive spirit.
If Cardiff is to stay up it will be the strike partnership of Cornelius and Bellamy that paves the way.
Manager: Malky Mackay arrived at Cardiff City in June 2011 after spending the first two years of his managerial career with Watford, where the five time capped Scottish international ended his playing career.
During his first season at the helm, Mackay led Cardiff City to Championship Play-Offs and the Carling Cup Final, leading many to consider him one of the best up-and-coming managers in the game. The following season, Mackay justified the praise, guiding the Bluebirds to first place in The Championship, beating out 2nd placed Hull City by eight points.
Outlook: Cardiff City will find themselves in a fight to stay in the top flight, although of the three promoted sides, the Bluebirds are the most likely to succeed. Their notably strong defense has been bolstered by the recent acquisition of English international Steven Caulker, who will look to prove himself after being used sparingly during his four year stint atTottenham Hotspur. With Caulker and captain Mark Hudson leading the back line, the experience of Peter Whittingham in midfield, the play-making abilities of Craig Noone and the strike-partnership of Cornelius and Bellamy, Cardiff City have the tools to make their first Premier League campaign a successful one.
MORE: Read all the Premier League previews for each team here
