The midfielder who has caused a wide divide in opinion amongst Cardiff fans over the last three years; with the longest debate about a single Bluebird player in recent times, but it remains unclear – Peter Whittingham: ‘Current Great’ or ‘Past Legend’?
The statistics are remarkable, signed by the club for a relatively small fee of £350,000 in 2007, after making over 50 appearances for Aston Villa in the Premier League. Eight years later, his 380 appearances and 85 goals put him ninth in the all time appearances list and tenth in all time goal scorers list, respectively. For the aforementioned fee, the statistics reflect a bargain and manifest as time goes by, some of the great work Dave Jones tenured upon his ever-growing legacy.
His last goal came in a 3-1 victory against Cardiff’s opponents this weekend; Huddersfield Town, in August 2014 and that is where the divide amongst fans begins, accused of losing his goal scoring touch despite the overall statistics of 85 goals, only six of those came in the 2014-2015 season, whilst he scored 22 goals in the 2010-2011 season, his most prolific to date.
Under Dave Jones, Whittingham was the key play-maker in the starting eleven and was able to utilise his creative prowess from an attacking position in midfield, linking up well with strikers Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd during their time at the club, and their goals were largely reliant on his assists. Under the initial appointment of Malky Mackay, he became a deep-lying playmaker; picking out pinpoint, long-range passes from in front of the back four. A role he has continued to be played in by his successors Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Russell Slade, allowing the likes of Aron Gunnarsson and Joe Ralls to take more attacking positions. However the last couple of games have seen Kagisho Dikgacoi take the more defensive role, pushing Whittingham to play his initial central midfield role.
Whittingham controls a game when Cardiff are holding possession something Dave Jones mastered in his final two seasons with the club. However, this season alone our possession has averaged at just 39%, which shows the lack of ball possession does affect Whittinghams’ game. The statistics from the last two seasons that we have averaged well under 50% possession, despite the former of the two seasons being in the Premier League.
Another weapon in his armoury is his set piece ability, for years regarded as one of the finest direct free kick takers in the Championship. However, it has been noted that the free-kick responsibilities have been shared more with the likes of Craig Noone, Karl Pilkington and Joe Ralls evidencing that Cardiff City no longer rely on Whittingham, as they did during his first couple of seasons at the club.
The question posed, is he still a current great of the club or is he picked in the team because of the aforementioned appearance and goal statistics. In previous articles I have suggested that perhaps an experimental change in midfield without Whittingham would be worthy of a trial. He still has a major role to play with the club but I believe the evidence suggests that despite his goal scoring form dipping, his roles on the pitch have changed from his early days as an attacking midfielder and not to forget, as a left winger.
Cardiff fans also have close bonds with the likes of former player Michael Chopra because of their personality. A ‘heart on the sleeve’ character becomes a fans favourite almost initially but Whittingham has always been a more introverted character on and off the pitch, hardly scoring a goal and barely making a case against refereeing decisions (something that in todays game, should realistically be admired) when a decision goes against him.
Whatever your view, he has been a fantastic servant to the club and in a few years time when he retires, he will be remembered for some of the brilliant goals he scored as well as his sleek through-ball assists. A true club legend and for £350,000 he has been linked with Premier League moves in every close season since he has been at Cardiff City and based on the reported fee’s offered for him, the Bluebirds have undoubtedly had their moneys worth out of Peter Whittingham, time and time again.
