Media Match Report ' Cardiff City v Sheffield United '

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Media Match Report ' Cardiff City v Sheffield United '

Postby Forever Blue » Tue Aug 15, 2017 9:10 pm

Cardiff City 2 Sheffield United 0: Bluebirds claim historic victory over Neil Warnock's former club to maintain winning start


By Chris Wathan

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Amid the history-making for Cardiff City, some indicators of history repeating.

Granted, it is not in keeping with Neil Warnock's wishes not to get carried away by comparing his current promotion project with what he managed to do with Sheffield United a decade or so ago.

But you cannot become the first Bluebirds team to win all three opening league fixtures and not expect supporters to get excited.

And that is most certainly what the feeling is at Cardiff City Stadium following a second impressive, convincing victory in the space of four days as the Blades were put away.

Perhaps that will now be Warnock's challenge, to try and keep a lid on things given the buzz around a Bluebirds team that even in previous promotion years – and there have been 13 of them – there has not been three wins from the opening three games.

The days of the regionalised war time league in 1946 was the only previous occasion that the feat was accomplished.

Bigger battles await if it is to mean anything in the long-term but there might well have been a few in the Blades end who might have recognised a thing or two about Warnock's current outfit.

Such as the way that, in keeping a third consecutive Championship clean sheet, there was an appreciation of the way Warnock can organise and build a solid foundation from the back. No more the sloppy side that would undo good work by carelessly conceding.

And in the heart of it, a captain he could depend upon. Improved since Warnock has come in, Sean Morrison has rewarded his manager for the faith shown in him.

Here he rewarded him with the breakthrough goal in the first-half that put Cardiff on course for the three points they never looked like surrendering.

It brought to mind images of Chris Morgan, the old Sheffield United captain so often his manager's lieutenant on the pitch, the physical rock on which he could depend.

But, as he did over time at Brammal Lane, what cannot be ignored is the expansion to his side's game that has developed. It proved the difference in leading his boyhood club to promotion in 2006 and, early days or not, there are at the very least signs that weaknesses have been addressed in his new project.

Not any more the worries about a lack of pace or spark in the final third, not with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing again pressing his case for the bargain of the summer. Following on from his two against Villa, the punchy wideman landed another knock-out score in the second-half. While the transfer market gets more ridiculous with every passing deal, so the out-of-contract arrival from Rochdale reminds that it is not always about money spent, but players.

That said, the sense of Cardiff staying firm around the big-money interest in Kenneth Zohore to give Warnock that promotion chance he craves is already showing. Zohore was a menace once more and, though this was a second game without a goal, neither he nor his manager should care much should he continue to make the kind of room he does for fellow attackers.

It did take a little time for it all to show. Yet while Cardiff may not have begun with quite the same tempo that left Aston Villa with no answers, that is not to say they were not on the front foot for much of the first-half.

Indeed, only a matter of inches and accuracy denied them finding the lead earlier than they did.

Lee Tomlin, back in the side as part of three changes from the weekend, was unfortunate to see an early effort roll wide after eye-catching interchanges in and around the Blades' box.

Even more eye-catching was Jazz Richards – in a back four with Bruno Manga as the other two alterations – who, without a senior career goal to his name, was woodwork away from changing that statistic from 25 yards.

Though the visitor's own choice of three centre-backs meant there was an extra sweeping body to negate some of Zohore's breaking threat, that did not make him any easier to contain. That said, while he had done everything right to burst through and brush off markers to reach Aron Gunnarsson's through-ball around the half-hour mark, it was then a surprise to see his shot beat the keeper but roll the wrong side of the post. A stadium had been ready to celebrate.

They did not have to wait long, however, with a more traditional attack the provider of the breakthrough. Joe Ralls' delivery from the corner was eagerly anticipated by Morrison with no mistake made from the headed chance in the late stages of the opening half.

If the division's new boys had hoped for Cardiff to sit in more and protect what they had waited patiently for, they were mistaken.

If anything, Cardiff grew in confidence and found more and more space to let it flourish. Within five minutes of the restart, Junior Hoilett – who had prompted a good save from Blades keeper Jamal Blackman earlier in the game – picked up where he left off on Saturday, driving and dancing into space with the help of Zohore before a return saw the Dane tuck a shot just the frustrating side of the side netting.

Yet, on 55 minutes, the reward came to Mendez-Laing. Again dynamic, again showing a refreshing willingness to run at defenders, again with a strength of body and character to take his chance – again with a goal as he cut inside and curled home for a fourth score from his four games since arriving in the summer.

Only Blackman, diving at full acrobatic stretch, denied Zohore adding his own stamp on things as a free-kick was superbly curled towards the top corner.

While, at the other end, the odd set-piece threat was dealt with comfortably with goalkeeper Neil Etheridge beginning to command more in his area.

Sheffield United, who should be fine to avoid trouble on their Championship return on this basis, did push as the game wore on and Cardiff made changes.

But history was already on its way to being made and, in the short-term, set-up an intriguing clash at fellow early high-flying hopefuls Wolves this weekend.

Sean Morrison of Cardiff City wheels away to celebrate after he heads to score goal
Cardiff City : Etheridge; Manga, Bamba, Morrison (Capt), Richards; Ralls, Gunarsson; Mendez-Laing, Tomlin (Damour 69), Hoilett (Ward 79); Zohore (Halford 89).

Subs Not Used: Murphy (gk), Peltier, Pilkington, Kennedy.

Sheff Utd : Blackman; Stearman (Wright 36), Basham, O'Connell; Freeman, Carruthers (Evans 63), Coutts, Fleck, Stevens (Brooks 73); Clarke, Sharp (Capt).

Subs Not Used: Eastwood (gk), Lundstram, Wright, Duffy, Lafferty.

Scorers -

Cardiff: Morrison 44, Mendez-Laing 55

Yellow Cards -

Cardiff: Mendez-Laing 20, Bamba 23

Sheff Utd: Basham 21

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancs)

Attendance: 17,844
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Media Match Report ' Cardiff City v Sheffield United '

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Re: Media Match Report ' Cardiff City v Sheffield United '

Postby KavanaghsGreyHair » Tue Aug 15, 2017 9:49 pm

Annis, I know we were optimistic about 20,000 attendance. Family stand looked a bit bare tonight. Cant help but feel the time makes a difference to that. Otherwise solid performance, and more great support. Win and the plastics will fit out the CCS. :clap:
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Re: Media Match Report ' Cardiff City v Sheffield United '

Postby Forever Blue » Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:16 am

KavanaghsGreyHair wrote:Annis, I know we were optimistic about 20,000 attendance. Family stand looked a bit bare tonight. Cant help but feel the time makes a difference to that. Otherwise solid performance, and more great support. Win and the plastics will fit out the CCS. :clap:


Time?

Kids are off school, weather great, top of the league, they brought nearly 1,400. We have a massive pulling area from West Wales to the Seven Bridge and over to Monmouth, to the Valleys,Barry,Penarth etc etc :bluebird:

Even Birmingham had 20,000 against Bolton.


Brilliant performance 4 matches running :thumbright: :thumbright: :bluebird: :bluebird:
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Re: Media Match Report ' Cardiff City v Sheffield United '

Postby Milkybarkid » Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:17 am

Annis I think your passion for Cardiff and football in general is blurring the fact we still have a long way to go with the crowds I know the generation around my age in Cardiff were not big supporters of Cardiff Many never went purely because there parents would not take them in the 70/80s because of the hooligan element for city who did more harm to the club long term than any rebrand .
These people are the parents and grandparents of children now and I am sure must of us went to our first game with a dad or and uncle The cycle of generations of city supporters was broken We will know when this is broken when we get 20k plus every week when we are in the championship and not just a surge in numbers for the premiership
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