Every Cardiff City player assessed —
Nathan Blake gives his no-holds barred verdict on Bluebirds Premier League stars -
Thursday 4th October 2018
Cardiff City ave struggled in the Premier League. Seven matches, no wins and just two points.
This is my take on how every key player has fared thus far...
Neil Etheridge
He's done well, arguably Cardiff's best and most consistent performer. Penalty stops in the first two games against Bournemouth and Newcastle will have given him belief.
Okay, perhaps he could have helped stop the first goal against Burnley. But of the 16 goals conceded so far, that's the only one you could question Etheridge over, which tells its own story.
Bruno Manga
Probably the most consistent and able player in the back four. Considering he's been playing out of position at right back, that's no mean feat. He will feel more comfortable moving back into the middle, where he is at his strongest.
If he concentrates properly, I've a lot of time for Manga.
Sean Morrison
He's clearly a threat at set-pieces and wins his headers at the back. But I've always said I feared Morrison would struggle at the top level. That's just my opinion.
At the moment, the partnership with Sol Bamba is not looking as strong as it did last season. Dealing with the movement, pace and ability of Premier League strikers is a challenge for the captain.
Sol Bamba
Everyone knows I love Sol, but he's got to learn to stay on his feet. Diving in for last ditch challenges to get us out of a hole worked well in the Championship, but doesn't at this level where players are quicker and get away, or you concede a foul in a dangerous area.
In defence of Morrison and Bamba, I'd point out the way the team is set up in front of them doesn't permit them to be as solid as they were last season.
Greg Cunningham
People blamed him for Gudmundsson's opener for Burnley at the weekend, but I'm not so sure. Perhaps he should have made more of an effort to back-head the ball, which at least would have made the Burnley man a little wary of getting bashed in the nose.
A tough debut against Manchester City.
Joe Bennett
I'm not sure he should have been dropped. I think he's a terrific full-back, but Cardiff need to utilise him a lot more going forward.
Bennett is only playing at 70 per cent of his attirbutes. What I mean by that is that while he offers everything defensively, there is so much more to come from him going forward — if only he is given that licence.
He's a terrific crosser of the ball on the run, as good as I've seen from a Cardiff full-back for years, and that's exactly the kind of service Kenneth Zohore and Gary Madine need. But it doesn't happen often enough for me.
Joe Ralls
He's done as well as can be expected for his first time in the Premier League. Ralls does what it says on the tin. He doesn't have breakneck speed to get away from you, or close down the opposition. While he's solid, he's not going to open you up with a 60-yard diagonal or a slide-rule through ball.
But we're always going to struggle with just two in the middle at this level.
Harry Arter
He knows what it's about and tried to get everyone else to press against Burnley. That comes from experience and Arter has that from his time with Bournemouth.
He's provided a little bit more of a spark to our midfield, but I feel with a different blend Arter would look even more effective.
Victor Camarasa
He's a fantastic player who holds the key for me and I will tell you why, because at the moment I don't think we're utilising him as well as we can.
The goal against Burnley proved Cardiff can create from open play. Camarasa gives the ball to Manga, underlaps him, gets it back and then does something many Cardiff fans take for granted in passing it back. Manga then sets up Josh Murphy for his goal.
But look at the way Camarasa shifts the ball from his left foot to his right and passes immediately. He doesn't take a touch. It's bang-bang, and the second bang is the pass to Manga.
Ralls could not have seen or played that pass, Arter maybe but I'm not sure. With Camarasa it happened naturally.
That's why he needs to play as part of a midfield three, slightly more advanced, and I'd tell the others to get the ball to him. Camarasa can then use his vision to split defences and feed the forward players.
He's got real quality on the ball, we need to play through him. Then the goals will come. We saw the evidence of that against Burnley.
Callum Paterson
He's got involved in the last couple of games, is great in the air, but as I say I'd prefer to see Camarasa in the No.10 or advanced midfielder role.
I'd like to see Cardiff's more advanced players facing goal, as opposed to having their backs to it.
Josh Murphy
I would make him and Camarasa my kingpins. He'll get behind defences with his pace, and Camarasa has the vision to find him.
I'd play Murphy at centre-forward. He's quick, makes clever runs, can hold the ball up, score with either foot.
He and Camarasa will be the key from here on in. That's where I would be focussing.
Kenneth Zohore
I thought he did okay in his first game back versus Burnley, but the trouble is okay isn't enough with Ken. People expect more - and rightly so, because he has the tools required to be a decent centre-forward at this level.
I don't see any aggression from him at the minute, he doesn't run through people, past people.
Perhaps Cardiff need to utilise his strength and pace with a slightly different approach. Little balls over the top, then Zohore can have a foot race with the centre-half.
Bobby Reid
I feel for him a little bit. He's done well, has pace and trickery and can be a pest to defenders. But he needs the ball to his feet, doesn't want to be challenging Premier League centre-backs in the air.
Danny Ward
He's got good movement and works his socks off, but Zohore is the nine with the real attributes. We just need to see them.
Junior Hoilett
No-one talked him up more than me last season, but I've got to admit he's disappointed me a bit this year. I'd love to speak to him to find out what's wrong. He's definitely got the ability, so the fact he isn't beating defenders, or even trying to, has to be a psychological thing.
People question Cardiff's quality in the final third, but just imagine a fully firing quartet of Camarasa, Murphy, Hoilett and Zohore.
Is Bournemouth's or Burnley's front four better than them? I don't think so. Is Everton's? I'm not so sure.
Is Huddersfield's? Or Newcastle's? Definitely not.
I think those four have the ability to dominate matches, even at this level. They could thrive and really enjoy it.
Gary Madine
I was really disappointed at how he let Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger dominate him and said so. At least he showed more against Burnley, if nothing else he was aggressive, got amongst the Clarets' back four, was not over-awed.
I'm not sure you can expect too much more from Madine.
Lee Peltier, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Aron Gunnarsson, Jazz Richards
Injury have hit the first three, Richards needs game time. I will be glad when Gunnar is back. He might be what is needed to shield the back four, freeing up Camarasa further forward.
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