' ANY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED '
Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:14 am
Cardiff City show their team spirit should NEVER be questioned
Team spirit questions answered emphatically
Monday 11th March 2019
By Tom Coleman
These are the key talking points following Cardiff City's 2-0 win over West Ham United.
Wing wonders return
For all the questions raised over Neil Warnock's selection in the past fortnight, few had actually questioned where Cardiff's width had gone.
Debate raged over whether Sean Morrison should have been reinstated, but nobody thought to ask where on earth Junior Hoilett, Josh Murphy and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing were hiding when all three were excluded from the matchday squad at Wolves.
Hence that performance at Molineux was disjointed, with Warnock trying to squeeze all his strikers into the side.
Perhaps everyone, including the veteran boss, momentarily forgot about one of Cardiff's biggest strengths in the past two years: width, and genuine pace out wide.
Not just that, but tremendous defensive shifts from both Hoilett and Murphy on the flanks against West Ham.
Murphy, in particular, looked like a man on a mission.
Following comments from Warnock in the manager's pre-match press conference that the young winger had been "very, very poor in training", he clearly had a point to prove.
And two elements of his game that were previously missing - defensive nous and composure in the final third - returned in style. Murphy's fizzing cross found Hoilett at the near post to give him an early confidence boost.
His guided header for Victor Camarasa's goal was something more mature and measured. It would have been easy to head tamely at goal.
As for Hoilett, he too looked like a player reborn. Gone was the player from earlier this season who looked frightful in possession and lacking ideas in attack and the player from 2017/18 who terrorised Championship defences up and down the land was back.
The bottom line? The width must remain.
Team spirit questions answered emphatically
Those questioning Cardiff’s team spirit were firmly put in their place.
Not just by Warnock who joked about asking the “rifters” in the Bluebirds’ camp to step forward in the dressing room, but by the 90-minute performance.
You felt, as soon as Harry Arter had crunched through Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson within the first few minutes of the game, that Cardiff were out to prove a point. It was a fully committed performance, which will please Warnock greatly – and completely silence any murmurs of discontent among the fans.
Everyone took their lead from the authoritative Aron Gunnarsson in midfield, with Arter typifying the display with his energy and industry. You feel the on-loan Bournemouth man has only one mode: run.
Even the work rate of Murphy and Hoilett out wide was part of it: a well-drilled Cardiff unit playing for their manager and the shirt.
That the defence were at their highest level for some time also speaks volumes about Warnock’s motivation skills, which would have been tested without his leader (and loud dressing room voice) Sol Bamba.
Those questioning the Bluebirds will probably have felt a little silly after the final whistle.
How the relegation scrap stands
There were yet more twists in the battle for Premier League survival on Saturday
In terms of the Premier League’s other results, it could hardly have fared worse for Cardiff.
Comeback victories will give both Southampton and Newcastle hope that they can beat the drop, while Brighton celebrated their win over Crystal Palace like a side who knew they were safe – or at least very close to safety.
The only saving grace for Cardiff – aside from their own victory of course – is that Palace and Burnley have been drawn back into the pack.
It’s feasible that they could still be relegated, though the Bluebirds will need to make sure the win over West Ham is the start of something and not an outlier. Then hope for a Southampton slip-up, or a slide in form from one of the others.
Warnock said ‘you’re only as good as your last result’, so Cardiff can enjoy the next three weeks after a performance like this one.
What happens in the three-week break
Warnock pledged not to take his players away on a warm weather training camp, despite Cardiff now having a lengthy break from action.
He will hand his international stars four days off, however, before they jet off around the world to feature for their respective countries.
It’s vital that the Bluebirds don’t waste these three weeks. Although in an ideal world they might have wanted another fixture hot on the heels of a big win, enjoying the luxury of a long rest is to be cherished.
Warnock is a manager who prides himself on keeping his players happy. Family time, short holidays and well-earned rest are rare commodities for footballers in March and April.
It certainly wasn’t the case for Cardiff last season when they were dealing with the Championship’s rigorous schedule.
It can be no bad thing having three weeks to prepare for a game against Chelsea. Warnock and his troops must use it well.
Team spirit questions answered emphatically
Monday 11th March 2019
By Tom Coleman
These are the key talking points following Cardiff City's 2-0 win over West Ham United.
Wing wonders return
For all the questions raised over Neil Warnock's selection in the past fortnight, few had actually questioned where Cardiff's width had gone.
Debate raged over whether Sean Morrison should have been reinstated, but nobody thought to ask where on earth Junior Hoilett, Josh Murphy and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing were hiding when all three were excluded from the matchday squad at Wolves.
Hence that performance at Molineux was disjointed, with Warnock trying to squeeze all his strikers into the side.
Perhaps everyone, including the veteran boss, momentarily forgot about one of Cardiff's biggest strengths in the past two years: width, and genuine pace out wide.
Not just that, but tremendous defensive shifts from both Hoilett and Murphy on the flanks against West Ham.
Murphy, in particular, looked like a man on a mission.
Following comments from Warnock in the manager's pre-match press conference that the young winger had been "very, very poor in training", he clearly had a point to prove.
And two elements of his game that were previously missing - defensive nous and composure in the final third - returned in style. Murphy's fizzing cross found Hoilett at the near post to give him an early confidence boost.
His guided header for Victor Camarasa's goal was something more mature and measured. It would have been easy to head tamely at goal.
As for Hoilett, he too looked like a player reborn. Gone was the player from earlier this season who looked frightful in possession and lacking ideas in attack and the player from 2017/18 who terrorised Championship defences up and down the land was back.
The bottom line? The width must remain.
Team spirit questions answered emphatically
Those questioning Cardiff’s team spirit were firmly put in their place.
Not just by Warnock who joked about asking the “rifters” in the Bluebirds’ camp to step forward in the dressing room, but by the 90-minute performance.
You felt, as soon as Harry Arter had crunched through Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson within the first few minutes of the game, that Cardiff were out to prove a point. It was a fully committed performance, which will please Warnock greatly – and completely silence any murmurs of discontent among the fans.
Everyone took their lead from the authoritative Aron Gunnarsson in midfield, with Arter typifying the display with his energy and industry. You feel the on-loan Bournemouth man has only one mode: run.
Even the work rate of Murphy and Hoilett out wide was part of it: a well-drilled Cardiff unit playing for their manager and the shirt.
That the defence were at their highest level for some time also speaks volumes about Warnock’s motivation skills, which would have been tested without his leader (and loud dressing room voice) Sol Bamba.
Those questioning the Bluebirds will probably have felt a little silly after the final whistle.
How the relegation scrap stands
There were yet more twists in the battle for Premier League survival on Saturday
In terms of the Premier League’s other results, it could hardly have fared worse for Cardiff.
Comeback victories will give both Southampton and Newcastle hope that they can beat the drop, while Brighton celebrated their win over Crystal Palace like a side who knew they were safe – or at least very close to safety.
The only saving grace for Cardiff – aside from their own victory of course – is that Palace and Burnley have been drawn back into the pack.
It’s feasible that they could still be relegated, though the Bluebirds will need to make sure the win over West Ham is the start of something and not an outlier. Then hope for a Southampton slip-up, or a slide in form from one of the others.
Warnock said ‘you’re only as good as your last result’, so Cardiff can enjoy the next three weeks after a performance like this one.
What happens in the three-week break
Warnock pledged not to take his players away on a warm weather training camp, despite Cardiff now having a lengthy break from action.
He will hand his international stars four days off, however, before they jet off around the world to feature for their respective countries.
It’s vital that the Bluebirds don’t waste these three weeks. Although in an ideal world they might have wanted another fixture hot on the heels of a big win, enjoying the luxury of a long rest is to be cherished.
Warnock is a manager who prides himself on keeping his players happy. Family time, short holidays and well-earned rest are rare commodities for footballers in March and April.
It certainly wasn’t the case for Cardiff last season when they were dealing with the Championship’s rigorous schedule.
It can be no bad thing having three weeks to prepare for a game against Chelsea. Warnock and his troops must use it well.
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Re: ' ANY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED '
Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:17 am
Id have thought they could all do with some warm weather training, not sure how the mindset of players / managers work in this situation ie rest and recuperate at home for a bit - or would the warm sun help.
The only good thing about this break is the time it gives Vic and Joe to rest their injuries. I fear things like momentum / concentration can be lost given the length of the break. Basically I havent got a clue - so why did I bother posting .....
The only good thing about this break is the time it gives Vic and Joe to rest their injuries. I fear things like momentum / concentration can be lost given the length of the break. Basically I havent got a clue - so why did I bother posting .....