MATCH THREAD: " CARDIFF CITY v BLACKBURN " MATCH THREAD

CARDIFF CITY v BLACKBURN ROVERS
Tuesday 7th July, 7.45pm
Sky Bet Championship
Cardiff City Stadium 


Match to be played in front of no supporters, for information on how to watch the match on TV or to stream it - see below


CARDIFF CITY:

Tuesday 7th July 2020



Cardiff City have reported a relatively clean bill of health heading into the match at Cardiff City Stadium.

Robert Glatzel will return to the fray, having sat out at Ashton Gate last weekend following a head collision he sustained against Charlton.

Aside from that, City have no fresh injury concerns.

Greg Cunningham and Isaac Vassell are around the training group every day, but while the former is ahead in his progress, neither will be available for the game against Blackburn Rovers.

Neil Harris on Monday admitted that Lee Tomlin has been closely monitored of late, with his injury situation a lot more complex than initially thought. So whether the playmaker is available from the off it is as yet unknown.

Rovers, meanwhile, are desperately short in the left-back position, with Amari'i Bell and Derrick Williams both absent since the restart and their replacements Joe Rankin-Costello and Elliott Bennett both suffering injuries in matches.

Bennett has deputised in the full-back role for the last three fixtures but was forced off early in the defeat to Leeds United after a collision with Jack Harrison.

The initial diagnosis was that it was a dead leg, but Bennett is expected to travel with the squad.

Cardiff's large squad has come to good use since the restart, with Harris tending to make the right substitutions at the right time.

That was the case again on Saturday as Ward and Tomlin linked up for the winner at Ashton Gate, and the pair should be fit enough to start this clash against Blackburn.

Robert Glatzel is pushing for a recall after recovering from a head injury, while Marlon Pack is an option to come into central midfield should Harris wish to freshen things up.


BLACKBURN:

As for Blackburn, Darragh Lenihan was back involved last time out after missing the trip to Barnsley due to the birth of his son.

Lewis Travis and Sam Gallagher also returned to the side for the defeat to Leeds, but Stewart Downing and Dominic Samuel will be hoping to earn recalls.

Elsewhere, Adam Armstrong scored an impressive free kick against league leaders Leeds and will be looking to add to his tally of 13 goals this term.

CARDIFF CITY :


Winger Josh Murphy Looks like he is fit and will be available .


Greg Cunningham is still a little way off at the moment.

He was back in training with the first team last week, but didn't complete the full week as part of his phased return.


Isaac Vassell is injured.



How can I watch this match on TV?

For those who are season ticket holders, you can watch the match for free on Cardiff City TV.

For non-season ticket holders who want to watch the match, you can purchase a match pass from Cardiff City TV for £10.

About Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.

The club was established in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888 and the Premier League in 1992. In 1890, Rovers moved to Ewood Park. Blackburn Rovers have been English champions three times, and have won six FA Cups, one Football League Cup and one Full Members' Cup. The club has spent most of its existence in the top flight of English football.

In 1992, Rovers gained promotion to the new Premier League a year after being taken over by local entrepreneur Jack Walker, who installed Kenny Dalglish as manager. In 1995, Rovers became Premier League champions. In the 1998–99 season, the club was relegated. It was promoted back to the Premier League two years later, in the 2000–01 season. It has qualified for the UEFA Champions League once, and the UEFA Cup six times: once as League Cup winners, four times through league position and once via the Intertoto Cup.

The club's motto is "Arte et Labore", meaning "By Skill and Hard Work" in Latin. They have a long-standing rivalry with nearby club Burnley, with whom they contest the East Lancashire derby.

Previous Meeting 

We drew 0-0 at Blackburn in August.

Team News - Predicted Line-Ups

Cardiff City: Smithies, Sanderson, Nelson, Morrison, Bennett, Vaulks, Bacuna, Ralls, Hoilett, Mendez-Laing, Paterson

Blackburn Rovers: Walton, Nyambe, Lenihan, Adarabioyo, Downing, Travis, Johnson, Rothwell, Gallagher, Holtby, Armstrong

Form - Last Three Games 

Bristol City 0-1 Cardiff City
Cardiff City 0-0 Charlton Athletic
Preston North End 1-3 Cardiff City

Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Leeds United
Barnsley 2-0 Blackburn Rovers
Wigan Athletic 2-0 Blackburn Rovers

Match Odds

Cardiff City - 23/20
Blackburn Rovers - 12/5
Draw - 23/10

Predictions

Post your predictions below 

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Going for a empathic 3-0 cement our place in play offs

Blackburn seem to have lost their mojo so I am going for a 3-1 City win.

2-0 and another clean sheet for the mighty Bluebirds.

Run riot over the northerners.

3-0

I had us done for a draw in the last two games but a win against Blackburn hopefully.

Really hope we go for it by starting Tomlin and keeping Paterson on the bench.

I predict a 2-0 win for the mighty Bluebirds but I’d be happy with 1-0 tbh.
Tomlin has to start for me and I think it’s about time Danny Ward gets given the chance up top. I also think we should unleash Josh Murphy.

After today :

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Winger Josh Murphy Looks like he is fit and will be available .


Greg Cunningham is still a little way off at the moment.

He was back in training with the first team last week, but didn't complete the full week as part of his phased return.


Isaac Vassell is injured.

Neil Harris's men now face three successive games against sides chasing them down, though, starting with this visit of Blackburn.

Anything other than three points for Rovers will end their slim hopes of promotion, and recent history suggests that they will be lucky to come away from South Wales with a win.


The Blue and Whites have failed to win any of their last 10 encounters with Cardiff since a 3-2 FA Cup win in January 2005.

Blackburn are also winless in four matches on their travels, losing the last three of those without scoring a single goal.

Cardiff have not exactly been in rampant form on home soil, though, having picked up maximum points only once in six league matches at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Cardiff City's Championship form: DWWWDW

Blackburn Rovers' Championship form: DLWLLL

CARDIFF CITY:

Cardiff's large squad has come to good use since the restart, with Harris tending to make the right substitutions at the right time.

That was the case again on Saturday as Ward and Tomlin linked up for the winner at Ashton Gate, and the pair should be fit enough to start this clash against Blackburn.

Robert Glatzel is pushing for a recall after recovering from a head injury, while Marlon Pack is an option to come into central midfield should Harris wish to freshen things up.


BLACKBURN:

As for Blackburn, Darragh Lenihan was back involved last time out after missing the trip to Barnsley due to the birth of his son.

Lewis Travis and Sam Gallagher also returned to the side for the defeat to Leeds, but Stewart Downing and Dominic Samuel will be hoping to earn recalls.

Elsewhere, Adam Armstrong scored an impressive free kick against league leaders Leeds and will be looking to add to his tally of 13 goals this term.

CANTON STAND

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Cardiff City 3-2 Blackburn Rovers. Hopefully Glatzel to start with Paterson on the bench and maybe Lee Tomlin and Josh Murphy to finally be unleashed.

Lee Harris: Latest on any injuries


The Bluebirds welcome Rovers to Cardiff City Stadium tonight for another crucial clash in the race to reach the play-offs

By Glen Williams

Tuesday 7th July 2020


Robert Glatzel will be in contention to start tonight's Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers.

The Cardiff City striker, who scored in each of the Bluebirds' first two games back in the wins over Leeds United and Preston, was forced off before the break against Charlton Athletic last week after a nasty head collision.

He was subsequently ruled out of the win over Bristol City last weekend, which afforded Danny Ward the opportunity to replace Callum Paterson before he hammered home the winner against the Robins.

It means Neil Harris has another big selection dilemma on his hands heading into tonight's match, with one of Paterson, Ward or Glatzel to get the nod.

But with Glatzel and Ward in the goals and Paterson having done so well in tiring opposition defences, it's a good headache for Harris to have.

"Glatz is fine," Harris said. "He comes back into the group. Barring that we are fit.

"As we’ve alluded to before, I’ve pushed them really hard and done late-night training sessions. The lads are being pushed.

"But they’ve been really good and fingers crossed, touch wood, we rock up tomorrow night and are in a healthy scenario."

As for Lee Tomlin, who has made a substitute appearance in every game so far, his recovery appears to be a little more complex than what we had first thought.

Harris revealed the player is being monitored closely and has to be managed carefully at the moment, such is the nature of his slow return to full fitness.

"He is available now because we are managing him as we go," Harris added. "He is still not 100 percent fit and it’s a lot more complex than just thinking it's a time issue. It's a lot more complex.

"You will see and understand more as time goes on. I am happy to manage Lee day by day and week by week at the moment, getting him on the pitch as often as possible is absolutely vital for us. Whether it’s 60 or 70 minutes or 30 minutes, Lee has a huge part to play for us."

Elsewhere, Greg Cunningham and Isaac Vassell are still progressing with their long-term injuries, but still won't be ready for some time.

Harris will likely make some changes from last weekend's win at Ashton Gate, meaning we might see Josh Murphy come back into the starting lineup for the first time since lockdown.

The back five, including Alex Smithies, you would think would stay pretty much as it is.

In midfield three of Joe Ralls, Will Vaulks, Leandro Bacuna, Marlon Pack and Lee Tomlin will get the nod, however Harris sees fit.

It's difficult to look past Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the right wing, too, given how electric he has been in recent weeks, so expect him to start.

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Robert Glatzel will be in contention to start tonight's Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers.

The Cardiff City striker, who scored in each of the Bluebirds' first two games back in the wins over Leeds United and Preston, was forced off before the break against Charlton Athletic last week after a nasty head collision.

He was subsequently ruled out of the win over Bristol City last weekend, which afforded Danny Ward the opportunity to replace Callum Paterson before he hammered home the winner against the Robins.

It means Neil Harris has another big selection dilemma on his hands heading into tonight's match, with one of Paterson, Ward or Glatzel to get the nod.

But with Glatzel and Ward in the goals and Paterson having done so well in tiring opposition defences, it's a good headache for Harris to have.

"Glatz is fine," Harris said. "He comes back into the group. Barring that we are fit.

"As we’ve alluded to before, I’ve pushed them really hard and done late-night training sessions. The lads are being pushed.

"But they’ve been really good and fingers crossed, touch wood, we rock up tomorrow night and are in a healthy scenario."

As for Lee Tomlin, who has made a substitute appearance in every game so far, his recovery appears to be a little more complex than what we had first thought.

Harris revealed the player is being monitored closely and has to be managed carefully at the moment, such is the nature of his slow return to full fitness.

"He is available now because we are managing him as we go," Harris added. "He is still not 100 percent fit and it’s a lot more complex than just thinking it's a time issue. It's a lot more complex.

What about Blackburn?



NEIL HARRIS:

"We are doing as much analysis, maybe even more because of lockdown, as possible. We are learning things we didn’t notice before.

"We came up with plans for the first games when we came back.

"Blackburn are a team which has changed a lot.

"Yes, let’s pay attention to them but let’s focus on ourselves."

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.@CardiffCityFC are unbeaten in their last six games in the #SkyBetChampionship, the joint-longest current run, along with @BrentfordFC and @dcfcofficial.

What are the odds?

Cardiff City win: 11/10
Draw: 12/5
Blackburn: 12/5

What's the team news?

Cardiff City have reported a relatively clean bill of health heading into the match at Cardiff City Stadium.

Robert Glatzel will return to the fray, having sat out at Ashton Gate last weekend following a head collision he sustained against Charlton.

Aside from that, City have no fresh injury concerns.

Greg Cunningham and Isaac Vassell are around the training group every day, but while the former is ahead in his progress, neither will be available for the game against Blackburn Rovers.

Neil Harris on Monday admitted that Lee Tomlin has been closely monitored of late, with his injury situation a lot more complex than initially thought. So whether the playmaker is available from the off it is as yet unknown.

Rovers, meanwhile, are desperately short in the left-back position, with Amari'i Bell and Derrick Williams both absent since the restart and their replacements Joe Rankin-Costello and Elliott Bennett both suffering injuries in matches.

Bennett has deputised in the full-back role for the last three fixtures but was forced off early in the defeat to Leeds United after a collision with Jack Harrison.

The initial diagnosis was that it was a dead leg, but Bennett is expected to travel with the squad.

Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray: "Where we are today (with injuries), we need people to put bodies on the line and if the break down, there's only two weeks of the season left after this game.


"So we're at the stage where you need to cope, you need to play, and you might want another week or another 10 days but we've got no fourth of fifth left-back, so you need to play and make yourself available.

"So that's where we are with them. Let's have a look once we get on the grass and put in the teamsheets."

With this evening being the fifth game in 10 days, Neil Harris may make alterations to keep his squad fresh, and Lee Tomlin could earn a start after impressing off the bench in the win against Bristol City at the weekend.

And speaking ahead of the game, Harris is optimistic that his side can keep their unbeaten run going.

"When we came back from lockdown we were two points adrift, we are now three points clear with a better goal difference," he told the Cardiff City official website.

"So, we have progressed nicely. There's a long way to go. The picture can change in just one set of results and certainly two. That’s why you can only focus on the next game, more so than ever, the fans realise it's one game at a time.

"It’s down to us to keep kicking other teams in the teeth by winning games. That’s what they're looking for at the moment: for us not to win to give them a crumb of hope.

"Every time we win a game, another team gets seen off below us. As ruthless as that might sound, that’s how I see it."

GOAL: Cardiff City 1 - 0 Blackburn Rovers

Will Vaulks with a delightful goal

What a goal

1-1

City players not happy

Goal: Cardiff City 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

Corner from the left results in a goal for Blackburn

Protests fur offside from the City players are unfounded, as the ball clearly comes off a City player for the poacher to score

were they looking for offside ???

came off the keeper ????

were they looking for offside ???

They were looking for it but were never getting it.