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" NEIL HARRIS TODAY UPDATED CARDIFF CITY FANS "

Thursday 9th July 2020





NEIL HARRIS:



Welsh battle for top six?

"Nothing has changed since probably February. Swansea were top of the league for a period at the start, were going great guns and fell away, but like us found a way to find some form and get back in the mix. Swansea haven’t been out of it.

"Teams haven’t been out of it, it’s just about finding consistency. We’re in sixth spot because we got 10 points in five games. So we’re going great guns. Ultimately, Swansea, Derby, Preston, Blackburn, Millwall, it doesn’t matter to us, we just want sixth spot."




Message to players?

"Really calm and relaxed. We’re disappointed and the message is clear. We’ve been such a good team because of our improvement with the football and finding different ways to score goals. We’ve been such a good team because of our work ethic and doing the basics as a group, and ultimately keeping clean sheets. We gave three goals away. Talk about the brilliance of the third goal, but we added to the moment of quality. It was just a reminder for us to get back to the standards we’ve been setting. It’s a time for cool heads at this stage of the season, and with four games to go, we’re holding that sixth position so we’re there to be shot at."







Mitrovic physical? Warn your players?


NEIL HARRIS:

"I expect my players to be physical, that’s what we stand for as a club. To be aggressive in our approach. There’s a fine line between being physical and overstepping the mark. The lad’s overstepped the mark to get his ban. But from my perspective, physically we have to compete."



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NEIL HARRIS:



Mendez-Laing

"New baby! Huge congrats to Mendy and his partner. All healthy and well so he comes back into the group for Friday.

"He’s a very happy father and we’re really pleased for them as a family.

"I think naturally you have a spring in your step when the children are born. The fatigue kicks in later down the line! But it’s a reminder to us in difficult times that where there’s death and hard times, there’s also real positives. I’m really pleased for him."






Changes?

"We look at who’s fit and available, who’s fresh to go again. It’s finding that balance between continuity, combinations and then fresh legs as well. To add that freshness is important at times, and judging the opponent. I’ll take it all of that into the equation before picking the team."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Results elsewhere?

"All that’s changed is that the team behind us is slightly closer. It’s about what we do first and foremost in fixtures, the amount of points we can get to, but you look at other teams because that’s a natural assessment of the division at the top and bottom, you have to be aware of things around you, but for me we focus on ourselves and on Friday evening, against a tough opponent in Fulham.

"We’ll look at the results over the weekend, because you want them to go in your favour, that’s natural. You expect at this stage of the season and the magnitude of the games that some results go for you, and some won’t."







Cardiff City fixtures

Sun 21 June - Cardiff City 2 Leeds United 0

Sat 27 June - Preston North End 1 Cardiff City 3

Tue 30 June - Cardiff City 0 Charlton Athletic 0


Sat 04 July - Bristol City 0 Cardiff City 1

Tue 07 July - Cardiff City 2 Blackburn Rovers 3

Friday July - Fulham vs. Cardiff City live on sky 8:15pm

Tue 14 July - Cardiff City vs. Derby County 7:45pm

Sat 18 July - Middlesbrough vs. Cardiff City 15:00

Wed 22 July - Cardiff City vs. Hull City

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UPDATED:



Key to getting top six?


NEIL HARRIS:

"Managing the mindset of the group, making sure we’re fresh physically and mentally. If you win a game, you don’t go sky high, and when you get beat, you don’t overthink things. We just didn’t do our jobs at times, but there’s no disasters, no finger-pointing and we have to do better. That’s all you can do in these key moments, take one game at a time. It’s just calm heads, being methodical with things."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Fulham good home record?

"They’re an excellent team. They’re a really good footballing side, as good as anyone in the division. We have to be really patient and it’s almost a Leeds scenario where we know they’ll dominate the ball. You have to be good without the ball. The players understand that and we have to deny opportunities to Fulham in and around our box and make sure we defend much better individually and collectively than we did against Blackburn."

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NEIL HARRIS:



Mitrovic

"He’s a good player, a very good centre-forward. Not just a goalscorer, but very good in both boxes. Bobby Reid has played up front as a false nine and has done well. They’ve got talent all over the pitch. It’s a test for anybody on their day in this division."

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NEIL HARRIS:



Mitrovic physical? Warn your players?


NEIL HARRIS:

"I expect my players to be physical, that’s what we stand for as a club. To be aggressive in our approach. There’s a fine line between being physical and overstepping the mark. The lad’s overstepped the mark to get his ban. But from my perspective, physically we have to compete."

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NEIL HARRIS:

Injuries

"It’s a quick turnaround from Tuesday to Friday so we’ll look at the lads who haven’t been on the grass so far and whether they can go again on Friday night. There’ll be a few late calls who picked some bits up and we’ll make a late call on team selection tomorrow afternoon."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Four games in 12 days?

"I’ve said to the players, it’ll come and go so quickly, so you have to enjoy these moments in football. The players have to focus on jobs in hand, one game at a time as ever. Four big games. Every opponent we play will have something to play for. It’s a brilliant division. It’s four games to define the season. It won’t be won or lost at Fulham tonight that’s for sure. We’ll have to go and play without fear, enjoy it and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing my players respond from a home defeat."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Morrison v Mitrovic?

"I think Sean and Curtis are aggressive centre-halves. They’re clever centre-halves with good experience."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Fifth up for grabs?

"Yes, it is. The only reason I’ve not talked about it is because I don't want to look too far ahead. Forest have got a really tough run-in. We’ve had a really tough spell of games, and we’re probably still in it with Fulham tomorrow and Derby to come. Every round of fixtures, the scenario changes, so that’s why we need to be consistent with our performances and results."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Cardiff and Swans in top six?

"It’s an extremely long shot, but at this stage of the season, anything can happen."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Quality

"The biggest thing for me is that Lee Tomlin wants to play. He wants to be involved and he’s put himself forward for every game so far. It’s frustrating, and Tommo’s more frustrated than anybody, because he’s desperate to offer more to us as a group, but for the moment, I’m just pleased to have him involved in games in some shape or form, because back in March, he wasn’t going to figure again for us. The bigger picture is there’s stuff we’ll have to take care of in the off-season. We'll just have to accept it for what it is and we’ll just keep nurturing him along."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Lee Tomlin

"It’s a complex situation. Is he ready to start? We’ll have to see. We have to see how he is every day when he wakes up. That’s certainly not for a lack of desire through Lee Tomlin. But It’s a complex situation with how he’s feeling injury-wise. That’s why decisions are late and that he doesn’t take part in a lot of sessions, so we’re managing him through every day to see what we can get out of him in games. We’ll see what tomorrow brings."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Welsh battle for top six?

"Nothing has changed since probably February. Swansea were top of the league for a period at the start, were going great guns and fell away, but like us found a way to find some form and get back in the mix. Swansea haven’t been out of it.

"Teams haven’t been out of it, it’s just about finding consistency. We’re in sixth spot because we got 10 points in five games. So we’re going great guns. Ultimately, Swansea, Derby, Preston, Blackburn, Millwall, it doesn’t matter to us, we just want sixth spot."

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Fulham injury update:


“Tom’s still struggling at the moment, he won’t be available for tomorrow. It’s day to day really with Tom, the problem is that the games are literally only two or three days [apart]. The turnaround is pretty quick.
“I don’t think it’s a big one, it’s not one which we’re too concerned about, but the dynamics of the division and the games schedule means you’re missing games with just a week’s injury, or a 10 day injury you can be missing three or four games.
“We’ll manage it every day and see where we are.”

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NEIL HARRIS:


Message to players?

"Really calm and relaxed. We’re disappointed and the message is clear. We’ve been such a good team because of our improvement with the football and finding different ways to score goals. We’ve been such a good team because of our work ethic and doing the basics as a group, and ultimately keeping clean sheets. We gave three goals away. Talk about the brilliance of the third goal, but we added to the moment of quality. It was just a reminder for us to get back to the standards we’ve been setting. It’s a time for cool heads at this stage of the season, and with four games to go, we’re holding that sixth position so we’re there to be shot at."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Go to the last game?

"I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t but it’s the up and down nature of the division, so it’s impossible to answer that."

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Neil Harris explains Lee Tomlin's 'complex situation' as Cardiff City boss issues play-off message ahead of Fulham test

The Cardiff head coach has spoken about Tomlin's current situation as well as discussing the play-off picture ahead of his side's clash with Fulham

By Ian Mitchelmore


Thursday 9th July 2020


Neil Harris will make a late call on his team selection for Cardiff City's Championship clash with Fulham after revealing he has to monitor Lee Tomlin's progress on a daily basis.

The No. 10 was set to miss the remainder of the campaign after sustaining medial ligament damage in February, although as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, he has been able to play a part in the Bluebirds' run-in.

However, Tomlin is yet to start for the Bluebirds since the resumption, with all five of his appearances coming as a substitute.

And following the disappointing 3-2 loss to Blackburn, the Cardiff faithful are keen to see their talisman feature more than ever.

But Harris admits he's having to be hugely cautious with Tomlin, adding that he will pick his team to face the Cottagers on Friday.




NEIL HARRIS:


"It’s a complex situation. Is he ready to start? We’ll have to see. We have to see how he is every day when he wakes up," explained Harris.

"That’s certainly not for a lack of desire through Lee Tomlin. But It’s a complex situation with how he’s feeling injury-wise.

"That’s why decisions are late and that he doesn’t take part in a lot of sessions, so we’re managing him through every day to see what we can get out of him in games. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

"The biggest thing for me is that Lee Tomlin wants to play. He wants to be involved and he’s put himself forward for every game so far.

"It’s frustrating, and Tommo’s more frustrated than anybody, because he’s desperate to offer more to us as a group, but for the moment, I’m just pleased to have him involved in games in some shape or form, because back in March, he wasn’t going to figure again for us.

"The bigger picture is there’s stuff we’ll have to take care of in the off-season. We'll just have to accept it for what it is and we’ll just keep nurturing him along."

Cardiff remain in sixth place with just four matches remaining, despite suffering their first post-lockdown loss last time out.

But they sit just one point above South Wales rivals Swansea City at what is a crunch period of the protracted 2019/20 campaign.

However, Harris was keen to highlight that the Bluebirds remain in the box seat to secure a top six place going in to their clash with Scott Parker's side.

"Nothing has changed since probably February," said Harris.

"Swansea were top of the league for a period at the start and were going great guns and fell away, but like us found a way to find some form and get back in the mix. Swansea haven’t been out of it. Teams haven’t been out of it, it’s just about finding consistency.

"We’re in sixth spot because we got 10 points in five games. So we’re going great guns. Ultimately, Swansea, Derby, Preston, Blackburn, Millwall, it doesn’t matter to us, we just want sixth spot.

"All that’s changed is that the team behind us is slightly closer. It’s about what we do first and foremost in fixtures, the amount of points we can get to, but you look at other teams because that’s a natural assessment of the division at the top and bottom, you have to be aware of things around you, but for me we focus on ourselves and on Friday evening, against a tough opponent in Fulham.


"We’ll look at the results over the weekend, because you want them to go in your favour, that’s natural.

"You expect at this stage of the season and the magnitude of the games that some results go for you, and some won’t.

"It’s a time for cool heads at this stage of the season, and with four games to go, we’re holding that sixth position so we’re there to be shot at."

The Bluebirds' clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage gets under way at 8:15pm on Friday.

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Betting odds

Fulham win - Evens

Draw - 5/2

Cardiff City win - 14/5

(Odds courtesy of The Pools, correct at time of publishing)