An already frustrating and inconsistent season at Cardiff has descended into a run of five straight league and cup defeats, raising question marks over the future of manager Neil Harris according to Owen Deacon from the Three Little Birds blog.
A good winning run, now a string of defeats, how have Cardiff done since we last spoke?
Recently Cardiff have been in terrible form, winning two games and losing four. The squad look lost and the manager is the one guiding them to the middle of nowhere.
Cardiff league results so far…
Cardiff 0-2 Sheff Wed Windass 4, Rhodes 44
Forest 0-2 Cardiff Moore 3, 40
Cardiff 1-2 Reading Tomlin 81 — Morrison 47, Joao 66
Blackburn 0-0 Cardiff
Preston 0-1 Cardiff Ojo 52
Cardiff 1-1 Bournemouth Wilson 62 — Solanke 35
Cardiff 1-1 Middlesbrough Ojo 70 — Saville 36
Derby 1-1 Cardiff Waghorn 24 — Moore 77
QPR 3-2 Cardiff Chair 15, Kane 27, Ball 90 — Ralls pen 47, 85
Cardiff 3-0 Barnsley Hoilett 4, Ralls pen 45, Wilson 77
Cardiff 0-1 Bristol City Martin 2
Millwall 1-1 Cardiff Smith 35 — Moore 79
Coventry 1-0 Cardiff Walker 54
Cardiff 4-0 Luton Morrison 5, Harris 9, Moore 59, Ojo 82
Cardiff 3-0 Huddersfield Moore 35, 68, Glatzel 85
Watford 0-1 Cardiff Moore 43
Stoke 1-2 Cardiff Morrison og 25 — Glatzel 66, Morrison 76
Cardiff 0-2 Swansea Lowe 6, 72
Cardiff 3-2 Birmingham Glatzel 10, Wilson 77, Morrison 89 — Roberts 31, Sanchez 57
Norwich 2-0 Cardiff Buendia 27, Cantwell 70
Cardiff 2-3 Brentford Vaulks 45, 76 — Canos 50, 65, 73
Wycombe 2-1 Cardiff Tafazolli 33, Wheeler 63 — Hoilett 90
Cardiff 1-2 Norwich Ralls 65 — Hanley 3, Cantwell 22
Top six was the aim, even when we spoke in October, but it looks a long way off currently — why?
Our tactics have been one-dimensional, often opting to hoof the ball rather than playing it on the floor. On top of that, we have a number of injuries to key players.
Starting to see some social media unrest about Neil Harris’ performance, where are you with him?
Personally I can’t see Harris taking us any further, with the squad looking less and less interested. I think it’s only a matter of time until he’s shown the door.
January transfer window activity?
At the time of writing it looks like we’re in for a few players. We’ve announced the signing of Max Watters, a young striker with 13 in 16 League 2, he’s set to go straight into the side. It’s also rumours that we’ve had a bid accepted Jack Simpson, a centre back from Bournemouth. We’re also heavily linked with two right backs - Perry Ng from Crewe for a small fee and Frédéric Guilbert from Aston Villa (loan). If any of them sign I’m sure we’ll be seeing them feature on Wednesday. Cardiff have been very patient in transfer windows recently, doing the majority of business towards the end. Something which Bluebirds fans can find frustrating!
Summer Ins >>> Kieffer Moore, 28, CF, Wigan, £1.98m >>> Dillon Phillips, 25, GK, Charlton, Undisclosed >>> Jordi Osei-Tutu, 21, RB, Arsenal, Loan >>> Harry Wilson, 23, AM, Liverpool, Loan >>> Sheyi Ojo, 23, RW, Liverpool, Loan >>> Filip Benkovic, 23, CB, Leicester, Loan
Summer Outs >>> Callum Paterson, 25, CF, Sheff Wed, £495k >>> Neil Etheridge, 30, GK, Birmingham, Undisclosed >>> Danny Ward, 28, CF, Huddersfield, Free >>> Jazz Richards, 29, LB, Released >>> Matt Connolly, 32, CB, Released >>> Omar Bogle, 28, CF, Charlton, Free >>> Nathaniel Mendez Laing, 28, RW, Sacked/Misconduct >>> Ciaron Brown, 22, CB, Livingston, Loan >>> Aden Flint, 31, CB, Sheff Wed, Loan
Winter Ins >>> Max Watters, 21, CF, Crawley, Undisclosed >>> Perry Ng, 24, RB, Crewe, Undisclosed
Winter Outs >>> Gavin Whyte, 24, RW, Hull, Loan >>> Joe Day, 30, GK, Bristol Rovers, Loan
How do you see the second half of the season going?
It’s going one of two ways. Either we’re going to keep going the way we are with our manager and end up in mid-table mediocrity. Or he somehow managers to turn it around and we get a run going. If it’s the former then I think he won’t last long.
Links >>> Official Website >>> Three Little Birds — Blog >>> CCMB — Message Board >>> Wales Online — Local Paper >>> Mauve and Yellow — Blog
The Twitter @ThreeBluebirds_, @OwenRhysDEacon, @loftforwords
Pictures — Action Images