If Vincent Tan and his Board of Directors stay true to form, Mark Hudson may have got himself a Steve Morison style extension to his period of caretaker management of Cardiff City following tonight’s dramatic 1-0 home win over Blackburn Rovers.
Although City were well worth their win, Hudson may have reason to thank referee John Brooks for getting more than a week’s worth of competitive football as City manager because, deep into added time, the official blew for a penalty to the visitors seconds before Blackburn sub Bradley Dack turned the ball into an empty net for what would have been an equaliser.
Goalkeeper Ryan Allsop was the villain of the piece initially after the excellent Cedric Kipre was beaten to a header after Blackburn had pumped a free kick up to edge of the penalty area and centreback Dominic Hyam got to the ball just before the keeper who brought him down – it was a definite penalty, but if Mr Brooks had waited a second or two before blowing, the game would have ended in a draw.
Another Blackburn sub, George Hirst, took the penalty after a long delay which saw Allsop receive treatment for an injury sustained in the collision with Hyam and the pressure told on the young striker as he hit a weak effort quite similar to Callum Robinson’s at Huddersfield and, just as it was with Lee Nicholls in Steve Morison’s last game in charge, Allsop was always going to save it once he dived the right way.
It was a fitting reward for what has been a good start for our new keeper and he also excelled tonight with a good save from Sammie Szmodics early in the second half in what was his only real anxious moment besides the penalty.
In truth, if Szmodics’ shot had gone in, it should have been a case of him reducing the deficit for his team after a first half City dominated as they showed again that, in my opinion at least, they’re better than those City fans who have been talking about relegation struggles for the last few weeks would have us believe..
If we do end up being dragged into a fight to stay in the division though, then it will surely be because of our lack of firepower. The first half epitomised this, City were good at the back, despite losing the in form Mahlon Romeo early on with an injury which saw Jack Simpson come on with Perry Ng moving over to right back, dominant in midfield and they made life awkward for the fifth placed visitors who were harried into errors in their attempts to play out from the back by an effective high press by the home team.
It wasn’t that City missed sitters in the first half, but goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski was never really extended by the larger than usual number of goal attempts from us. Callum Robinson was unlucky when his early shot looked to have the beating of Kaminski, but a block by Hyam sent the ball wide. Robinson had so many attempts to score his second City goal – he shot across the face of goal twice, saw a close range effort blocked by Kaminski, another shot saved and then his free kick from the edge of the penalty area flashed a yard wide.
Ng tried his luck from a free kick as well, but Kaminski saved comfortably and there was a header not far wide by Callum O’Dowda. All Blackburn had in response was a forty five yard effort by Tyrhys Dolan with Allsop off his line, but it drifted high and wide.
Blackburn had their best spell of the game just after half time when it looked like City may be made to pay for their failure to cash in during the first forty five minutes, but the introduction of Mark Harris and Joe Ralls for Sheyi Ojo and Romaine Sawyers restored City’s momentum and they spent the game’s final quarter on the front foot.
City may have had the edge again, but, it looked as if they were going to complete their first dozen matches with just eight goals scored -Ralls hit a good right foot shot from distance that Kaminski plunged to his left to hold and a desperate, but legal, challenge by Daniel Ayala robbed Robinson just as he was about to shoot after the visitors had got into trouble once more trying to pass out from the back.
Sam Gallagher was involved in penalty claims at either end which Mr Brooks was probably right to deny and it looked for all the world as if we were going to see a repeat of another home match against a Lancashire side when an outplayed Preston left with a 0-0 draw.
However, having equalised in the ninetieth minute on Saturday, City came up with a fine goal on eighty three minutes which this time was worth three points not one. Unable to get the goal that had looked inevitable for him at times in the first half, Robinson had to be content with an assist as, after good work by Niels Nkounkou (having his best game for us so far) and another sub Jaden Philogene, he rolled a pass to Harris who let the ball run across him before whacking a rising right foot shot beyond Kaminski from twenty yards.
It was a goal which deserved to win a game that was always watchable and offered more evidence that Harris may not be a great goal scorer, but when he does score, they tend to be great, or very good, goals.
Apart from a fleeting opportunity that a match sharp Dack might have taken, City held on to their lead quite comfortably until the late penalty drama to record their third home win, all by 1-0.
I always rate 1-0 wins highly because they often come when a team is not at their best. However, although this was a good night for City, they are only winning 1-0 when playing well at home and the next step will need to be to get the rewards in the future that their efforts against Birmingham and Blackburn deserved.
Yesterday afternoon saw an entertaining under 21 game with Reading at Leckwith. Reading had been a category One Academy club, but, probably due to their financial problems, they’re back at category Two this season and so competing in the same league as City for the first time in about a dozen years.
With a justified reputation for producing good quality young players, Reading should be a strong side at this level and, having already beaten us 1-0 a few weeks ago to record one of the four wins in their first five matches, they were living up to such a billing.
I’ve mentioned before that I’ve not been too impressed by our under 21s in the three matches I’d watched before yesterday and with five conceded each time in their last two games, they were in need of a good performance.
Therefore, it was good to see the team turn in the best display I’ve seen from them so far – whether it was good enough to merit their 2-1 win is definitely arguable based on what I saw of a one sided second half where the visitors put us under a lot of pressure (the stream went down for the last quarter of an hour mind).
City did well in an open first half where I thought they just about deserved the lead gained at its mid point when Tom Davies got forward from left back to touch in a clever cross to the near post by James Crole.
There were times in the second half when it seemed certain that Reading would equalise, but, just before the stream went down there was a superb counter attacking goal from City to double their lead. Crole, better known for his goalscoring, was again an impressive provider with a through ball which put sub Morgan Wigley in the clear. Two defenders got back to make life difficult for the player who scored for Wales under 19s last week, but he kept his head really well to step inside them and find Jack Leahy who swept the ball in from eight yards.
Reading soon got a goal back through sub Adrian Akinde, but life was made much harder for them when Jahmari Clarke was shown a straight red card for kicking out at City’s Cameron Antwi in the closing minutes.
Finally, as has been the habit at the start of a new season in recent years, can I ask readers if they’re willing to make a donation towards the running costs of the blog. I say running costs towards the blog, but, that’s not really true this time because this year any donations will go towards costs incurred in the production and publication of the book I aim to have out for sale by October.
As mentioned this time last year, I decided to do another review of a season to follow on from Real Madrid and all that which was about 1970/71. This one is about the 1975/76 season and will be called Tony Evans walks on water. I finished writing the book over the weekend and now it’s a question of tidying it up, proof reading, inserting a few photos and designing a cover before sending it off for printing.
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Thanks, Paul.
Well we’ve come a long way from hoof-ball, I’m glad to say.
I thought we were much the better side and deserved the win but we were extremely lucky to take all three points. I can imagine that Blackburn and their supporters are feeling really hard done by – I know I would be in their situation. Why did the ref blow up so quickly?
On to the performance, it’s difficult to criticise a keeper who has just saved a penalty and won you two points but not for the first time this season in the very few games I’ve seen I thought Allsop was at fault at a set-piece, he seems reluctant to leave his line, which is rather ironic considering he is very rarely on it during open play. I thought the back four (five, if you include Romeo) did well except for the occasional aberration by our left-back (plenty to like about his attacking runs though). I didn’t think starting mid-field was quite right though, I’ve long been an admirer of Romaine Sawyers but I’m afraid he is some way past his best and didn’t seem to have much influence in the game, the energy Ralls brought with his introduction seemed to lift the game – and as you said, Paul, he also put in a decent effort with his RIGHT foot. With a little more composure and a little luck Robinson would have added at least one goal to his tally. O’Dowda and Ojo did OK, in my opinion, but I feel one of them will have to make way for Mark Harris who seemed very lively when he came on.
I still have grave doubts about the running of the club – I used the term “rudderless ship” on CCMB – but that feeling didn’t apply to what we saw on the pitch last night.
Who knows what our board will do but there doesn’t seem to be any need to rush into appointing a new manager.
Well done Mark Hudson and his players.
Two games ago, and having averaged 1.1 points per game against sides largely in lower half of Championship, I was worried where we would be on 13/11/22 with fixtures between then and now largely against top half and even top 10 opposition.
An argument can be made that Burnley (returning internationals?) and Blackburn (back 5 to back 4 didn’t work for them) played below their best but we deserve credit for how we contributed to facing two under par performances by the opposition with excellent pressing and for 5 minute period Man City levels of ball control.
It wasn’t perfect. Sofascore says we gave up two big chances in second half (Dack through on goal and less than perfect defending set-piece leading to penalty?) and there was a moment where Harris put in ball to dangerous area but we had absolutely no one in the box, but we looked so much better than we had been so far with a number of half-chances created and a really well taken goal.
Harris has now scored 2 in 4 games and Robinson has 3 assists and 1 goal in same period of time – Watters must be livid having been dragged back from finding his feet in League 1 only to be played as lone striker ever since but we have a front two now who look dangerous. Robinson seems to be the brains and Harris the more natural finisher (his past issues have been offsides and not being able to work back into games if defenders have matched his energy and out-thought him) but together it works and I’m pleased for Harris, who they say is improving.
To give some credit to Ojo, he’s been trusted by Neil Harris and now Mark Hudson to play wide in different formations including a 4-4-2. He doesn’t offer enough end product but he clearly has something; O’Dowda is one I doubted when announced but have really enjoyed seeing what he offers and would now struggle to leave him out; Philogene-Bidace is yet to prove what he offers although he did have a very good game against Birmingham. Offensively, I still think we need much more from Sawyers who appears to be a luxury player when we’re not so good to be able to carry luxuries.
It’s much more pleasing watching highlights/reading reports when we win and play well. Morison will always deserve more credit than criticism for job he did, but Hudson appears a calmer individual and thus far results are picking up despite us not changing too much from progressive principles Morison wanted to bring in. Long may it continue.
P.S. funny to see Scott Johnson (View From The Ninian and occasionally Walesonline) question bringing in Joe Ledley as a coach having previously been positive about Bamba returning who is probably just as inexperienced just with better media profile. Will be interesting to see who Hudson brings in and what impact they have.
Thanks Paul.
Think you and other contributors have nailed it with comments and analysis.
Really enjoyable evening and so glad we got the 3 points we clearly deserved.
As on Saturday another late goal when we desperately needed it and pleased for Harris who always brings some energy to proceedings.
Have to pinch myself that this is our team playing the ball around so confidently. Some of the close control, skills and passing were very impressive.
Still a work in progress, but the whole experience of watching our team is so much more enjoyable now. Credit to Morrison for that bringing about that significant change and looks like Hudson will be given a chance to carry it on.
Thanks for your replies after what was a very satisfying win. Colin, I’m afraid I must agree about Sawyers – I was looking forward to seeing him more than any of our other signings, but, two good goals apart, he’s found it a struggle so far, mainly because he appears to have stamina and fitness issues (I appreciate he’s thirty one next month, but you’d think he was a fair bot older than that watching him this season).
DJ, I noticed Blackburn’s Xg figure was higher than ours, all of which makes me more doubting about them, because we were two goals (at least) better than them over the ninety minutes. I remember that Harris cross you mention – it was half cleared to Perry Ng who blasted it miles wide and high, but he was right to shoot because he was the best placed of our players, which is pretty shocking really when you consider that we had another striker, a winger and a couple of central midfielders who should have been sniffing out the chance of a goal. To be fair mind, it was a bit of an exception, I’ve just said in a messageboard post that, for all of the talk about a more attacking approach under Hudson, there was little sign of that against Burnley, but I’d say we did have a more positive mindset against Blackburn than you’d have expected from a Morison team and, on reflection, a horses for courses approach whereby, for example, we set up more for a counter attacking approach against teams with good possession stats may be a better idea than just treating every game the same.
Huw, I watch us, to a degree against Norwich, but definitely against Birmingham and Blackburn and the first half at Middlesbrough and think this team has the ability to do really well in this division with a but more confidence in front of goal, but I suppose the supporters of most of the sides around us in the tenth to eighteenth area have supporters who are thinking much the same. If it turns out that we end up not good enough to challenge for the top six, but able to stay clear of real trouble (as I suspect we might), then what could be a pretty boring season will be made better by the knowledge that every now and again I’ll be entertained by the way we play.