WHY IT’S TIME FOR ZOHORE AND TOMLIN TO SHINE
WITH more than a third of the season gone and a 14-day international break in which to reflect, Neil Warnock is planning the next stage of his Cardiff City revolution.
It started with rescuing the Bluebirds from relegation last time out, continued with a busy summer in the transfer window and has seen Warnock’s men move to third in the table after 16 matches.
The Bluebirds don’t play again until November 18 when Brentford come to the Welsh capital, plenty of time for Warnock to ponder further over Omar Bogle’s red card at Bristol City and how he can keep the Bluebirds up around the top going into Christmas and beyond.
The real ace in the pack, Warnock must know deep down, is the Kenneth Zohore-Lee Tomlin forward partnership we have seen far too little of thus far. In fact, it’s been next to nothing.
We know how hard-working, resilient and difficult to beat Warnock’s Cardiff are, aided further by fliers Junior Hoilett and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing down the flanks.
But ultimately it will be the goals and creativity supplied by Zohore and Tomlin which can make the difference between the Premier League or not in the remaining twothirds of the campaign.
And that is why, Bristol City defeat notwithstanding, these Bluebirds are in a fantastic place right at this moment in time.
Bogle’s moment of madness and Bristol City defeat shouldn’t mask Cardiff City’s progress under Warnock
Under Warnock they have soared from rock bottom a year ago to third place in November 2017 – and Zohore and Tomlin, the dream partnership, haven’t even got going yet.
Neither individually, nor together as a pair. Imagine what can happen when they do.
Of the many new signings Warnock made in the summer, it was the capture of Tomlin from Severnside rivals Bristol City that excited most.
Excited the fans, excited the Welsh media, excited the manager. Warnock even made an analogy with Adel Taarabt, the free spirit, mercurial No. 10 playmaker behind the 2011 Championship title triumph of his Queens Park Rangers team.
Tomlin was going to provide the ammunition for Zohore to fire the goals. Their mix of power, pace (provided by Zohore), football artistry (Tomlin) and lethal shooting (the two of them) was ready to light up Cardiff City Stadium.
Yet these are the facts. Zohore and Tomlin have featured together only four times thus far, and started as a pairing just twice.
Cardiff won those two games, by the way. An opening-day victory versus Burton, when they had 65 minutes together, followed by a 2-0 home triumph over Sheffield United, when the two men had 69 minutes before Tomlin was again substituted.
There were 17 minutes together at the end of a 3-0 loss to Preston and a further 21 minutes in a 0-0 draw with Derby.
Circumstance has deprived them of any further action as a pairing to build up an understanding, but once this international break is over Warnock should be in a position to pick his ‘dream team.’
The manager admitted post-Bristol City that Tomlin’s mind has not been right – ‘confused’ was the word he used – as a result of his well-publicised court case.
With that over and done with, Tomlin will be hoping for a proper run in the starting XI that so many Cardiff fans covet. He needs games to build up his fitness and match-sharpness.
While Tomlin has flitted in and out of the side for the last three games, Millwall, Ipswich and Bristol City, Zohore has been missing through injury.
So frustrating, because after netting in the opening-day win over Burton, then ending an eight-game scoreless streak with two in a hugely impressive victory over Leeds, Zohore appeared ready to go on a goal run.
Again, however, that ankle problem that has hindered him should be resolved by the time Brentford arrive in Cardiff in a couple of weeks.
So there is reason to look forward to that game with real optimism. The proper start, if you like, of the Zohore-Tomlin link-up.
With their completely different styles of play, there is no doubt those two can be good for one another.
Zohore will relish Tomlin’s ability to spot and execute a defence-splitting pass.
Tomlin will love the prospect of creating for Zohore, and chipping in with a few goals of his own. He hasn’t bagged one yet.
They may have dipped from second to third after Ashton Gate on Saturday, but Cardiff still have so much going for them.
Zohore and Tomlin together are the ones who can take it to the next level.
Time to see them, don’t you think?