WARNOCK HAS SOME CHOICES TO MAKE FOR CUP REPLAY
NEIL Warnock was keen to indicate how Cardiff City’s FA Cup stalemate with Mansfield Town had been a useful exercise, despite the Bluebirds failing to see off lower league opposition.
The 0-0 draw was frustrating for many, with the Bluebirds now facing a replay that disrupts their league plans, but that’s not to say there weren’t positives to take from it.
At the same time, some players didn’t advance their cause for a regular place.
Cardiff almost nicked it in the last second in what would have been a Krystian Pearce own goal, while Rhys Healey had a trio of chances to send the Bluebirds into the fourth round.
As it is, Warnock’s men face a mid-January replay, but which players won the chance to feature more regularly and which ones might find themselves on the fringes for the next few games?
WHO’S UP? JAZZ RICHARDS
The Welshman was surprisingly sprightly against Mansfield given it was his first appearance since hobbling off on September 26 against Sunderland with an ankle injury that would later require surgery.
With Lee Peltier and Matthew Connolly the latest Bluebirds casualties, Richards gave Warnock (and those worried about the rightback position) a real boost with an assertive and energetic display.
Richards stampeded forward to offer help on the overlap, used his considerable pace to thwart the Stags’ counter-attack at the other end. His was an entirely refreshing performance that offers hope for the coming weeks. The 26-year-old looks the most obvious option to play on the right side of defence against Sunderland next week.
BRIAN MURPHY
The slow-paced first half meant the Irishman — playing back-to-back Cardiff games after featuring against Queens Park Rangers on New Year’s Day — was rarely troubled.
Yet Mansfield grew in confidence after the break with striker Lee Angol and midfielder Alfie Potter enjoying efforts at goal. Murphy smothered superbly to keep it at 0-0 and later
showed a safe pair of hands to gather from a goalmouth scramble.
Will Warnock stick with him for the Sunderland clash in a week’s time? On this showing and a decent outing at Loftus Road last week, it seems he will. Food for thought for out-offavour Neil Etheridge, but Murphy is as reliable a back-up option as you could wish for in the Championship.
LEE TOMLIN
Opinion remains divided on how much effect the talented Tomlin can have on the Bluebirds charge for promotion in 2018.
But the weaker nature of the opposition meant the ex-Bristol City star had the freedom of Cardiff City Stadium at times — and he sure showed what he can do.
There were some errant touches and a couple of frustrating moments, but Cardiff at least fed the ball into Tomlin’s feet for him to orchestrate events in the pocket behind Mansfield’s midfield.
He hit a pile-driver that was well saved by Stags’ keeper Conrad Logan in the second half and was, by some distance, the most skillful player on display.
The question for Warnock after a performance like this is: can Tomlin do the business against stronger opposition?
WHO’S DOWN? GREG HALFORD
Halford has been ushered in from the cold a couple of times this season, usually as injury cover — and he manfully stepped up to form a makeshift midfield alongside Callum Paterson against Mansfield. Joe Ralls was suffering from flu while Loic Damour was in desperate need of a rest.
But yet again Halford looked a fish out of water in the position, even being out-passed by the League Two midfield.
With Paterson a slightly more effective and physical presence, it was a relief when Halford stepped back into defence — where he appears more comfortable — following Sean Morrison’s withdrawal on 74 minutes.
It merely highlighted the need for Cardiff to sign a dominant central midfielder who is ready for the first team. Halford has limitations and the Mansfield game showed why Warnock sees him as a squad player.
NATHANIEL MENDEZ-LAING
From the most explosive start to a season you could wish for... to this. If anyone’s form has reflected the peaks and troughs of Cardiff City’s season it has been Mendez-Laing’s. From the sublime to the mediocre.
He looked virtually unstoppable in those opening games, his lightning pace frightening defenders to death. The precision of his end product was paying dividends with goals and assists in abundance.
And while the 25-year-old hasn’t become a bad player in the last month or so (remember he was the Championship’s player of the month for August), he’s just not hitting those heights anymore.
A rest might have advised given the injury he’s had, but instead Warnock opted to give his kingpin winger a chance to restore confidence. But it didn’t happen, as Mendez-Laing ran into blind channels and couldn’t stretch the solid Stags back line.
The bare-faced facts are that he hasn’t scored since Cardiff’s 2-1 win over Wolves on August 19 and his last assist came in the Halloween win against Ipswich. A problem that needs solving.