CITY’S BIG SELECTION DILEMMAS
NEIL Warnock has wasted no time in bolstering his Cardiff City squad ahead of the Bluebirds’ first season in the Premier League since the 2013-14 campaign.
The Yorkshireman has already secured the services of winger Josh Murphy, full-back Greg Cunningham, attacker Bobby Reid and goalkeeper Alex Smithies.
And he’ll no doubt be hoping strengthen even further over the coming weeks as he prepares for Cardiff’s opening game of the league season against Bournemouth on August 11.
But even before his players have returned for pre-season training, Warnock has a number of selection headaches ahead of him.
Here’s a closer look at the key battles he’ll have to solve for the Bluebirds’ clash with the Cherries...
Neil Etheridge v Alex Smithies
Etheridge enjoyed a magnificent debut campaign with the Bluebirds, keeping 19 clean sheets in the league as Cardiff gained promotion from the Championship.
And he was rewarded for an impressive first season at the club with a new contract last week.
But the Bluebirds forked out to bring in Smithies from Warnock’s former club Queens Park Rangers, and given that Etheridge is set to be away on international duty with the Philippines at the Asian Cup in the New Year, Cardiff’s new recruit will certainly get the chance to impress at some point, even if it does transpire that he starts the season as the No.2.
You feel that after having such an impact in his first campaign in the Welsh capital, Etheridge will continue as the No.1 next term, although he’s set to be pushed all the way by Smithies who made 44 appearances in all competitions for QPR last season.
It certainly seems a far cry from Warnock’s debut season in South Wales, a campaign in which the Bluebirds used no fewer than five different men between the sticks. Our verdict: Etheridge
Joe Bennett v Greg Cunningham
This one is arguably the toughest of the lot.
Bennett was virtually a mainstay at left-back for the Bluebirds last term, although given Warnock’s admission following the capture of Cunningham that Bennett was previously the only naturally left-footed player in the Cardiff squad, it should probably come as no surprise.
But what the signing of Cunningham from Preston has done is given Warnock another option on the left, with the pair being able to operate as out-andout left-backs or even pushing up further as wing-backs.
Injuries hampered Cunningham last term, and he will be hoping his troubles are behind him ahead of his debut campaign at Cardiff City Stadium while Bennett himself will be aiming to stave off the challenge of the Bluebirds’ new recruit to retain his place in the starting XI.
It’s a really tough call. And it really could go either way. Our verdict: Bennett
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing v Josh Murphy
Few could have foreseen the stunning impact made by Mendez-Laing in the opening month of the 2017-18 campaign when the winger signed on a Bosman deal last summer.
And while the former Rochdale man struggled to find top form over the festive period, as many others did, he continued to prove his worth in the latter stages of the season with a string of important attacking displays.
But there’s some serious competition on the flanks now, with Murphy coming in from Norwich City for £11m.
You’d expect Junior Hoilett to get the nod on one side, with the Canadian recently signing a new deal to remain in the Welsh capital until the summer of 2021.
But it looks set to be a straight battle between Mendez-Laing and Murphy for a place on the opposite wing.
Murphy scored 11 goals in all competitions for a poor Norwich side last term while the 23-yearold also has experience of Premier League football with the Canaries.
And ultimately - while the pair are both likely to get plenty of game time by being rotated when required - Murphy could well just have the edge.
Another very tough call. Our verdict: Murphy
Other selection headaches to come?
As mentioned, Warnock is still eyeing up further deals to ensure his squad are in the best shape ahead of the new season.
And with Cardiff still awaiting the contract decision of Aron Gunnarsson, there could well be a major selection dilemma in the centre of the park given that the Bluebirds have held talks with Liverpool over a potential season-long loan move for Marko Grujic.
Throw Callum Paterson, Joe Ralls and Loic Damour into the mix and you really get the sense that Warnock is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the upcoming campaign.
There could be a big decision to make at right-back, with Lee Peltier and Jazz Richards likely to battle it out for that spot.
And while Kenneth Zohore is undoubtedly the first choice of the strikers currently in the squad, the likes of Danny Ward and Gary Madine will no doubt be banging on the door for starts while there’s also Bobby Reid to factor in.
Best of luck, Mr Warnock.