GOING TO BIG CHANCE
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recent weeks, the team’s defence has been superb.
A clean sheet against Leeds is no mean feat, while conceding only one against another top-six rival in Preston away from home is not to be sniffed at either.
Sean Morrison was superb at Deepdale, so too was Curtis Nelson, who has been the breakthrough star of the season for many.
Dion Sanderson, still the shiny new toy, has also rightly garnered lots of praise for his performances since joining from Wolves on deadline day back in January.
But across the other side of the backline, there has been a lift in performances.
It has felt like a real slog for Joe Bennett this year. He has been picked every single match he has been available, which, in the Championship, is an arduous and tiresome task.
It looked as though he was running on fumes back in January, no doubt the reasoning behind Neil Harris signing Brad Smith on loan from Bournemouth.
But while we thought the Australia international would ease the burden on Bennett, step in and take some of the slack, it has served only to ignite the fire in the left-back’s stomach.
Tom Barkhuizen started well for the hosts at Deepdale and Bennett also gifted a sloppy pass early on which set up a Preston chance.
But the defender grew into the game and reasserted himself on the left flank.
We have not seen him at his marauding best going forward as often as we would have liked this term, but since Smith was recruited it’s fair to say Bennett has stepped up his game to another level.
WHY CARDIFF CITY’S SQUAD DEPTH PLAYS TO THEIR STRENGTHS
There are still seven games to go, of course, but with each passing fixture, there is a growing feeling that the Bluebirds squad depth has a big part to play.
For Harris to have the luxury of calling upon Tomlin, Glatzel, Mendez-Laing
and Marlon Pack is invaluable, while the likes of Neil Etheridge, Aden Flint and Danny Ward wait patiently on the bench.
Sol Bamba didn’t even make the trip.
It speaks volumes about the quality, and depth of it, within this squad and you just feel that will be vital when the season hits crunch point.
“We showed good character after Preston equalised to go and win the game ourselves,” said Joe Ralls, the scorer of Cardiff’s first goal against Preston.
“To a man, subs included, it was a really good team performance and a great way to keep building on the win over Leeds.
“We’ve got such a good squad and the lads on the pitch give absolutely everything.
“If you do run out of gas, you know the boys can come on to replace you.
“We’re going to need everyone in the squad for the rest of the season, so hopefully that continues.”
ARE WE FINALLY SEEING A
CHANGE IN STYLE?
This Cardiff City side just seem to be so flexible and it is bearing fruit at the moment.
They are lauded for just how comfortable they are without possession, but against Preston they showed a maturity and composure, in horrendous conditions, with the lion’s share of possession, which is a rarity for this side.
Under Neil Warnock, it’s fair to say the style of football was far more direct than under Harris.
The midfield have a far more pronounced role with the ball under the incumbent manager and the likes of Will Vaulks, Leandro Bacuna, Pack and Ralls have all played their parts and adjusted their games accordingly.
It’s not Barcelona football – no-one expected it to be – but it could mean that we are finally seeing that little evolution in the brand of football being played.
Possession was equal between the two sides at Deepdale, which hasn’t happened too often this season, and the manner in which Cardiff used the ball certainly pleased the manager.
“We are trying to adjust,” Harris said after the match.
“I’m really pleased about some of our passing moves and the way we moved the ball.
“Some of our play was outstanding and it got us into some really good areas.
“Did we quite have that killer instinct in the final third? Maybe we did in the last half-hour, but that’s testament to Preston’s defensive stability as well.
“I was really pleased with the way we played.”
PATRICK Bamford, Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison sent Leeds United top of the Championship with a 3-0 win over promotion rivals Fulham.
Brentford’s 1-0 win over West Brom on Friday night paved the way for Leeds to move top, and the Whites fired back to form after last Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Cardiff.
Wayne Rooney’s penalty proved the difference as Derby beat Reading 2-1 to boost their play-off hopes.
Tom Lawrence opened the scoring for the hosts but was sent off after the final whistle, with Reading’s Matt Miazga also dismissed as the pair clashed at the death.
Andy Rinomhota headed Reading back into the fight just past the hour, but Derby held out to make it two wins in two since the restart.
Ashley Fletcher and Marcus Tavernier handed Neil Warnock the dream Middlesbrough start as the Teessiders won 2-0 at Stoke.
Warnock replaced Jonathan Woodgate at the Riverside Stadium helm in midweek, and this immediate victory will boost his new side’s survival fight.
Stoke had Nick Powell sent off late on, in a frustrating day for the Potters.
Darren Pratley’s 12th-minute header proved enough for Charlton to boost their survival hopes with a vital home win over QPR.
Barnsley slipped to the foot of the table with a goalless draw at home to Millwall, failing to capitalise on their 1-0 win at QPR.
ARSENAL reached their first domestic semi-final of the post-Arsene Wenger era as Sheffield United’s slump continued in the FA Cup with a 2-1 away win at Bramall Lane.
Prior to the curtailment of football due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Blades may have been favourites to progress but they have been surprisingly poor since the resumption, now losing three of their four matches in all competitions.
Nicolas Pepe’s first-half penalty looked like it would be all that separated the sides but late drama saw David McGoldrick equalise, before substitute Dani Ceballos won it for the Gunners in injury time.
It saw Arsenal make a domestic cup semi-final for the first time since Wenger left the club in 2018 and keeps alive arguably the Gunners’ best chance of European football next season, with their Premier League form suffering.
For Chris Wilder’s men, their campaign is threatening to fizzle out following much promise before the lockdown.
Ross Barkley sent Chelsea into the semi-finals after a deserved 1-0 win at Leicester.
The midfielder came off the bench to keep the Blues’ hopes of a ninth FA Cup triumph alive.
Barkley maintained his cup form for Chelsea, having netted in previous rounds against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
Leicester lost their first-half
Gary Gardner rescued Birmingham a point by striking his second goal in a 3-3 draw with Hull at St Andrews.
Daniel Crowley also found the net for the Blues, but Josh Magennis, James Scott and Kane ensured Hull stole a share of the spoils.
Lee Evans’ first goal since the season’s opening day teed up Wigan’s 2-0 win over Blackburn.
The Wales midfielder broke a 25-match drought dating back to Wigan’s 3-2 win over Cardiff on August 3, firing into the roof of the net with 10 minutes to play.
And at the death Michael Jacobs blasted home to seal the home side’s victory.
Lewis Grabban scored twice to help Sabri Lamouchi celebrate a year in charge of Nottingham Forest with a comfortable 3-1 win over sorry Huddersfield.
Grabban scored two minutes before half-time and again within a minute of the restart to put Forest in control as he took his tally for the season to 19 goals.
Ryan Yates’ late finish put the seal on a win that lifted Lamouchi’s side into fourth place in the Championship
Huddersfield finished the game with 10 men following Juninho Bacuna’s 89th-minute red card, with Karlan Grant’s 96th-minute penalty scant consolation.
A goal in each half from Connor Wickham and Massimo Luongo gave Sheffield Wednesday a deserved 2-1 Championship win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Nakhi Wells replied. threat and their dreams of a maiden FA Cup triumph were ended for another year.
Brendan Rodgers’ men, third in the Premier League but just a point above Chelsea, can console themselves with a fight for Champions League qualification, but they will also be looking over their shoulders at in-form Wolves, who are now just three points behind them in fifth.
Meanwhile, Watford remain in Premier League relegation danger after they were beaten 3-1 at home by Southampton.
Danny Ings curled home the opener from 20 yards, then fired home his second after making the most of a poor throw from home keeper Ben Foster.
Watford did score when Jan Bednarek turned a cross into his own net, but any hope of a comeback ended when James Ward-Prowse powered home a free-kick.
Birthday boy Kevin De Bruyne set Manchester City on the road to the FA Cup semi-finals from the penalty spot as the holders cruised past Newcastle at St James’ Park.
The 29-year-old’s first-half spot-kick gave the visitors the lead, if not one their dominance deserved, at the break and minutes after substitute Dwight Gayle had been guilty of a glaring miss when presented with an opportunity to level, Raheem Sterling made it 2-0 in the 68th minute.