RIFT? WHAT RIFT?
Cardiff keep the faith as they rock West Ham
WELL, this was one way to quell any rumours of a rift inside the Cardiff City dressing room.
Former Bluebirds Nathan Blake and Danny Gabbidon had both claimed players were losing faith in Neil Warnock following three defeats which had left them in the drop zone.
Warnock said it was rubbish and so did this display. Cardiff were full of positivity from start to finish in the Welsh capital while West Ham, to be frank, were pathetic.
Warnock was asked about his critics afterwards. ‘That’s the only way you can answer them,’ he said with that same old smile on his face. ‘You don’t get a performance like that with a split camp.
‘The lads were talking about it. We were asking them to stand up. “Will you stand up please you rifters?” But nobody stood up. It was probably the biggest win of the season.’
Only one team ever looked like winning this and it was not the side knocking on the door of the top eight. Manuel Pellegrini had a face like thunder throughout.
Cardiff went into this having suffered three successive league defeats by an aggregate score of 10-1. They had led at half-time only once in their 29 games this season. Yet Junior Hoilett opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Victor Camarasa completed the scoreline in the 52nd. If Oumar Niasse could finish, Cardiff would have had at least five.
The only downside for Warnock was relegation rivals Newcastle and Southampton won elsewhere. Even so, this keeps them in the fight for survival.
‘You want them all to lose when you’re in our situation,’ Warnock said. ‘I think our result will have surprised a few as well.’ According to club insiders, West Ham are set to travel to Shanghai this summer to take par tina pre-season tournament along with Manchester City, Newcastle and Wolves.
It means Marko Arnautovic, benched again by Pellegrini, will not have to go far for his medical should he secure his lucrative Chinese Super League move.
Javier Hernandez started as a lone striker instead but West Ham’s presence in the final third was non-existent. It was all Cardiff, who realised the significance of this result.
They took the lead inside four minutes when Aaron Cresswell was sucked out of position and Camarasa played Josh Murphy into the vacant space. Murphy crossed from the right wing and Hoilett, unmarked, tapped in from four yards out.
The wind was wreaking havoc but not even Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would be able to blame the blustery conditions had his side conceded this opener. The defending was dire.
Niasse had several chances to make it 2-0 but made a mess of things.
Before the break Hernandez was booked for diving when he attempted to win a penalty under pressure from Cardiff defender Bruno Ecuele Manga.
Television replays showed the Mexican was right to hang his head in shame. West Ham’s first shot of the match arrived in the 40th minute and it summed up their performance thus far.
Mark Noble took aim from close to 50 yards — yes, really — but it was never on target.
After a pitiful first half Pellegrini replaced Felipe Anderson with Arnautovic. In the 52nd minute, though, Cardiff took a 2-0 lead.
An awful attempt at a back pass by Ryan Fredericks left Hoilett with possession on the left wing. He crossed to find Murphy, whose header gave Camarasa a tap-in.
This fixture should have been killed off long before the end. First Niasse failed to beat Fabianski from a one on one when he tripped himself up and scuffed a shot.
Then West Ham goalkeeper stopped Niasse from scoring a tap-in before rising to his feet to deny Camarasa on the rebound. Both were superb saves.
England hopeful Declan Rice had a go from 25 yards and, to his credit, hit the post, but that was the closest the Hammers came to scoring all evening.
Cardiff got the win they worked so hard for. West Ham likewise left with what they deserved.
CARDIFF CITY (4-2-3-1): Etheridge 7.5; Peltier 7, Morrison 7, Manga 7.5, Bennett 7 (Bacuna 62min, 6); Gunnarsson 7, Arter 7 (Paterson 84); Hoilett 8, Camarasa 8.5 (Ralls 68, 6), Murphy 8; Niasse 6. Booked: Morrison, Arter. Subs (not used): Smithies, Zohore, Reid, Harris.
WEST HAM ( 4-1- 4-1): Fabianski 6; Fredericks 5, Diop 5, Ogbonna 5, Cresswell 4; Rice 5.5; Snodgrass 4.5, Noble 4.5 (Nasri 58, 6), Lanzini 4.5 (Antonio 58, 6), Anderson 4 (Arnautovic 45, 6); Hernandez 4.5. Booked: Hernandez. Subs (not used): Adrian, Balbuena, Obiang, Masuaku.
Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire) 6.