Bluebirds are go!
How did Cardiff City’s new recruits fare in their first outing?
NEIL ETHERIDGE it was a very quiet debut for the Philippines international, rarely called into duty as the Bluebirds dominated possession and pinned Taffs Well back.
The former Walsall goalkeeper got 65 minutes under his belt on Cardiff debut, before being replaced by young gloveman Oliver Byrne.
There was the odd flutter for Etheridge though, notably in the first half when he narrowly avoided a mix-up with Sean Morrison and later in the same period when he calmly collected following a goalmouth scramble.
The 27-year-old’s distribution was solid too and he looked an imposing figure in the Cardiff goal.
Bluebirds fans will have to wait before seeing Etheridge’s goalkeeping rival Lee Camp in action, as the battle for the No.1 jersey is sure to hot up over the next few weeks. LOIC DAMOUR Eyebrows were raised when Cardiff unveiled the signing of the unknown Frenchman, previously of Ligue 2 outfit Bourg en-Bresse.
Bluebirds fans weren’t sure whether Damour was one for the first-team or signed simply for midfield cover, following the departures of Peter Whittingham, Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi.
But the 26-year-old registered a very tidy performance against Taffs Well, partnering Joe Ralls in midfield as Warnock fielded a 4-4-2 in the first half. Damour looked comfortable in possession and was willing to step forward and support the strikers in his box-to-box role.
He’s also a fair physical presence in the middle of the park and used his strength to shield and take down the ball, then laying off a simple pass to a teammate. A promising start for the Frenchman. NATHANIEL MENDEZ-LAING Former Rochdale winger MendezLaing is another physically imposing player and his great strength seems to be holding up the ball, whether used in a wide or central role.
Pilkington’s injury meant ‘Mendez’, as he is known by teammates, switched to centre forward in support of fellow new boy Ward. And, as with Damour, there were promising signs. The 25-year-old expertly found space and worked a couple of good shooting opportunities, without applying the finish.
Mendez-Laing’s record at Rochdale last season, when he scored 10 times from the wing, suggests he’s a goal threat and that was borne out, albeit against Taffs Well.
If he can find his shooting boots, he could contribute a few useful goals to the Bluebirds’ cause. DANNY WARD Yet another bright outing for a debutant as Ward led the Cardiff line for the first 45 minutes.
After being signed for a fee believed to be in the region of £1.6million, Ward will shoulder share responsibility for goals with Kenneth Zohore when the season gets going. That’s why he was brought from Warnock’s former club Rotherham after netting 12 times last term. And while he was feeding off scraps as the Bluebirds failed to break down the Wellmen, his pace and poacher’s instincts were clear to see. Ward could be a genuine alternative to Zohore up front if and when he clicks into gear.