WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE BLUEBIRDS’ LATE RESCUE ACT
LATE LATE DRAMA THAT’S four points Cardiff City have rescued late into games already this season. Kenneth Zohore’s late winner at Burton, Danny Ward’s leveller at Craven Cottage and now Sol Bamba with virtually the last kick of the game to make it 1-1 against Sheffield Wednesday.
As the clock ticked past the 94th minute, Bamba’s late intervention came. It was from substitute Lee Tomlin’s free kick, which was parried away by Kieran Westwood only as far as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, whose square was bundled home by Bamba.
Was it deserved? Maybe not but ask any Cardiff fan celebrating this hard-earned point and they wont care much. It showed the Bluebirds are always willing to keep fighting under Warnock. POSSESSION IS 9/10 OF THE LAW PERHAPS it wasn’t a surprise to see Sheffield Wednesday dominate possesion. They came to South Wales with a compact midfield dynamic full of ball-players, with Bannan the most skillful of the lot. The fact Jacob Butterfield and Ross Wallace, proven performers at this level, can’t get into the Owls’ first choice midfield told its own story.
They boasted more than 60 per cent of the ball and were good value for their lead when it arrived through Gary Hooper’s header. It looked to have been enough to seal an excellent away victory.
The first half saw Cardiff chasing shadows and while the Bluebirds staged a recovery of sorts after the break, Carlos Carvalhal’s men exerted some impressive control over this game. That just isn’t Cardiff’s game under Warnock and for the most part, it showed. BRYSON BRIGHT, CARDIFF FLAT IT was as if Cardiff’s players had taken sleeping pills in the dressing room before the game. They were so sluggish, so lethargic and seemingly content to allow Wednesday to dictate the play in a flat first half, with Bannan seeing lots of the ball.
The only energy in the opening 45 minutes came from the travelling Owls fans and Craig Bryson. The on-loan Derby midfielder, making his first Cardiff start, was everywhere. The Bluebirds’ attacking potency would have amounted to zero without him, with Zohore subdued and the wingers unable to influence the game.
The Scot, wearing the No.21 and a pair of emulsion-white boots, stood out a mile. He looked a very adequate replacement for Loic Damour and will surely prove to be a canny acquisition from Warnock.
But even he couldn’t prevent Wednesday forging ahead on 39 minutes when Adam Reach’s energy caught the Bluebirds’ defence flatfooted. ZOHORE’S DROUGHT CONTINUES DESPITE pressure from Danny Ward, Warnock kept faith with his kingpin striker Zohore after a couple of quiet performances.
Yet the performance here suggested the gaffer might have got it wrong. Zohore cut an isolated figure as Joost van Aken got the better of him for most of the afternoon.
The frontman started better after the break though, finding space down the left and squaring across only for Bryson to take the ball with his back to goal. Minutes later, he was on his bike to chase a lofted Bryson ball, but ruled offside.
The Canton End, perhaps noting Zohore’s frustration, quickly serenaded their striking hero with songs. It didn’t work this time though and Warnock’s decision to replace Zohore with Ward 10 minutes from time was understandable. WEDNESDAY ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH AFTER leading Sheffield Wednesday to unsuccessful play-off bids in successive years, Carlos Carvalhal’s hunger must have been tested. Would he stay in the job? And if he did, would the Owls prove as consistent for a third year on the bounce?
There was an early wobble at the start of this season, but back-toback wins over Nottingham Forest and Brentford in the past week proved Wednesday will be in the mix once again.