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Bluebirds out of bottom three with late win:
CARDIFF City’s fabulous win at Southampton has changed the Premier League relegation landscape after they climbed out of the bottom three.
It was also another emotional occasion, with 3,000 brilliant Bluebirds fans roaring on the team throughout and paying tribute to Emiliano Sala.
On and off the pitch, this game perhaps threw up more talking points than any other fixture Cardiff have played this season.
Here we analyse a few of them...
HISTORY-MAKERS
YOU have to go way back to April 23, 1962 for the last time the Bluebirds won back-to-back top-flight games.
Fully 57 years ago, a Cardiff team managed by Bill Jones thumped West Ham 3-0 at Ninian Park in the old First Division to follow a 3-2 home triumph over Birmingham two days earlier.
The closest the original Cardiff Premier League class came to matching the feat was when Malky Mackay’s men beat Manchester City 3-2 and then drew 0-0 with Everton, while under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a 1-0 win at Southampton was followed by a 1-1 home draw with Stoke. Other victories were followed by defeat.
So Neil Warnock’s aces pencilled their name into history by beating Southampton 2-1 a week after the 2-0 triumph over Bournemouth.
If they make it three against Watford, who are next up, we’ll need to trawl back into the record books again.
Mind, the Class of 1961-62 lost their next game 8-3 to Everton! Let’s hope there’s no repeat of that.
SOUTHAMPTON PLANE GESTURES AND THE BRILLIANT BLUEBIRDS FANS
THERE was an unsavoury ending to the memorable afternoon when it emerged two Southampton fans had their details taken by Hampshire police for making plane gestures towards the 3,000 visiting supporters.
The actions of this extremely minuscule minority should not detract from the way the rest of a 31,438 crowd dealt with the Sala tragedy.
Southampton’s fans observed the pre-match minute’s silence beautifully and 28,000-plus of them were hugely respectful. As for the Blue Army of Cardiff fans, once the action got under way they chanted Sala’s name throughout – and were still singing a ‘Song for Sala’ way after the final whistle had gone, too.
The visiting supporters behind the goal were so loud at times it seemed like we were inside Cardiff City Stadium.
The incredible support, home and away, is a key reason behind these Bluebirds players punching above their weight.
THE BIG MAN IS BACK – AND BENCH POWER
KENNETH Zohore mouthed ‘I’m back’ in front of the Cardiff fans, more than a year of stop-start frustration pouring out.
Many Cardiff fans have prematurely written off Zohore, mainly because of a perceived lack of work ethic. Others feel he is the man to fire the goals to rescue the team from relegation.
Even Warnock seems to fall between the two stools. On the one hand, he chose not to pursue a record deal for Brazilian striker Wesley Moraes of Club Brugge because he wasn’t convinced he was any better than Zohore at his best.
On the other, when asked if Zohore could kick on from here, Warnock’s reply was: “He’s got to get in the team first.”
Warnock has been exasperated at having to press Callum Paterson into emergency centre-forward duty this season, when it is a role ready-made for Zohore.
Fully fit and firing, the big man has everything. Pace, presence, power, ability to run in behind defenders and a knack of scoring goals.
Let’s hope his ‘I’m back’ assertion really does prove to be the case.
THE MUCH-CHANGED RELEGATION PICTURE (BRIGHTON IN THE MIX)
DEFEAT at Southampton would have opened up a five-point gap between the teams.
Instead, Cardiff have leapfrogged their rivals who suddenly look the ones in trouble.
Assuming Huddersfield and Fulham will go, it’s looking increasingly likely six clubs are battling to avoid the final relegation spot.
They have to include Brighton, whose home defeat to Burnley – another in trouble – means they are sucked into it.
Anyone from Crystal Palace in 13th spot, just two points above Cardiff, can still fall downwards.
So it’s between Palace, Brighton, Burnley, Cardiff, Newcastle and Southampton.
It’ll go to the wire.
Take your pick.