‘Unfinished business’ for Cardiff – Morrison
HEADING into tonight’s crucial Championship clash with Derby County, Cardiff skipper Sean Morrison insists the Bluebirds have ‘unfinished business’ as they look to return to the Premier League.
Cardiff go into the game in sixth place in the table, holding onto the final play-off spot by a point from rivals Swansea, who head to Nottingham Forest tomorrow evening.
Had it not been for Pablo Hernandez’ last-minute goal at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday which saw Leeds beat the Swans 1-0, the Welsh clubs would have swapped places going into the midweek round of fixtures.
Morrison has always said that experience can be vital at this stage of the season in having the likes of himself, Sol Bamba, Joe Ralls, all of whom won promotion two years ago, bringing a know-how that money can’t buy.
But the skipper believes that the club, given its size and ambitious hierarchy, belong in the top flight and should be aiming to stay there for years to come.
Personally, and as a club, Morrison believes there is unfinished business to tend to.
“Cardiff City have been in the Premier League twice in the last few seasons, bouncing straight back down to the Championship,” Morrison said.
“The club in general has unfinished business. A club of its size, with the fanbase it has, the facilities, the ground, the stadium is fantastic. It is a club that has potential to be a solid Premier League club and stay in there for more than a season.
“The owners know that, the players know that and people involved with Cardiff know that.
“So, yeah, unfinished business from a personal point of view, but the club in general definitely has.”
Cardiff boss Neil Harris, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on Sunday while keeping a close eye on the allimportant results, insists he and his squad are ready for the pressure over the final weeks of the season.
“This is why I came to Cardiff City,” Harris said.
“This is why it was such an appealing job, because I wanted to be a football manager at a successful club at the right end of the division trying to get into the Premier League.
“We have had to work extremely hard to get into the position we are.
“We had a disappointing 72 hours, which has not damaged us a huge deal at the moment. We have got a chance now to get back on track, that’s the clear message to everybody.
“We are also in the position we are in because of the seven-game unbeaten run we had and the points we picked up in that period. Now, we have to get back on an unbeaten run and that starts against Derby.”
THE play-off race is reaching boiling point. With just three rounds of fixtures to be played, there are arguably seven teams all fighting for that sixth spot.
Cardiff City hold on to that last play-off spot ahead of tonight’s game with Derby, with South Wales rivals Swansea just a point behind having lost to Leeds United on Sunday.
But there is still very much everything to play for and every team will fancy their chances to break into that top six in the coming 10 days.
There is also the small matter of automatic promotion to contend with, too, with West Brom, in second, currently sitting just three points above Brentford.
So, with that in mind, we have decided to look at the key fixtures from each round of games remaining, predict the results and see how the final table might look if all predictions come true.
JULY 14/15/16
Key fixtures and predicted results West Brom 2-1 Fulham Millwall 2-2 Blackburn Rovers Cardiff City 1-0 Derby County Bristol City 2-0 Stoke City Brentford 3-1 Preston Nottingham Forest 1-1 Swansea City Leeds United 4-0 Barnsley
SOME really tasty fixtures in this one with some big ramifications for the play-off race.
For the Welsh clubs, Cardiff, by and large, have been tremendous at home this season, barring that blip against Blackburn Rovers last week. It’ll be a tough task, but if their defence is restored to how good it has been all season, a narrow win looks on the cards.
Travelling to the City Ground will be a difficult one for the Swans, especially after the Leeds defeat, but they always look like they can score, with Rhian Brewster on fire of late. Expect both teams to score in this one, so most likely outcome a draw.
Elsewhere, that crucial battle for third place. Fulham are in excellent form, but West Brom are formidable at The Hawthorns, expect them just to nick it.
Brentford have been banging goals in for fun of late, so Preston’s defence will have an almighty task on their hands this week, while one would expect a resurgent Bristol City to overcome Stoke City at Ashton Gate.
Blackburn and Millwall are likely to be throwing the kitchen sink at the last few games, so a high-scoring affair might await at The Den.
JULY 17/18/19
Key fixtures and predicted results Huddersfield 1-2 West Brom Stoke City 1-1 Brentford
QPR 1-2 Millwall
Middlesbrough 2-2 Cardiff City Fulham 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday Preston 3-1 Birmingham City Swansea City 2-1 Bristol City Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Reading Derby County 2-3 Leeds United Barnsley 1-3 Nottingham Forest
SWANSEA will back themselves at home to beat Bristol City and that could well be the case. Steve Cooper’s men will look to close the
gap once again on the Bluebirds, who, up against their former manager Neil Warnock, will likely face an incredibly tough test up at the Riverside.
A two-point gain there for the Swans, it would seem.
Elsewhere, expect Preston to bounce back to winning ways immediately at home to Birmingham City, so, too, Blackburn, against mid-table Reading.
One can probably predict a goal-fest at
Pride Park between Derby County and Leeds United, with the latter perhaps marginally shading it, potentially putting paid to the Rams’ play-off hopes.
Nottingham Forest and Fulham will pick up a couple of comfortable wins, one would think, while Millwall are certainly fancied to come out on top in their London derby against QPR.
Stoke will prove a difficult and a very stern obstacle for Brentford to overcome away from home, so a draw might well be a good shout there.
JULY 22
Key fixtures and predicted results Wigan 0-1 Fulham
Luton Town 1-1 Blackburn Rovers Reading 0-3 Swansea City Cardiff City 1-0 Hull City Leeds United 3-1 Charlton Brentford 4-0 Barnsley Nottingham Forest 2-2 Stoke City Millwall 2-1 Huddersfield Bristol City 2-2 Preston Birmingham City 1-2 Derby County West Brom 2-0 QPR
SO, the final night of the season.
Let’s not forget that momentum will play a huge part going into these fixtures and there will still be many sides with a lot to play for.
Swansea will do all they can to ensure Cardiff have to win their final fixture, so expect them to put in a rip-roaring display at the Madejski Stadium.
It will likely be a tetchy affair for the Bluebirds at Cardiff City Stadium, but they will be mightily disappointed if they don’t earn a win over relegation strugglers Hull City in their own back yard.
Fulham could edge it against Wigan, that’s for sure, but the Baggies will no doubt fend off QPR at home. Expect Brentford to finish the season with a swagger against Barnsley, too.
Forest might struggle against Stoke City on the final day, with the Potters quite likely still fighting for their life on the final day of the season. Fancy them to just nick a point at the City Ground.
Bristol City and Preston will likely see both sides give it their all once again and a four-goal thriller is our prediction for that one.
Expect Leeds to be crowned champions with a big win over Charlton on the final day of the campaign.
FINAL PREDICTED LEAGUE STANDINGS
1. Leeds United. P: 46. GD: +42. Pts: 93
2. West Brom. P: 46. GD: +37. Pts: 90
3. Brentford. P: 46. GD: +49. Pts: 85
4. Fulham. P: 46. GD: +16. Pts: 82
5. Nottingham Forest. P: 46. GD: +14. Pts: 74
6. CARDIFF CITY. P: 46. GD: +6. Pts: 71
7. SWANSEA CITY. P: 46. GD: +9. Pts: 70
8. Millwall. P: 46. GD: +5. Pts: 69
9. Preston. P: 46. GD: +4. Pts: 66
10. Blackburn Rovers. P: 46. GD: +6. Pts: 65
11. Bristol City. P: 46. GD: -3. Pts: 65
12. Derby County. P: 46. GD: -2. Pts: 64