IT’S GREAT GREG’S BACK IN ACTION...
...but there’s still much for Bluebirds boss Harris to ponder as the clock ticks down on transfer window
CARDIFF City fell to their second defeat in three Championship fixtures as Reading came away from the Welsh capital with a 2-1 win.
The Bluebirds have not got going just yet, playing okay in fits and starts but struggling to find real consistency and lacking cutting edge in the final third.
As always there was much to unpick from the game, so we go through the big talking points below.
And what the defeat has showed, after a similar loss to Sheffield Wednesday, is the need for Neil Harris to move into the transfer market to sign three new players....
The wing conundrum
Perhaps one of the more frustrating aspects of the Reading defeat was how the wingers operated in this 4-3-3 system.
With Sheyi Ojo, a left-footed winger predominantly playing on the right, and Junior Hoilett, a right-footed player on the left, Reading found City’s attacks largely easy to defend.
The wide men opted to cut inside on to their favoured feet and it narrowed the whole attack, meaning they had to try to thread pinpoint balls through a congested defence to target-man Kieffer Moore.
Cardiff looked most dangerous when Jordi Osei-Tutu was overlapping or Leandro Bacuna had made a burst down the flank to send in crosses to Moore, who could use his height and physicality. The players know exactly how we want to play, we showed it a lot today, we showed it at Nottingham Forest and in spells against Sheffield Wednesday,” Harris said after the match.
“Yes we want to use Kieffer Moore’s strengths and Kieffer Moore’s strengths are attacking balls in the box, so we have to get balls in the box for him.
“We have to get into good areas and once we do we can get the balls into the box.”
However, it looks as though far more emphasis has been placed on the wingers to contribute goals this term, especially in the absence of Lee Tomlin.
So the wingers have to cut inside and work the goalkeeper, as well as provide the service for Moore up front.
At the minute they look a little bit caught in the middle.
Home hoodoo
Since Neil Harris took charge of the Bluebirds more 10 months ago, they have registered only six wins at home.
They have played 20 games in that time and, for some reason, just cannot find a regular winning formula on their home patch and that appears to have continued into this season, having lost their first two fixtures at Cardiff City Stadium. What has been notable, though, certainly in the last two matches, is that teams set up very differently when they visit the Welsh capital.
Sheffield Wednesday and Reading sat deep and made Cardiff try to play through them, with the Bluebirds just not having the quality or ingenuity to do it on either occasion.
The absence of Lee Tomlin will be a big factor in that, of course, and is no doubt the reason why Harris wants to bring another player of his ilk to the squad.
When teams visit Cardiff City Stadium it means the Bluebirds have to be smarter and more cute around the 18-yard box and that is what appears to be letting them down.
Contrast that with the away record during Harris’ tenure - 11 wins in 20 attempts - and the picture is very different.
City’s record away from home under Harris is impressive. Teams tend to be more attacking on their home turf and Cardiff utilise their transitions and breakaway speed in broken play to hit with devastating effect.
But at home they simply must be cleverer around the box.
If Cardiff are to use Moore to his utmost potential they must fire in more crosses to him. But, to make them more of a threat, the two wingers getting in behind the striker simply must contribute more, especially at home.
The Tomlin factor
And moving swiftly on to my next point.
Lee Tomlin really did provide those little moments that looked like they would unlock the defences.
The blind, reverse passes he plays, the pinpoint crosses on the angle, the deft touches between the penalty spot and just outside the area, they are a defender’s nightmare.
He can also sniff a goal, too. He popped up at the back post from a corner to squeeze home the goal against Reading on Saturday and if there is one positive it is that he is up and running for the season.
Tomlin is the one player who really can drag a defence out of position, break down their structure and free up space for the striker and wingers in behind. That is when City are at their best.
Every City fan will be hoping he gets another week of training under his belt and is ready from the off against Blackburn next weekend. The transfer needs – three new players
In recent weeks, we have seen Nathaniel Mendez-Laing have his contract terminated, Neil Etheridge leave for a sizeable fee and Callum Paterson on the verge of a move to Sheffield Wednesday.
They have been established Championship players who simply need replacing.
Neil Harris on Saturday said that he hopes Paterson will be replaced when his move to Wednesday eventually goes through, but the other money really needs to be invested, too.
Another playmaker is an absolute must, for the reasons stated in the above points.
Another winger, too, should be high on the list. Junior Hoilett is not hitting his usually high standards and Sheyi Ojo is still settling in, producing some glimpses of quality but also providing frustrating moments.
Josh Murphy has barely been given a kick of the ball yet but he is another player whose consistency has been called into question, while Gavin Whyte has fallen out of favour.
Another proven No.10 and a pacy, dynamic and tricky winger would really bolster the make-up of the attack.
Cardiff have got to provide a better service to new striker Kieffer Moore.
But, importantly, another right back has to be brought in.
There were some really encouraging moments from Jordi Osei-Tutu against Reading. But there were also sloppy moments, too.
He is just 20 and a 46-game Championship season is a tough ask for any young player, as we saw a little with Dion Sanderson last term. So to expect him to produce week in, week out would risk burnout, that is for sure. A full back should also be in the club’s thoughts over the next few weeks.
Greg’s return
Speaking of full backs, it was good to see Greg Cunningham return to the Bluebirds’ starting line-up for the first time since New Year’s Day in 2019.
He was a little rusty, had a hairy moment when his sloppy pass to Marlon Pack gifted Reading forward Lucas Joao the best chance of the first half and tired as the game wore on.
But there were also signs of encouragement. He whipped in a couple of lovely crosses, especially in the first half, and was largely measured and disciplined with his defensive duties.
He is a little more defensiveminded than Joe Bennett, perhaps, and whether that fits into Harris’ brand of football remains to be seen, but it is good to have two experienced, proven left backs in the ranks.
Joe Ralls and Joe Bennett updates Aside from Paterson, there were two other notable absentees from Saturday’s game.
Left-back Joe Bennett limped off against Nottingham Forest with a calf injury, so his absence was a little more expected perhaps, but Joe Ralls’ omission was a big blow for City fans.
But here is what Neil Harris said after the game.
“Joe Ralls and Joe Bennett we are hoping are very short term,” Harris said.
“Joe Bennett... back of the knee, top of the calf, bottom of the hamstring, last week at Forest when he went down. We are hoping to have him back in training this week.
“Joe Ralls hasn’t recovered from that game, either.
“He came in on Monday with tight calves, Tuesday he was hoping to train and couldn’t.
“We were hoping to have him on the training pitch on Thursday with a view to selection for today. It hasn’t materialised like that.
“He is making progress and I’m fully hoping to have him on the training pitch next week.”