‘We play a bit more than people give us
NEIL Warnock has swatted away suggestions Cardiff City will play uninspiring football this season and insisted his attacking players are as exciting as any in the league.
The Bluebirds claimed their first win of the season last weekend owing to a 96th-minute winner from debutant Isaac Vassell against his former club Luton.
However, in the intervening week it was suggested Cardiff ’s style of play this season will become more pragmatic and efficient, a school of thought which was doubtless sparked by the deadline-day exit of principal playmaker Bobby Reid.
Against Luton, Reid was replaced in the starting line up by the industrious Callum Paterson, who chased, harried and challenged effectively in the air, but understandably didn’t provide the flair of which the former is certainly capable.
Indeed, each of Cardiff ’s goals against the Hatters came from crosses into the box, which prompted suggestions the team employed only long-ball tactics.
But much of what was positive, certainly in the first half, came from lightning-quick breaks, chiefly from Robert Glatzel and Josh Murphy, although neither forward could take advantage, despite a number of giltedged chances.
It is this sort of play Cardiff manager Warnock believes is being overlooked.
“I think people get carried away, really,” he said of the criticism. “I think we attack as much as we can and it’s entertaining, what we do.
CARDIFF City boss Neil Warnock has revealed that midfielder Joe Ralls is a doubt for the trip to Reading on Sunday after coming down with an unknown illness.
The midfielder was due to give a drugs test following the last-gasp win over Luton Town at the weekend, but was rushed to hospital after he started vomiting.
Speaking ahead of the trip to the Madejski, Warnock said: “Joe Ralls was one of the lads drug tested on the weekend and he couldn’t give a sample.
“I left him at quarter to seven after the game and he was having a laugh and a joke and all of a sudden he took ill – started vomiting, things like that.
“He ended up in A&E overnight on a drip. It just shows you in the space of two hours.
“It just shows you, when you’re as fit as these lads, the slightest thing can just knock you off sync.
“He just managed to (give a sample) in the end. I couldn’t do it, with someone watching me, I don’t know how they do it.
“If you class keeping the ball in your own half as football, no it’s not my game. But I don’t see the point in doing that for the sake of it.
“We’ve got some good players in midfield, the full backs, Joe (Bennett) in particular loves going forward, the wingers are as exciting as anyone in the league and now we have a strike force like that. I think we play a little bit more football than people give us credit for.”
The strike force to which he
“I felt sorry for Joe. I think the drugs people were going to say it was a missed drugs test. Come on. Common sense.”
It comes a week after Warnock revealed that Lee Tomlin had been suffering from gastroenteritis, although the City boss doesn’t think Ralls’ condition is related.
“They have taken swabs, or whatever they do, because Tomlin couldn’t even come down to see our doctors because he was up at home in Leicestershire,” he added.
“So we didn’t see him until this week. We have been really spot on in the changing rooms and restaurants and things like that. Because the slightest bug goes around like wildfire. So we’ve just got to hope.”
Ralls has returned to training this week, but Warnock isn’t sure if the Englishman will be fit to face the Royals tomorrow, adding: “He came in yesterday and he was feeling good.
“But all I was trying to say is I left him at quarter to seven having a laugh and the poor lad is in hospital overnight on a blinking drip.
alludes will likely be headed up by Glatzel once again tomorrow when Cardiff travel down the M4 to play Reading, who have lost each of their opening two fixtures, with the match kicking off at noon.
The £5.5million summer signing from German tier two side Heidenheim looked sharp in his first outing, but is yet to open his account for the Welsh capital club.
Warnock was unperturbed by Glatzel failing to find the back of the
“It’s a good job his girlfriend realised when they got home he was in a bad state, so all credit to her.”
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is also a doubt for the trip east across the M4 following a thigh injury, but Tomlin is back in training following an uncomfortable week.
“It might be a bit early [for Mendez-Laing]. Tomlin trained yesterday and had a real bad week on and off the toilet,” he added. net and is hopeful another week of training will stand both strikers in good stead ahead of the weekend.
“It was good to see,” the manager said of Glatzel’s solid debut. “I’m not a stats man but it was good to see how far he ran. He put in a good shift with the amount of ground he covered and he’ll be better for that.
“And Isaac will be better for his goal as well, that has given him a little lift as well, so it’s been a good camp this week.”