BLUEBIRDS THERE’S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO AS CITY LOOK TO ‘UNLEARN’ STYLE
CARDIFF City had to battle back after a woeful firsthalf performance against Birmingham City to earn a draw at St Andrew’s. It means the Bluebirds have slipped to 13th in the table, with another seemingly winnable fixture having slipped by.
Here, we look at the big talking points from the draw with Pep Clotet’s men...
LIKE it or not, this Cardiff City squad was constructed by Neil Warnock and for those thinking it will transform into a slick passing machine within a matter of weeks, we are a long way from that.
The Bluebirds are enjoying far more possession now than they did under their previous manager, but it is so difficult to unlearn what has been drilled into you for three seasons.
Against Birmingham, they were caught in between two styles of play for the first half and it stymied any potency in their attack.
Players were unsure whether to zip it around, send it down the channels or lump it up to the player up front.
At one point, Joe Bennett had Lee Tomlin and Danny Ward down the line but, as per instruction presumably, looked to play the short ball inside to one of the midfielders, which cut the impetus out of the attack.
Tomlin subsequently screamed: “Benno, play the ball!”
Of course it wasn’t Bennett’s fault, he was looking for a way in which to build from the back with the ball on the floor, such is the manner in which Neil Harris is trying to change this style of play.
But it was evidence of how far this team are from truly evolving the style of play and how old habits are certainly dying hard.
THERE is no doubting that City were far, far better after the break and that was largely down to one man.
Callum Paterson’s introduction preceded a far more encouraging second half from the visitors and a real throwback to that old Warnock-style football.
But there was a real clarity from City after his introduction. Harris told his players at half-time they were going to revert to a more direct style of play and utilise Paterson’s strengths and it soon bore fruit.
The Scot has really impressed in recent weeks, seemingly regaining the form which was missing at the start of the season.
He was deployed as a No. 9, a position in which he has said he wants to play in the future, and caused the Birmingham defence havoc.
He was brilliant at the set-piece, both in the box and his long throw-ins, and was an out-ball time and time again for the Cardiff defence, which forced the hosts to sit deeper.
“I thought Callum Paterson, second half, changed the game, the dynamic he gives us,” Harris said after the match, and he is not wrong.
It is understood the Bluebirds are in the market for a striker this month, but if funds are tight, Paterson can fill that void very capably and the hierarchy can focus on far more pressing areas.
SPEAKING of the transfer market, the Birmingham City game only served to highlight exactly where Cardiff need more strength in depth.
Harris spoke after the Swansea game of wanting to add a little more quality in and around the edge of the box in order to create more clear-cut chances and that was evident again at St Andrew’s.
Tomlin was the only real goal threat in the Midlands. Yes, Paterson did a job in winning first balls and using his physicality to cause a ruckus in the box, but Tomlin was the only player who was likely to score.
It came in unfamiliar circumstances for him, of course, a header from a corner, but he was so dangerous in the second half.
He had a goal ruled out for offside, he saw a very good penalty shout waved away and he whistled a thunderous shot just an inch or two wide when the Bluebirds were chasing a second.
There is no doubting his quality, but City’s reliance upon him is alarming.
Tomlin also picked up his