Ralls all set to give a boost to Bluebirds but Lamouchi is forced to wait over Wickham
SABRI Lamouchi expects to have Joe Ralls back in contention for the clash with West Bromwich Albion tonight but Connor Wickham remains a doubt.
The pair were omitted from the squad defeated 2-0 by Preston North End at the weekend after they sustained minor injuries in training in the lead-up to the game.
However, it appears Ralls has recovered well enough to be included for tonight’s encounter with the Baggies, with Wickham likely to face a late fitness test.
“Joe will probably be with us. He trained yesterday and he will train again today,” Lamouchi said yesterday morning.
“We will see with Connor Wickham.”
Cedric Kipre will be unavailable for the game against his parent club, leaving a giant hole in the middle of the defence. Kipre has, by and large, been excellent for City this season and has formed a solid partnership alongside Mark McGuinness and Perry Ng in a back three.
But with Kipre unavailable, how does Lamouchi solve that issue? Jack Simpson has not had the debut season he would have liked in south Wales, while rookies Oliver Denham and Xavier Benjamin have not featured in the league this season. So does a flat back four now come into the thinking?
“I have two options, but not more, to keep the same system or to change,” Lamouchi said.
“We don’t have a lot of centre-backs, to we will see what we will do.”
Cardiff will be desperate to get back on the winning trail after defeat at Deepdale last weekend, however playoff chasing West Brom is no easy feat.
Cardiff, at the other end of the table, are trying to claw their way out of relegation trouble. And to ensure his Bluebirds players do not forget their end goal, Lamouchi has the Championship table hung around the training complex as a motivational aid.
“I’m looking at the table. I put the table up in the restaurant, in the medical room, in the locker room, they need to know where we are,” the manager added.
“They need to know where the others are and how many points in front or behind they are. To be aware of the situation.
“I’m not scared. This is part of our job and we are working for that every day.
“For me, this squad doesn’t deserve to be where we are. But we are where we are. Now we need to find a solution and this is my job.
“Then, after that, it’s to understand why this season started like that. But it’s not time to complain. It’s time to work hard and get the points.”