Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:06 pm
13th Jan 2013
Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay: We lacked clinical edge
“If we hadn’t worked as hard as they did we would have been beaten today."
CARDIFF CITY boss Malky Mackay felt his Championship leaders lacked a clinical edge to extend their 100% league record to five games.
Form team Ipswich came the nearest to breaking the deadlock at a wind and rain-lashed Cardiff City Stadium when Guirane N’Daw struck the post with a vicious 25-yard effort in the first half.
But in the end the only winner was the appalling conditions as the two teams cancelled each other out in the final third.
“We were playing against a team who are top of the form guide,” Mackay said of Ipswich’s rise under new manager Mick McCarthy.
“It’s not about looking at teams where they are in the league, it’s about where they are in the form guide.
“The new manager has come in, he’s brought new players in – and I think they’ve only lost two in 10.
“If we hadn’t worked as hard as they did we would have been beaten today.
“On another day both teams could have won it, they had a couple of chances and we had a couple of chances.
“But the work of both teams negated a lot of chances, so for us to come out with another clean sheet – our fourth in five games – and to have now taken 13 points from 15, well, I’m delighted with our work.”
Mackay claimed the Bluebirds had 20 attempts on goal but, in truth, Ipswich goalkeeper Scott Loach was rarely extended.
“You always hope that you create more chances but I think we had 20 attempts on their goal to 11,” he said.
“Maybe we didn’t have that clinical nature, but I have to say the conditions were pretty poor in terms of the wind and rain – and both teams struggled with that at times.”
McCarthy said he was pleased with the point which keeps Ipswich in 19th place, six points above the relegation zone.
“It was probably a fair result overall,” said the former Sunderland, Wolves and Republic of Ireland international.
“I would have taken it before and I’m happy with it now.
“On reflection we might have got all three points. In open play I think we probably had the better chances in the second half.
“I tried to make us organised and hard to beat and if you work as hard, if not harder than everyone else, than you’ll have a chance.
“I’m still looking behind me. “Whatever we’ve done so far it can change so quickly.
“We’d lost two on the bounce and I didn’t want to lose three league games on the bounce.
“A revival is one thing but you don’t want the patient to die!,” he joked.
Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:08 pm
20 shots to 11
I would have said 2 shots to 2
Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:34 pm
They were better than us. There number 8 ran the game, we just reacted. Thank the lord we have Bellers.
Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:38 pm
llan bluebird wrote:They were better than us. There number 8 ran the game, we just reacted. Thank the lord we have Bellers.
Don't think they were better than us. They swarmed all over us when we had the ball and we lacked the creativity to deal with it. It's what other teams are going to do so we will have to improve if we plan to stay on the top 2. They rarely hurt us though and the no.8 was good but only 1st half. Draw was a fair result