" MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:22 pm
Sunday 06th October 2013
Malky Mackay warning his stars they cannot produce the kind of first-half performance in the Premier League they did and expect to get away with it.
The Cardiff chief refused to deflect the blame from his players for a shoddy opening 45-minutes that gave the under-fire Toon the momentum to secure a 2-1 win in South Wales, although did claim it was a rare off-day.
And while he praised his men - including sub Jordon Mutch - for the way they responded after the break, he acknowledged they left themselves with too big a mountain to climb after a Loic Remy double was enough despite Peter Odemwingie’s second-half strike.
“We gave ourselves too much to do,” said Mackay following his side’s third defeat of the league campaign. “If you give a good team time and space as we did in the first half you can be punished and we were.
“We gave ourselves a lot to do, although we nearly did it because in the second-half we were what Cardiff City is all about. We were excellent and on another day could have had a point - but we just cannot start like that against a good team.
“People can call them a run-of-the-mill side but they’re not. Alan Pardew was manager of the year two years ago and a lot of those players were in the side when they finished fifth and it was clear we were playing against a good team with a lot of very good individual players - but we have got to start better.
“In the first half we were half a yard off the pace, but we were on the pace in the second half and we dominated and pushed them back.
“It has happened only three or four times in two-and-a-half years, but it’s something we have to make sure it happens as few times as possible as you are punished in this league.”
After a surprisingly slack first-half, Cardiff at least upped their intensity to force the issue after the restart - seemingly spearheaded by sub Mutch helped turn the tide in midfield against Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote.
And while Mackay was keen to praise the collective, he admitted Mutch is playing his way back into starting contention with his second-half display coming on the back of his wonder winner at Fulham last week.
The Scot said: “They are all making a case for a start and he is a top young talent, he has a lot of talent. He has lots of facets to his game, there are areas where he can improve but he took the game by the scruff of the neck. It’s about players taking a chance.
“He came on and made a difference but everyone upped their game and they went back to being the players I know I have got here.”
Malky Mackay warning his stars they cannot produce the kind of first-half performance in the Premier League they did and expect to get away with it.
The Cardiff chief refused to deflect the blame from his players for a shoddy opening 45-minutes that gave the under-fire Toon the momentum to secure a 2-1 win in South Wales, although did claim it was a rare off-day.
And while he praised his men - including sub Jordon Mutch - for the way they responded after the break, he acknowledged they left themselves with too big a mountain to climb after a Loic Remy double was enough despite Peter Odemwingie’s second-half strike.
“We gave ourselves too much to do,” said Mackay following his side’s third defeat of the league campaign. “If you give a good team time and space as we did in the first half you can be punished and we were.
“We gave ourselves a lot to do, although we nearly did it because in the second-half we were what Cardiff City is all about. We were excellent and on another day could have had a point - but we just cannot start like that against a good team.
“People can call them a run-of-the-mill side but they’re not. Alan Pardew was manager of the year two years ago and a lot of those players were in the side when they finished fifth and it was clear we were playing against a good team with a lot of very good individual players - but we have got to start better.
“In the first half we were half a yard off the pace, but we were on the pace in the second half and we dominated and pushed them back.
“It has happened only three or four times in two-and-a-half years, but it’s something we have to make sure it happens as few times as possible as you are punished in this league.”
After a surprisingly slack first-half, Cardiff at least upped their intensity to force the issue after the restart - seemingly spearheaded by sub Mutch helped turn the tide in midfield against Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote.
And while Mackay was keen to praise the collective, he admitted Mutch is playing his way back into starting contention with his second-half display coming on the back of his wonder winner at Fulham last week.
The Scot said: “They are all making a case for a start and he is a top young talent, he has a lot of talent. He has lots of facets to his game, there are areas where he can improve but he took the game by the scruff of the neck. It’s about players taking a chance.
“He came on and made a difference but everyone upped their game and they went back to being the players I know I have got here.”
Re: " MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:41 am
Good comments from the manager, which are hard to disagree with. Mutch impressed and hopefully we are beginning to see why Malky was attracted to him (in football terms! 
) in the first place! 
) in the first place!
Re: " MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sun Oct 06, 2013 5:19 am
He should take a look at his tactics first.
Re: " MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:18 am
First half was terrible,you can't play like that in the premier and get away with it,we were lucky we were only two down at half time.
The second half was more promising,if we played like that for 90min we could have got a result.
Glad to see malky acknowledges the first half was poor,now he has to make sure it doesn't happen again because if we play like that to often we're relegation material.
The second half was more promising,if we played like that for 90min we could have got a result.
Glad to see malky acknowledges the first half was poor,now he has to make sure it doesn't happen again because if we play like that to often we're relegation material.
Re: " MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sun Oct 06, 2013 7:23 am
Malky was spot on!!!!
I couldn't believe the first half we seem slow and were allow them to bully us and push us around, they were playing in the way we normally do, closing quickly and giving us no room to move or pass.
He sorted them out second half and we were back to ourselves. I think Mutch deserved to start next game amd there are three our four that could ,ake way for him !!!
I couldn't believe the first half we seem slow and were allow them to bully us and push us around, they were playing in the way we normally do, closing quickly and giving us no room to move or pass.
He sorted them out second half and we were back to ourselves. I think Mutch deserved to start next game amd there are three our four that could ,ake way for him !!!
Re: " MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:06 am
I think the first half was just complacency, a kick up the arse. After pretty much bossing the Fulham game and passing the ball around in front of our own box comfortably, I think the players expected to be able to do that again. You could see that in the second half when we upped our game a bit
Re: " MALKY MACKAY WARNS HIS PLAYERS "
Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:58 am
I think Turner should be replaced by Hudson ASAP, his skipping around in the box and flapping every time he gets the ball. Its either hoof it anywhere as hard as you can or pass back to Marshall. Hudson is much more of a footballer and a reader of the game, dont get me wrong Turner is superb but he needs to sit out games and work of his distribution