Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:34 pm
Steve Tucker reports from the Riverside as Russell Slade's side continued to show their maddening
Tuesday 23rd February 2016
The frailties which have marked Cardiff City’s season surfaced once more as the Bluebirds again failed to capitalise on a great result and performance as they sank to defeat at high-flying Middlesbrough.
After playing automatic promotion hopefuls Brighton off the park in the Welsh capital last weekend, Russell Slade’s men were brought down to earth with a bump as a crazy own goal from Matthew Connolly and strikes from Gaston Ramirez and David Nugent helped the home side keep their own Premier League return on course.
The Bluebirds, who were unchanged, looked like they might carry on where they finished off against Brighton after a brilliant long-range shot from Fabio gave them the lead, but Slade’s men never reached the heights of their last performance albeit against one of the division’s front-runners.
In truth Cardiff should really have been trailing and maybe quite heavily by half-time.
That they weren’t was down to a couple of factors, firstly, the incredible wastefulness of Boro frontman Jordan Rhodes and then that moment of brilliance from the Bluebirds’ Brazilian maestro Fabio.
That Cardiff weren’t ahead at the break, of course, was also down to a really unfortunate and, yes, comic, piece of defending from Connolly.
It may have been the same side that had humbled Brighton, but early on Cardiff lacked the poise and precision that had marked that performance.
It was no fault of their own, one suspected, to expect to waltz into the Riverside and have the freedom of the pitch was a fanciful notion.
Boro had done their homework.
They pressed high and the Bluebirds’ supply route forward, so effective against the Seagulls, was effectively cut off as the likes of Anthony Pilkington and Lex Immers searched for scraps that were not forthcoming.
But Rhodes, who cost £9m from Blackburn last month, was so wasteful it was remarkable.
In space and with time he headed the ball timidly into the floor for Marshall to grab early on, then, after being fed by Albert Adomah, the misfiring striker blasted high and wide.
Indeed, if you wanted a lesson in shooting practice, it came on 20 minutes on a rare forage forward from the Bluebirds.
A Peter Whittingham corner was cleared, was sent back in, then was hooked clear once more.
It fell to Fabio, nearly 30 yards out. He took one touch and then absolutely laced it into the top corner with former Cardiff goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos helplessly clutching at the frigid northern air.
It was a beauty really and although the spectacular had really looked the only way the Bluebirds might take the lead, it sent the Bluebirds’ travelling supporters into raptures, all 156 of them.
The problem was the visitors’ advantage lasted less than five minutes.
It all came from Rhodes squandering another chance.
His fierce drive was beaten away by Marshall, it bounced to Ramirez and his nod towards goal was actually rather tame.
Connolly was on the line too and looked certain to hook it to safety.
Instead, the centre-half somehow contrived to kick it against himself and it bounced into the net.
It was one for the end of season blooper reel I’m afraid.
There was still time for Rhodes to miss a couple more before the break, with one of them a simple tap in from eight yards out.
You sensed the Bluebirds might have happily travelled back to South Wales with their point right there and then if they could.
You wish they could have in truth.
Having said that, Cardiff actually started the second period with probably their best spell of play in the entire game.
An Immers header, from a Scott Malone cross, saw Konstantopoulos get down to push it away, then the Boro shot-stopper saved a Pilkington effort from distance.
But Boro slowly started to seize control of proceedings once more, impressive skipper Grant Leadbitter steadying the ship and Stewart Downing coming into things more further forward.
Cardiff began to buckle and warp a little, with the ball rebounding around the visitors' penalty area in alarming fashion at times.
And that pressure told on 63 minutes as Rhodes finally turned provider to allow the classy Ramirez to stroke home past a helpless Marshall.
The Scottish international shot-stopper was much more on the case though on 80 minutes as Joe Ralls tripped Ramirez in the penalty box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Leadbitter stepped up and did little wrong, but Marshall was down low to make the save.
Sadly it was a temporary stay of execution for the Bluebirds as Boro swept forward and substitute Nugent fired home all alone.
It rounded off a frustrating night for Cardiff and for manager Slade.
Once again a superb display had failed to be followed up and the inconsistency, which looks likely to cost the Welsh club a place in the play-offs this season, just keeps continuing.
Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:16 pm
Russell Slade bemoaned his side's inability to hold on to the lead after gifting Boro an equaliser at the Riverside.
The home fans were stunned after Brazilian full-back Fabio fired a rocket into the top corner to hand the visitors the initiative on Teesside, but the Bluebirds failed to take advantage and handed Boro a leveller just five minutes later when Matthew Connolly kneed the ball into his own net.
From that moment on, Boro were in control and made their dominance count in the second half thanks to goals from Gaston Ramirez and David Nugent.
Slade had no complaints about the result but was furious with the fashion in which his side gifted Boro the leveller.
“It was a fantastic goal from Fabio, a wonder-goal, to get us in front,” said Slade.
“But we almost conspired even before they equalised, to help them, to give them a lift and get back in the game.
"Scott Malone has given the ball away on the halfway line and you can’t afford to do that against teams of this calibre away from home. That happened for the third goal, we gave it away, you can’t do that, you have to make the right decisions and choices.
“The defence really was not at its best, they’ve set a really good standard, we’ve had a bit of momentum with us over the last few weeks, they did not really set the standards they set themselves. They will be disappointed with that."