Thu Feb 25, 2016 8:26 am
Could Joe Ralls do with a rest?
By Scott Johnson media Wales
Thursday 25th Feb 2016
Joe Ralls has been a revelation this season. No-one could have foreseen that he would have such a significant impact and it is surely a two-way race between him and Matthew Connolly for Cardiff’s player of the year.
But he looks a bit tired and would benefit from a rest.
Connolly and Ralls have racked up the most appearances for Cardiff this term, but the young midfielder will have covered far more ground and it’s starting to show.
In recent weeks, Ralls has looked a little leggy and the high standards that he has set have dipped slightly. Understandably so, he will not be used to playing this much football.
Joe Ralls takes control of the ball in the middle of the parkJoe Ralls could be in need of a rest
Slade, always reluctant to chop and chance, might be wise to utilise the likes of Kagisho Dikgacoi, Lex Immers and Aron Gunnarsson a bit more in the coming weeks.
Dikgacoi started 14 consecutive games at the start of the season, only to be phased out by Gunnarsson who started the next 14 before sustaining an injury.
Each are probably aggrieved to be out of the side and either would prove a very able deputy in the coming weeks, as would the experienced Immers, who has recently been stationed further forward.
Cardiff and Ralls would probably each see the benefit.