Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:49 am
FORMER Cardiff City player Nathan Blake says the Bluebirds must beat Bristol City in this weekend's Severnside derby and register back-to-back wins for the first time since September if they are to be taken seriously as play-off candidates.
Bristol Post
Thursday 3rd March 2016
Currently seventh in the Championship table and just three points outside of the play-off positions, Russell Slade's side will head for Bristol on Saturday on the back of a 2-1 home win over Preston North End.
But the Bluebirds have won back-to-back wins only once all season when defeating Nottingham Forest at the end of August and Huddersfield at the start of September.
Writing in his weekly column in WalesOnline, Blake insists Cardiff's players will need to demonstrate mental strength if they are to make it two wins on the bounce and close the gap on sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.
He contended: "I do believe a good old derby game is just what the Bluebirds need when it comes to building on the Preston win and finally some kind of run together.
"It's going to be a proper clash this weekend and, with Cardiff having sold out their allocation, there should be a great atmosphere at Ashton Gate.
It's going to be a battle and the Bluebirds are going to need to go out there and fight fire with fire. The Bluebirds certainly have the talent to come out winners, but they will need the right mental attitude going into the clash and that is where Russell Slade and his staff will have to earn their money this week.
"He is going to have to get into the players' heads and make sure they realise it is a derby and bragging rights are up for stake."
Blake added: "Bristol City have picked up a bit recently under new manager Lee Johnson, but in a derby match form can go out of the window and that could play into Cardiff's hands this weekend.
"They've often struggled to follow up wins when they have faced sides lower in the table and it will be as much about mental endurance as anything else."