' Three first-half goals helped Cardiff City '
Sat Nov 19, 2016 5:13 pm
Three first-half goals helped Cardiff City to victory over faltering Huddersfield Town, who lost for the fourth time in six Championship games.
Cardiff City 3 Huddersfield 2
BBC
Saturday 19th November 2016
Sean Morrison headed in a corner and Junior Hoilett turned in a rebound to put Cardiff 2-0 up, before Tommy Smith replied from Kasey Palmer's pass.
Rickie Lambert swept in a headed flick-on to restore Cardiff's two-goal lead.
Philip Billing's superb volley from the edge of the box set up a tense finish but the Welsh side held on for victory.
Saturday's EFL action as it happened
The Terriers, who began the game third in the Championship table, remain six points behind second-placed Brighton.
Reading's win over Burton saw David Wagner's side drop to fourth as Huddersfield's winless run stretched to three matches, a sequence in which they have conceded nine goals.
Cardiff, meanwhile, have won three of their six matches since Neil Warnock took charge in October.
Despite their fine attacking display, the Welsh side were denied a first clean sheet in the league since drawing 0-0 at Birmingham on the opening day of the season.
Cardiff City 3 Huddersfield 2
BBC
Saturday 19th November 2016
Sean Morrison headed in a corner and Junior Hoilett turned in a rebound to put Cardiff 2-0 up, before Tommy Smith replied from Kasey Palmer's pass.
Rickie Lambert swept in a headed flick-on to restore Cardiff's two-goal lead.
Philip Billing's superb volley from the edge of the box set up a tense finish but the Welsh side held on for victory.
Saturday's EFL action as it happened
The Terriers, who began the game third in the Championship table, remain six points behind second-placed Brighton.
Reading's win over Burton saw David Wagner's side drop to fourth as Huddersfield's winless run stretched to three matches, a sequence in which they have conceded nine goals.
Cardiff, meanwhile, have won three of their six matches since Neil Warnock took charge in October.
Despite their fine attacking display, the Welsh side were denied a first clean sheet in the league since drawing 0-0 at Birmingham on the opening day of the season.
Re: ' Three first-half goals helped Cardiff City '
Sat Nov 19, 2016 5:34 pm
Hoilett comes alive as Cardiff City put three past Huddersfield: What we learned from Warnock's tactical masterclass
By Phil Smith
19.11.16 -
Cardiff City v Huddersfield Town, Sky Bet Championship -
Rickie Lambert of Cardiff City celebrates with team mates after scoring the third goal
Cardiff City survived a late siege from Huddersfield Town to seal three precious points.
The Bluebirds had been 3-1 ahead before an humdinger from substitute Phil Billing made for a very tense and frenetic finale.
Cardiff had started the game brightly and took the lead when Sean Morrison converted a Peter Whittingham corner at the back post. Minutes later they were in dreamland, as Junior Hoilett slid an effort under Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward.
They were pegged back by Tommy Smith's first goal for the visitors, before an excellent Rickie Lambert half-volley gave them a comfortable lead.
They looked in control under Billing's wonder goal, which left them desperately holding on to their advantage.
They hold after a heroic defensive effort to ease relegation fears a touch more.
Junior Hoilett gives Neil Warnock the biggest boost
How can we keep things tight but open up teams at home?
That's the question Warnock has been relentlessly trying to figure out for about a month now, an issue made even more urgent by that desperately disappointing defeat to Wigan.
Well, the plan he and his backroom staff came up with was to move Hoilett infield, starting on the left but drifting in and beyond Rickie Lambert.
Hoilett scores Cardiff's second goal
He was simply superb, drifting into the gaps between Huddersfield's three centre-backs and stretching the play. It's this kind of running that Cardiff have been crying out for.
Huddersfield were caught completely cold by this inventive tactical move from Warnock.
The manager wistfully described Nahki Wells as one of the best strikers he has seen at this level, but the former Bradford man was put in the shade by Hoilett here.
Training ground work pays off
Hoilett's speed and Anthony Pilkington's poise and composure helped Cardiff demonstrate far more threat from open play than in previous games.
So too did Warnock's tactics, with Cardiff at times resembling more of a 4-4-2 with Hoilett up top.
It's clear that the training ground work done over the international break had a major effect, and no more than so on set-pieces.
Whittingham's return, helped, certainly, a stunningly precise corner to the back post responsible for the opener.
Peter Whittingham's set pieces were superb once again
But they went through a number of routines, including one where Whittingham picked the ball up on the edge of the area from a Joe Ralls corner.
The third goal, too, came from an excellent floated free-kick off the boot of Lee Peltier, catching Huddersfield out again.
It makes you wonder that can be achieved as Warnock gets more and more time to drill his team.
Morrison heeds his manager's call
Sol Bamba revealed this week that the manager had hauled him into his office to ask the big man to deliver more goals for his side.
After all, the Ivory Coast man had been gifted numerous precious scoring opportunities in every game he'd played for the Bluebirds so far.
Well, his centre-backs certainly responded here, even if it was Sean Morrison who had the best of the opportunities.
Freed from the rather too close attentions of Aleksandar Mitrovic, he looked a threat at every opening, his back post header coming just after he nodded wide from a Gunnarsson long throw.
Morrison gives the Bluebirds the lead
Huddersfield have been poor at defending set-pieces in recent weeks and had no sense of control at all.
Cardiff are working hard on their threat from open play but they'll quite rightly be unashamed to tap into this potential.
Whittingham is a quandary but Warnock is solving it
Neil Warnock admitted in the week that Peter Whittingham is his 'biggest quandary' as he looks to pin down his best XI for this crucial spell before the transfer windows open.
It's a dilemma that has sparked much terrace debate for years and perplexed a spate of managers. Whittingham has moved from a Pirlo role, to an Ozil role, even spending some time on the left wing under Russell Slade.
Warnock has, despite his concerns, probably come as close as anyone to solving it, drawing a spate of excellent showings.
Whittingham is opening the game up with his vision and even getting in a remarkable number of sprints. He remains a total treat to watch.
Never change, Sol...
There was a moment, as Cardiff pulled away in the game, when Bamba's ball-playing instincts returned and he almost put his team under really pressure when caught on the ball.
It's probably that kind of rush of blood that both player and manager are trying to iron out.
Bamba impressed once again
There was a deep intake of breath, too, when he came out wandering from his position early in the second half. Yet suddenly there was a thunderous sliding tackle, and a gorgeous turn to take two Huddersfield midfielders out of the game.
He released Lambert and Cardiff nearly had a fourth.
Bamba doesn't want to put his team-mates under pressure, but you hope his sense of adventure doesn't disappear completely. He's the kind of player who can make the game fun.
By Phil Smith
19.11.16 -
Cardiff City v Huddersfield Town, Sky Bet Championship -
Rickie Lambert of Cardiff City celebrates with team mates after scoring the third goal
Cardiff City survived a late siege from Huddersfield Town to seal three precious points.
The Bluebirds had been 3-1 ahead before an humdinger from substitute Phil Billing made for a very tense and frenetic finale.
Cardiff had started the game brightly and took the lead when Sean Morrison converted a Peter Whittingham corner at the back post. Minutes later they were in dreamland, as Junior Hoilett slid an effort under Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward.
They were pegged back by Tommy Smith's first goal for the visitors, before an excellent Rickie Lambert half-volley gave them a comfortable lead.
They looked in control under Billing's wonder goal, which left them desperately holding on to their advantage.
They hold after a heroic defensive effort to ease relegation fears a touch more.
Junior Hoilett gives Neil Warnock the biggest boost
How can we keep things tight but open up teams at home?
That's the question Warnock has been relentlessly trying to figure out for about a month now, an issue made even more urgent by that desperately disappointing defeat to Wigan.
Well, the plan he and his backroom staff came up with was to move Hoilett infield, starting on the left but drifting in and beyond Rickie Lambert.
Hoilett scores Cardiff's second goal
He was simply superb, drifting into the gaps between Huddersfield's three centre-backs and stretching the play. It's this kind of running that Cardiff have been crying out for.
Huddersfield were caught completely cold by this inventive tactical move from Warnock.
The manager wistfully described Nahki Wells as one of the best strikers he has seen at this level, but the former Bradford man was put in the shade by Hoilett here.
Training ground work pays off
Hoilett's speed and Anthony Pilkington's poise and composure helped Cardiff demonstrate far more threat from open play than in previous games.
So too did Warnock's tactics, with Cardiff at times resembling more of a 4-4-2 with Hoilett up top.
It's clear that the training ground work done over the international break had a major effect, and no more than so on set-pieces.
Whittingham's return, helped, certainly, a stunningly precise corner to the back post responsible for the opener.
Peter Whittingham's set pieces were superb once again
But they went through a number of routines, including one where Whittingham picked the ball up on the edge of the area from a Joe Ralls corner.
The third goal, too, came from an excellent floated free-kick off the boot of Lee Peltier, catching Huddersfield out again.
It makes you wonder that can be achieved as Warnock gets more and more time to drill his team.
Morrison heeds his manager's call
Sol Bamba revealed this week that the manager had hauled him into his office to ask the big man to deliver more goals for his side.
After all, the Ivory Coast man had been gifted numerous precious scoring opportunities in every game he'd played for the Bluebirds so far.
Well, his centre-backs certainly responded here, even if it was Sean Morrison who had the best of the opportunities.
Freed from the rather too close attentions of Aleksandar Mitrovic, he looked a threat at every opening, his back post header coming just after he nodded wide from a Gunnarsson long throw.
Morrison gives the Bluebirds the lead
Huddersfield have been poor at defending set-pieces in recent weeks and had no sense of control at all.
Cardiff are working hard on their threat from open play but they'll quite rightly be unashamed to tap into this potential.
Whittingham is a quandary but Warnock is solving it
Neil Warnock admitted in the week that Peter Whittingham is his 'biggest quandary' as he looks to pin down his best XI for this crucial spell before the transfer windows open.
It's a dilemma that has sparked much terrace debate for years and perplexed a spate of managers. Whittingham has moved from a Pirlo role, to an Ozil role, even spending some time on the left wing under Russell Slade.
Warnock has, despite his concerns, probably come as close as anyone to solving it, drawing a spate of excellent showings.
Whittingham is opening the game up with his vision and even getting in a remarkable number of sprints. He remains a total treat to watch.
Never change, Sol...
There was a moment, as Cardiff pulled away in the game, when Bamba's ball-playing instincts returned and he almost put his team under really pressure when caught on the ball.
It's probably that kind of rush of blood that both player and manager are trying to iron out.
Bamba impressed once again
There was a deep intake of breath, too, when he came out wandering from his position early in the second half. Yet suddenly there was a thunderous sliding tackle, and a gorgeous turn to take two Huddersfield midfielders out of the game.
He released Lambert and Cardiff nearly had a fourth.
Bamba doesn't want to put his team-mates under pressure, but you hope his sense of adventure doesn't disappear completely. He's the kind of player who can make the game fun.
Re: ' Three first-half goals helped Cardiff City '
Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:29 am
' STILL WORK TO BE DONE '
By Phil Smith
Sunday 20th November 2016
The 3-2 win against Huddersfield lifts Cardiff to 20th in the table, and gives fans reason to look up the table rather than down
It was backs to the wall in the final minutes, just as it had been in the opening games against Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday.
It took another stunning defensive effort, Sol Bamba towering, titanic once again as he thudded header after header out of his own box and up the field.
Yet what was most exciting about this win, what got the pulse really racing just that little bit faster than they have done for a long time in this ground, was that the biting of the finger nails was preceded by a performance in which Cardiff showed genuine invention and incision from open play.
Neil Warnock's reputation when it comes to style of play precedes him and will probably stick for as he long as he is in the dugout, but it can't be disputed that this was a day when he managed to get some genuine fluidity and fluency to the Bluebirds' attacking.
Key to that was the effervescent Junior Hoilett, a player of formidable reputation who should be lighting up games at this level. In the first half at the very least, he did just that.
Hoilett scored Cardiff's second goal
Inspired by Warnock's instruction to drift infield and play as a second striker, he flew into the channels and stretched the opposition defence in a way we have not seen for some time with this team.
Huddersfield gave a debut to their new centre-back and went to a back three; Hoilett ruthlessly preying on the uncertainty by gliding into the gaping gaps.
Rickie Lambert, so badly isolated since his arrival, suddenly had someone to search for. The big striker faded but will be energised by what he had to work with.
Of course, there is still much to iron out.
Yet again, Cardiff's win coincided with some eye catching wins for their relegation rivals and the relegation worries are far from over.
Hudderfield's first goal came about from some careless defending, and the second half did represent something of a retreat as the visitors began to get the ball down and show why they are flying so high in the table.
Cardiff began to look leggy and all the momentum was with David Wagner's men.
Yet this was a day, this was a game, where it's only right to focus on the positives. The way Warnock's team countered with speed and defended with conviction will have the Bluebirds faithful shamelessly wondering what can be achieved when the manager has a full pre-season to work with the side.
Absolutely central to that optimism will be two of his first signings, Hoilett and Sol Bamba.
Bamba made a string of clearances
Bamba was caught out on a couple of occasions here, on one or two occasions guilty of going wandering as he had done at Newcastle.
Yet when Cardiff were under the pump and needed a leader, Bamba stood tall. Huddersfield launched countless high balls into the box and almost every time the Ivorian sent it back with interest. Cardiff have folded in the closing stages at home so many times this season but Bamba ensured they didn't step back an inch.
It was thrilling to watch and though Bamba is not young, he looks like the man who will lead this side through Warnock's tenure. In front of him, Aron Gunnarsson was in the fight of his life with the evasive and talented Kasey Palmer. The Iceman just about came out on top and even if this side has not been flawless under their new manager, the spine of a competitive, formidable team can just about be seen emerging.
For Hoilett, more performances like this will make it very difficult to keep the Premier League from calling. Warnock's decision to move him to the heart of the pitch at the last minute was vindicated and it would be no surprise to see it used again.
Cardiff held on for the win
This was a performance that ultimately underlined Warnock's repeated assertions that the Bluebirds are one or two major additions away from being a good side at this level.
A late charge for the upper ends of the table remains unlikely, a quick glance at the fixture list underlines that.
There will be hurdles and setbacks but this was an afternoon that gives fans something to cling to.
Nothing highlighted that more than a breezy, impressive cameo from forgotten man Frederic Gounongbe.
So listless earlier in the season, the Benin man's return signals that just about anything is possible for Cardiff.
Much is to be done, but optimism is very much allowed.
By Phil Smith
Sunday 20th November 2016
The 3-2 win against Huddersfield lifts Cardiff to 20th in the table, and gives fans reason to look up the table rather than down
It was backs to the wall in the final minutes, just as it had been in the opening games against Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday.
It took another stunning defensive effort, Sol Bamba towering, titanic once again as he thudded header after header out of his own box and up the field.
Yet what was most exciting about this win, what got the pulse really racing just that little bit faster than they have done for a long time in this ground, was that the biting of the finger nails was preceded by a performance in which Cardiff showed genuine invention and incision from open play.
Neil Warnock's reputation when it comes to style of play precedes him and will probably stick for as he long as he is in the dugout, but it can't be disputed that this was a day when he managed to get some genuine fluidity and fluency to the Bluebirds' attacking.
Key to that was the effervescent Junior Hoilett, a player of formidable reputation who should be lighting up games at this level. In the first half at the very least, he did just that.
Hoilett scored Cardiff's second goal
Inspired by Warnock's instruction to drift infield and play as a second striker, he flew into the channels and stretched the opposition defence in a way we have not seen for some time with this team.
Huddersfield gave a debut to their new centre-back and went to a back three; Hoilett ruthlessly preying on the uncertainty by gliding into the gaping gaps.
Rickie Lambert, so badly isolated since his arrival, suddenly had someone to search for. The big striker faded but will be energised by what he had to work with.
Of course, there is still much to iron out.
Yet again, Cardiff's win coincided with some eye catching wins for their relegation rivals and the relegation worries are far from over.
Hudderfield's first goal came about from some careless defending, and the second half did represent something of a retreat as the visitors began to get the ball down and show why they are flying so high in the table.
Cardiff began to look leggy and all the momentum was with David Wagner's men.
Yet this was a day, this was a game, where it's only right to focus on the positives. The way Warnock's team countered with speed and defended with conviction will have the Bluebirds faithful shamelessly wondering what can be achieved when the manager has a full pre-season to work with the side.
Absolutely central to that optimism will be two of his first signings, Hoilett and Sol Bamba.
Bamba made a string of clearances
Bamba was caught out on a couple of occasions here, on one or two occasions guilty of going wandering as he had done at Newcastle.
Yet when Cardiff were under the pump and needed a leader, Bamba stood tall. Huddersfield launched countless high balls into the box and almost every time the Ivorian sent it back with interest. Cardiff have folded in the closing stages at home so many times this season but Bamba ensured they didn't step back an inch.
It was thrilling to watch and though Bamba is not young, he looks like the man who will lead this side through Warnock's tenure. In front of him, Aron Gunnarsson was in the fight of his life with the evasive and talented Kasey Palmer. The Iceman just about came out on top and even if this side has not been flawless under their new manager, the spine of a competitive, formidable team can just about be seen emerging.
For Hoilett, more performances like this will make it very difficult to keep the Premier League from calling. Warnock's decision to move him to the heart of the pitch at the last minute was vindicated and it would be no surprise to see it used again.
Cardiff held on for the win
This was a performance that ultimately underlined Warnock's repeated assertions that the Bluebirds are one or two major additions away from being a good side at this level.
A late charge for the upper ends of the table remains unlikely, a quick glance at the fixture list underlines that.
There will be hurdles and setbacks but this was an afternoon that gives fans something to cling to.
Nothing highlighted that more than a breezy, impressive cameo from forgotten man Frederic Gounongbe.
So listless earlier in the season, the Benin man's return signals that just about anything is possible for Cardiff.
Much is to be done, but optimism is very much allowed.
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