“ TODAY SERVED IT’S PURPOSE FOR CARDIFF CITY SAYS WARNOCK “

“ TODAY SERVED IT’S PURPOSE FOR CARDIFF CITY SAYS WARNOCK “



Saturday 6th January 2018

By Dominic Booth

Neil Warnock believes Cardiff City's 0-0 FA Cup draw with Mansfield 'served its purpose' and is relishing a replay with the Stags.
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But Mansfield had chances of their own, leaving Warnock determined to take the positives out of the result.

They included returns from injury for defenders Sean Morrison and Jazz Richards, though Warnock admitted Joe Ralls and Sol Bamba didn't feature after suffering from illness.

"I thought the game served its purpose today," he said.

"We've had so many problems this week, (Joe) Ralls and (Sol) Bamba pulled out this morning with a sickness bug, (Joe) Bennett shouldn't have played but ended up playing the full game, but Morrison coming back is a massive plus.

"He said half a game so we gave him 65 minutes and he's not felt anything, which is a massive plus, because the medical people were talking another two weeks."

With striker Kenneth Zohore again looking short of fitness and Healey missing a trio of chances to open the scoring, Warnock accepted his strikers aren't firing at the moment.

Zohore scored against Fulham on Boxing Day but has struggled against Preston, QPR and now Mansfield with Warnock determined to get the Dane back to form.

"We had to play a bit of a mix and match in the midfield area but we lacked a bit up front," he added.

"You're only as good as your front three and we're struggling, it's a bit like extracting teeth at the minute!"

"You can see (Zohore) has not got the sharpness that he had. I think he's got more of the stamina but it's that sprinting, going past defenders, he hasn't got that at the minute.

"But it's not for the lack of trying. I can't fault his effort.

"I thought Rhys did alright but it's scoring a goal.

"But at 80 minutes, I was quite happy with a draw if I'm honest. I thought 'let's get back up to the Stags' - it will bring back a few memories for me."

The replay is expected to come on the Tuesday or Wednesday between Cardiff's home clash with Sunderland on January 13 and the visit to Sheffield Wednesday on January 20. The fourth round draw takes place on Monday.

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Did Warnock actually say that he was happy with a draw against a second division side who we were playing at home, my God how our standards have slipped

Think he was just happy nobody got injured

Bennett shouldn't have been played, but we played him? Why didn't he bring in a youth player, that's what they're for. If Bennett is injured now that's a total piss take!

80 th minute and hes happy with a draw,most managers would have wanted to go for the win,it is Mansfield we are playing

He's sounding increasingly desperate. He is supposed to be renowned for his honesty.....well, we should've beaten them and some of our players need dropping, like Mendez and Zohore.

Morrison and Jazz coming back were massive positives/ The game was terrible and I'm sure the players would have received an ear bashing behind the scenes . If the players are low in confidence, surely rinsing them to the media isn't going to help matters is it?

Morrison and Jazz coming back were massive positives/ The game was terrible and I'm sure the players would have received an ear bashing behind the scenes . If the players are low in confidence, surely rinsing them to the media isn't going to help matters is it?

I'd tend to agree with you. He's a clever manager tending to a dressing room that appears to be a little low on confidence and running on empty. Giving them a public bashing isn't the answer. Most folk have seen the videos of him in the dressing room elsewhere - I expect ours has been the same of late.

I would like a good cup run, but I'm not sure Warnock shares my enthusiasm. Perhaps his priorities are with the league, and I know a lot of fans on this forum agree that our priority is not a long cup run. Warnock knows a lot more about the game than me, and I will have to trust his judgement on how he treats this competition. I still think we are perfectly capable of winning the replay.

Look at it from the managers viewpoint, a drawn out FA cup run will allow players coming back to regain match fitness and new signings to bed in without dropping too many points.

Look at it from the managers viewpoint, a drawn out FA cup run will allow players coming back to regain match fitness and new signings to bed in without dropping too many points.

Yeah exactly. I think a cup run is a good thing, plus when we do go out eventually its not the end of the world

He's sounding increasingly desperate. He is supposed to be renowned for his honesty.....well, we should've beaten them and some of our players need dropping, like Mendez and Zohore.

Agreed. He's not immune to feeling the pressure. 1st time im worried by him talking total garbage