‘ NEIL HARRIS / JUNIOR HOILETT ‘

There’s one player who the ex-Millwall boss should be looking to get the most out of, Junior Hoilett should be at the top of the list.

Junior Hoilett


By Reece Chambers

Thursday 28th November 2019


The 29-year-old is one of the most technically gifted players in the squad and he could be crucial to improving results for the Bluebirds.

In a season as long and gruelling as the Championship, Harris needs players who he can rely on to repeatedly produce performances and win games. In Harris’ preferred formation of 4-2-3-1, Hoilett perfectly suits the left side of an attacking midfield.

As a predominantly attacking player, this formation gives him the luxury of focusing on attacking output. His ability to beat a defender with intricate dribbling makes him a serious attacking threat for the Bluebirds and this formation should get the best out of him.

To add to that, his ability to score from distance is something that Harris should be eking out of the winger. Playing Hoilett on the left gives him the chance to cut in from the flank and produce a signature curling shot into the top-right corner.


But something that should be high on Harris’ list is how to go about it, as Hoilett appears to be a player who thrives on confidence. Therefore, his role in getting the best out of the former Blackburn man will be crucial, whether that be an arm-round-the-shoulder approach or a taste of some tough love.

We come back down to that word - consistency - or the lack of it. The Bluebirds are yet to win back-to-back games in the Championship this season and such form has left them in 10th place in the standings.

Some of that inconsistency can be attributed to players such as Josh Murphy and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who have failed to fulfill their potential. There is certainly no doubting either of the wingers’ quality, but both have failed to string positive performances together so far this campaign.

Both have only scored one each so far this season. While fans may be encouraged by Mendez-Laing’s performance at The Valley, it’s just another reminder that his performances need to be more consistent with sustained quality.


Josh Murphy is another player who needs to find consistency
For Murphy, meanwhile, he hasn’t played since the disappointing defeat to Swansea City in the South Wales derby. The winger has struggled to hit the heights in the Welsh capital and looks to be - at present - on the periphery of the squad.

However, Hoilett has a proven record of performing at this level. You only need to look back at the last time Cardiff were in the Championship to see how important Hoilett was to their fortunes. In a promotion-winning term, the Canadian international scored nine times and assisted a further 11.

Those 20-goal involvements were crucial to the Bluebirds’ rise to the top flight and ultimately showed how valuable Hoilett can be to any second-tier side.

If Harris is going to oversee a turnaround in results and performances, a player with the quality of Hoilett is hard to ignore.

It will be up to the new gaffer to get the best out of the winger on a regular basis.

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An on-form Hoillet is a sight to be hold and I agree his 'mood' can have a huge influence on whether City three or struggle up front in any game

Top player and a game-changer, too!

An on-form Hoillet is a sight to be hold and I agree his 'mood' can have a huge influence on whether City three or struggle up front in any game

Top player and a game-changer, too!

My worry is Chris, that Hoilett looks not interested anymore and it’s been said only Warnock can get the best out of him.

Hopefully Harris can do the same.

An on-form Hoillet is a sight to be hold and I agree his 'mood' can have a huge influence on whether City three or struggle up front in any game

Top player and a game-changer, too!

My worry is Chris, that Hoilett looks not interested anymore and it’s been said only Warnock can get the best out of him.

Hopefully Harris can do the same.

That is a worry if true

Possibly not 100% fit too as seems to stay down after tackles quite a bit. Travelling for international games is also a pain. I suppose we’ll see over the coming weeks. Be interesting to see how Murphy performs when he gets his chance.

An on-form Hoillet is a sight to be hold and I agree his 'mood' can have a huge influence on whether City three or struggle up front in any game

Top player and a game-changer, too!

My worry is Chris, that Hoilett looks not interested anymore and it’s been said only Warnock can get the best out of him.

Hopefully Harris can do the same.

That is a worry if true

There was talk that Neil Warnock had to work hard to get him to re-sign a contract but I'm sure that if Neil Harris feels he isn't pulling his weight rather than just being a little tired or off form, he will be out of the side

I did say on Saturday that I felt a few of the players looked 'leggy' and with none of their usual dynamism to burst through the opposition defence. Hoilett and Mendez-Laing were amongst them

An on-form Hoillet is a sight to be hold and I agree his 'mood' can have a huge influence on whether City three or struggle up front in any game

Top player and a game-changer, too!

My worry is Chris, that Hoilett looks not interested anymore and it’s been said only Warnock can get the best out of him.

Hopefully Harris can do the same.

That is a worry if true

There was talk that Neil Warnock had to work hard to get him to re-sign a contract but I'm sure that if Neil Harris feels he isn't pulling his weight rather than just being a little tired or off form, he will be out of the side

I did say on Saturday that I felt a few of the players looked 'leggy' and with none of their usual dynamism to burst through the opposition defence. Hoilett and Mendez-Laing were amongst them

He's a winger, they are often inconsistent for some reason?

He probably is knackered, that's why we need the others, fit and raring to go, our team seems to struggle with three games in a week usually, although a win and a draw, it's going well so far!

An on-form Hoillet is a sight to be hold and I agree his 'mood' can have a huge influence on whether City three or struggle up front in any game

Top player and a game-changer, too!

My worry is Chris, that Hoilett looks not interested anymore and it’s been said only Warnock can get the best out of him.

Hopefully Harris can do the same.

That is a worry if true

There was talk that Neil Warnock had to work hard to get him to re-sign a contract but I'm sure that if Neil Harris feels he isn't pulling his weight rather than just being a little tired or off form, he will be out of the side

I did say on Saturday that I felt a few of the players looked 'leggy' and with none of their usual dynamism to burst through the opposition defence. Hoilett and Mendez-Laing were amongst them

He's a winger, they are often inconsistent for some reason?

He probably is knackered, that's why we need the others, fit and raring to go, our team seems to struggle with three games in a week usually, although a win and a draw, it's going well so far!

With this in mind I’d be tempted to start Murphy and possibly Paterson wide. Maybe Vaulks instead of Tomlin to start too considering the quality of the opposition and the chance to rest a few.