Have Cardiff City improved under Neil Harris? That is the question and jury is still out on that one.
By Scott Johnson
Tuesday 28th January 2020
The fact that we’re even asking the question is instructive and suggests that they probably haven’t. One thing is clear though and that is that Millwall have certainly improved since Harris left. Significantly so and that is plain for all to see.
Having lost only one game in the last 12, only in-form Brentford have collected more points than Millwall’s 30 accumulated since Gary Rowett took charge in October. Only Preston, Fulham and Derby have picked up more home points and they have started winning away, which was a long-standing issue during Harris’ reign.
They have also already matched their points total from last season, with 18 games still remaining and their sights are now firmly set on the top six.
Cardiff, meanwhile, gently bob, just below the surface of mid-table.
Cardiff are nondescript. There is just not much they’re especially good at at the moment. They’re not scoring many goals or managing to keep them out at the other end. Their passing is poor, they’re not particularly quick, physical or intense and it's all a bit boring. How did it get so boring?
In fairness to Harris, these problems pre-date him at Cardiff and his Millwall side were not boring. They were effective too. Having got them promoted from League One, they then took the Championship by storm. Like Cardiff, they were a throwback. Tough and direct, just how their fans like it.
They’re the sort of fans who boo when you pass backwards. Everything has to be intense and forward-facing. If you play at Millwall, you know you’ve been in a game.
In the second half of their first season back in the Championship, they went on a lengthy unbeaten run from the beginning of January through to mid-April, the longest in their history at that level. Not only that, from a home draw to Cardiff onwards, they took a remarkable 29 points from a possible 33.
How his current club could do with a run of form like that just now.
All the while, Millwall ranked 21st in the league for possession and 23rd for passes completed. It was accepted while it was successful, but as soon as it wasn’t, it was used as a stick to beat him with. Sound familiar?
Rowett has made them more three-dimensional, but they’re still Millwall. It was telling though that when they beat London rivals Charlton in November, their performance was described in the local press as "Harris-like".
The report elaborated on that term to describe a game where "Millwall were wasteful in possession, relied on the impeccable deliveries of Jed Wallace and Shaun Williams to break through and were generally desperate from open play".
Cardiff do see more of the ball under Harris. Against Swansea City, it was a shock to see them match both their possession and passing stats. Having plenty of the ball is all well and good, it's what you do with it that counts, though.
Cardiff are not particularly comfortable in possession and are rather blunt with it too, but that is far from their biggest problem at the moment. Their biggest failing is how sluggishly they start games.
Cardiff got a reasonable point away at Birmingham in their last league outing, but that only told half the story. They were dreadful in the first half, and not just technically, in terms of their effort and application, which is unforgiveable. It’s not the first time and it has become a habit for Cardiff to gift the opposition a head start. If they miss out on the top six, which looks increasingly likely, this has cost them more than any other failing.
It is something that is hard to explain and even harder to know who to blame. Harris, as the manager, will always be left to carry the can, but he surely can’t be held solely responsible for a lack of application? Is it a failure to motivate his players, a failure of effort on their part or a mixture of the two?
Cardiff were often sheepish under Neil Warnock, especially away from home in the Premier League. Maybe this is partly a hangover from that. Maybe it's now ingrained in them to be tentative by nature? Having lost most of their quality players in the summer, maybe they’re now not capable of digging themselves out of a hole like they once could.
When you break down all the things going against Harris, it starts to look like an insurmountable task.
Harris is replacing one of Cardiff’s greatest-ever managers, who fell on his sword, just like he did at Millwall. He is tasked with reviving a talented but limited squad that is underachieving and look like they’re feeling a bit sorry for themselves.
He was an unpopular choice, so has the fans on his case from the off. The club have given him next to nothing to spend and very little scope to make his mark on the squad. The head of recruitment left just before the transfer window too. Plus, his replacement is working wonders back home.
There was very little patience to begin with and it's wearing thinner all the time. It’s not fair, but that’s how it works. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
You can get away with most things if you’re winning and Harris is not. They’re not losing many, but they’re not winning many either and look more like losing than winning most weeks. Cardiff look fragile and you fear another stuffing, like QPR away, may be just around the corner.
Cardiff have spent the season on the ropes, so any improvement under those circumstances is only ever going to be marginal at best. Most supporters seem to have braced themselves for more of the same for the foreseeable future, but that will be no fun and will take its toll.
A new signing or two would certainly help, if only to give everyone a bit of a lift, but if their struggles extend to the transfer window, a sense of dread will likely follow. A pivotal week awaits.
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