Key Cardiff City duo Lee Tomlin and Joe Ralls are injury doubts ahead of the Bluebirds' season opener against Sheffield Wednesday, Neil Harris has revealed, which could force Harris to have to bring in more players.
Harris has stated time and time again he believes he has a strong squad and is very happy with it, but this is a set back.
NEIL HARRIS:
"They are not training," Harris said. "They are not ready to be on the training pitch.
Monday 24th August 2020
Tomlin pulled up with a hamstring issue in the play-off semi-final clash with Fulham, in which City ultimately earned a Pyrrhic 2-1 victory, while Ralls has been plagued with minor issues since football returned after lockdown.
Ralls stepped in for Tomlin, who on Sunday was voted the club's Player of the Season, in the No.10 role and produced a string of impressive displays in behind the striker.
Tomlin's magic and impact was clear for all to see throughout the season, though, scoring nine goals and producing the same number of assists, largely at crucial times, to help propel the Bluebirds up the table.
Ralls was also involved at the business end of the pitch on a number of occasions, too, registering seven goals and five assists himself last term.
But both creative players are injury doubts ahead of the new season, with Harris revealing neither have trained fully with the squad as yet.
NEIL HARRIS:
"They are not training," Harris said. "They are not ready to be on the training pitch.
"But we have been quite fortunate with both players in that they can get out and do some light work on the grass with physios, so that's always the first step.
"Once they start doing that it's always two or three weeks away.
"Will they be ready for the league campaign? Possibly. Certainly there's a possibility for the bench.
"Probably a bit like before lockdown, to be honest, with Tommo coming back and Rallsy just before that, where maybe they are not ready to start but certainly some involvement from the bench.
"Obviously two hugely important players for us, especially when we are working with a smaller squad, a streamlined squad, two players who play in that position behind the striker — Tommo with his creativity and Rallsy with his goal threat and energy — so they are two players we are looking to welcome back into the group as quickly as possible."
While both injuries are concerns for Harris and his staff, the City manager added that he situations could have been far worse.
"We are quite fortunate Tommo's hamstring wasn't torn as badly as first thought," Harris added. "It could have been off the bone, like a [Nathaniel] Mendez-Laing situation – a four to six-monther.
"It's not that at all. It's a strain so we are looking at more four to six weeks. Rallsy could have also been (bad), with him carrying an injury into the Fulham game. It was always a risk (to play him) but we thought it was a risk that was worth taking and it nearly paid off for us.
"So we are looking forward to having them back sooner rather than later."
The progress of their recovery could inform Cardiff City's next steps in the transfer market.
Cardiff City are actively looking to strengthen over the coming weeks and this injury news might only hasten the club's desire to add a quality attacker in that position.
As always, though, a playmaker comes at a premium and money is something the Bluebirds don't have in abundance at present.
But should they find the right player at the right price, expect Cardiff to add some quality in that department.
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