‘ No one can feel sorry ‘

I actually like Neil Harris but he publicly stated on numerous times that he was happy with his current squad , full of quality and big enough for the season ahead, in fact wanted to trim it more.

Exactly what Chairman Dalman wanted him to say .

Harris knew the current fixture list well in advance and knew every club gets injuries and suspensions during October, November and December, we are lucky we were able to keep the same side for 5 games in a row.


I said months ago and so did many other fans , injuries and suspensions will happen and we are just fans.


I noticed today Harris has started to already feel sorry for himself with Ralls and Moore out, well it was odds on it was likely to happen to some of our best players .

So that’s when squads get used and players can’t wait to start / get a chance


Remember Neil Harris has had 3 transfer windows and cleared 23 players out incl 10 U23’s and brought in only 3 permanent signings in that time.

I have been a patient supporter of Harris but the weekend broke me. I have no sympathy at all. Injuries and suspensions have just added to one of the worst City performances in years. The squad clearly needed to be rotated after Stoke. Its his mismanagement not hindsight or luck. Harris is an honest nice bloke but hes not a top level manager or a big game winner and sadly not good enough to take us to the next step. I fully expect Christmas to return us to the bottom half.

Everybody could see at the end of the last window we were short in three key positions

Right back
Centre midfield
Striker

We should never have been relying on a young kid from Arsenal who has never really played this level to take the position week in week out without back up

If Bacuna was the back up then we needed another body in Midfield to cover him if he was needed at right back

The striker situation is a joke, going into a season with two strikers is shocking. You cant count Vassell because he is never fit and is unlikely to be again this season. We could all predict that in the summer.

We had a very good window and Harris was backed well given the circumstances but he should have allowed for a few cheaper free signings or found some bargains in the lower leagues

Going into the season with 1 untried RB and absolutely no cover was ridiculous.
We are now likely to be in the same situation with Moore.
Glatzel has played few games, one bad tackle and we could have only 1 striker available due to NH thinking Vassell would be fit.

While I don't agree with the frustration and the wanting a new manager but fully understand it I don't see what difference it will make in squad size & player numbers. If this is what the man at the top says is available it's not changing no matter who the manager is and he can either be happy with it (Harris) or leave & find another job (Warnock I presume).

Should have kept Danny Ward and retired Vassell

Harris is stuck with Warnocks signings.Vaulks.,Day.Gaziel.Murphy Pack Vassell Whyte
That's the reality.
You cant shift crap unless you have a good laxative,
On the other hand Harris has signed Murphy Wilson.Tutu.Moore.
The signing which looks iffy is Benlovic.Harris was bringing the best out of Tomlin.
Expect Smithies to be sold and replaced by Phillips,
The books need to be balanced.

The unknown Cardiff City academy kids ready to step up against Birmingham City amid Bluebirds absences

The Bluebirds will be without two key stars in Joe Ralls and Kieffer Moore and it could hand an opportunity to some academy players the chance they have been waiting for

Harris during his press conference has said he has now had to turn to the Accademy for players / SORRY HARRIS YOU HAVE STATED TIME & TIME AGAIN YOUR SQUAD IS BIG & IN FACT STATED IT NEEDED TRIMMING MORE / ALL CLUBS IN OCT/NOV & DEC HET THIS PROBLEM.



Academy prospect Tavio d'Almeida (R) could be promoted to Cardiff City's senior squad against Birmingham City in the absence of Joe Ralls.


Wednesday 16th December 2020



Some Cardiff City academy kids could be handed a first-team chance against Birmingham City, with the Bluebirds set to be without key duo Joe Ralls and Kieffer Moore.

Ralls was sent off for two bookable offences against Swansea City and as a result will sit out the midweek clash owing to a one-game ban.



It means, given the new rules which stipulate that Championship clubs can now name nine players on the substitutes bench, players in the Bluebirds' youth ranks could now be given their shot.

When the new rule came into being, Harris hinted that we might see some new names on team sheets over the coming months, when injuries begin to pile up amid a hectic fixture schedule, and that will likely be the case against the Blues on Wednesday evening.

"You might be searching through your Wikipedia [when the team is announced]," Harris laughed in his pre-match press conference.



"That's the point we were making about the nine subs, it's about protecting the players, but it also gives that pathway, the academy pathway, to come out of the under-23s and out of the under-18s and have involvement.

"I'm not saying all of a sudden we are going to have 11 academy players in the first team within 18 months, but it gives the chance and gives inclusion.

"The fans want to see young players involved when they can and if on Wednesday, by hook or by crook, injuries or suspensions, some of our younger lads get involved, it's only going to be good for their development.

"If they get on the pitch then brilliant. If they don't, then being involved on match day is an outstanding achievement."


Cardiff City press conference live: Neil Harris on Swansea City fallout and Kieffer Moore injury news ahead of Birmingham City
With Ralls absent due to suspension, it is likely that a midfielder will be brought in to bolster the bench options, with Marlon Pack expected to step in off the bench.

The player who impressed most in that position during pre-season was most definitely Tavio d'Almeida, who has been a regular with the first team at their Vale of Glamorgan HQ.


The Frenchman, signed after being released by Auxerre last August, is an old-fashioned No.6; a disciplined midfielder who marshals the back four excellently and brings a lovely tempo to his play when in possession, too.

On Monday, D'Almeida uploaded a cryptic post to his Instagram page of him playing in a Cardiff City shirt, along with egg timer and football emojis.

The midfielder also liked a reply to the photo, which read, "You'd do more than some of those first teamers atm [at the moment], hope you get your shot", fuelling the notion that the youngster could receive a promotion to the senior team against Birmingham.

If promoting youth is the way Harris will go, then D'Almeida is certainly in pole position to fill Ralls' absence.

But there are also areas higher up the pitch which might need some bolstering.

The Bluebirds squad is understood to be suffering with a few niggling injuries, as well as the hamstring issue Moore sustained, heading into the Birmingham clash, with Junior Hoilett also still struggling with a hip problem.

As a result, Kieron Evans was told not to travel with the club's under-23s to Watford on Tuesday in case he was needed for the Wednesday clash with Birmingham.


Evans is another who has caught the eye during his time training with the first team and has proven himself a real goal threat at youth level.

The Wales youth international, who operates largely on the wing but can also be deployed in the No.10 role, appears to be the next cab off the rank, so to speak, if any of the three roles in behind the striker need filling.

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Filip Benkovic is in full contention for the Bluebirds and will def be around least on the bench.

Fully fit

The Croatia centre back, who is yet to appear for Cardiff since joining on loan from Leicester 9 weeks ago.

Should have kept Danny Ward and retired Vassell

Danny Ward was frequently injured. Played best as a sub. It wasn’t a choice between the two. Unfortunately Vassell has a contract. Nothing can be done about that.

Issue we have is the size of the squad. He has dealt with that.

Benkovic

Something very strange with this . You don't sign a Prem player and not play him .

Benkovic

Something very strange with this . You don't sign a Prem player and not play him .

It is a weird one Annis.

Harris is with the players all the time though. Must be some reason he’s not playing.

Benkovic

Something very strange with this . You don't sign a Prem player and not play him .

It is a weird one Annis.

Harris is with the players all the time though. Must be some reason he’s not playing.

Very true Neil, he will know better than us.

Just so weird .

Would love to know why

Harris is stuck with Warnocks signings.Vaulks.,Day.Gaziel.Murphy Pack Vassell Whyte
That's the reality.
You cant shift crap unless you have a good laxative,
On the other hand Harris has signed Murphy Wilson.Tutu.Moore.
The signing which looks iffy is Benlovic.Harris was bringing the best out of Tomlin.
Expect Smithies to be sold and replaced by Phillips,
The books need to be balanced.

There's been a move to attempt to play a more 'expansive' style but it just hasn't worked with the players we've got, even allowing for the new signings. For me, that's not surprising - centre midfield still the same plodding mess, and not one of our back four is comfortable on the ball, which is where any attempt to play football begins...

Harris is stuck with Warnocks signings.Vaulks.,Day.Gaziel.Murphy Pack Vassell Whyte
That's the reality.
You cant shift crap unless you have a good laxative,
On the other hand Harris has signed Murphy Wilson.Tutu.Moore.
The signing which looks iffy is Benlovic.Harris was bringing the best out of Tomlin.
Expect Smithies to be sold and replaced by Phillips,
The books need to be balanced.

There's been a move to attempt to play a more 'expansive' style but it just hasn't worked with the players we've got, even allowing for the new signings. For me, that's not surprising - centre midfield still the same plodding mess, and not one of our back four is comfortable on the ball, which is where any attempt to play football begins...

Yet three in CM with Pack was how some said we should have played against the Jacks.

Harris is stuck with Warnocks signings.Vaulks.,Day.Gaziel.Murphy Pack Vassell Whyte
That's the reality.
You cant shift crap unless you have a good laxative,
On the other hand Harris has signed Murphy Wilson.Tutu.Moore.
The signing which looks iffy is Benlovic.Harris was bringing the best out of Tomlin.
Expect Smithies to be sold and replaced by Phillips,
The books need to be balanced.

There's been a move to attempt to play a more 'expansive' style but it just hasn't worked with the players we've got, even allowing for the new signings. For me, that's not surprising - centre midfield still the same plodding mess, and not one of our back four is comfortable on the ball, which is where any attempt to play football begins...

Yet three in CM with Pack was how some said we should have played against the Jacks.

Probably with a view to stopping them playing. That's the reality - we're a team whose 1st priority is to stifle the opposition. All the running our players do is chasing, harrying, closing down the other team. Little if any is running with the ball, moving into spaces, openings, supporting another City player and giving them options.

Benkovic

Something very strange with this . You don't sign a Prem player and not play him .

It is a weird one Annis.

Harris is with the players all the time though. Must be some reason he’s not playing.

Very true Neil, he will know better than us.

Just so weird .

Would love to know why

Surely the only reason that makes any sense is the financial one . Is he on a very high pay as you play deal ?

Hes apparently on just under 50k a week so if he is on a deal like that it makes sense to not play him . Maybe he's purely back up if needed and not expecting to play.

Disappointing second half of the first half there but I really believe if Harris gets them going we’ll blow this lot away second half. It will be very interesting to see what happens now. If the players are still playing for him they’ll come out fighting if not... who knows