If there is one player, more than any other, who has benefit

If there is one player, more than any other, who has benefitted from Lamouchi's arrival it is Romaine Sawyers.

We knew there was a damn good footballer in him, we just weren't seeing it.

Lamouchi came up with the masterful idea to put Sawyers right at the base of the midfield; a questionable decision really, given that role tends to go to a dogs-of-war-type tackler, which Sawyers most certainly isn't.

Sawyers, though, has been a revelation sitting deeper thus far. He keeps hold of the ball as seamlessly as Peter Whittingham and Stephen McPhail once used to do in that Cardiff midfield. He gets the side ticking, doesn't just lump away possession.

The blend of that Cardiff midfield is still a work on for Lamouchi, but Sawyers is among the first names on the team-sheet and pretty much plays every minute of every game.

For differing reasons, Sawyers had previously disappointed. Suddenly, Cardiff appear to have a real asset on their hands.

I was really excited when signed Sawyers because I knew he was an accomplished Championship player.

Was aware he didn't have a good experience at Stoke on loan last season, following on from not being used much by Allardyce at West Brom - despite being a key player there before Big Sam took over. But a very good player at this level.

So I was disappointed with his standard of performances since the Norwich game on the opening day.

Fair play to Lamouchi, he has shown us the player most of us knew Sawyers is. He is a crucial part of our team now.