Cardiff City finished the Championship season with a 1-1 home draw with relegated Rotherham United, meaning they finished the campaign in 8th place.
The Bluebirds finished on 68 points, nine points behind the play-off places. Despite missing out on a top six finish, there are several positives to be taken away from a long Championship season.
The most obvious positive from the 2020/21 season is City’s top scorer and player of the season, Kieffer Moore. The Welshman finished the season with 20 league goals and is the first person to reach this landmark since Peter Whittingham 11 years ago.
The striker arrived at the start of the season for just £2million and has been a revelation in his first season for the club.
Done deal | #CardiffCity are delighted to announce the signing of @Cymru international Kieffer Moore.
The other new faces at the club, Perry Ng, Dillon Phillips, along with Liverpool loanees, Harry Wilson and Sheyi Ojo, also had an impressive season with the Blues.
Wilson will go back to Liverpool with 7 goals and 11 assists. Most notably a hat-trick just last week against Birmingham.
Towards the end of January, Cardiff found themselves on a run of six consecutive defeats, meaning they were sat in 15th place, a mere three points away from the relegation zone.
From this point, the board decided to sack manager, Neil Harris. Harris helped City finish in a play-off place in the previous campaign but his results in the first half of this season meant he would not continue with the club.
Soon after, former Wolves and Republic of Ireland boss, Mick McCarthy was named first team coach until the end of the season.
#CardiffCity is pleased to confirm the appointment of Mick McCarthy as the Club's First Team Manager for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.
It took 12 games for McCarthy to experience his first loss as Cardiff manager. Which included an impressive six game win streak. It was he, who got fans believing a play-off place was still possible.
In December Cardiff lost 2-0 to South Wales rivals, Swansea before getting their revenge in March when they held on to get a well-fought 1-0 victory at the Liberty Stadium.
Cardiff players celebrating Aden Flint’s winning goal against Swansea.
City’s biggest defeat this season came late on in the season against, now relegated, Sheffield Wednesday in a 5-0 defeat away.
It was publicly announced in January that Bluebirds defender and fan-favourite, Sol Bamba, has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was already undergoing treatment.
Bamba made a late appearance in City’s final game of the season against Rotherham.
After the game, manager Mick McCarthy said: “It is always our intention to finish as high as we possibly can”.
“I’m a bit miffed, I thought we could have had more points with some of them draws, but then you could probably look across games and see we got a win when we shouldn’t have done,” McCarthy added.
McCarthy is expected to have a big player haul this summer with six players out of contract. He has also said we will find out soon who will be staying and who will be going.
Can McCarthy get Cardiff a play-off place next season?
Harry Wilson scored a hat-trick away to Birmingham last weekend.
Date: 08/05/2021
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Cardiff City are hoping to finish their season off with a win against relegation battlers, Rotherham.
The Bluebirds come into the game knowing that the best position they can finish in the Championship table is 7th place.
After beating Birmingham 4-0 last time out, in a game that saw Wales star, Harry Wilson, score his first senior career hat-trick, Cardiff will fancy their chances against a Rotherham side who are still fighting to stay up.
The away side, who are winless in seven, know that a win could see them keep their place in the Championship next season. United need to see Derby fail to beat Sheffield Wednesday in their match.
It was announced today that City right-back, Jordi Osei-Tutu has returned to his parent club Arsenal after suffering another injury. The defender spent six months out injured before making his final two appearances in April.
“It’s awful, its demoralising and you almost get embarrassed if you keep getting injured”, said Cardiff boss Mick McCarthy, who loved working with the player during his time with the club.
McCarthy has also stated that he admires the way that Rotherham have fought to the final day and expects his opposition to fight “tooth and nail” in a game that means so much to their club.
“I think Paul Warne’s teams play that way anyway, they give everything,” said McCarthy.
“It’s a bit like us, we are not going out to show everybody how to play a wonderful game of football, we are going out to win it.
Kieffer Moore is set to start for Cardiff after netting 20 times this season. The game is also likely to be the final outing for Sheyi Ojo and Harry Wilson, who will both return to Liverpool after their season-long loans with City.
Mick McCarthy is also without Junior Hoilett and Max Watters who are both confirmed to be out.
In the reverse fixture, Cardiff scored late to snatch a 2-1 away win, that meant McCarthy continued his terrific start with the club.
The news broke this week that Cardiff City’s top scorer, Kieffer Moore, would miss at least the next five games for his side. With the striker out, it must now be time for next-in-line, Robert Glatzel, to fill in for the Welshman as City’s main source of goals.
The German forward, Glatzel, was signed under Neil Warnock at the start of the 2019/20 campaign for a fee of around £5.5 million. He has since gone on to net 10 goals in the Championship in that time including the opening goal against Birmingham on Wednesday evening.
Cardiff sealed a late victory against Birmingham, with Sean Morrison netting in the 89th minute making it 3-2 to the home side. Glatzel opened the scoring on the night after filling in for the injured Kieffer Moore.
Despite getting the first goal of the match, the striker also saw his penalty saved by former teammate, Neil Etheridge. His goal, however, was his third in the league this season.
Given the forward’s counterpart, Moore, has been the Bluebirds main source of goals so far this season, the majority of his appearances have come off of the bench.
Despite most of his City goals coming with his feet, the 6-foot 4 striker is known for being good in the air. His positioning during his last few appearances has lacked but there is now a chance to turn his wrongs into rights.
Playing, Liverpool-loanee, Harry Wilson, in the number ten position could be the key to unlocking his goal scoring potential but Wilson has spent most of his time at the club playing on the right of a front three. However, during the victory against Birmingham on Wednesday, he was given his chance in the attacking midfield role, which allowed him to contribute with a goal and two assists.
After the news of Moore’s injury, fans were obviously disappointed, but many have since pointed out that this could be exactly what Glatzel needs to get some much needed starts and hopefully add to his goal tally for the upcoming games.
Cardiff’s next fixtures include a trip to title toppers Norwich, a home match against sixth-placed Brentford and finish 2020 with a trip to strugglers Wycombe. Can Glatzel finish the year off with a bang?
Cardiff and Swansea were forced to share the points in the second South Wales derby of the season. The game finished 0-0 with both sides having good chances to win the game.
The game started quickly with Swansea getting the first chance. The ball was played through to Wayne Routledge who’s shot was saved by a rushing out Alex Smithies, however, it was then ruled offside.
A few minutes later, a throw in from Swansea was awkwardly flicked on by Curtis Nelson in the defence and it fell on the volley to Routledge, but his shot was put over the bar from close range.
The home side, Cardiff, then experienced a few good chances with Robert Glatzel and Nelson both having efforts at goal but neither found their way past Freddie Woodman in the Swansea net.
It was again Swansea’s turn to create chances with Bersant Celina having the best of the lot. A counter attack from the away side led to Celina being played through and his whipped shot was denied by the far post.
Into the 34th minute, an altercation took place. Swansea defender Ben Cabango came in hard on Glatzel causing him to react, from this, both sides came to the aid of their player. After some pushing and shoving, the referee handed out a yellow card to both Cabango and Glatzel.
Both sides continued to create chances before the half-time whistle blew but ultimately both sides went in at the break feeling they could be ahead.
Swansea came out in the second half clearly the more energetic of the two. A snap shot from George Byers took a deflection on its way through and went out for a corner.
Again both sides had chances to break the deadlock and Cardiff’s best chance to win it came later on, in the 77th minute. Substitute Josh Murphy ran up the line and was able to get his cross in which found the head of fellow sub Callum Paterson who’s header was against the bar.
The two teams showed they still had energy left in the late stages of the game but neither team was able to find a way through and it ended 0-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Both teams will feel they could have taken all three points from that game but Swansea will be the happier of the two sides playing away from home. Cardiff travel to Carlisle for their FA Cup replay on Wednesday, while Swansea’s next game will be at home to struggling Wigan.
Neil Etheridge: YES, injuries at the start of the season didn’t help but despite the fact his distribution isn’t great, his reflexes and diving are what make him a good championship-style keeper.
Sean Morrison: YES, however, he has not had a great start to the season, he’s been shaky and should be doing better. He’s our captain so the fans back him but his form needs to improve, especially considering he isn’t even starting at the moment.
Sol Bamba: YES, definitely, he’s been injured for the whole season and has only just started getting his fitness back. Arguably one of our best players, he just needs to get more game time. Future manager of the club also?
Lee Peltier: YES, I probably wouldn’t have said that at the start of the season but he has been decent this season, one of our better defenders. Still a little shaky and I do think bringing in another right back is important, I would still keep Peltier in the squad.
Aden Flint: NO, it’s disappointing that I don’t believe he should be in our squad considering he has scored a few goals for us this season, as a centre back, and has had the odd decent game but he just doesn’t seem to be fitting in to the team as well as he should be. Cardiff fans hold their breathes when he picks the ball up at the back and I don’t see his form improving. I hope I’m wrong.
Curtis Nelson: YES, a new player who didn’t start getting first team action till November time but since then has proved to be a decent little replacement for Morrison, who’s currently struggling with form. I’d keep him in.
Joe Bennett: MEH, very difficult decision. I like Bennett and have for a while but there’s no denying that he seems to struggle almost every game at the moment, he’s been at the club for some time now but just seems to be a bit of a liability. I’d perhaps keep him in till the end of the season to assess whether he too, just needs time to improve his form. Should City have held on to Greg Cunningham?
Leandra Bacuna: YES, he’s had some very good games this, he’s had his bad games too but no Cardiff player seems to play well every game but he does seem like a good squad player, he’s rotational which is helpful for new manager Neil Harris and therefore, should continue making his way into the squad.
Joe Ralls: YES, been with the squad the longest and is generally reliable. Our penalty taker. He does his job, no huge complaints. He stays.
Marlon Pack: YES, he’s seeming like a good signing, he’s proved to be a fair replacement for Gunnarsson and after his thunderbolt against Brentford in our recent defeat, I think he has potential.
Will Vaulks: YES, Welsh international, at the moment, nothing more than a sub player but can still do a job when he comes on, passing has seemed good when he does play and he may be off to the Euros with Wales next summer.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing: YES, but maybe only just, he has some games where he seems like he could be one of the best players in the league but he’s far too inconsistent, City don’t play the wings enough and maybe that’s one of the reasons that he struggles but when he plays well, he really plays well so, same situation as Bennett, keep him until the end of the season and see how he does for the remainder.
Junior Hoilett: YES, one of the few I would definitely say must stay in the team. He is one of our better players, he makes mistakes but does still have a high level of ability and is a good level for the Championship.
Gavin Whyte: YES, young, has time to get better and is fast. He can be a super-sub for now and hopefully in the coming seasons will stay and get better. More game time and needs to be given the ball more. Potential.
Josh Murphy: NO, sadly his time may be up. He was one of our better players in the Premier League last season but just doesn’t seem to be enjoying himself back in the Championship and I have a feeling he could be a player we offload in January in the hope a better replacement becomes available. I do generally like the player but it’s a no.
Lee Tomlin: YES, Cardiff’s own Messi. Only seems to be picking up form under new manager Harris, but his quick feet and decent passing are making him stand out at the moment. Hopefully he can keep this form up so for me, he stays.
Callum Patterson: YES, he too has struggled with injuries and doesn’t seem to be playing enough, again, one of our better players in the previous campaign and that’s why I’d keep him but he definitely needs to start getting noticed again if he does want to stay with the club. One of my favourite players personally.
Robert Glatzel: NO, bye. Just doesn’t seem to be adjusting to life in the English leagues, does still have time to change my mind but he just isn’t proving why he should be in our squad. Time will tell.
Danny Ward: YES, decent championship players, should score plenty more than he currently does but can still get goals. I’m hoping with the new manager in he’ll be trying to impress and hopefully with that, more goals will come.
Omar Bogle: NO, controversial but I just don’t think he makes the first team enough and therefore can’t show off what he can do, perhaps a starting place for him may change my mind but I just don’t think he’s making a difference. Good heading ability and very powerful, I’d keep him until at least the end of the campaign.
Gary Madine: MEH, a difficult one. Before Warnock left I would have certainly said no but it appears Neil Harris has seen something in him that the rest of us have not. He’s starting games at the moment, still hasn’t got a goal but has seemed to get better in the games he has played. Interested to see how his form improves, or does not.
Isaac Vassell: NO, who? Scored the winner against Luton towards the start of the season and since then had an injury problem and gone missing. Don’t honestly see him getting back in to the team.
Cardiff currently sit 9th in the table, almost at the mid point of the season. New manager Neil Harris has only lost once since his appointment and so I feel confident that a play-off place is still possible but it is going to take a lot. The players are really going to have to show they want it because at the moment, I’m not so sure.
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