Lost this corresponding match 3-4 last season under Trollope...different prospect this term, a win please! Cardiff City take on lowly Barnsley looking for a win that would close the gap on Championship leaders Wolves to just three points. Cardiff hope Callum Paterson can return from injury, but skipper Sean Morrison remains a doubt. Barnsley defender Ethan Pinnock may be back for the first time since January following a broken bone in his foot. Adam Jackson will not return until the weekend after being knocked unconscious during last Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Hull. Both sides had their weekend fixtures called off, and Cardiff's trip to Brentford and Barnsley's home date with Norwich City have been rescheduled for Tuesday 13 March. SAM's prediction Home win 64% Draw 22% Away win 14% SAM, the Sports Analytics Machine, is a super-computer built by @ProfIanMcHale of the University of Liverpool. Match facts The last three Championship matches between these sides at the Cardiff City Stadium have produced 17 goals (nine for Cardiff, eight for Barnsley). Cardiff have won their last four league games without conceding - they have never won five in a row without conceding in their entire history. Jose Morais has won four points in his first two away Championship games with Barnsley, as many as previous boss Paul Heckingbottom in his last seven away league matches. Kenneth Zohore has never scored in three consecutive Championship appearances for Cardiff. Oli McBurnie has scored three goals in two away Championship starts for the Tykes.
Lots of goals on recent years for this game at CCS. I don't see them getting more than one tonight but the young Jack, McBurnie, is on a bit if a roll.
Interesting team. Looks an attacking side and attacking intent on the bench. Cardiff City: Etheridge; Manga, Connolly, Bamba, Bennett; Bryson, Paterson, Grujic; K. Harris, Hoilett, Zohore Subs not used: Murphy, Halford, Damour, Mendez-Laing, Wildschut, Feeney, Pilkington
Important breakthrough. Think it would have got tougher the longer it went at 0-0. Push on for another now. Not many goals in the other games.
I think we'll get some more goals, at least 2 I hope, could do with a correct score on the prediction league. We're looking comfortable, not too comfortable, but I hope NW tells them to go for the jugular.
Grujik with his first. 2-0. That's what I predicted but wouldn' say more to a couple more. A 5th clean sheet on the bounce would be nice.
Well, I guess the Barnsley manager's half time talk was better than NW's talk. Barnsley were in our faces and could have easily got a draw. Still a win is a win and good to see some of the non-regulars players get some game time.
Wow, had to win this one, and Saturday...just imagine the pressure on Villa, Fulham and Derby! They can’t quite catch us yet! 2 -1 oh, yes a correct score prediction too!
We keep saying taff, we've got a squad now. Ralls missing and Morrison. Gunnar to come back and a raft of fullbacks (bench looked a bit unbalanced tonight) so I'm sure Colin will be tinkering to keep players fresh. One more win under our belt. At the pointy end of the season now.
Did he take Grujic off as he was getting close to a 2nd yellow? City were not the same without him & Paterson. Hope they both start v Bham. They need to play hopefully Ralls. City poor tonight at picking up possession and the 2nd ball. Unsurprisingly struggled with the central midfield they had to have in last third of the game but resolute and brave again. Morrison a big miss. Didn’t rate Harris; start Wildschut or ML on Saturday maybe? Hoilett did superbly at the end keeping possession. Etheridge again did well; he’s been a great acquisition. Rumours that Madine has broken ribs. If so that’s him out for the season possibly? Villa get Grabban. Fulham get Mitrovic and we get an injury prone Madine.
Broken nose, broken ribs....as Yul Brynner once said “we don’t want him, we want the fugger who did it”.... hmmm, not verbatim maybe!
Agree with Nin - when Paterson and Grujic were replaced we didn't look the same side. Nonetheless, to see it out and take all 3 points was all that mattered. Zohore and Hoilett up front were class.
Huge result again last night, especially with Villa and Fulham both winning again. We continue to put distance between ourselves and the rest of the chasing pack, including Derby, which is great as it may allow us a slip up to them in a few weeks time . Just need Villa and Fulham to have a wobble, Wolves to slip up v Leeds, continue our good form and go up as Champions again... not too much to ask surely?
Villa have the edge on Fulham in the table at the mo but I expect Fulham to finish in front of them - but will they be in front of us as well? Massive games on Saturday - Fulham away at Preston and Villa take on Wolves. We need to capitalise on that by taking all the points against Brum.
Yep, it's a bit cliche but EVERY game is massive now. My mind keeps wandering back to Millwall away and Bamba's "goal" at the death and the 2 points it cost us... I really hope that 2 second lack of delay doesn't come back to haunt us!
And Hoilett's disallowed "offside" goal at QPR which cost us a point. The lino and ref ballsed that up - they don't know the difference between a deflection and a deliberate action by a defender that played Hoilett onside. If you saw Bamford's 3rd goal against Leeds, I thought at first he was way offside, but Pontus played him on by making a deliberate attempt at the ball and pushed it on to him - excellent refereeing. Admittedly Warnock is very vocal on these issues but he was absolutely spot on with what he said - poor reffing has cost us probably half a dozen points this season.
