By Rob Carbon
Steve Morison has laid it on the line to his Cardiff City players ahead of their tough trip to Stoke on Saturday – “we can’t go nine from nine.”
The former Wales striker was handed the hospital pass of taking charge for the next three games by the Bluebirds board after the departure of Mick McCarthy in the wake of last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough.
That made it eight defeats in a row, and 19 goals conceded with none scored in the last five games. More worrying is the fact they are now only two points off the relegation zone in 21st place.
Cardiff haven’t been in the third tier of English football since the 2003-04 season, but if they lost again to the Potters they could find themselves on a very slippery slope.
“A new manager only ever comes in when the club is in a bad position and on a down. Something needs to change to get you out of that and often it’s a new manager,” said Morison, who has got Tom Ramasut supporting him with the coaching.
“We’ve only scored one goal in eight games, so we need to attack more. We also need to make sure the ball doesn’t go in the back of our net as well because we can’t go nine from nine.
If Cardiff lose to Stoke tomorrow, it’ll be only the second time in a Championship season that a team’s lost NINE games in a row.#CardiffCity pic.twitter.com/tkzFZwqxEl
— The Second Tier (@secondtierpod) October 29, 2021
“We’re in a relegation battle and we need to find a way to get out of it. I won’t be ripping up the play book, but I’ve got to try to find a way to put a smile on the faces of the players and to get them working.”
The Bluebirds have the worst goal difference of any team in the league at -14, and Morison is struggling for numbers for his first game in charge.
“Tom Sang is not available, Sam Bowen won’t be back until after the international break and James Collins has had a screw put in his broken thumb. Leo Bacuna will be back next week and Marlon Pack is suspended, so we are low on numbers,” he added.
That could mean more chances for the young guns Morison has been developing in the club’s highly talented Under 23 team, who earlier in the week made it seven wins in a row to top their division in a complete role reversal of the first-team’s current fortunes.
“I built up a good relationship with Mick McCarthy and that’s why so many of the U23 players have come through to get game time,” added Morison.
Ruben Colwill is going to be one of the greatest players ever for the Bluebirds & Cymru…..there, I’ve said it! No hype then. Magic boots.@CardiffCityFC @BluebirdsPast @PaulAbbandonato
— Mike Jenkins (@mjenkins1927) October 23, 2021
“Rubin Colwill and Kieron Evans are both 19 and came on against Fulham and then we’ve got Ryan Giles, who is 21, Mark McGuinness, Joel Bagan and Mark Harris who are only 20. There is a real mixture of young and old within the group.
“I’ve got to try to get the best out of them. We need to win games, so I might have to use them, but only the ones who are ready.”
Stoke are one of seven teams between 5th – 11th in the Championship table on 21 points. Michael O’Neill has seen his side lose their last three league outings to Sheffield United, Bournemouth and Millwall, and four in all when you add in the 2-1 midweek defeat to Brentford in the Carabao Cup.