By Gareth James
Mark Hudson has urged Cardiff City players to “keep the faith” even though he appears unable to steer them away from relegation danger.
The 1-0 defeat away to Blackburn Rovers on New Year’s Day means the Bluebirds are now without a win in seven games and remain only two points above the Championship drop zone.
Since Hudson took over, he has managed just four victories in 16 matches with a squad that appears ill-equipped to pull clear to mid-table.
With the January transfer window not an option open to Hudson because of a FIFA-imposed embargo on signing new players, the prospects look bleak for supporters.
But Hudson insisted: “We’ve just got to keep working. We’ve got to keep believing in front of goal, believe that we can create and have faith in our ability.
“We were resilient in the first half. We didn’t start the second half as we wanted and then we are chasing the game and it is difficult to break down a good side.
Cardiff City are in real trouble. This team is woefully short of confidence, quality, composure and firepower. Decisions that are being made on and off the pitch are only compounding matters. A second half of the season relegation battle beckons.
— David Owens (@asoundreaction) January 1, 2023
“The shape change maybe didn’t suit us. We had a couple of moments but didn’t have a cutting edge or belief around the box.
“I’m extremely frustrated. I thought by changing shape we’d get more attacking threat in the game but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“They scored, we tried to change it up but didn’t really pose any threat on their goal. We started the second half the way we did and then we’re chasing the game.”
Bradley Dack’s deflected strike just after half-time was enough to give Blackburn the win in a game of few chances at Ewood Park.
Jack Simpson’s attempted block wrong-footed goalkeeper Ryan Allsop and nestled Dack’s 20-yard effort in the bottom corner two minutes after half-time to earn Blackburn only a second win in their last six games.
Mark Harris could have given low scorers Cardiff the opener and twice went close shortly before the break, but the Bluebirds’ timid attack was again apparent with only three shots on target across the 90 minutes.
Cardiff City can’t go on like this, surely? Can’t win, can’t score, can’t create chances. They’re in big trouble
— Ian Hunt (@IanHunt77) January 1, 2023
In the end, Blackburn’s victory could have been more comfortable but Ben Brereton-Diaz shot straight at Allsop from a tight angle, with the hosts made to sit out a nervy ending before moving back within eight points of second-placed Sheffield United, who travel to QPR on Monday evening.
Blackburn manager Jon Dahl Tomasson said: “I’m very pleased to get the win.
“It was a difficult game against a Cardiff team who came with a game-plan, 5-4-1, a bit of a wall to play through.
“I think we started the game really well, a lot of energy, good football, in the first half. At half-time, we spoke about solutions to get even more dangerous, and scored immediately afterwards so it was great that the boys took that on board.
“We could have scored more goals, and in the end, it was a typical game in the Championship at this time. It was a great win and it was great to hear our fans towards the end.
“Overall, great to start the new year with three points, a clean sheet and a good performance, so a big compliment to the lads. You can see we’ve been stretched and the boys really needed to dig in. I think it was a well deserved victory.”
