By Paul Jones
Neil Harris has insisted questions over his own future as Cardiff City manager are “pointless” despite a fifth successive defeat.
The Bluebirds boss was defiant after saying he was proud of his team’s performance in their 2-1 home defeat to Championship leaders Norwich City.
Cardiff were thoroughly outplayed by a slick Canaries team who were 2-0 ahead at the break, despite missing five players, including top scorer Teemu Pukki – four of them due to Covid-19.
Harris’s side – who have also been hit by injuries – rallied after the interval but their chances of gaining a point after Joe Ralls’ goal receded when Marlon Pack was sent off for a second yellow card.
“It’s a pointless question, asking me that,” said Harris when asked if felt pressure on his position was mounting after a sixth defeat in seven games.
“I’m really pleased with the performance today, a top performance by us.
“Were we good enough in the first five minutes defending a corner? No. That’s the difference between the two teams.
“Was it a much improved performance? Have I seen application and desire from my team on the training pitch all week? Massively.
“When we get the players back and we add in the transfer window like we have today, and will continue to add in the transfer window, we will get better and better.”
Harris was right to point to a determined comeback in the final half hour and even when they were down to 10 men, Cardiff were pressing for an equaliser.
But they were sliced open time after time in the opening 45 minutes when the gulf in quality between the teams when in possession was considerable.
However, Harris suggested he was pleased with his team’s performance throughout and added: “What an effort for the 90 minutes, but for the last 25, with 10 men, we went toe to toe with by far the best team in the division.
“On the whole, it’s a massive positive. It might sound crazy we didn’t get the point, if not three, we wanted.
“But that’s the level of performance my players have got to have for the rest of the season.
“The application, the attitude, we had on the back of the week we had was first-class and I expect more of that and more quality on Wednesday against QPR.”
“I thought there were some outstanding performances in a makeshift back four. I thought Joe Bennett and Joel Bagan were magnificent.
“I thought Joe Ralls, not just his goal but his performance, and Marlon (Pack) was excellent until he got his red card.
“I thought Kieffer (Moore) coming back into the team was outstanding, gave us a real boost and dimension to our play.”
“When we get the players back and we add in the transfer window like we have today, and will continue to add in the transfer window, we will get better and better.”
Cardiff City:
Lost 6 out of the last 7 games❌
11 points off 6th placed Reading❌
First time Cardiff City have lost 4 consecutive games in the Championship since January 2018❌
BIG BIG problems. Is that the end of Neil Harris’ reign as Cardiff City manager?#CCFC
— Ben Thomas (@Benfthomas_10) January 16, 2021
Cardiff signed Max Watters for around £1million before kick-off after his scoring exploits at Crawley this season, with 16 goals in 19 games for the League Two club.
Norwich manager Daniel Farke lauded his side’s after a week when he admitted they were more focused on Covid-19 tests than football.
Grant Hanley and Todd Cantwell struck in the opening 22 minutes as Norwich extended their lead at the top of the Championship to seven points before second-placed Swansea’s late game.
The Canaries reported nine Covid cases this week – four players and five backroom staff – while other members of the Norwich bubble have been laid low by flu.
Five defeats in a row for Cardiff. Where does that leave Neil Harris?
— Phil Blanche (@philblanche) January 16, 2021
“I’m pretty pleased, proud I have to say,” Farke said.
“We had such a difficult week with so many Covid cases, nine in our group, and others missed the games because of flu.
“When you show symptoms, it’s just flu but you are panicking a little bit. We had to confront so many positive cases and all the testing.
“Everyone was more focused on not panicking in waiting for the test results than being able to concentrate on football.”
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