It’s not often Cardiff City are the underdogs at home in the Championship, but Neil Warnock believes that status will act as added incentive for his players against Fulham on Friday night.
Warnock is excited, rather than concerned, about facing a team he feels is all set to return to the top flight next season after dropping down with the Bluebirds earlier this year.
As he openly claims, if you finish above the Cottagers this season “you will go up automatically”.
If that shows the challenge that the Bluebirds will face, Warnock doesn’t believe there is anything to worry about. He loves nothing more than a fighting against the odds.
“We enjoy being the underdogs. We have nothing to worry about – I don’t think there’s anybody in this league we should worry about,” said Warnock.
“It will be a cracking crowd. I wasn’t disappointed the other night (there were only 4,111 at the ground to watch the 3-0 Carabao defeat to Luton Town) because I thought, ‘save your money and come Friday’ because the place absolutely bounces when it’s a good crowd.
“We do need that against the top teams and there has been a bit of extra edge in training.”
If he is not unduly worried about Fulham, what does concern Warnock is his side’s lack of goals. They have notched six in six matches this season and have conceded 11.
Despite having 84 shots in their five league outings so far this season, one behind Leeds United, they have the worse conversion rate into goals at a mere 10%.
They have had 31 shots in their last two games, 11 on target, but failed to register a goal.
“We’ve got to hope players like Robert Glatzel start firing. We need some goals and it is time to stand up,” said Warnock.
“He looks sharp in training, now he has to be a bit more clinical. There is a bit of pressure on him, but as soon as you get that first goal you relax.
“I can’t fault the way he is playing, but he needs to be a bit more streetwise. Goalscorers thrive on scoring goals and he is no different.
“As long as he keeps on getting into the positions it will come. The good thing is he is a team player.
“We need someone to get into double figures with goals this season, but we haven’t got clinical finishers at the moment. We are at the top of the shooting stats and if we weren’t creating chances then I would be tearing out my hair.”
Cardiff City (probable): Smithies; Peltier, Morrison (captain), Flint, Bennett; Bacuna, Ralls; Whyte, Tomlin, Murphy; Glatzel.