By Gareth James
Mark Hudson has admitted individual errors are undermining Cardiff City’s attempts to stay clear of the Championship relegation zone.
Two goals conceded from corner kicks led to the Bluebirds going down to a fourth defeat in five matches on Wednesday night when they lost 2-1 at home to Watford.
The result leaves Cardiff in 18th place in the table. But they are only a point above the relegation zone in a crowded bottom section where eight clubs are separated by just two points.
Hudson has taken 10 points from eight matches as caretaker manager, with three matches to come – against Sunderland, Hull and Sheffield United – before the break for the World Cup.
“They hurt us from our own mistakes,” said Hudson.
“The team showed a willingness to fight and a creative side, but there were two disappointing moments. If we hadn’t conceded from those two set-plays we might have got more from the game.
“The most disappointing thing is that for all their individual quality, we conceded from two corners.”
Aside from Wigan, Cardiff have the worst current form of any team in the Championship and the club have fallen silent over when, or if, Hudson’s status will be made permanent or not.
The only confirmation from Hudson has been over increasing his coaching team with the addition of Dean Whitehead, who spent three seasons playing alongside Hudson at Huddersfield Town.
“I think it’s all completed, I’ve been after him for a while,” added Hudson.
“I’ve worked with him before. He’s just been at Besiktas which shows his top qualities and he’s a good coach and a good human being.”
Whitehead spent 19 years as a player before turning to coaching, spending the majority of his career playing for Oxford, Stoke and Sunderland.
He began his coaching career at Huddersfield and has also spent time on the staff at Shrewsbury Town and Port Vale.
Watford’s win moved them up into the play-off places – and pushed Swansea City out of the current top six.
It was a fourth win in a row at Cardiff for the visitors and a fifth win in eight games under new boss Slaven Bilic.
The Hornets replaced Swansea in sixth place with goals from Francisco Sierralta and Ismaila Sarr completing their fight back after Cedric Kipre had given the home side the lead.
Bilic said: “I’m pleased with the three points, I’m pleased with the character shown by my side and I’m pleased we scored two goals – but we should be scoring more goals.
“What was missing was a cutting edge. In this kind of display we have to create many more chances with the quality we have up front. Today that was lacking.
“Great three points, great win, but we started sloppy, nowhere near what we wanted. We gave them a goal with a free header and we weren’t good.
“After 20 minutes we started to play and we were dominant. We were switching sides with good moves and we were there all the time.
“I have to take my hat off to the team for defending together and holding onto the lead. It’s a tricky place to come and it’s a great result.” 👏
💬 Slaven Bilić
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) November 3, 2022
“We scored two unusual goals for us, but we showed character, spirit and determination. It was a great away win against a good team, but I don’t remember a clear-cut chance from us.
“I watched Cardiff against Blackpool and in another couple of games and I told my players that they would be facing the best team we have met so far.
“Tonight, they weren’t like that, they were a little bit heavy. They weren’t so aggressive, perhaps because they scored the goal, and I told the guys we had to kill the game off.
“We needed our goalkeeper to make a couple of good saves. We should have scored more goals considering the amount of time we spent in their half.”