Cardiff City 0 - West Bromwich Albion 4

Date: Tuesday 28th September 2021 Live on Sky Red Button
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Cardiff:
3.3
(3-4-1-2) Phillips, Morrison, Flint, Nelson, McGuinness (Moore, 67), Vaulks (Colwill, 75), Pack, Brown, Bacuna, Giles, Collins (Harris, 67)
Unused subs: Smithies, Bagan, Ralls, Ng
WBA:
7.8
(3-4-3) Johnstone 6.4, Ajayi 6.8, Bartley 5.7, Townsend 7.5, Furlong 6.8, Livermore 7.1 (Molumby, 81 6.4), Mowatt 7.8, Reach 7.1, Robinson 7.5 (Phillips, 62 6.8), Hugill 6.2, Grant 7.0 (Diangana, 63 6.6)
Unused subs: Button, Kipré, Bryan, Gardner-Hickman
Manager: Valérien Ismaël  7.7
Scorers: Grant (5), Nelson (56 og), Mowatt (75), Phillips (82)
Referee: Graham Scott 6.8
Attendance: 17,363   Home Fans 3.3   Away Fans 8.5

Brendan Clegg:

Well I know Cardiff aren’t very good at the moment but this was still a great result. We seemed to get the balance of when to play right.

Some of that came from the starting lineup and we were more creative and possession based thanks to Robbo starting. Hugill and Grant were also understandable given the late flurry last Friday.

I can't speak for the first 15 minutes or the goal because, like many others I saw on social networks, having forked out for the game on the official club site I then couldn't access it. The usual shambles.

But from when I was able to get in we looked pretty good - no nonsense at the back and some decent attacking play that generally resulted in an attempt at goal. We also stood up to the size and physicality of Cardiff really well - players like Livermore and Ajayi especially enjoying the battle. I think scoring first and early really helped us - we're not a team that scores and then needs to hang on for the match. Early goals make the way we try to play a lot easier.

One lapse nearly cost us when Bartley got stuck under the ball and blocked their player from running through but, in the circumstances, it was a smart foul to take a yellow for. The last 15 minutes of the half were a bit tough as Cardiff threw everything at us but we rode it out.

Second half we came back into it and scored after decent work down the left - not sure how Robbo missed be their defender spooned it home for us. That looked like job done and then Big Val made some nice early changes to get Phillips and Diangana on. It really worked for us as their energy and movement exposed Cardiff time and again as they looked to push on and try and get back into it.

Mowatt's goal was a stunner - better than Blackburn for me and the guy can certainly volley a ball. Clean as a whistle into the top corner from over 20 yards out after good work again from Zorro on the right.

The final goal was all about energy and speed of thought - Cardiff were gassed and through their lack of concentration we clinically took them apart with a quick free kick, a good scamper and cross from Grady and Phillips following in.

Credit to the manager - he got this one spot on and our possession stats show that it wasn't kick and rush. I think Stoke on Friday will be a much tougher match but one we can look forward to if we're going to play like this.

  • SJ - 6 Didn't have too much to do. Some good throws out to get us playing and some silly ones that would have put us into trouble against better opposition.
  • Ajayi - 7 Best performance for a while. Strong, quick, stood up well to them.
  • Bartley - 6 Mostly good, one lapse but did the right thing. Big clean sheet.
  • Townsend - 7 Thought he did really well physically given being out of position and used the ball well.
  • Furlong/Zorro - 7 I think he took the mask off eventually. Playing at the intensity he does in that position with all that running game after game is not easy. Always available. One last push on Friday before he can have a rest.
  • Livermore - 8 I thought he was a beast in there and, probably an unpopular opinion, but I think he's playing as well as he ever has for us. License to just run about, smash into people and pass it early.
  • Mowatt - 7 Battled well and some decent passes but it was all about the strike. A beauty.
  • Reach - 7 Probably his best game for us. Never spectacular or going to get you off your feet but got up and down all game, battles well and looks to sling it over as soon as he can. Dependable.
  • Robinson - 7 Playing off the right but linking play well and moved all over the place. A constant threat.
  • Hugill - 6 Decent play at times, didn't look like scoring but looked after the ball quite well.
  • Grant - 6 I'm told he was great in the first 15 minutes and he can certainly strike a ball - it was a great finish - but still plenty to improve on in my opinion. The stats say a goal and an assist but he lost the ball easily a lot.
  • Diangana - 6 Buzzed about and his quick feet caused problems even if he did lose it carelessly at times.
  • Phillips - 6 Solid showing and another goal.
  • Mulumby - Woooaaaoooh. He comes from Cappoquin.... he's better than James Quinn (TBC)... didn't do a lot but there wasn't a lot to do.