Cardiff City’s key factors to ensuring Championship survival this season include tightening up defensively to avoid conceding cheap goals and improving consistency in results, especially against fellow relegation rivals. Maintaining strong home form at Cardiff City Stadium will be crucial, as will finding a reliable source of goals to ease pressure on the backline.
Additionally, tactical flexibility and smart use of the January transfer window for reinforcements could be decisive in steering clear of the drop zone.
Additionally, tactical flexibility and smart use of the January transfer window for reinforcements could be decisive in steering clear of the drop zone.
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00:00Now, Cardiff City's young talents have stepped up this season, proving a vital part of the
00:08squad's progress, with several academy graduates and youngsters under 21 making their mark.
00:15The Bluebirds have benefited from fresh energy and fearless performances. As these youngsters
00:20continue to impress, questions turn to how far they can take the team with key fixtures
00:25ahead. Their development could be crucial in shaping Cardiff's campaign. If they maintain
00:31their momentum, this season could be a defining one for the club's next generation. We're
00:36taking a look at their impact, how they've influenced the team, and what it means for
00:40Cardiff's future.
00:43Looking at Cardiff City, of course, the tension for them turns back to the championship now
00:48out of the FA Cup at the hands of Aston Villa at Villa Park. But the championship, it's
00:55going to be tight, let's be honest, come the end of the season. There's only a few
00:57points in it between Cardiff, just outside the relegation zone, and those below them
01:01who are in it. So, first of all, I'll ask you this, are you confident that they will
01:08have enough to stay up?
01:10I think the short answer is yes. I think their transfer strategy has been good enough. It's
01:18come off very well. Their three signings from the winter window have all had a fantastic
01:22impact on Omar Ezer's side. That's a fact. Obviously, a five-point buffer after 35 games,
01:32they're going to want to keep that up and ensure that they're there or thereabouts.
01:37It's also very tight when you look above them. A couple of wins and suddenly they're 16th-17th
01:43with their South Wales derby partners, Swansea City. So, yes, I do think that they will have
01:50enough eventually. They still have a few huge games to play and I think they will
01:57just avoid it.
01:59That's interesting that because, of course, let's be honest, Cardiff are a team who probably
02:03just on club size could be high up the table. They could even be in the Premier League.
02:07Of course, they have been in some recent seasons. But, to be fair, I think of late they have
02:12shown some signs of improvement, certainly. They look more confident as a side, they look
02:18a bit more free-flowing. Yes, they got beaten by Aston Villa in the FA Cup, but they certainly
02:22weren't disgraced in that game against a side who, of course, are also playing Champions
02:26League football. In that team, of course, was Aaron Ramsey, veteran Welsh midfielder
02:30alongside Ruben Corwell. Now, their partnership is starting to blossom a little bit. Yes,
02:35Ramsey's fitness is sometimes a bit of an issue because of how old he's getting on in
02:38terms of his professional career, but their relationship in the middle of the park, could
02:44that be the key to helping them stay up this season?
02:48Well, I think it's certainly a positive, as you say. They did go out against Aston Villa
02:53in the FA Cup, but there was a few real positives to take from that night. We've got, obviously,
03:01Cole Goulden and Ramsey working together and I think that's just perfect for both Wales
03:06and Cardiff. I mean, you've got to look at the bigger picture. This is a relegation fight,
03:10yes, but in terms of years to come, in terms of Craig Bellamy watching on and he's looking
03:15at Aaron Ramsey as the Wales captain as well, coming into that, Cardiff captain as well.
03:20Then you have Ruben Corwell, who's been a magnificent bit of talent for Cardiff City,
03:26so he's going to be looking at Wales in the future and performing for them. So, yes, it's
03:32real positive if you look at the bigger picture. Obviously, now it's a partnership that looks
03:36like it's going to be blossoming, but in terms of Wales and Cardiff, there's no better mentor
03:41than Aaron Ramsey, maybe, Gareth Bale, but other than that, Aaron Ramsey is probably
03:47the go-to guy in Welsh football, other than Bale, if you look over the last 10 years or
03:52so and then maybe on top of that, Craig Bellamy and he's now, obviously, the Welsh team manager.
03:57So, that's really interesting, I think, with Corwell having a bit more space to roam and
04:04Ramsey sort of picking up bits off him, doing all the hard work and I think that's what
04:08Corwell's needed. I think he compared it to the job Joe Allen used to do for Aaron
04:14Ramsey, so it's a bit of a full circle moment in terms of Wales and Cardiff City and I think
04:19this is a partnership that can really blossom. Obviously, Omar Rees has made some big statements
04:25with the young players this season. He's really enjoyed being involved with the young players
04:30and giving them an opportunity to shine and I think Ruben Corwell is a gem for Wales,
04:35he's a gem for Cardiff and they need to look after him. I think, under the wing of Aaron
04:39Ramsey, there's no better player to look after him.