Steve Morison: Cardiff boss laments wasted chance by fringe players in Pompey loss

Steve MorisonHuw Evans picture agency

Steve Morison succeeded Mick McCarthy as Cardiff City boss during the 2021-22 season

Cardiff City's fringe players have wasted a chance to force their way into first-team reckoning after their humbling EFL Cup defeat by League One Portsmouth, says manager Steve Morison.

A much-changed Bluebirds side lost 3-0 at home to Pompey on Tuesday.

That display means those who came into the team are unlikely to play against Birmingham when Cardiff return to Championship action on Saturday.

"No-one can sit there and say 'I should be playing'," said Morison.

"That goes for the players who played on Saturday [in the defeat at Reading] as well, so I get a free hit selection-wise.

"I said to them before the game: 'This is your opportunity to make me have a selection to make'. And I just said to them now: 'You've made my job really easy because I've got a free selection'.

"That's the most disappointing aspect."

Cardiff won their opening game of the Championship season against Norwich City before losing at Reading last Saturday.

In an attempt to keep his squad fresh and offer an opportunity to those who had not featured yet, Morison made 10 changes against Portsmouth and handed debuts to three of his 15 summer signings.

Despite enjoying as much as 80% possession in the first half, however, Cardiff fell apart after the break as they conceded three goals in the space of 14 minutes against opponents a division below them.

"You have to learn from it. Young or old, you've got to learn and you've got to learn quickly," said Morison.

"You can't make decisions for them when they're out there. When they're out there, I can't make them clear the ball properly, they should know how to clear the ball properly. If you're marking your man at a corner, you mark your man at a corner. It's pretty simple stuff.

"So we need to show up on Saturday. I just don't have any [selection] headaches now."

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