Cardiff City

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Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut hailed the return of Callum O'Dowda after the winger marked his comeback from a long-term injury by scoring a dramatic late winner against Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Republic of Ireland international O'Dowda missed six months of the season with a groin injury before returning as a substitute during last weekend's win at former club Bristol City.

The 28-year-old then popped up with an another fine cameo appearance against Ipswich, scoring an injury-time winner to spark wild celebrations at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I am really glad for him," said Bulut.

"Four months, an injury, then he got injured again and has to prepare.

"His quality, we were never thinking negatively. He is really pushing hard until the end. I am really glad that he scored the winning goal.

"If you have quality around you, you have quality, really good players, football is like this with top teams."

Image source, Rex Features

Manager Erol Bulut says Cardiff City’s confidence is back after they staged a stunning late turnaround to beat Ipswich Town and earn a fourth successive win.

Bulut described Saturday’s 2-1 victory over the Championship promotion contenders as maybe Cardiff’s best performance of the season.

The Bluebirds are now unbeaten in five games, having been on a run of only one win from eight matches before then.

“Confidence is very important,” said Bulut.

“When you see a few weeks before, confidence was not good. Players are afraid to make mistakes, this is normal.

“But you can only get it back with fighting, trying things you didn't try before.

“We started with 0-0 against Blackburn, that was key to get confidence back.

“That was important, then we push more, four in a row, now confidence is back.

“The players are in a good way to continue this way. Everyone is believing.”

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Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut says he still looks back with regret at Cardiff's September defeat at Ipswich Town.

The Bluebirds lead by two goals before losing 3-2 and ahead of Ipswich's visit to the Cardiff City Stadium, Bulut admits it is a result that still rankles.

"It was one of the games where we could have taken at least one point," he said. "Ipswich are a team who have many wins in the last 15 minutes. Like against Bristol City, they were quiet up until 2-1 and then they changed the game again. So, we have to be careful with this.

"We have one day less of recovery coming up against them Saturday. We have to recover quickly. It will be a tough game, of course."

Bulut says the Tractor Boys are a good example of a squad that has been well put together.

"They have a good team," he said.

"They have played together for two years with the coach. They have made really good work this season. Every player has settled and helped them, this is important."

Bulut's future is uncertain, with the boss out of contract this summer, but he insists he is not thinking about that.

"For right now, I am thinking only about good results and a good position in the league with Cardiff City," he added.

"There are 10 games more to play, I want to get maximum points. I am not thinking about what will happen tomorrow, I am thinking only about winning games with my team."

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Former Cardiff City defender Danny Gabbidon believes that the club's growing momentum can only be a good thing.

However, the former Wales international says that reaching the Championship play-offs might be beyond Cardiff City this season.

Gabbidon watched his former side make it three victories on the bounce with a 1-0 home win over strugglers Huddersfield Town.

Last night's win also saw Erol Bulut's side achieve back-to-back clean sheets for the first time since November.

"It's another three points to keep that momentum going, without necessarily being at their best," said Gabbidon on BBC Radio Wales Sport

"It's about trying to put those building blocks back in place, hopefully they can keep this momentum going and who knows, there's still a lot of football to be played."

The Bluebirds currently sit 10th in the table, seven points adrift of Hull City in sixth place.

With the business end of the season well and truly upon us, some Cardiff City fans may have half an eye on a late play-off charge. However Gabbidon believes it to be a step too far this season.

"I believe that the Cardiff City team at the start of the season would've beaten this Huddersfield team by two or three goals, there not quite that team at the moment," added Gabbidon.

"I think the play-offs are a little bit beyond Cardiff City this season, I would be very surprised if they did manage to make to it."

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Midfielder Ryan Wintle says confidence levels are improving at Cardiff City.

A recent revival has seen the Bluebirds rise to 10th in the Championship, with their win against Huddersfield on Wednesday meaning they have now collected 10 points from their past four games.

"You don't think the confidence has dropped," Wintle told BBC Sport Wales.

"But you can see everyone in the squad believes in each other. People who have been out of the squad injured, them coming back even boosts the squad. We are all fighting now and hopefully we can keep winning."

The Bluebirds are seven points off the play-offs, but Wintle says the players won't give up on sneaking into them with 30 points still to play for.

"We all said a few weeks ago that we don't want it to just peter out and for it to become another boring season," he said.

"The last couple of seasons have been horrible, fighting to stay in the division. Now we are looking up. The Championship is crazy. If we can just keep winning, you never know where we will end up."

Wintle admits that the dressing room is not immune from the 'what if' conversations fans tend to have.

"You get lads in there (dressing room) now talking, 'Ah, if we didn't do that, if we didn't lose those three or four games where we should have won...' If you look like that, we should be in the play-offs," he added.

"But you can't think like that. We probably won a few games we shouldn't have. It's about looking forward now and getting better."

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Huddersfield Town will be aiming to halt the Bluebirds' momentum when they take on Cardiff City tonight.

Since taking over in mid-February, Andre Bretenreiter has enjoyed an unbeaten start, including a well-earned 1-1 draw at home to promotion chasing Leeds United.

Huddersfield played the entirety of the second half with ten men, after club captain Jonathan Hogg was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The Terriers arrive in Wales searching for back-to-back away wins, as they bid to pull themselves closer to Championship safety.

Huddersfield currently sit 21st in the table on 38 points, only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

New boss Andre Bretenreiter has praised Cardiff as a very "technical" team full of "self-confidence" and sees similarities in his side after his first few weeks in charge.

The German is also mindful of the threat Erol Bulut's side cause, especially from set-pieces.

"Set-pieces are important, we are aware of that threat from Cardiff, we need to be sharp and we need to take care of our side of business," said the Huddersfield Town boss.

The Bluebirds have managed 18 goals from set-pieces this season, more than any other side in the Championship.

Will that tally be added to tonight?

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Cardiff City will be aiming to secure a third successive league win for the first time since September when they host Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.

The Bluebirds triumphed at Bristol City last Saturday, having beaten Stoke City a week earlier.

Those victories followed a run of one win in eight games for Cardiff and the recent upturn in form has taken Erol Bulut's side up to 11th in the Championship table.

Huddersfield are only clear of the relegation zone thanks to their goal differencex, but, as they proved with Saturday's draw against high-flying Leeds United, they're rediscovering some form.

Cardiff will hope Wednesday's game will go the way of the reverse fixture in October, when they thrashed the Terriers 4-0.

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Cardiff City forward Callum Robinson played the first 45 minutes as the Bluebirds' under-21 side were beaten 3-1 by their Ipswich Town counterparts on Tuesday.

Robinson has not played since the FA Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in early January due to a combination of illness and injury.

But the 29-year-old is edging closer to a senior return after his appearance for Darren Purse's under-21 side.

Cardiff led the game at half-time through Joel Colwill's goal, but three second-half strikes gave Ipswich victory.

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Former Cardiff City star Nathan Blake says the Bluebirds' position as the Championship’s set-piece kings is nothing to be ashamed about.

But the ex-Wales forward says Erol Bulut’s side's ongoing inability to create from open play is a worry and that the strikers should not shoulder all the blame.

Blake watched his former side pick up a Severnside derby victory at Bristol City at the weekend, the game decided by Perry Ng’s header.

It was the defender’s sixth of the season – making him the side’s joint top scorer alongside Kion Etete.

It was also Cardiff’s 18th of the season from a set-piece (not including penalties) – the most in the Championship, and five more than second-best Ipswich.

“They all count,” said Blake during Saturday’s Call Rob Phillips. “You will practice them in training so you can’t diss someone for scoring from set-pieces.

"If you get three corners, score all three, it’s a 3-0 win and no-one will argue. But the question you ask is about the goals from open play.”

Indeed, the Bluebirds have only mustered 17 goals from open play, the lowest in the division and one behind Stoke, while are yet to score from a counter-attack.

It should not be a surprise if you read the statistics for expected goals (xG), with Cardiff's xG (35) lower than the actual non-penalty goals they have scored (37) – suggesting not a case of missing chances, but not creating them away from dead-ball situations.

“It’s a good thing defenders are scoring goals; Ng with six, [Dimitrios] Goutas with four," Blake added.

"You want your defenders to get to those numbers, but it’s open play – to have more set-piece goals and no counter-attack goals when it’s been your forte to sit deep and try and counter – that’s a worry.

“If you’re a striker you might walk around the dressing room like it’s alright [that a defender is leading scorer], but it would bother you – it should bother you.

“I’d like to a see a stat on the amount of chances that are converted or not, because if you’re getting chances only every two or three games there is a tendency – especially with young or inexperienced strikers – to snatch and not be patient and calm in front of goal. The pressure is on because you have one chance and you have to take it as you’re not going to get one for another three games.

“Next season you’d want to severely improve the open play and add the set-piece numbers on top of a striker with 20 goals, then looking at being in the right half of the table when you’re talking about promotion.”

Image source, BBC Sport

We've asked for your views on Cardiff City, and you haven't held back.

Erol Bulut's side earned a second successive league win at Bristol City last Saturday, taking them up to 11th in the Championship table.

But not all Cardiff fans are happy. Here's what you've had to say.

David Rundle: Cardiff have won their last two games but they are still playing boring football. They haven’t got a leader, if they play the same type of football next year and luck is not with them like this year they will be relegated.

Rhiannon: Since the first home win since December something has changed in Bulut. He has a new found passion for the club and has built deeper connections with the fans. The tactics have changed and clearly they are working. The tempo is much faster and the players seem to want to win and play more.

Mark: Bulut is improving Cardiff slowly. [Kion] Etete needs more goals to prove he is a good striker. Hopefully we can win on Wednesday at home [against Huddersfield].

Lyn: We need to recruit a proven goal scorer during the summer. Watching Kieffer Moore (and Ike Ugbo) scoring at will is very frustrating.

Andrew Watt: Make it three in a row against Huddersfield. Come on Bluebirds.

Got an opinion? Let us know your thoughts on all things Cardiff City using this form, external...

Image source, BBC Sport

Cardiff City made it back-to-back Championship wins as they overcame Bristol City at Ashton Gate last Saturday.

No wonder, then, that the Bluebirds' fans are feeling better about their team's prospects after an earlier run of one win in eight games.

We asked for your opinions on BBC Radio Wales' Call Rob Phillips show after the match, and here is what some of you had to say.

Leanne: Yes, Bluebirds, blimey my nerves. Three precious points.

Bethan: Fantastic game for Cardiff, well done today. Come on boys.

Jordan: Big win and a derby double. Very happy indeed.

Got an opinion? Let us know your thoughts on all things Cardiff City using this form..., external

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The second south Wales derby of the season is only a fortnight away and Erol Bulut will be entitled to make the short trip west to Swansea in confident mood.

Bulut’s Cardiff City, after all, have not put a foot wrong on their three derby days so far this season.

Saturday’s 1-0 win at Ashton Gate means Cardiff have done the double over Bristol City in 2023-24, following a 2-0 home victory over the Robins back in October.

Now comes the local squabble that really matters, at Swansea City, with Cardiff chasing a first league double over their fiercest rivals having won the home fixture against the Swans 2-0 last September.

“I enjoy winning games. It’s a great feeling for the players, for the team, for the fans,” Bulut said after Perry Ng’s goal proved decisive at Bristol City.

“I think it was a hard won three points against Bristol City in a derby. This season we are doing well in derbies.

“The first part of the season, we did well against Swansea and Bristol. Now we are continuing that.

“But generally for the confidence, it’s a really big step to have that win against Bristol in a derby.”

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Erol Bulut is hopeful Cardiff City forwards Karlan Grant and Kion Etete will quickly return to action despite injury concerns.

Grant missed Saturday’s win at Bristol City because of a calf problem picked up during last weekend’s win over Stoke City.

And Etete was substituted early in the second half at Ashton Gate after going down clutching his groin.

“I think with the abductor, he (Etete) has stiffness,” said Cardiff manager Bulut.

“That’s why we changed him. I think it’s nothing serious.”

Cardiff return to action when they host Huddersfield Town next Wednesday, and Bulut is hopeful on-loan West Brom player Grant will be available.

“From the last game he had a problem with his calf, but from what I know from him and the medical staff, he can be with us on Wednesday,” he said.

Callum O’Dowda came off the bench against former club Bristol City for his first appearance in more than seven months.

The Republic of Ireland international is back in action after groin surgery.

“For him it was not easy - we didn’t want to put him on too early,” Bulut said.

“It’s not easy after a long time out, but step by step he will get better.”