Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Tuesday, November 2.
Chanka Zimba giving Morison call to make
Prolific Cardiff City under-23s striker Chanka Zimba is giving Steve Morison a big call to make ahead of the visit of QPR on Wednesday night.
The young Bluebirds forward was on the scoresheet yet again on Monday evening, during the 3-1 win over Swansea City in the mini-South Wales derby.
Zimba has not featured in a first-team squad this season despite being virtually unstoppable in front of goal at youth level, with Kieffer Moore, Mark Harris, James Collins and Isaak Davies all having opportunities thus far.
But it seems a matter of time now until Zimba gets his chance. Collins is out injured, while Harris has made his mark in the wide areas, by and large, this season.
And as calls grow for Cardiff to finally give the 19-year-old, who has seven goals for the under-23s this season, a shot, Morison knows that the player is closer than ever to getting his shot at the big time.
"He was in the squad on Saturday and left him out. He will be part of the squad tomorrow," Morison said.
"Every time he does well and puts the ball in the back of the net for the under-23s… at the minute he gives me a decision to make tomorrow."
Joe Ralls injury update
Joe Ralls will be absent for Wednesday's visit of QPR, but Steve Morison revealed there was no long-term damage to the player's collarbone.
The midfielder hurt his shoulder during the South Wales derby defeat by Swansea City last month and has not featured since.
It's a blow for City and one that Cardiff will have to manage over the coming weeks, but while the player is back out on the training ground, it doesn't look as though he will be back any time soon.
"He’s on a ‘let’s take each day as it comes’. It’s about his pain threshold, what he can tolerate," Morison said.
"He has a problem with his shoulder. There’s no long-term damage but it’s such an important part of what he does. We’ll have to manage him.
"As soon as he is remotely near he’ll be letting us know. He has done bits of training but he was not fully at it yesterday."
Sheffield Wednesday eyeing NML
Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly eyeing a move for former Cardiff City and Middlesbrough winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
The Bluebirds released Mendez-Laing just days out from the start of the season last year after the player took cocaine the night before a game towards the end of the 2019/20 season.
He was picked up by Neil Warnock at Middlesbrough back in January but failed to really get going and was subsequently released by the Teesside outfit.
The 29-year-old has been out of work since then, but, according to the Sheffield Star, the League One Owls are considering making a move for the player.
The report adds that they were in for Mendez-Laing in the summer but instead decided on signing Saido Berahino.
It states that there has been interest from the Championship in recent weeks, but Wednesday are thought to be considering signing the free agent as things stand.
Under-23s hammer Swansea City in mini-derby
Cardiff City's under-23s secured their eighth win in eight games with an impressive 3-1 win over Swansea City at Landore on Monday night.
Jai Semenyo gave the Bluebirds an early lead after just three minutes in the South Wales derby clash, capitalising on a loose ball before hammering home past Swans goalkeeper Lewis Webb.
Swansea, who had first team stars such as Yan Dhanda and Brandon Cooper within their starting XI in a bid to bring up their match fitness, pulled themselves level just nine minutes later.
Dhanda's rasping shot was initially stopped by George Ratcliffe, but Lincoln McFayden was on hand to tuck home the rebound.
But the Bluebirds continued to cause problems for the home defence, and retook the lead on 29 minutes.
The goal came as Eli King, fresh from his inclusion in the first team matchday squad up at Stoke City, crossed in for Chanka Zimba who rattled a towering header into the net.
Zimba then turned provider just before half-time to send Isaak Davies through one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and he made no mistake in applying a cool finish.
Swansea came out firing in the second half, with Tarrelle Whittaker and McFayden testing Cardiff keeper Ratcliffe, while James Connolly sent a header over the crossbar at the other end.
The Swans continued to push for a second goal, but were ultimately denied as Cardiff held on to preserve their lead and their place at the top of the South Group of the Professional Development League.
Watters still struggling with injury
Cardiff City striker Max Watters is still ruing a pre-season injury which has hampered his start to the season at MK Dons.
The forward sustained an ankle injury against Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and missed the first eight games of the season. He has struggled to really force his way into the Dons side since.
The 22-year-old, who scored his second League One goal of the season in the 4-1 win over Crewe on Saturday, admitted he is still working his way back to full fitness.t quite up to full fitness following his pre-season injury back in July.
“It was unfortunate to get that injury against Tottenham,” he said. “It wasn’t the best of starts but I’m nearly back to full fitness now so I just need to get more minutes on the pitch.”
He will be hoping to get out on to the pitch and start finding the back of the net with regularity as he pushes to impress the Bluebirds' top brass.
Having featured sparingly under Mick McCarthy, Watters will doubtless hope the introduction of a new manager will change his fortunes, should he make an impact during his loan spell.
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