Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Wednesday, December 29.
Parker issues fitness update
Bournemouth boss Scott Parker has revealed Lloyd Kelly will come into the squad for the Cardiff City clash but a late call will be made on Junior Stanislas.
Kelly missed the Boxing Day clash with QPR as he recovered following a bout of Covid-19.
Stanislas, meanwhile, had a knock after the game with the Rs but Parker is hopeful he will be fit to play.
“Lloyd Kelly is back in the squad,” Parker said.
“He comes out of that isolation period and everyone else has come out of the game OK. We’ve had a few bumps and bruises but nothing more than that.
“Junior Stanislas had a bit of an issue with his shoulder after the game, he trained lightly so let’s see how he reacts tomorrow morning. I see him being OK for the game though.”
Parker also confirmed the only member of Cherries' squad still in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 is goalkeeper Will Dennis.
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Cardiff linked with defender
Cardiff City are among a glut of clubs across England and Europe interested in signing defender Cameron Humphreys-Grant, according to reports.
It is no secret that Cardiff will look to bolster their centre-back ranks over the course of the next two windows, with Sean Morrison, Aden Flint and Ciaron Brown all coming out of contract next summer.
Indeed, just recently the Bluebirds were linked with Huddersfield Town defender Rarmani Edmonds-Green, who is enjoying an excellent season on loan with League One leaders Rotherham United.
Now, though, MailOnline report that another young defender is catching Cardiff's eye.
The 23-year-old currently plays for Belgian outfit Zulte Waregem, having moved there from Manchester City in 2019. Humphreys-Grant came through the youth system at City, but managed just two first-team appearances in the FA Cup and sought regular game-time elsewhere two years ago.
His performances for Waregem, who sit 16th in the Belgian top tier, have seemingly drawn interest from across Europe, with the Mail claiming that Cardiff's Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Coventry and Derby County, who have to operate within transfer restrictions, are all keen on the player.
So, too, are Scottish side Hearts and German outfits Schalke and Hannover.
All sides will have noted that his contract is up next summer and, as a result, it means he can sign a pre-contract next month.
Cardiff on course for fewer points usually needed to avoid relegation
Barnsley, Derby, Peterborough, Reading, Hull and Cardiff are all on course to finish with fewer points than teams usually need to avoid relegation.
This season is the 34th in English second tier football where three points are awarded for a win and 24 clubs have been in the division.
Teams who finished in 22nd place - the last spot in the relegation zone - in that time have ended the campaign with 46.4 points on average.
Over the last 10 seasons it’s been slightly lower at 44.2 points.
Those are worrying figures for the Championship’s current bottom six clubs, all of whom are on course to finish with fewer points.
Barnsley will finish the season with 28 points if they maintain their current point per game averages until the end of the season.
Derby County will finish with 35 points, Peterborough with 38, Reading with 45, Hull with 46 and Cardiff also with 46.
Those averages are all lower than the historic 46.4 point average of clubs who finish 22nd, and therefore still get relegated.
Only Reading, Hull and Cardiff are set to reach the 44.2 point average of the last 10 years.
Of course, the average isn’t always enough.
Peterborough finished 22nd in 2012/13 with 54 points.
That’s the highest points total of any club to have finished 22nd in the 46-game era.
Leicester and Millwall finished in 22nd with 52 points each in 2007/08 and 1995/96 respectively.
The fewest points that clubs have finished in 22nd with is 40 - Rotherham in 2018/19, Charlton in 2015/16, and Portsmouth in 2011/12.
Giles settling in
Ryan Giles has given us an insight into Cardiff and how he is settling in during his time with the Bluebirds.
In a quickfire Q&A with the club's website, Giles revealed who his best mate at the club was and the players he believes could go on to become managers in years to come.
"They have all been great so far," he said when asked who his favourite team-mate was. "But I've got on with Sparky, Mark Harris.
"He's a good lad."
But Harris, who turned 23 on Wednesday, came in for some stick in a later question.
Giles was asked who the most vain person in the squad was and the wide man, with a big grin on his face, said: "I'm going to say Sparky, he loves himself!"
When asked who he thought had what it takes to go on and become a manager in the future, the Wolves loanee replied: "I think there are is a couple who could do it.
"Collo [James Collins], Sean Morrison, Flinty, Marlon [Pack]. There are a few of them."
