Thanks for joining me! Have a cracking Sunday.
Here is Ben Fisher’s report ...
Even if Leeds did get promoted you’d think they would have to do quite a bit of business to have an impact in the Premier League, which could be tricky in the current climate.
If you want more football ...
“We knew they would have the majority of possession. We stayed compact, made it hard to play through us and hit them on the counter,” Junior Hoilett explains.
You can say that again.
Leeds had 69% possession in the game ...
Leeds might be out of sight at the top of the table by now if they had a striker more suited to their style. Bamford just looks a little lost up top but maybe I am being harsh.
Updated
Leeds miss out on going back to the top of the table, while Cardiff move up to seventh. That win will give Harris’ men even greater confidence that they can reach the playoffs.
Full-time
Cardiff did the intelligent thing of taking their chances when they arose. Leeds certainly played the better but the Welsh side just had a more pragmatic approach, aided by the visitors gifting the two chances which led to the goals. Bielsa will be doing some head scratching later.
90+4 mins: Pinball in the Cardiff box results in Harrison firing a bouncing ball at goal from five yards out but he sends it high and wide.
90+2 mins: Harrison fires in a cross but it is deflected behind for a corner. Phillips sends in the corner but Nelson heads clear. The ball makes it back into the box, Roberts goes down but the referee is having none of it.
90 mins: Six minutes added on.
89 mins: Poveda digs out a cross, which takes a deflection towards goal and spins just in front of Smithies who cannot collect. Luckily, for Cardiff, Morrison is in the right place to boot it off the line.
88 mins: Phillips lifts the ball over the defence for Bamford to chase but his outstretched leg just cannot reach the ball. A deeply frustrating game for the Leeds striker.
86 mins: Cardiff now have two left-backs on to face up to Dallas and Poveda, where they see Leeds’ threat coming from. Poveda sends a dangerous ball through into the box but no one in a Leeds shirt can get on the end of it.
84 mins: Gotts is on for Leeds, replacing Klich.
A decent finish.
#RG9 💥pic.twitter.com/3TfDvw7ypp
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) June 21, 2020
82 mins: Klich pulls back Bacuna when the Cardiff make looked to be heading through on goal. Needless to say, the Leeds man has been booked.
Leeds break, with the ball getting to Harrison in the area but Sanderson reads what the winger is trying to do and dispossesses him.
80 mins: Leeds try to work something down the right but they seem to have lost a little edge and Cardiff easily remove the danger.
77 mins: Former Manchester City kid Poveda comes on, replacing Costa. It will be interesting to see if he is capable of changing things.
75 mins: Cardiff fail to clear their lines, with Costa collecting the loose ball in the box, he makes space for himself but scuffs his shot.
Ralls is replaced by Pack in midfield.
73 mins: Leeds’ greatest strength has become their weakness in this game, with sloppy passes leading to both goals.
GOAL! Cardiff 2-0 Leeds (Glatzel, 71)
Updated
69 mins: Another drinks break. Bielsa has 20 minutes or so to get his players going again.
67 mins: Glatzel holds it up well before laying it off to Ralls but the midfielder’s shot goes well wide.
Digvijay asks: “Out of curiosity, if you were a fan of a club in the PL that got relegated, would you watch them home and away in the Championship?”
No, I work a lot of weekends.
65 mins: Bamford combines with Costa, who then sends it back to the striker but he cannot control the pass, instead shinning it to the goalkeeper. A frustrating day for the Leeds striker.
A double change for Cardiff as Mendez-Laing and Glatzel, replace Paterson and Adomah.
63 mins: Bielsa’s first roll of the dice is to replace Ayling with Alioski.
61 mins: WHAT A SAVE! Dallas lifts the ball to the back post for Bamford to knock down to Roberts who charges in and smashes a shot from two yards but Smithies sprints across his line before diving in front of the shot.
59 mins: Bamford really not bringing much to the party here. He hangs around the box but does not really look like he is going to score. Bielsa must long for the days of having Toquero at Athletic Bilbao.
57 mins: Bacuna takes the ball 50 yards up the pitch but is caught by a trailing leg, resulting in Roberts being booked.
Mick McCarthy questions whether Lee Tomlin will be as fit as his teammates following lockdown. His reputation goes before him, it would seem.
55 mins: Paterson is now down after being caught on the back of his head by Ayling when jumping for a header.
53 mins: Paterson has his first chance of the match thanks to a lovely Ralls cross but the striker’s header goes wide.
51 mins: Costa curls in a dangerous low cross from the right with his left foot but it misses everyone and squirms away for a goal kick. More frustration for Leeds.
49 mins: A few robust challenges culminate with three players being left on the turf. Impressively, no one has been booked.
JR is feeling optimistic: “We’re top of the league, top of the leeeeaaaague, West Bromwich Albion, we’re top of the league! I might regret that by the time this game is over but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about supporting a football club is that you have to take every chance to taunt and/or denigrate everyone who supports another club.
“As for Adomah’s yellow, it was because he almost kicked Dallas’s head off, not because Dallas pretended he got kicked. Now Helder Costa, he should have been booked for diving when he got himself in front of Bennett and threw himself to the ground.
“Hang on you Bluebirds!”
Updated
47 mins: If Cardiff win this 4-0, then they will go into the playoff sport but I suspect they would be ecstatic with three points regardless.
Second half
Here we go again!
It was going in, right?
Is it going to be one of those days for Leeds?
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 21, 2020
Bamford inadvertently denies his own side a goal as Harrison's shot is blocked on the line with Bamford in an offside position! 🤦♂️
Watch #Bluebirds v #LUFC on Sky Sports Football or follow it here: https://t.co/qpmWH03Wlp pic.twitter.com/EoBAejKlSV
Peter Harris says: “Pretty churlish stuff. They didn’t foul their way to the goal . They’ve been very well behaved and Adomah’s booking came about from a piece of acting by Dallas.”
For your listening pleasure ...
Half-time
Cardiff do not deserve to be ahead but they have taken their one chance of the match, while Leeds have struggled overall in the final third. There might be a few Leeds fans biting nails already.
45+1 mins: OH NO! Roberts flashes a cross into the box, Harrison sends it towards the bottom corner but Bamford is in the way, blocking a certain goal on the line. The assistant then compounds the matter by pointing out that the striker is offside. Not a great few seconds.
45 mins: Harrison belatedly wins a free-kick after being caught by Sanderson. Phillips whips in the set-piece from the left wing but he fails to beat the first man.
Three minutes added on.
43 mins: YELLOW! Adomah is done for a high boot on Dallas. The winger was looking to control the ball before the defender but the referee called it right. Hoilett is booked seconds later for pulling back Ayling.
41 mins: Bielsa must be very excited at the prospect of being able to make five subs in the game.
39 mins: Cardiff will just be looking to hold this lead until the break as the visitors are looking to increase the tempo once again.
37 mins: YELLOW! Costa goes into the book for catching Bennett with the shoulder when jumping for the ball. Bennett needs treatment due to his head injury.
GOAL! Cardiff 1-0 Leeds (Hoilett, 35)
Phillips gives the ball away on the halfway line, Hoilett picks it up, dribbles towards the box and fires a shot from 18 yards which flies into the net. It’s fair to say Cardiff do not deserve the lead.
Updated
34 mins: Costa shows some trickery and earns a corner. Leeds are really dominating here. All they need to do now is threaten the goal!
32 mins: Philips does provide more whip on the latest corner, which Ayling flicks towards the back post. It looks like it might have hit the woodwork but it is acrobatically cleared anyway.
30 mins: Phillips has sent in a number of hard and flat corners for Leeds, which have come to nothing. He might want to rethink his set-pieces as they’re not very dangerous.
28 mins: Roberts dinks a lovely ball into the box for Klich but he is forced away from goal. Harrison eventually gets it and earns a corner. It comes to nothing but Leeds are starting to get on top here.
26 mins: Leeds are playing at high speed now; the passing and movement is dragging Cardiff around.
24 mins: The short drinks break concludes. Harris seems to have passed on the message to his Cardiff players that things need to speed up.
However, it is Leeds who almost create a chance as Klich lays the ball into Bamford on the edge of the six-yard box. The striker gets a shot away which is blocked but the assistant has his flag up anyway.
22 mins: Adomah catches Dallas on the ankle, causing the Northern Ireland international stay down for a second or two but he seems fine. Leeds seem to be setting the tone now, which means it’s not a great time for a drinks break.
20 mins: Dallas sends in a cross which is headed towards goal by White but it goes just over.
18 mins: Harrison swings in a deep cross into the box, which bounces to Bennett who takes a heavy touch leading to him being dispossessed by Helder Costa. The Leeds man goes down in the box, he appeals for a penalty but the referee shakes his head.
16 mins: Leeds are constantly trying to build out from the back, while Cardiff are playing it a lot longer. Such a plan will really test Leeds’ fitness, whereas Cardiff might find theirs to be a more pragmatic approach in the circumstances.
14 mins: Hoilett cuts in from the left flank, gets a little room and squirms a short towards goal from 18 yards but he drags it wide.
12 mins: I suspect Leeds will not be able to play with the usual intensity demanded by Bielsa due to the short “pre-season”. Luckily, all they are currently doing is defending crosses and long throws.
10 mins: Cardiff win a corner. Ralls swings the ball into the box but it is flicked clear by Klich. Vaulks launches in another projectile which is hooked clear. Cardiff certainly have a bit of a plan here.
8 mins: There has been a good tempo to this game, which is a good sign. West Brom v Birmingham was very slow yesterday.
6 mins: Cardiff are looking to play a touch more direct, which is no surprise when their central striker is Paterson.
4 mins: Vaulks sends in a vicious long throw which Leeds get clear through Phillips. The midfielder’s throws could be a weapon in this game if he can repeat it.
2 mins: Leeds start the game by passing it around the back as they ease their way back into proceedings. Hoilett earns a free-kick after being caught by White in the face.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
Updated
JR emails: “Yes, the Baggies v Blues game yesterday was quite the stinker. But I’m up at 5:45 in the AM to root for the Bluebirds. Well, to be more accurate I am rooting against Leeds. I think Bielsa’s great and actually hope Leeds go up but I want West Brom to win the league.”
A very early start. For your sake, I hope it’s a good game.
David Prutton has just instructed people to go get a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits. Does this mean I am not allowed wine yet?
Tributes will be paid to Peter Whittingham today.
Neil Harris tells Sky that the game has a “pre-season” feel about it. Hopefully, there is a touch more intensity.
The players will take the knee today before kick-off. Here is Donald McRae’s interview with Kelly Cates where such things are discussed.
Bamford leads the line for Bielsa’s side. If they go up will he be given the chance to prove himself at Premier League level? He never looks like the sort of player who will worry top quality defenders but I may be wrong.
I had to watch this game yesterday and it was ruddy awful. Hopefully today’s match is a bit livelier.
Cardiff captain Sean Morrison hopes the return of competitive football can provide a wider good as well as settling matters on the field.
“We’re lucky in what we do that we’ve been able to get back to training in the last few weeks ahead of the games this weekend,” he said.
“People have gone through tough times and hopefully football being back on the TV will bring that little bit of joy to people’s lives.
“We’re just really looking forward to getting back out there on Sunday. If we want to make the top six, we’ll have to attack every game like it’s our last.”
I have never been given a hug while MBMing but I graciously accept. Good to see that Callum Paterson finally has a global audience.
Hey, Will! Following your coverage from Botucatu, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It’s a pleasure to be talking with you. A stunning day for british football, Can’t wait for all the action! Big Brazillians hugs!
— Valentin Furlan (@Furlan_Valentin) June 21, 2020
Leeds need one “last push” to get over the line, according to defender Ben White.
“We all believe and we know what we can do,” the loanee said.
“This is the last bit and the last push, we’ve given everything to get into the position we are and we don’t want to let it go now.
“It’s going to be tough, but I think all of the work we’ve put in over the season is going to build us to do well. We need to tick off each game as it comes and get three points in every game.”
Ben Fisher gets you in the mood ...
Starting lineups
Cardiff: Smithies, Sanderson, Morrison, Nelson, Bennett, Bacuna, Vaulks, Ralls, Adomah, Hoilett, Paterson
Subs: Etherdige, Flint, Smith, Pack, Whyte, Tomlin, Mendez-Laing, Ward, Glatzel
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Klich, Harrison, Costa, Roberts, Bamford
Subs: Miazek, Berardi, Alioski, Struijk, Davis, Gotts, Poveda, Shackleton, Stevens
Updated
Preamble
Good morning!
Marcelo Bielsa has had three months to think how he will line up for this game. There is a slight chance he will have overthought it. The Leeds fans might have had promotion and their potential to blow it on their minds for the same period. It should all have been wrapped up by now but fate has intervened. There are nine games to secure their return to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years and today is the first step.
Cardiff also possess aspirations to go up. Neil Harris has reinvigorated the side since arriving in the Welsh capital. They sit just three points outside the playoffs and face a jolly old battle with seven other clubs to get the last two spots, by my reckoning.
A Cardiff v Leeds game without a crowd will be a bit strange, considering they possess two of the most vociferous sets of fans in the league.
Let’s just hope for a good game as football makes a tentative journey to normality.
Kick-off 12.00pm (BST)
