CARDIFF CITY STADIUM
NEIL WARNOCK wants Cardiff City to start 2017 with a bang by avenging their 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa earlier this season when they face Steve Bruce’s side today.
Albert Adomah opened the scoring for the hosts in the November meeting at Villa Park, before Rickie Lambert levelled proceedings four minutes later to send the away supporters into raptures.
But a goal from Jonathan Kodjia along with former Cardiff man Rudy Gestede’s 90th-minute penalty earned Villa all three points against the Bluebirds, who had Lee Peltier sent off late on.
And Warnock is keen to put that result right with a victory at Cardiff City Stadium, as the Bluebirds look to rectify their faltering home form.
“I’ve got to say I was disappointed not to get a result at Villa back at the end of November, I thought we did ever so well there,” Warnock said.
“We conceded bad goals at a silly time though, just as we were in the ascendancy – and then I was really disappointed with the red card Pelts was shown.
“I’m looking for us to give a better account of ourselves this time around.”
Cardiff go into the match having missed out on their clash with Championship leaders Brighton at the Amex Stadium after the game was called off due to thick fog covering the pitch.
And Warnock admitted he was disappointed his side did not get the opportunity to have a crack at halting the astonishing run of Chris Hughton’s side.
Aston Villa will provide a similarly stern test, with just two defeats in their last 10 matches.
“We all wanted to play (at Brighton) and have a go at halting their 17 game run,” added the Cardiff manager.
“We were all disappointed, but at the end of the day you have to accept the decision.
“You could say that the plus side is that we’ve had an extra day’s rest, but when you take into account the travelling over the two days it hasn’t given us much if I’m honest.
“Things are changing so quickly with so many games this time of year, but there are obviously the injuries to Lee Peltier and Peter Whittingham (picked up at Brentford on Boxing Day) that we’re going to have to assess ahead of kick off on Monday. Both have a chance, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Meanwhile, ‘Cardiff City legend’ Whittingham is gearing up to face his former club for the fifth time - if he can regain fitness in time.
Whittingham has been the mainstay of an ever-changing Cardiff team for an entire decade. Some achievement when you factor in the volatile nature of the Championship. As if to illustrate that point, since Whittingham moved to Cardiff, Leeds United have gone through 15 different managers.
Of course the 32-year-old now has two ex-Leeds bosses, Neil Warnock and Kevin Blackwell, as coaches. And who better to appreciate and harness Whittingham’s intelligent footballing style than two of English football’s ‘old guard’?
“Without doubt (he’s become a legend here), “said Bluebirds No 2 Blackwell.
“I’ve brought many a team to Cardiff and Peter Whittingham was always a player you had to be careful of, don’t commit fouls too close to the goal because you knew he could hit them from there and free-kicks would come in with quality.
“He’s a special player and I’m delighted he’s been very much part of what we’ve done since we came here. He’s a regular starter and we hope he’ll be fit soon.”
The Bluebirds are still reliant on Whittingham for goals and assists, despite his advancing years, which have made previous managers question his role in the team. Not for Warnock and Blackwell though.
Whittingham has contributed five goals and five assists this season, having a say in 10 of the 26 goals the Bluebirds have scored in the campaign to date.
His importance at set pieces cannot be overestimated with 46 per cent of Cardiff’s goals coming from deal ball situations.
Blackwell even suggested that Whittingham was getting better with age, after noticing a visible improvement in Cardiff’s midfield general, who is benefiting from a central role with licence to roam and dictate the play, with Aron Gunnarsson for cover.
And ahead of Villa’s visit to Cardiff City Stadium, Bluebirds’ fans must be craving to see Whittingham named among the 11 starters.
“It’s come across from a lot of people since we’ve been here that he’s stepped up a gear and that’s great, because with the ability he has got he needs to be around the part of the pitch where the ball is,” added Blackwell.
“Then he can use that fantastic ability he’s got. It’s never too late to learn and I’m sure if he was running a little bit more earlier in his career he could have got further, but we’re delighted with what he’s doing, he’s a clever player, we like that and I just love the fact that when Whitts plays, we play.”
Whittingham, like Peltier, has become a favourite of Warnock. He typifies the steadfast never-say-die attitude that the 68-year-old has instilled since replacing Paul Trollope in October.
And while ‘Whitts’ doesn’t indulge in blood-and-thunder tackles which catch the eye, he always gives everything for Cardiff.
But like Peltier, Whittingham faces a battle to prove his fitness and feature against Steve Bruce’s in-form side.
Blackwell added: “In both cases (Peltier and Whittingham) it will be touch and go but anything that you don’t have to put excessive stress on, such as a calf injury, is good because it allows you to rest and recuperate and hopefully come back quicker. It will all add up to a quicker return hopefully.”
Bruce’s Villa have lost just twice in their last 10 games. They continue to soar up the table after a faltering start and could yet push for a play-off place. They will provide a stern test for the Bluebirds.
“I was at Villa (on Thursday night) for the Leeds game, they are very well organised, strong,” said Blackwell. “They have players who can create something out of nothing, they are big and strong at set plays, Villa Park I think is sometimes a bit of a problem for them because of the expectation that weighs on their shoulders and you could see that in three or four of the players, what we’ve got to try and do is that when they come to our stadium, we make it a hostile place and put that pressure on them.
“They have clearly got Premier League experience and class, some quality players and players who can score goals out of nothing which is a good weapon to have.
“We hope there’s a big crowd and it’s big game: This is Cardiff, this is Wales, this is our home, anybody who comes here we welcome them when they leave, not when they arrive.”