Bluebirds travel to Stoke in FA Cup hoping to ‘put a line under’ Elland Road drubbing
CARDIFF travel to Stoke City looking to progress in the FA Cup and continue their positive start to 2025.
Despite the 7-0 defeat in Leeds last weekend, the Bluebirds have been in good form for a team struggling at the wrong end of the table.
With just one defeat in their last nine matches, Omer Riza’s men are keeping afloat in the Championship relegation battle and have shown that they have what it takes to stay in the division.
Riza stressed before the game that the Bluebirds should not dwell on the Leeds result and should instead try to move forward.
“It’s definitely something we have learnt from, you learn something from every game, but we have put a line under it and have come together as a family and close-knit group,” he said.
“We are ready for what’s in front of us now.”
Saturday’s trip to the bet365 stadium could prove a welcome break from the intensity of league action and a chance for fringe players to get minutes.
“We are going there with the mentality to win, you get past this one and you are in the fifth round, and you don’t know who you can get,” Riza said.
It is also Cardiff’s first outing since the transfer window closed on Monday and Bluebirds will be keen to see the new stars in action.
The January additions of Yousef Salech, Sivert Mannsverk and Will Alves look promising and will add attacking depth to the squad.
Alves, a deadline day loan signing from Leicester City, is particularly highly rated and can play in an attacking midfield role as well as in wide areas.
Riza, who coached the 19-year-old in the England youth set-up, said about the signing: “Will is very powerful. He’s quick and has a great attitude. He’s a hungry player, has an aggression to want to run at players and get beyond the opposition.
“We’ve needed that a little bit and I’m glad he can now add that to our team.”
Stuttering Stoke will want to build momentum
Meanwhile, Cardiff’s hosts on Saturday will view the fourth-round tie as an opportunity to build momentum in what has been a frustrating season.
Manager Mark Robins, who only took charge at the start of January, has enjoyed a mixed start to life in Staffordshire.
With just two wins in their last seven matches, they sit only one place above their visitors and find themselves on the cusp of a relegation battle that looks as if it will go down to the wire.
The Potters are the Championship’s lowest scorers with just 28 goals. They have failed to score in five of their previous nine encounters.
But a crucial victory against fellow strugglers Hull City last weekend, which included a goal from new loan signing Ali Al-Hamadi, could prove a turning point.
However, the Iraqi is cup-tied for Saturday’s game.
This leaves Robins with a selection headache in attacking areas. The lengthy injury list is gradually shortening but with the recalled Nathan Lowe also cup-tied, it is unclear who will lead the line at the weekend.
Bluebirds team news
Ollie Tanner, who has been unavailable since the South Wales derby, remains out with a foot injury and has been wearing a precautionary protective boot this week.
Yakou Méïté is also sidelined after suffering a thigh strain.
Riza confirmed that Aaron Ramsey is fit and available following five months out with a hamstring injury.
This is a timely boost for Riza who has been unable to use the talismanic midfielder during his stint in charge.
“Aaron Ramsey is in a good place, he’s happy and smiling,” Riza said.
“He could be involved on Saturday, we will manage him accordingly.
“The squad is nearly 99% as strong as it can be now. Everyone will fight for positions and it’s a healthy competition.”
The three new January additions are also in contention for minutes.
