Warnock blames players

[stan butler]

By Dominic Booth

Neil Warnock wants his Cardiff City players "in the trenches" with him after blaming a succession of "elementary" mistakes for their successive defeats to Watford and Everton.

The Cardiff boss was less than impressed with a number of his troops after the 3-0 home defeat to Everton , which could consign the Bluebirds to the Premier League bottom three if Southampton beat Fulham on Wednesday.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's double and a Dominic Calvert-Lewin stoppage time strike sealed victory for Everton on Tuesday night.

Asked to explain how the Bluebirds went from back-to-back wins to these two latest defeats, Warnock said: "I think it was elementary mistakes really.

"We shouldn't concede goals like the second (Sigurdsson) goal, which was like a Sunday league goal.

"It's one of those where we're disappointed, but we can't keep feeling sorry for ourselves.

"I was disappointed tonight in two or three.

"Two of three lads let me down tonight - and I won't have that."

Warnock then issued a rallying cry to his players, who he says must put everything on the line to help the Bluebirds grind out some results and see them over the survival line.

Cardiff travel to Wolves on Saturday desperate to put an end to this latest blip.

Warnock added: "We'll feel sorry for ourselves tonight, but we've been written off that many times since I've been here. And we've got to show what we're made of.

"We'll go to Wolves, who will probably be full of glee that they're facing us after conceding eight goals in two games. But I think we can put in a good performance down there.

"I basically know what my my team's going to be.

"I don't want anyone who's not in the trenches with me on Saturday. We've got to stand up and be counted now. That goes for everyone."

Warnock explained rotation was behind the sweeping changes he's made to his lineup against Watford and Everton.

The likes of Junior Hoilett and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing returned to the side against the Toffees, to little affect.

"I wanted to give one or two opportunities tonight and we had one or two problems in the camp as well," Warnock added.

"But I think everybody should be available for the weekend now.

"Football can change so quickly. We'll probably be in the bottom three tomorrow now when Southampton play Fulham, but we've got 10 games to try and get adequate points. To have a chance at this stage with 10 games to go, we'd have snapped your hands off.

"We've got to try and grasp that because it's a fabulous league to be in for the club."

[Tuerto]

Wouldn't it be nice not to have to get into the 'trenches' once in a while. How about an advancement in order to gain some ground.

[Wales-Bales]

"this latest blip"

[Des Parrot]

Two or three lads let me down! Really?

I'd suggest 8 or 9 let you down but you picked them.

I think Bobby Reid was the only one to come out of tonight's game with credit. A few others did ok but the back 4 & keeper all let you down, as did your wide players & Bacuna. Ken tried, as did Gunnar but without an end product.

We're too worried about what the opposition are doing and giving them far too much credit. Everton were mediocre, no better than Wolves. Leicester, Southampton, yet not a single shot on target all night.