Cardiff in 'really good place physically' for final push
[Huw Evans Picture Agency] Cardiff City host Blackpool on Saturday (12:30 GMT) with Brian Barry-Murphy adamant his team are in good shape despite their recent dip in form. With the finishing line looming into view, Cardiff are enduring their trickiest run of a fine season having taken only seven points from their past six League One games. But the Bluebirds, in second, remain a healthy 10 points clear of third-placed Bolton Wanderers in the race for automatic promotion.
And despite a midweek home loss to Wycombe Wanderers – when Cardiff had Gabriel Osho sent off before half-time – Barry-Murphy is in confident mood. "The squad is in a really good place physically. We played Exeter [last weekend] and for large parts it was our most dominant physical performance, so the lads are in a great place," the Cardiff boss said.
"Tuesday night [against Wycombe], the way the game goes, we play with 10 men for such a long period, meaning the result is what it is. "But physically the lads looked brilliant and I couldn't be happier with them. We will now try to show again that we can win and play really well.
" Having been formidable on their own patch for the majority of the season, Cardiff have suffered back-to-back home losses. They have the chance to make amends as they take on a relegation-threatened Blackpool side who beat Barry-Murphy's team at Bloomfield Road earlier in the season. "I think we have been so good for so long at home that whenever you do lose a game it seems not normal," he added.
"There were spells last season I am sure where you couldn't win a game at home and it becomes normal. "The new normal these players have created is that we are brilliant at home, play great football and win games, but we can never take that for granted. We have to fight to try to play well and win [against Blackpool].