Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Monday, February 13.
Sory Kaba a 'shining light' for Cardiff
Cardiff new boy Sory Kaba has been described as a "shining light" for the Bluebirds in their defeat by Middlesbrough.
The striker, on loan from Danish club Midtjylland, bagged his first goal in a City shirt after tapping home following some excellent build-up play from Callum Robinson.
He brought some physicality and won his fair share of aerial duels, although his hold-up play left a lot to be desired, especially in the first half, with one instance leading to Boro's opening goal.
Nevertheless, a fresh face in the squad and a player unjaded by the so-far woeful season, pundit Courtney Sweetman-Kirk said on the EFL highlights show on ITV that Kaba might be the man to reinvigorate this ailing Bluebirds forward line.
"I think there are wider problems," the Sheffield United forward said of Cardiff on ITV. "Two goals in eight games, goals win games. That's an obvious issue. And they're conceding goals.
"I watched them last week at Hull, they kept themselves in the game and missed the penalty. Big opportunities they are missing.
"I think Kaba is the shining light. I saw him last week and I was impressed with him. He started this week, he was in the right place at the right time and it was great work from Robinson. So I've been impressed with him and hopefully he can bring some attacking prowess to Cardiff."
Kaba himself wrote on social media after the match: "Very happy to score in my first game at home and with this shirt. Head up. WE KEEP GOING."
Neil Warnock announced as boss of relegation rivals
Former Cardiff boss Neil Warnock has been confirmed as the new manager of fellow relegation candidates Huddersfield Town.
The 74-year-old announced last year he had officially retired from the dugout, however the Terriers, whom he managed for two years in the 1990s, have announced Warnock as their new boss after sacking Mark Fotheringham.
He will take charge, with former Bluebirds assistant Ronnie Jepson, until the end of the season.
“I’m really excited about this challenge!" Warnock said. “My first spell at Huddersfield Town had everything; we went to Wembley twice, moved into the new stadium, and really built the club from nothing. It was a special time.
“I’m coming back to help the club, but also Dean Hoyle. I know what he has done behind-the-scenes and I’ve always had a lot of time for him. I’ve looked at the fixtures and we’ve got some fantastic games to come. I want to come back and put smiles on faces!”
Warnock is obviously a legend in this part of the world for steering Cardiff to promotion to the Premier League in 2018. Now, though, he will have the task of getting Huddersfield out of the relegation zone and, in turn, perhaps relegating the Bluebirds in turn.
Huddersfield, in 23rd, are just a point behind the Bluebirds, who are in 21st, but with a game in hand. The bottom four clubs in the Championship are separated by one point, but Cardiff have played one game more than each of their three relegation rivals.
Another former Cardiff manager, Mick McCarthy, is also in charge of another relegation rival in Blackpool, although he is yet to win any of his four games in charge.
Lamouchi expects 'fight' at Birmingham
Sabri Lamouchi is expecting a scrap against Birmingham City when the Bluebirds travel to St Andrew's tomorrow.
Cardiff were torn apart by slick, counter-attacking football by Middlesbrough at the weekend, but City boss Lamouchi expects are far more physically demanding challenge against Blues.
"Birmingham will be a different type of game (to Middlesbrough). Probably more direct, probably more duels, more long balls, more fighting in the middle," Lamouchi said of the Birmingham clash.
"Even for the set-pieces, because they are a good team. They had a very good result against another good team, West Brom. They have quality."
Mini-derby tonight
Cardiff take on their south Wales rivals Swansea City tonight in the mini-derby.
Cardiff are looking to complete the double over Swansea, after beating their rivals 4-3 in a thrilling match which was won by a Jack Leahy stunner late on. The young Bluebirds go into the clash tonight with a few injuries to contend with, sitting fourth in the table, one spot above the Swans, and coming off the back of three successive league defeats.
Under-21s boss Darren Purse said: "Following the results from the last few games along with the travelling involved, it's been nice to have the week to prepare for our trip to Swansea.
"It's been nice to be able to deal with a few little injuries that we've had in the squad, building towards what will perhaps be one of the most important games of the season for us.
"There are certain games that you really have to pay special attention to, and this is one of them. We need to be at it, which you need to be in any local derby, but we also need to bring our quality to the game as well.
"We've got a number of injuries in the squad as I mentioned, but it's also an opportunity for the U18 players who have stepped in, to see what they've got. It's about exposing them to the rigours of U21 football, and to become better players from learning as they play."
WalesOnline will update you with how the match went later on tonight. Kick-off is at 6pm.
Ince on Cardiff game
Reading manager Paul Ince views Cardiff game as an opportunity for his side to pick up points this week.
The Bluebirds face the Royals at home on Friday night, with both teams so far winless in 2023. Both, of course, will hope to change that sooner rather than later.
They have midweek games to contend with first, of course, with Cardiff travelling to Birmingham City on Tuesday and Reading taking on Rotherham United in midweek. But Ince is hopeful of getting points from his upcoming games amid a packed schedule.
"It's tough - we have a six and a half hour journey back from Sunderland which is not nice considering how the game went and losing in the last minute, but the lads are still positive," Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire.
"We have three games now against Rotherham, Cardiff and Blackpool where we can pick up some points. Nothing has really changed in the table, that's stayed the same. We just have an opportunity now where we can pick up some points.
"They're all important games. We've lost one and drawn two and lost two and drawn one [in the league] so it will be nice if we can pick up a win because our home form has been very good.
"But Rotherham have been to Watford and drawn so they are no pushovers. They went to Blackpool on Saturday and drew too. So it's a game where we go again. It's tough for us having gone up to Sunderland, then playing Rotherham and then going up to Cardiff - they [the EFL] are not doing us any favours, are they? But as far as I am concerned, it was a very good performance from the boys at Sunderland."
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