Harris post-Derby | Searching for that rhythm
DERBY REACTION | HARRIS
Neil Harris’ men continued their unbeaten record on the road, with Kieffer Moore’s equaliser earning a hard-fought draw against Derby County.
Following the match at Pride Park, the Bluebirds boss spoke virtually to the press and media, providing his opinion on a resilient showing from City.
“I’m really pleased with the character to come from behind again.” Neil began. “We were the architect of our own downfall at times it’s fair to say, by turning the ball over cheaply. Ultimately, Derby’s opportunities in the first half came on the counter-attack, so we adjusted slightly at half-time, and had a really calm conversation.
“We tidied things up, and got the blend of when to play forward a little bit quicker, and when to take care of the ball and make passes. The second half, I thought, was much better. It was a great free-kick which went in the net, and you can’t do a lot about them at this level. But ultimately, we’ve hit the post twice during the game as well, and had the better chances.”
With a much-improved second-half showing, Harris commented on the team’s performances of late, and praised the determination of his players.
“We’re still searching for that rhythm – that’s how I see it. We’re just a couple of points away from where we want to be, but whilst we’re searching for that rhythm, it’s important that we keep up the mentality of not losing games. We’ve done that again tonight; that’s five matches unbeaten now.
“We’re desperate to do well, and put ourselves under a lot of pressure. There’s so much more to come from the group, and with games coming thick and fast the team is continuously adjusting. Sometimes you want to freshen things up, but sometimes you want a bit of continuity in that side, to help find that rhythm. We will find it, and when we hit that rhythm, we’re going to win a lot of games.”
Sheyi Ojo provided the assist for Moore’s strike with a brilliant solo run, and the boss applauded the winger for his recent performances.
“I think Sheyi is showing us his importance, with a couple of goals and a couple of assists. He had just been missing that final end product – in the first half he got into some great areas of the pitch, but the cross wasn’t what it should be. But in moments, he’s unplayable. His counter-attacking ability and his ability to dribble are excellent, and he’s unpredictable.”
Finally, Harris provided an update on Harry Wilson, who missed out on Wednesday’s fixture through injury.
The boss concluded: “Right at the end of training yesterday, Harry picked up a slight injury in his groin area, which just tightened up. We’re hopeful that it’s a really short turnaround. To lose him is a big blow, because he’s started like a house on fire.
"Lee Tomlin is very close as well, which will give us another maverick in the side. It will certainly add quality when we have those two players back in the group, and will give us a real attacking impetus to our play.”
