Cardiff stopped Leeds United from playing by targeting goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The newspaper claim that Cardiff’s 3-1 Championship win on Tuesday night against Thomas Christiansen’s side stemmed from snuffing out the last line of defence.
Wiedwald has developed a reputation since signing from Werder Bremen this summer not only as a solid keeper but also as a player who is confident on the ball and able to build attacks in the style of his fellow German Manuel Neuer.
The Championship ever-present has been key to bringing greater creativity and attacking threat to a Leeds side that was one-dimensional under Garry Monk and overly dependent upon Chris Wood for goals.
“At their best Christiansen’s team take some working out but the division is starting to digest aspects of his philosophy,” report the Yorkshire Evening Post. “Ipswich and McCarthy were specific in pressing Felix Wiedwald on Saturday, complicating the goalkeeper’s attempts to direct play from the back.
“Warnock had evidently examined Wiedwald’s brave but risky attempts to pass and be damned and had Cardiff’s forward line on his case on Tuesday night.
“Wiedwald thought twice about pushing his luck and went long instead, to a line-up which was not set up to receive them.”
Kemar Roofe had been selected to spearhead the Leeds attack at the Cardiff City Stadium as Christiansen made five changes to the team that beat Ipswich 3-2 three days earlier.
OPINION
Warnock is no mug when it comes to the Championship. And his tactical instructions to stop Wiedwald building attacks worked a treat. The former Leeds boss knew that Roofe would be no match for his centre-backs in the air, and that plan B would be far less effective than plan A of passing from the back. Warnock and McCarthy have served notice to other second-tier managers that Leeds’ expansive game can be subjugated, and it is now up to Christiansen and his staff to come up with a response.