Cardiff Fails to Capitalize on Hogg Dismissal, Settles for Draw With Huddersfield

For the second consecutive week, Cardiff City failed to capitalize on its man advantage, this time settling for a scoreless draw against Huddersfield Town.

Cardiff City failed to take advantage of a man advantage for a second consecutive week as it drew 0-0 with Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had the best chance of the first half early on, only to collide heavily with Terriers goalkeeper Ben Hamer, requiring both players to be substituted.

After the interval Jonathan Hogg was shown a straight red card for an incident with Harry Arter, throwing the pressure on Huddersfield. Bobby Reid saw a late effort trickle wide of the post after he couldn't make clean contact on the ball.

Check out our breakdown of the game below.

HUDDERSFIELD

Key Talking Point

Up until Hogg's brainless sending off, Huddersfield were the dominant team. There was little quality to be found in the game, but what small glimmers there were came in David Wagner's side's build-up play.

Aaron Mooy kept the ball moving in the middle of the park and the wide players for Huddersfield ran rings around Cardiff's tightly structured defense.

Terence Kongolo, Florent Hadergjonaj and Rajiv van La Parra all seemed to strike fear into the hearts of the Bluebirds players whenever they were on the ball, seeming to have acres of space and a constant desire to run at their opponents.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Hamer (N/A inj. 12'), Hadergjonaj (7), Jorgenson (5), Schindler (5), Kongolo (6), Hogg (2), Billing (5), van La Parra (7), Mooy (7), Diakhaby (6), Mounie (5).

Substitutes: Lossl (7), Mbenza (6), Depoitre (N/A).

STAR MAN - In a game very much void of quality, Mooy offered an occasional glimpse of his range of passing and talent as Huddersfield built their attacks.

The game was dramatically changed in the second half after Hogg's dismissal and it largely limited Mooy from displaying the same attacking capabilities but he showed great defensive play, including a brilliant sliding tackle come block late on in the game.

WORST PLAYER - What was Jonathan Hogg thinking? Huddersfield was the better of the two teams in a game of little quality, only for the midfielder to square up with Harry Arter and engage in a farcical shoving match.

After an ensuing fracas he was shown a straight red, throwing the pressure onto his teammates.

CARDIFF

Key Talking Point

Once again under Neil Warnock, Cardiff was defensively solid. They keep a really tight, rigid structure and get back into position at surprising speed after losing the ball.

That 'ugly side of the game' as its sometimes referred too is key to how the Bluebirds have managed to keep two clean sheets in their last two games. They're a tough team for oppositions to break down.

As much as they were faced with good Huddersfield build-up play up until the red card, there was little penetration into the box. Most of the Terriers' chances were restricted to efforts from distance.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Etheridge (7), Ecuele Manga (6), Morrison (6), Bamba (5), Bennett (6), Ralls (6), Mendez-Laing (N/A inj. 10'), Camarasa (6), Arter (4), Murphy (7), Zohore (4).

Substitutes: Patterson (6), Ward (5), Reid (6).

STAR MAN - Josh Murphy was easily the best player on the pitch for Cardiff against Newcastle, and he was again today—but for a very different reason.

Against the Magpies, Murphy caused a nightmare going forward, while today he displayed great defensive discipline and awareness. Until the red card he often found himself tracking back, denying any joy from the attacking bursts of Huddersfield full-back Hadergjonaj.

WORST PLAYER - Kenneth Zohore, supposedly a key figure for Cardiff up front, offered absolutely nothing for the Bluebirds up top. It's not too difficult to see why the newly-promoted side has struggled for goals so far this season.

He moved around here and there but was never in any danger of threatening the Huddersfield goal.

Looking Ahead

Huddersfield next face a midweek trip to Stoke City in the League Cup, before facing Everton away at Goodison Park on Saturday in their next Premier League fixture.

For Cardiff, meanwhile, Norwich are invited to south Wales in midweek for the cup, followed by a tough Premier League home meeting with Arsenal.