Sky Blues boss Mark Robins predicts a tough test against Barnsley, despite what their league position may suggest.
Barnsley sit bottom of the Sky Bet Championship, however City boss Mark Robins expects a battle against Poya Asbaghi’s side.
“This is a game we want to take by the scruff of the neck and on the face of it, you look at Barnsley’s league position and think they can’t be that good, but that isn’t the case.
“They’ve added players in the window, some have come back in fit, so they’ve got some really capable players that’s for sure and we have to be right at it and on our best to get the result, we always go after the win, but let’s see how we go.
“With the points total they’ve got, at the bottom of the division, everyone expects us to get a result and that brings its own pressure that we have to handle at home and go and try and take the initiative really.”
After a frustrating result on Tuesday night, Robins acknowledged the fact his side are close to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the division.
“You’re trying to get closer and closer to top of the league because everyone wants to be in the mix for promotion and that’s where we are, a few points short at the moment, but we’ve got a chance to pick points up and that’s what we endeavour to do.
“There’s no saying you can go and walk over teams, that’s the level, but you’ve got to try and stay in games. The other night, if you’re 1-0 down and you get chances to go and win it, that’s what Cardiff have done pretty well over the past couple of weeks.
“We keep trying to dominate the ball and play exciting football, that does create opportunities, the problem for us is that we don’t convert enough of those chances to make sure those performances are absolutely stand-out.
“If I had a pound for every time some said we are the best teams they’ve played against, or we’re an outstanding team, or talking about us in those terms, then I’d be very happy.
“Everybody can see we’re really close to becoming a top team, but we’re miles away from it as well because we’ve got to be able to convert those chances and those are the positions that we have to do a little bit better in."
To continue, Robins insisted his side will continue to play the way they have done all season, whilst providing a little fitness update after a jam-packed few weeks of football.
“The players should be okay, they’ve got the accumulation of games in their legs and all the recovery strategies are in place, it’s just how they perform.
"We’ve got limited numbers and limited options so they have to recover, it’s as simple as that.
"We look to try and get them as close to 100 percent as we can, they’ve got their part to play in it, the nutritional intake and the recovery we do, they’ve got to adhere to that.”