We Will Prepare The Same Way - Johnson

Thursday, October 13th 2016

Lee Johnson will not be preparing his team any differently for tomorrow’s Severnside derby (7.45pm) now that Neil Warnock has been appointed Cardiff City manager.

The two sides have been experiencing contrasting fortunes of late. Johnson’s men will head to South Wales on a four-game winning streak, while their hosts have lost six of their last seven outings.

The vastly experienced Warnock inherited a Rotherham United deep in trouble back in February, only to put together an 11-match unbeaten run en route to securing their safety.

Johnson believes the Bluebirds will be buoyed by the presence of their new boss, but insists the game will come down to the players on the pitch as City hunt for a first victory at the Cardiff City Stadium after six winless visits.

“It’s an important game for us,” the head coach told Bristol City Player HD.

“We’re playing against a team who might have a slight change in the first ten or 15 minutes, with motivation levels being up and trying to impress a new manager early.

“We’ll be going to win the game, as we always do, and we’ll set up a game plan based on their players – not necessarily their manager.#

“I love these fixtures – it’s under the lights, it’s live on Sky and there’s a pantomime that goes along with the game.

“Our players have got to make sure they deal with everything that’s going on and just play their game, because they’re playing well and they’re in good form.

“Individually I think they feel quite confident in themselves, but we’ve got to make sure that doesn’t step over into complacency.

“Our fans will be in good voice and good spirits, so a lot of positivity can come out of the game if we get a result. It’s important that we go there with the right mindset to pick up a win.”

A 2,000-strong away support is expected at the Cardiff City Stadium. It is all-ticket for away fans, with tickets remaining on sale until 12.30pm on the day of the game. Call 0117 963 0600 to buy yours today.