"He’s a top player" - Cardiff City told to take Chris Willock action | OneFootball

We asked our Cardiff City fan pundit who he'd like to see starting for the club on a more regular basis

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Chris Willock has been deemed too good to sit on the bench for Cardiff City after struggling for regular starts since making the move to the Welsh capital from QPR in the summer.

Willock, who joined the Bluebirds on a free transfer, hasn't started a game since the end of August, and has fallen down the pecking order under interim boss Omer Riza, with Anwar El Ghazi and Ollie Tanner favoured over him in recent weeks.

The 26-year-old has played 11 times in the Championship for Cardiff this season, but has started just four, all of which came under old boss Erol Bulut. With 165 Championship appearances to his name, Willock has plenty of experience in the division, and our Cardiff City fan pundit believes he's too good to be on the bench.

We asked our Cardiff City fan pundit, Jack Price, which player he'd like to see start on a more regular basis, and he wants to see ex-QPR man Willock in the team on a more regular basis.

Speaking to Football League World, Jack said: "One player for Cardiff that I believe needs to be starting a bit more regularly is Chris Willock.

"Willock was signed in the summer from QPR as it seemed like a bit of a statement of intent at the time, a really exciting player and someone with pedigree at this level, he’s proved himself to be one of the better wingers on his day in the league.

"He really hasn’t been all that involved recently, he hasn’t started a league game since the end of August against Middlesbrough, and hasn’t started a league game under Riza, who’s preferred El Ghazi and Tanner out wide.

“The problem for Chris Willock is that El Ghazi and Tanner generally perform quite well, particularly Tanner, who’s come on leaps and bounds since Riza came in and El Ghazi is still a bit rough, but he’s really starting to get back to his former levels.

“With Willock, he’s often used as an impact sub and he always makes a positive impression. I remember he came on against Portsmouth last week. He only had four touches but with two of them he created big chances and one of them was a big one.

“You can see that when he’s coming on he’s really making an impact and being creative, but he’s simply too good to be on the bench all year.

“I think some Cardiff fans may have given up on him already, not many but some of them. I think it’s forgotten that Willock could be a leading player for us this season, he’s always really lively coming on from the bench and he’s very creative. He came on against Plymouth last weekend, and he scored one and assisted one in 24 minutes, and you’ve got to wonder when he is going to get the opportunity to start?

“I understand why he isn’t because of El Ghazi and Tanner, but I do think that maybe after West Brom it would be a good opportunity to throw Willock back in because he definitely deserves to be starting.

“He’s a top player, you can see the talent from miles away, but there is a school of thought amongst Cardiff fans that he’s a better number ten, and I agree with that, because he hasn’t got the burning pace of an Ollie Tanner to beat his man on the outside, but he’s better in tight spaces, better at breaking lines with his passing and he came on as a ten against Plymouth and that was his best performance to date.

“That’s where Rubin Colwill plays, and he’s indispensable, so Willock will have to play on the left, maybe taking Anwar El Ghazi’s position, but either way, I’d be finding a way to get Willock into the side, and the fact that he isn’t starting at the moment indicates the strength in depth we’ve got, but you’ve got to wonder how many more times can he come off the bench and make a positive impact before he actually starts on a more consistent basis.

“Willock needs to be starting more for Cardiff.”

Chris Willock didn't join Cardiff City to sit on the bench

Willock started 27 times for QPR last season, playing 39 games in all competitions, and with his contract expiring at Loftus Road in the summer, he wouldn't have been short of Championship interest.

It looked a coup for Cardiff when they announced his signing in the summer, and Willock would have expected to be one of the first names on the teamsheet and to become a key player for the Bluebirds this season.

That appeared to be the case under Bulut in the early weeks of the season when he started the first four games, but his sacking and the good form of players like Tanner and El Ghazi means that he's slipped down the pecking order.

The manager who brought him to the club being sacked is less than ideal, and Willock could quietly be regretting his decision to move to the Welsh capital in the summer.