Erol Bulut: We can recapture the form of the start of the season

Bluebirds’ boss Erol Bulut admitted Cardiff City had been beaten by a better side on the day – as he saw his side thumped 4-1 at Norwich.

However, the manager while recognising his team are suffering a huge downturn, believes the side can recapture the form that saw them chasing a playoff place earlier in the season.

“They are a good team with a lot of good players and it was difficult for us,” he said. “I thought we did well to stop them scoring early on and then we got a goal.

“But it was still tough, they kept coming at us and once they got their equaliser and then scored their second and third it was always going to be difficult to come back.

“It has been a difficult spell, the worst of my managerial career, but we have 40 points with 14 games left to play and there is plenty of play for.

“We need to get back to the sort of team we were at the start of the season. This team will come back again – I believe in them.”

He added: “In my career I have never lost so many games in a row as a manager. I have to adapt also a little bit. I don’t like losing. My players don’t like the situation right now.

“We started well this season and got 40 points. We have to continue for 14 games more and change it again. We have to give the fans something back. We have to show more, even when the opponent is stronger than us.

“It’s a good moment for us to play at home in front of our fans, so we have to get the three points. It’s a good time to think about everything, we will analyse it tomorrow so we can be much better on Tuesday.

“It hurts me a lot. I have to handle this quick with my players, because we need these players again on Tuesday. I need my players on Tuesday. I spoke to them inside (the changing room), they have to be positive. I cannot shout at them to make them more down, they are already down because we lost 4-1.

“I will try to keep morale up to have a good morale on Tuesday for the game.”

Bulut also spoke of the injury concerns he has.

“For Tuesday, I think it will be difficult,” Bulut said of Aaron Ramsey. “He got injured, he has a strain on his calf. Also Perry Ng was injured on his hips. That’s why they didn’t play.

“For Tuesday, Aaron, it will be difficult. I think it will be a short time, around one week. We saw in the last game, at West Brom, when he came in, it was a different game from how we started, we got a few chances to score and make it 1-1.

“It would be great to have him, but if a player is injured, I cannot change it.

“Perry has an old injury with his hips, I hope he can be with us on Tuesday but I’m not sure about that.”

Norwich head coach David Wagner praised a ‘top quality’ performance from his side.

The Canaries recovered from the shock of conceding first when totally on top to score four goals at Carrow Road for the second time in five days following Tuesday night’s 4-2 success over Watford.

Jamilu Collins put Cardiff in front but Josh Sargent (2), Gabriel Sara and substitute Christian Fassnacht replied to secure Norwich a fourth successive home win.

Wagner said: “The lads played very well, all the departments of our game were top quality.

“We started well and the only criticism I could make was we were not ruthless enough early on. But we stayed calm, kept playing our football and scored some wonderful goals.

“You can see from the way we are playing at the moment that there is a lot of confidence in the group.

All of the players are doing their jobs at a high level and full credit to them for that.

“I was also impressed with the way we defended. Cardiff are one of the best set-piece teams in the league and we didn’t concede a single corner, which was very pleasing.”