Tonight's Cardiff City news as manager tells midfielder to be 'braver' and 'nastier' and Riza to make changes

Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Friday, December 13.

King must be 'braver' and 'nastier'

Stevenage boss Alex Revell has told Eli King what he must do if he is to progress to the next level and become a regular for the League One club moving forward.

The Bluebirds midfielder, 21, is on his fourth senior loan of his career, but has been in and out of Boro's squad so far this season, starting nine times and seeing six appearances from the substitutes' bench.

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He did play the full 90 minutes in the 4-0 EFL Trophy win over Burton Albion in midweek, however, and impressed by all accounts. However, former Bluebirds player Revell thinks there is a lot more to come from the Cardiff academy product.

"First half he still could have played forward more, we’re trying to get him to be braver on the ball," Revell said of King's performance against Albion.

"I think the big thing for him is to learn the nasty side of the game. That’s not smashing people but understanding the importance of winning the 50-50 duels and your headers.

"But second half at Burton we saw a much better performance, a more complete performance in terms of playing and running forward, switches of play, winning his duels.

"He is getting better and anyone that comes from a different club, no matter how far away that is, it does take time and it can be lonely.

"We've made sure that he and Ken [Aboh] are in the same place together so it's great for them to have each other. But the lads here are fantastic at welcoming people and both of them are now showing that they can be a part of the group."

Riza to make changes for Stoke

Omer Riza has vowed to make changes for tomorrow's away clash with Stoke City after being left incandescent with rage following his team's meek display against Preston North End on Wednesday.

Speaking after the PNE defeat, Riza vowed to make changes in a bid to end this six-game run without a win. If they don't arrest that run, Riza said, there will be "big problems". Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

"I won't tolerate those sorts of performances from players, as a team or individuals. Things have got to change for the Stoke game," he said.

"If you don't do things properly, you get beaten. Before we talk about anything else, we have got to get that right again. There has to be a reaction. There is no other way. If there is not a reaction, then there are going to be big problems."

The manager also hinted there could be a change of system to his preferred 4-2-3-1 up in the Potteries.

"It's down to them [the players]," he said when asked about how they were going to go about flipping this form on its head.

"A lot of it is down to them. Sometimes it's not tactics or systems, it's desire, quality, that's what we are going to be looking for - a reaction and an energy and intensity to play. We have to re-focus and make sure it doesn't happen again.

"There's a big difference. The drop-off has been coming over three or four games. The first block [of fixtures] really caught up with the players. They had to really knuckle down to get back to where they got to.

"Now we have had a few injuries and some inconsistencies. The performances need to be better. It might force my hand in respect of the way we play. System-wise, I may tweak that, still always on the front foot wanting to attack. But there will be a few tweaks and a few things we need to be discussed."

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Watford game moved

Cardiff's game against Watford has a new date.

The Bluebirds' home clash against the Hornets was originally scheduled to take place last Saturday, however Storm Darragh so all sport in Wales postponed that day.

It meant Cardiff went into their game against Preston North End a game behind most other clubs and the defeat on Wednesday has sunk them further into the mire.

And December and January are now both looking like busy months, with the game against Watford now due to take place on Tuesday, January 14, a 7.45pm kick-off.

That is just 16 days after they travel to Vicarage Road on December 29.