Is Cardiff’s squad as bad as some seem to think?
After a summer of massive upheaval, it was always going to be a season of transition, but no one expected this. What should have been a matter of weeks turned into months, with four different managers utilised, various systems used and every conceivable combination tried. Suffice to say, it did not help the process and this prolonged identity crisis resulted in Cardiff hovering far too close to the relegation places for the duration of the campaign.
It was gruelling to watch, so I can only imagine how frustrating and demoralising it must have been for the players, and as we know, its always the players that bear the brunt of the criticism.
There has been a race this season to be the first to write off individuals and to go the furthest with criticism. Not only is this player not good enough for Cardiff, they would struggle in League Two, apparently. Its all nonsense, of course, and horrible to witness. Football is the ultimate meritocracy and players ascend to this level for a reason, despite what some may think.
Herein lies the problem though. How do you fairly and accurately rate this Cardiff squad after such an awful season, when many of the problems were inflicted on them, rather than actually caused by them?
This is not a consideration that plenty of supporters seem overly concerned by and they have already decided that most of them are shit and unfit for purpose. They may want another reset, but that would cost money that Cardiff don’t have and be counterproductive because it would be back to square one. All that pain and suffering would be for nothing. Half a dozen, hopefully good, new players aside, this will more or less be the squad again next season, whether you like it or not.
Personally, I think there is plenty to work with here and the core of a competitive Championship squad.
Ryan Allsop is proving increasingly divisive, so makes for an interesting case study. He was clearly identified by Steve Morison due to how adept he is with his feet and how he would fit the style of play Morison was looking to implement. The Norwich game on the opening day of the season represented the purest representation of that vision and Allsop was instrumental. Accustomed to goalkeepers like Neil Etheridge kicking like a mule, the composure shown by Allsop was revolutionary. It took some getting used to, but it felt right. This is what everyone had been waiting for and is in line with the direction goalkeeping is taking on the world stage.
Then Morison was sacked and this function was diluted by Mark Hudson. Under Sabri Lamouchi, the concept was shelved indefinitely, as percentage football was adopted to get Cardiff out of a hole. Its as if someone has figuratively cut Allsop off at the knees and when you consider that goalkeeping coach Graham Stack left mid-season and wasn’t replaced, the disruption was probably most keenly felt in the squad by him. Allsop’s stats for the season are not great, but he’s far from alone in that regard. He has certain weaknesses, but wouldn’t have bounced around as much as he has or been available as a free agent otherwise.
Whether or not he should start the season as Cardiff’s number one therefore depends on how they intend to play and whether he would be allowed to use his feet again. In terms of replacing him, without being able to spend, that would also be easier said than done.
This is the situation Cardiff once more find themselves in and I still think that Morison did a great job last summer, to get that many players in, with the restrictions in place. People are increasingly referring to some of these players as cast offs, but had Cardiff finished further up the table, that would be reframed as bargains. These things tend to get flipped either way, depending on form and personal bias.
Going forward, Allsop and Jak Alnwick have proven solid and adept. Jamilu Collins impressed before sustaining his season-ending injury and I look forward to his return. Callum O’Dowda has been a revelation, but it would be great to see him stationed further forward to combine with Collins. Mahlon Romeo has been a consistent presence, while Perry Ng and Mark McGuinness are a solid base at the heart of the defence. Cedric Kipre leaves very big shoes to fill and suitably replacing him may prove to be Cardiff’s greatest challenge this window.
Joe Ralls, Ryan Wintle, Andy Rinomhota and Romaine Sawyers provide proven options in central midfield, while Isaac Davies and Rubin Colwill will certainly benefit from a sustained period of fitness and a full pre-season. The qualities that Cardiff tend to lack are flair and goals. They tend to be the most expensive commodities in the game though, so will likely remain largely elusive.
Callum Robinson’s hamstring injury was a major setback, as he led the way in terms of both goals and assists. He appeared to be a late impulse buy when Cardiff made a blunt impression during the first few games and a clear reminder that you tend to get what you pay for. His partnership with Kion Etete, the other cash purchase from last summer, is rich in potential and Etete improved more than any player over the course of the season.
There were several signings that did not work out, or have not yet, but typically, at every level of the game, only around 50% of transfers tend to work out. No one gets it right every time, but Cardiff do have a remarkably high hit rate in terms of recent loan signings, with the likes of Kipre, Tommy Doyle, Jaden Philogene, Dion Sanderson, Cody Drameh, Sory Kaba and Ryan Giles. They will need to once again thrive in this market, to hopefully enhance what they already have, rather than prop it up.
It remains to be seen whether Mark Harris, Joel Bagan and Eli King remain. I can understand why Lamouchi has expressed a desire to the board to keep them, but it’s a cause for concern that the club have yet to act upon his wishes. Hopefully Lamouchi’s future will be resolved this week after proposed talks with Vincent Tan and things should start to fall into place because time is of the essence, especially when it comes to the best free agents.
A dominant centre back, right back, wingers and a centre forward appear to be the priority, and there are plenty of options out there. Especially if Lamouchi is able cast his net wider than previous Cardiff managers and utilise the European market. Improvement is needed across the board, as the table doesn’t lie, but despite the claims of some, it doesn’t always tell the full story either.
Cardiff were lucky to get a manager of Lamouchi’s calibre on a six-month deal and they would be fortunate if they can retain him, despite existing restrictions. Sol Bamba is a bonus and there is the skeleton on a good side. If they can add flesh to the bones and most importantly of all, enjoy some stability and continuity, looking over their shoulders may prove to be a thing of the past.