It started with the old Sean Dyche trick of winning the toss, turning your hosts and making them attack the opposite end first. It ended with familiar failings reappearing and the return of scapegoating by some. The unbeaten start drew to a close and a few nagging concern returned.
Before diving into a Cardiff perspective, I should first make clear that Bradford were very impressive. They played with intensity, desire, a clear plan and their support was superb. These clubs were three divisions apart a few months ago, but they played with a momentum that has propelled them to the top of League One and will be a handful for any opponent at this level.
Cardiff too have made a great start to the campaign, shaking off the relegation funk with almost exclusively the same group of players. Brian Barry-Murphy has revitalised a wounded, stale group and got them to love the ball again. As we all know far too well though, there are some problems that cannot be fixed by a smart plan and astute coaching alone.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s funny how success masks a multitude of failings. All of the gripes from the last few years seemed to melt away in recent weeks, but there have been warning signs. Port Vale was pretty disturbing. All of the good work on show in the opening game was absent, as Cardiff struggled to string even a few passes together. They were put under pressure and looked very uncomfortable, but survived with a point. You could tell that Barry-Murphy was shell-shocked by the collapse of what he had built by the way he referred to the game in the weeks that followed, but it was all too familiar to Cardiff regulars.
There was a comprehensive thumping of Rotherham that served as a palate cleanser, a rather fortuitous late win at Wimbledon and a statement victory at Luton. Were it not for a goalkeeping masterclass from Nathan Trott, Cardiff’s unbeaten run would have halted there, but they gave as good as they got in that game and successfully navigated a stern test. Plymouth were soon thrashed ahead of a tough trip to Stockport. This game, more than any other thus far felt like a typical Championship match, in its intensity and physicality. Just like last year, Cardiff found the going tough and were pinned back for large stretches. They held on and got their reward with a very late, undeserved equaliser, but it still felt like a flashback to tougher times.
Maybe there were signs of the Bradford performance coming, as Cardiff were overwhelmed by a quicker, hungrier opponent. It feels like there have been two very clear approaches to playing Cardiff this season. One is to sit back in a low block, with maximum respect and very little ambition. This plays into the hands of Barry-Murphy, who wants his side to dominate possession and territory. It’s not easy to open up a five-man defence, but at this level, Cardiff are strong enough to find a way. The other is to go toe-to-toe, trade blows and ramp up the pressure.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis was the approach taken by Port Vale, Luton, Stockport and Bradford. They got a great deal of joy from it and you expect future opponents will have been watching on with interest. These days, Cardiff are very comfortable on the ball, can execute patterns of play and always look a threat, but their remaining failings are baked in. They’re not a quick side and Bradford exploited that by swarming all over them. They’re not streetwise or particularly physical, which is why Stockport were able to rattle them and push them around.
I was surprised that Cardiff didn’t target a few seasoned campaigners in the summer, a Craig Dawson or a Barry Bannan maybe, especially with Joe Ralls and Aaron Ramsey departing to complement the exceptional crop of young prospects they’ve cultivated. Going all in on their academy graduates is both noble and encouraging, but there will be times when they will need help from those that have seen and done it all before. League One may be more forgiving than the Championship in terms of getting away with mistakes, but the churn of games, especially with an additional cup competition, is no less intense or gruelling.
Over the course of the season, it will be interesting to see how rigid or adaptable Barry-Murphy proves to be. He has a clearly defined way of playing, preferred shape and favoured players, but how prepared will he be to mix things up? Callum Robinson made a big difference when introduced yesterday, but it feels perverse that he’s often still sat on the bench at this level. It feels unsustainable to have either him or Yousef Salech on the bench every game and it feels like finding a way to field both is the holy grail. Would that have to be at the expense of Rubin Colwill, who has struggled in the last few games? Accommodating all three may prove a bridge too far.
Embed from Getty ImagesYoung players are learning on the job and their form will fluctuate, which is worth reminding those that have quickly turned on Cian Ashford, who is appreciated and favoured by Barry-Murphy for good reason. I’ve actually been very impressed by how this group have progressed from serial losers to promotion challengers in no time at all. That is a huge swing and is an ongoing process, referenced by Barry-Murphy post-match.
“Some of thee players have been through a very difficult year,” he was keen to stress. “There were games where they were losing heavily. I’m trying to make sure these players remember how good they have been and how good they can be.” It was one of those games on Saturday where the xG, attempts on goal and shots on target were very similar. It felt like a hammering, but on another day could have turned out very differently. It should not take away from an impressive start to the season and Cardiff still have a game in hand. There are warnings signs though that need to be addressed and despite a strong start, this group are sure to have their limits tested.