Why Brian Barry-Murphy should be furious with Vincent Tan at Cardiff City | OneFootball

Vincent Tan's failure to back Brian Barry-Murphy in the transfer window is already having a negative impact on Cardiff City this season.

Cardiff City have had a tough start to life back in the Championship, with Brian Barry-Murphy’s side yet to pick up a win.

The four draws in that period show the Bluebirds can be competitive, but they haven’t exactly had the most difficult fixture list to navigate in the opening weeks.

So, for the side to be outside the relegation zone on goal difference is a concern, as Cardiff would’ve hoped that they could kick-on this season.

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Cardiff City’s attacking metrics are very good

However, it’s fair to say that the stats suggest Cardiff are in a false position, as they have been dominating games, but they are lacking that killer edge.

That was evident in recent games against Stoke and Bolton, and, in truth, you could go through most games and make a case that Cardiff deserved more.

The numbers back that up, with Cardiff ranking number one in the entire league for corners won, touches in the opposition box, shots on target and possession.

That highlights how the Welsh side play under Barry-Murphy, as they control possession, pin the opposition back, and they are getting in dangerous areas.

As well as that, they are creating chances, as Cardiff rank fifth for xG in the league, and joint-third for big chances missed.

Yousef Salech has struggled for form

It may seem harsh to single out an individual for Cardiff’s current position, but Yousef Salech has really struggled in front of goal.

The 24-year-old has found the net just once in the first seven games, despite having an xG of 4.3, which is the second most in the league for any player.

When you take into account that Cardiff have drawn four games, and lost two of their games by a single goal, it’s no exaggeration to say that if Salech had scored at the level expected, the Bluebirds would have a lot more points on the board.

But, there will be a belief that Salech can come good, as he has proven himself at this level in the past, scoring eight times in 20 games after joining in January 2025. Plus, he hit 14 last season, so this is a player who has just lost form, as opposed to someone without the ability.

Brian Barry-Murphy is doing his job as head coach

Following on from that, it’s hard to be critical of Barry-Murphy for Cardiff’s current situation.

The Irishman hasn’t abandoned his principles even after promotion, and he has built a team that has controlled possession, created chances and is playing in the style that he wants.

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Of course, Barry-Murphy will know that he has made some mistakes, but the reality is that he is coaching a team that would be winning games if they could finish their chances - which is all he can do.

So, whilst there will be huge frustration that the players are spurning these opportunities, he will have a belief that things will turn, as Cardiff are performing to a high level.

Brian Barry-Murphy wasn’t backed properly in the summer window

That doesn’t mean all at Cardiff deserve a free pass though, and the struggles this season will raise questions over the transfer window, and why Barry-Murphy didn’t receive more backing from Vincent Tan.

The signing of Jack Moylan looks like a shrewd bit of business, but Cardiff are lacking at least two more attacking options in the final third.

It has been apparent for some time that Barry-Murphy isn’t a huge fan of Callum Robinson, so at least one new striker was required, and they could have done with another wide attacker too.

If those players had arrived, there wouldn’t be so much pressure on Salech to deliver, and they could’ve helped Cardiff’s situation.

Right now, there are no solutions until January outside of the free agent market, so Barry-Murphy must hope the current crop can quickly improve in front of goal, otherwise Cardiff could be in a difficult position going into the New Year.