Cardiff City will make significant changes for Tuesday night's Carabao Cup tie at Norwich City as manager Brian Barry-Murphy navigates a mounting injury crisis just two weeks into the season. The Bluebirds have already been forced to improvise at the back, with Perry Ng and Joel Bagan filling in at centre-half during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Derby County after Gabriel Osho joined Will Fish and Dylan Lawlor on the injury list.
Managing the squad
Barry-Murphy is acutely aware of the need to protect his players, with Cardiff facing their second midweek game of the season and the Championship campaign already stretching a squad short of options. Asked how he was preparing for Tuesday's cup tie after Calum Scanlon had completed his first 90 minutes in around two and a half years at Derby, Barry-Murphy said: "Obviously we'll reassess the players after Calum Scanlon's first 90 minutes in maybe two and a half years, so we just have to be careful of exposing players like that again."
"We haven't got many options at the moment, so hopefully we can have somebody in." Cardiff had hoped to strengthen before the Norwich game, with Barry-Murphy saying after Saturday's draw that he expected a new signing to arrive before Tuesday. However, any new arrival would have had to be registered by midday on Monday to be eligible for the cup tie, and that now looks unlikely.
Youth opportunity
That means Barry-Murphy is likely to turn to some of the younger members of his squad, with the cup presenting an opportunity for players who have had limited first-team exposure. The Cardiff boss insists, though, that he will not take the competition lightly. "We treat every game with the intention of winning, and that won't change with regard to Tuesday," he said. "We just have to try and make sure that the players are not pushing too far too soon in the season."
Possible line-up changes
Harry Tyrer looks the logical choice to start in goal. The goalkeeper joined Cardiff from Everton in January, but arrived at a point when the Bluebirds were already out of the cups, meaning he had few opportunities to stake his claim last season. Nathan Trott has started the opening two Championship games and produced another excellent display at Derby, so this looks an obvious opportunity to give him a rest while allowing Tyrer to make his competitive Cardiff debut.
Ronan Kpakio has looked short of his best during the opening two matches, making a start against Norwich potentially beneficial as he looks to rediscover the form he showed 12 months ago. At his age, regular competitive football is important and the Carabao Cup offers the perfect opportunity to build some rhythm. The Under-21s are also in action away to Wigan on Tuesday, so that could provide a clue as to which youngsters Barry-Murphy intends to use.
Thierry Katsukunya arguably looks the most likely option to be handed a first-team opportunity at centre-half. The summer signing from Aston Villa is 20 and spent last season gaining first-team experience on loan at Real Union. With Cardiff needing to afford at least one of their senior defenders a rest, Katsukunya could be given the chance to step up. Joel Bagan could retain his place despite the expected changes. The versatile defender is one of Cardiff's most dependable options and, with the back line likely to be extremely makeshift, his experience and composure could prove valuable.
Calum Scanlon, meanwhile, is unlikely to be asked to go again after Barry-Murphy specifically highlighted the significance of his first 90 minutes in more than two years at Derby. That could open the door for Noah Anyadike. The teenager has been among the substitutes for Cardiff's opening matches and, although traditionally a central player, he featured at left-back after coming on against Roma in pre-season. A senior debut against Norwich would give the 15-year-old the opportunity to make club history. Anyadike would become Cardiff's youngest player and youngest starter if he were to feature from the outset, surpassing the records currently held by Axel Donczew and Rob Tankiewicz. Even if he didn't start, he'd likely come on from the bench and break the youngest-player record.
Midfield and attack options
Eli King feels like the natural candidate to come into the midfield. He featured for the Under-21s in their PDL2 opener against Barnsley as he continues to build his match fitness, but the Norwich tie could now represent the opportunity to step back into senior football. King would also offer a degree of experience in front of what could be a very youthful defence. David Turnbull and Joel Colwill look suited to playing alongside him, with Colwill potentially operating in the more advanced role. Colwill has shown flashes of his quality but has not had many opportunities to establish himself in the first team, and a cup start would give him a chance to make a significant impression on Barry-Murphy.
Isaak Davies looks a strong candidate for a start out wide. The forward has impressed during the summer and has already shown the pace and directness that could cause Norwich problems. His ability to run at defenders could give Cardiff an outlet if they are forced to spend periods without the ball. On the opposite flank, Barry-Murphy could consider Rob Tankiewicz, although Cian Ashford may be the more likely choice. Ashford has made an excellent start to the campaign and his manager clearly values not only his attacking qualities but also his willingness to work defensively. That could be particularly important if Anyadike is deployed at left-back, with Ashford's defensive work providing additional protection for the teenager.
Callum Robinson is likely to lead the line. With Yousef Salech getting off the mark in Saturday's draw at Derby, Robinson has an opportunity to remind his manager of his own qualities and stake his claim for a regular starting role. The Carabao Cup therefore presents Barry-Murphy with something of a balancing act. He will want to progress in a competition Cardiff enjoyed a strong run in last season, but he also cannot afford to expose his already stretched squad to further injury problems. With no new signing expected to arrive in time, the Norwich game could instead provide a glimpse of the next generation of Cardiff players.
Possible Cardiff City XI: Tyrer; Kpakio, Katsukunya, Bagan, Anyadike; King, Turnbull, J. Colwill; Davies, Robinson, Ashford.
