Cardiff Faces Defensive Injury Crisis
Cardiff City boss Brian Barry-Murphy admits he will need to manage his squad for the Carabao Cup clash with Norwich City amid a defensive injury crisis.
The Bluebirds have enjoyed an unbeaten start to life back in the Championship, securing successive draws with Wrexham and Derby County, alongside victory over Swindon Town in the first round of the cup.
Those results are even more impressive given Cardiff's selection woes at centre-back, with Will Fish sidelined for three months following surgery, Dylan Lawlor yet to feature due to a long-standing issue, and veteran Calum Chambers dealing with a knee problem.
That list was added to after Gabriel Osho hyper-extended his knee during the 1-1 draw at home to Wrexham, forcing him to miss the Welsh side's trip to Pride Park over the weekend. As a result, Barry-Murphy was forced to deploy full-back duo Joel Bagan and Perry Ng at the heart of the defence.
Squad Management Ahead of Busy Schedule
While the Irishman hinted at potential additions to his squad before the Canaries make the long journey to the Welsh capital, he is aware of the need to manage his players carefully ahead of a busy run of fixtures.
Barry-Murphy stated, "We treat every game with the intention of winning, and that won't change with regard to Tuesday." He emphasized the importance of managing players who have been doing all the training and playing.
He noted, "The back four we played today are the only ones we have at the club who are doing all the training and all the playing, so we have to be mindful of not pushing too far too soon this season."
Barry-Murphy also mentioned the unusual situation of having four injuries in the same position, indicating that it is an area of the team they are looking to improve.
Injury Updates on Key Players
New midfield recruit Jack Moylan joined Cardiff from fellow Championship newcomers Lincoln City this summer. He was withdrawn midway through the second half against the Rams on Saturday but is expected to be back involved on Tuesday evening against Norwich.
Barry-Murphy commented, "Just a dead leg; I think he'll be fine. The way Jack plays the game, there's going to be a lot of contact, so it's just a little bit of a dead leg."
Rubin Colwill has enjoyed a fast start to life back in the second tier, registering a goal and an assist across his two outings. However, he is another player being carefully managed after suffering an ankle issue in pre-season.
Barry-Murphy stated, "I don't want to be greedy with how often he has played and how little he has trained. It's good to have him back. He improved a lot through the game. We will try to keep him fit." The Pink'un