Sandwiched between two disappointing defeats, Cardiff City announced their 15th summer arrival in the form of Jack Simpson.
The 25-year-old was signed from Rangers on a permanent deal, penning a two-year contract with the Bluebirds, and adds competition to what has become a position of intrigue for many supporters.
Aden Flint has left the building, Sean Morrison is on an injury rehabilitation contract, Ciaron Brown has gone, too. It's a fresh-looking back line and it appears to have a new dynamic this year. Although five goals shipped in three games has left some supporters with some early concerns.
The preferred pairing appears to be Perry Ng, a right-back by trade, and West Brom loanee Cedric Kipre, a partnership which worked well against Norwich City on the opening day of the campaign, until the former was given his marching orders.
Curtis Nelson was Ng's replacement for Reading, and played again on Tuesday night against Portsmouth, and it's fair to say he won't have started a season as badly as he has done this time around. He has been directly responsible for three of Cardiff's five goals conceded.
Clearly you don't get as far in your career as he has by being a poor player, far from it, but he is under pressure and that pressure has manifested in a catalogue of mistakes. This changing style of football does appear to suit others far better at the minute, too.
Ollie Denham was his partner on Tuesday night. He didn't really do a heck of a lot wrong and in fact looks really comfortable with the ball at his feet. He won a decent share of headed duels, too, but does look a little lightweight at times. While he has sound footballing technique, the physical battle in the Championship will be the challenge for him.
Then there is Mark McGuinness, who hasn't been named in a Championship squad yet and was an unused substitute in the Pompey defeat. Where does he sit in the grander pecking order? He had a blistering few months at the turn of the year, but faded towards the end of the season and seems to have been overtaken by some of his peers.
And, lastly, where does Jack Simpson fit into all of this? He has joined to add competition and clearly liked where the manager saw him fitting into the side, otherwise he wouldn't have come.
It's another player in the mix, meaning Nelson, McGuinness, Denham et all will be looking a little more over their shoulders. However, from the sounds of it, Simpson will need to get some fitness into his legs before he becomes a real contender to start.
"We brought him in. He hasn't played in pre-season so we will have to work him into it slowly. He has played one 45 minutes in the whole of pre-season," Morison said of Simpson after the Pompey loss.
"He adds that natural left-sided balance. Every club wants a left-sided centre-half and he is one we have been working on and we are really pleased he wanted to join us. He has got great pedigree, he had a great start to his career at Bournemouth, come through in an Eddie Howe team, then got his move to Rangers and it hasn't quite worked out.
"He is 25, at a great age and wants to be here. Hopefully we can get the best out of him."
While Cardiff signed Simpson on what was described as an 'undisclosed fee' from Rangers, when asked if there was a transfer fee paid to land the player, Morison replied: "No. There are contingencies if he does well."
There are mini-jigsaws all over the pitch at the minute. What is the best midfield three? Well, that looks to have been solved with Ryan Wintle, Andy Rinomhota and Romaine Sawyers the preferred trio. The forward three is a little more up in the air, with a striker yet to have made that spot their own as things stand.
That centre-back conundrum has just taken a twist, though. And will all of Ng, Kipre, Nelson, Denham, McGuinness and Simpson play enough football to warrant them all sticking around? A sounder judgement will likely be made at the end of the month, one suspects.
READ MORE:
