Cardiff City's pre-season is over; this Saturday the Championship campaign kicks off in earnest.
This season, perhaps more than any other for quite some time, Bluebirds supporters are brimming with anticipation and revelling in the unknown. It's a brand-new Cardiff side, so what can we expect come kick-off against Norwich City at 3pm on Saturday? Well, that's anyone's guess.
Because this summer has been one of massive change, the biggest overhaul in a decade or so, both in terms of personnel, style of football and lots more. Cardiff went five games undefeated in pre-season, winning four, albeit against lower league opposition. So, who comes out of the summer as the winners and who are the losers, so to speak? We take a closer look...
Winners
Morison and the style of football
Undoubtedly, the biggest winner on pre-season's evidence, which is all we can go on, is the style of football Steve Morison and his coaching staff have implemented in such a short space of time.
The fluidity of players' positions, the insistence on playing the ball out from the back and, most impressively, the rapidity with which Cardiff are attempting to get the ball back from their opponents are all hallmarks of the massive footballing changes which have been put into place.
It's not before time. Mick McCarthy's anti-football at the beginning of last year was the nadir and it became abundantly clear that change was needed. But it's easier said than done. In Cardiff's five pre-season games the footballing philosophy is markedly different, far more fit-for-purpose in the modern game, and has above all else laid out a blueprint for how they must now play in the years going forward.
The midfield has been unrecognisable over the past few weeks, with Ryan Wintle, who has been named captain on a number of occasions, looking very impressive in the middle of the park, offensively and defensively. So, too, does Andy Rinomhota, while Romaine Sawyers and Tom Sang have shown bits of quality as well.
Playing this way is how teams get out of this division. Whether they have had the requisite time to hone it all in this quickly we will see when the season begins, but the strides which have been made are clear for all who attended pre-season games to see. Morison and Co must be applauded for that.
Watters and Crole
Cardiff's striker cull has seen a couple of players benefit in particular. In the last six months, Kieffer Moore, Isaac Vassell, Jordan Hugill, Uche Ikpeazu and James Collins have all left the building, with no striker brought in to replace any of them as things stand.
It means Max Watters is clearly Cardiff's nailed-on first choice as we head into the season opener against the Canaries. And, it's fair to say, we have seen a far more comfortable Watters during pre-season, relishing the style of football being played.
Credit to him, too, his link-up play with midfielders and wingers has been a big positive, plus he has scored a couple of goals, too. He has also missed a fair share of chances, however. It's now time for Watters to start proving he is up to it at Championship level, but given he appears to be ahead of Mark Harris, the only other fit striker in the club, he looks set to be given a chance to do just that.
On a similar theme to the above, James Crole has been given his chance in pre-season and couldn't have done much more. He impressed coaches on the trip up to Edinburgh, plus he scored and assisted in the 2-0 win over Newport County. He might just find himself on the bench at some point in the next couple of weeks and, with five substitutions allowed, he is perhaps an injury away from making his first-team debut.
The recruitment department
The months leading up to the opening of the transfer window might have appeared daunting to many, but the response we kept getting from sources at the club was that they were "excited" by the challenge. It was a refreshing and positive attitude and you can see just why now.
Cardiff's recruitment department went into the summer with the perfect attitude and got their men. There are very few free transfers they actually missed out on, fending off a number of other Championship clubs for the likes of Ebou Adams, Callum O'Dowda, Andy Rinomhota, Ryan Allsop, Ollie Tanner and Romaine Sawyers.
Cardiff didn't have much cash to offer, either, especially in comparison to some of their competitors, but they had to make the players buy into the project and they appear to have done just that.
Whether the new signings are all hits or whether they all flop is, of course, another consideration all together, but the recruitment department did their due diligence, got to work early and populated the squad with the requisite player profiles ahead of the season.
Whyte and Sang
Two players who both likely thought they were not in with a sniff when the summer began.
Pre-season commenced with Tom Sang out in the cold, left out of their trip to Edinburgh, and Gavin Whyte having been afforded an extended break after his exploits with the Northern Ireland team.
But, credit to both of them, they have got their heads down and forced their way into contention. Sang finally seems to have conceded that he is a central midfielder and has looked very good in pre-season. In a new midfield comprised of players who are asked to move the ball quickly and win the ball back off the opposition even quicker, he looked at home.
Few players performed as well and as consistently as Sang this summer and he really is in the mix of four or five players now vying for midfield spots against Norwich this weekend.
Similarly with Whyte, he has benefitted from Morison's penchant for playing with wingers and the Northern Irishman has looked bright and lively. He, like Crole, scored one and assisted one against Newport, but has carried the ball with real pace when afforded the opportunity.
With Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill injured, Whyte is behind only Callum O'Dowda, Sheyi Ojo and possibly Ollie Tanner and Mark Harris in the pecking order for the wide berths. He is surely in contention.
It's not to say either, or both, won't leave before the end of the window, but they are far more in credit now than they were a few weeks ago.
The fans
Whichever way you look at it, the majority of fans have got what they asked for this summer.
They wanted a raft of signings, ones which signal a changing of the guard, and they got just that. Like it or not, a summer like this, with transfer deals being announced left, right and centre, is riveting for football fans. If you're not enthused by them, then let's face it, what's the point?!
There was increased social media activity, more regular videos and interviews in pre-season and fans, generally, appear to feel far more engaged with it all.
Many have yearned for a change of footballing philosophy and they appear to have got just that. They also wanted Joe Ralls to re-sign, tick, and a snazzy new New Balance kit, tick (well, for the large majority, anyway!).
Yes, of course, fans want another striker or two in the building. That is being worked on behind the scenes. But, all things considered, their wishes have been granted this summer. With so much change, it is hoped that will afford the club time to get it right and supporters' patience will stretch a little longer if things don't click immediately on the pitch.
Losers
Dillon Phillips
Dillon Phillips will perhaps have thought this coming season was his time to shine in the spotlight, with Alex Smithies having left the club.
However, Cardiff had other ideas. In came Ryan Allsop and Jak Alnwick and suddenly there was a three-way battle for the gloves. One which Phillips appears to have lost out on.
Allsop looks set to be City's number one. His distribution and coolness on the ball, barring one scary moment when he was dispossessed and almost conceded a goal against Newport County, has been brilliant. One laser-like pass to Max Watters on Saturday set up a gilt-edged chance for Andy Rinomhota, but the midfielder dragged his shot wide.
It's a straight shootout between Alnwick and Phillips for the No.2 spot, then, it seems. It's a bit of a precarious situation, truth be told, and there are bound to be unhappy parties.
Curtis Nelson
A victim of this change of tack is Curtis Nelson. Insiders say he is the best 1v1 defender at the club and one suspects he will play a sizeable role this season.
But Nelson, in the mind of some fans, was probably one of the players in line to be named captain this season in the absence of the injured Sean Morrison. If Saturday's lineup against Swindon Town is anything to go by, though, Nelson might be set for a watching brief at the start of the season.
If Cedric Kipre and Perry Ng are the preferred pairing in the back four, it is likely because of their ability on the ball, which they have shown in pre-season, to be fair. Attacks started from the back, typically from a goalkeeper rollout or short pass, have been a refreshing change this summer. While Nelson is good in the air, an asset which will have its uses this season no doubt, Kipre and Ng have a ball-playing side to them which is unrivalled among other centre-backs within the squad.
Mark McGuinness can perhaps be bracketed with Nelson, too. The former Arsenal defender might have expected a more pronounced role after his breakthrough campaign, but he, like Nelson, might have to bide his time.
Ebou Adams
As far as debuts go, Ebou Adams' was a nightmare.
His signing was seen as something of a coup by many, given how many teams were chasing him and how consistently excellent he had been for Forest Green Rovers, albeit in League Two.
Supporters were eager to see his energy in midfield, but he hit the deck just 10 minutes into his first Bluebirds outing, clutching his shoulder and writhing in agony.
Hopefully it won't set him back too much, but it didn't look good. Let's hope he works his way into contention sooner rather than later, because many are excited to see him don the blue shirt.
The released players
Eight senior Cardiff players left the club in the summer and, for many of them, there was hardly a scrambling for their signature.
Aden Flint was probably the most sought-after, with Derby County keen on him before Stoke City jumped in to sign him. As things stand, that is the only Championship move.
Will Vaulks has dropped down to League One with Sheffield Wednesday, while Josh Murphy has been on trial with Reading, before getting released, and Oxford United, where it looks like he might sign, again in the third tier. That's where Ciaron Brown is, too.
Marlon Pack has also slipped down a level to Portsmouth, too. Leandro Bacuna, Alex Smithies and Isaac Vassell all remain clubless, as things stand.
It means seven of the eight players let go have all made downwards moves or are still to gain employment.
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