Mark Hudson apologised to his Cardiff City players for getting his team setup wrong ahead of the 1-0 defeat by Blackburn Rovers.
The Bluebirds kicked off 2023 in disappointing fashion, with Bradley Dack's second-half goal earning the Ewood Park outfit a 1-0 win over the Welsh side.
It comes after Cardiff drew the previous four games on the bounce, but their lack of goals is alarming and another afternoon has passed by without the Bluebirds finding the back of the net.
READ MORE: Angry Callum Robinson storms down the tunnel after substitution as Hudson explains what happened
Hudson attempted to change the setup of his City side for the New Year's Day encounter, employing a back three and wing-backs. While they were defensively pretty sound until the Dack goal, they barely registered a single clear-cut chance on goal.
Speaking about his conversation with the players after the match, a candid Hudson said: "We've had an honest conversation in there. I'm honest with them. They are honest with me. I've apologised. I've said the change of shape, I thought we could create more but we didn't, nothing glaring.
"I apologised to them for that. Then we changed it second half and had a bit of impetus. Players were coming back for us, getting on the pitch, but we didn't really lay a glove on the goal.
"When they go 1-0 up, they were getting bodies behind the ball and playing on the counter which is difficult to break down.
"We have probably created much less today than we have done previously in the last two. But that's me, I'll take that. That's down to me to deal with. The players have got to keep believing in what we are trying to do."
Cardiff find themselves in an unenviable position. Sitting in 20th in the Championship table, the Bluebirds are also under a transfer embargo which drastically limits what they can do in the January window.
Hudson once again confirmed that the club were trying their best to get that embargo lifted, but couldn't provide too much of an update on the current situation.
"It's important to freshen up if you can and look to bring some quality in. But if that's not the case or is the case, we have to wait and see," Hudson said.
"We work on goalscoring. Creative moments, creative players we've got. It's maybe a lack of belief but I tell them they shouldn't lack belief.
"It's been a really tough three games in that respect. We've had a lot of travel. We can make a load of excuses. But we need to take better care of the ball around the box and find that cutting edge."
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