Cardiff City

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Brian Barry-Murphy says Cardiff City's focus during the international break will be on ensuring players are fit and firing for the home game against Reading.

Cardiff had been due to go to Barnsley this Saturday only for the Oakwell trip to be postponed due to international call-ups.

That means an 11-day gap between the Bluebirds' EFL Trophy loss to Newport County and their next League One fixture, against the Royals at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, 18 October.

Barry-Murphy described the September international break as a chance for Cardiff to work – but the picture has changed this month.

"It's slightly different for us compared to where we were four weeks ago," the Cardiff head coach said.

"We have quite a few injuries and players who probably need some recovery time.

"Gabriel Osho got a bang [against Leyton Orient last Saturday], Chris Willock the same, Perry Ng the previous week.

"Our primary concern is to get those guys back in training at some stage next week if possible and to try to get the squad in a healthy place when all the guys come back from what I'm sure will be an exciting week of international football for our club."

Cardiff have five players - Dylan Lawlor, Ronan Kpakio, Joel Colwill, Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies – away with Wales' senior squad plus a number of others with Welsh age-grade squads, while Alex Robertson is with Australia for friendlies in Canada and the USA.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Brian Barry-Murphy says record-breakers Rob Tankiewicz and Axel Donczew will handle being thrust into the first-team spotlight at Cardiff City.

Tankiewicz (pictured above) became Cardiff's youngest ever first-team player as he started Tuesday's EFL Trophy match against Newport County at the age of 16 years and 117 days.

But he held the record for only a little over an hour as Donczew (pictured below, right), at 15 years and 234 days, replaced him in the second half.

The two attacking midfielders grabbed the headlines as Aaron Ramsey's long-held record as Cardiff's youngest player was wiped out – but Barry-Murphy says the duo have the personalities to cope.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

"These two are very grounded," said the Bluebirds head coach, who previously worked in Manchester City's academy.

"You are always looking at the personality of players and trying to pre-empt challenges that may come along the way.

"You get the feeling they have a real awareness of how good they are but their humility and how they approach their training on a daily basis… we have only seen Axel a few times because of his schooling, but you can see he is really down to earth and grounded.

"But when he plays with our players, he doesn't look in awe of them at all. When I have seen that in the past it normally means you don't have to worry too much about what they are going to do in the future."

Image source, BBC Sport

BBC Sport asked Cardiff City fans which of their players have caught the eye so far this season - and which have not.

Here are some of the responses we received:

Andrew - Best performer is Dylan Lawlor for me, reminds me of Alan Hansen. Closely followed by Nathan Trott and Rubin Colwill. Worst performer for me is Cian Ashford, can't beat his man and his terrible second-half miss cost us the game against Burton. Closely followed by Gabriel Osho who is weakening our defence.

Dylan - Dylan Lawlor has been playing beyond his years. Cardiff will struggle to keep him, especially if we don't go up.

Dan - Yousef Salech despite all the predictions he'd tear up league one has been woeful. Looks even worse against League Two opposition (Newport).

Tony - Great start from Nathan Trott but sadly only here on loan. Dylan Lawlor has been strong but might need sparing too much game-time to last the season. Rubin Colwill has gone off the boil sadly. Chris Willock has the ability to beat his man but his reluctance to use his left foot makes him predictable. He and Joel Bagan need to work on their crossing.

Mason - Easily best it's Ruben Colwill and the worst since we've had him probably Gabriel Osho. But I also think Dylan Lawlor is a strong part of the squad.

Gary - All of the young players have done well, particularly Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor as they're very young. Nathan Trott has been brilliant and probably enabled us to pick up wins against Wimbledon, Luton and Leyton Orient.

Chris - Joel Colwill been outstanding as has Nathan Trott. Not sure about Gabriel Osho in defence, always seems to have a mistake in him.

Cardiff City sit third in the League One table prior to their return to league action against Reading in the Welsh capital on Saturday, 18 October (15:00 BST).

Following the Bluebirds' highly impressive start to the campaign, who do you think have been the best performers under Brian Barry-Murphy so far this season? And which player or players do you think need to improve?

Have your say here

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Brian Barry-Murphy was not the only person at Cardiff City Stadium who will have found his team's brilliantly chaotic 4-3 win over Leyton Orient to be "stressful".

Neutrals could rejoice in an enthralling, end-to-end encounter on Saturday which could easily have produced more goals for both sides.

But for Cardiff head coach Barry-Murphy, his Orient counterpart Richie Wellens, supporters of either team or simply anyone with a vested interest in the game, it must have been torture at times.

The home side had led 1-0 and 2-1, only to find themselves 3-2 down against their impressive opponents, before roaring back with two goals in two second-half minutes to secure a memorable victory.

"The overriding feeling from myself is one of immense pride for the players, especially in the second half," said Barry-Murphy.

"Again, I don't know what went on here over the last couple of years. But it's quite a difficult thing for the players when you give away goals of the nature we did. The second goal was a crazy goal - multiple ricochets and deflections - and I'd just put that down to the nature of the game and the anxiety in the performance.

"It was pretty stressful. We made it stressful for ourselves but also the opponents did. For the players, you saw us at our best and most dangerous when we flooded forward and really freed ourselves up and attacked in wide areas, getting beyond the Leyton Orient defence.

"Then you saw Callum Robinson and Yousef [Salech] become so dangerous. There's so much we can learn from the first half and from the second half."

The win ended a run of two successive home defeats for Cardiff – their only losses of this season in all competitions – and moved them up to third in League One, two points behind leaders Stevenage.

Barry-Murphy's men conceded only two goals in their opening seven league games but have shipped seven in their most recent four.

The Irishman had warned his side beforehand about the threat Orient would pose – describing Wellens as the best manager in League One – but he was concerned by some defensive aspects of his team's performance.

"I felt strongly throughout the first half that we misinterpreted what we needed from the game," said Barry-Murphy.

"We played a lot of short passes close to our goal and put ourselves under a lot of pressure against a team who we identified as being really aggressive and would apply high pressure.

"We conceded a record number of turnovers close to our goal - since we've been together - so by nature they were close to our goal.

"And you saw Aaron Connolly go through on goal and score. But it was pretty high-risk stuff from us when it didn't need to be. We just didn't interpret correctly how to get the ball forward quicker."

Image source, Rex Features

Cardiff City will come up against the best manager in League One when they face Leyton Orient on Saturday, according to Bluebirds boss Brian Barry-Murphy.

Cardiff will be looking to bounce back from only their second defeat of the season, having lost 1-0 at home to lowly Burton Albion on Tuesday to miss the chance to return to the top of the table.

Orient manager Richie Wellens guided the club to promotion from League Two in 2023 and led them to the League One play-off final last season.

"I think he's been the best manager in League One by a distance from my point of view, pound for pound, what he's done," said Barry-Murphy.

"And if you look at what he did last season, where they were in the table early on and looked at where they ended, I think there's a lesson for us all there in terms of how to be consistent in your approach and focus on improving all the time."

Orient have had a mixed start to the season, losing five of their 10 games to sit 17th in the League One table.

Cardiff are fourth following their relegation from the Championship last season, and Barry-Murphy expects Saturday's visitors to the Cardiff City Stadium to pose his team various challenges.

"I think they're a very adaptable team and all the teams that he [Wellens] has coached and managed have a really clear identity in terms of being really flexible," Barry-Murphy said.

"So if you watch their games recently, they can build up from the back, really progressive players as good as anyone, and in certain games they can be really direct and get behind the opponents with exceptional movement in a forward line - a very dangerous team.

"But I think once we've acknowledged that and made ourselves aware of it, then the focus does have to come back to what we can do in a home game, where we're looking to produce a performance that is, again, improving and trying to give us the best chance to win."

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Right-back Perry Ng is a doubt for Cardiff City's League One game at home against Leyton Orient on Saturday.

The 29-year-old sustained a hamstring injury during Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by Burton Albion.

Ng was replaced by Wales international Ronan Kpakio, who would be the prime candidate to take his starting place against Orient.

"Perry Ng came off with a hamstring worry. He'll be assessed today. My instinct tells me he's a doubt for Saturday," said head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

"Isaak Davies is fully fit. He'll train today. And Gabriel Osho will be assessed this afternoon.

"I can't be certain on him based on the fact that he hasn't trained this week, but hopefully trains some part this afternoon or maybe tomorrow."

Once again, midfielder Alex Robertson was left out of the squad to face Burton.

Having featured regularly as the Bluebirds were relegated from the Championship last season, Robertson missed the start of this campaign with a leg injury he sustained during pre-season.

But despite being available for selection for Cardiff's past four matches, the Australia international has been left out of the squad on each occasion.

"Alex is in full training and training with the rest of the players. He's building up his volume of training now, but he just has to do more to be competitive in a squad of this nature," said Barry-Murphy.

"It just means, in the squad, the level of training, as we reference so many times. is of the highest level and we have to get to that level every single individual player.

"So if you look at the squad on Tuesday night, Dak Mafico wasn't in the squad, Tanatswa (Nyakuhwa) was, Isaak wasn't based on what he's done.

"So before we can judge players on ability, you have to reach a certain level of intensity where it's a level playing field.

"We can't have a presumption of seniority or players having an elevated status based on what they've done before.

"All the players should be treated equally all the time and that can change any course of the season based on any circumstances."

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Cardiff City must wait to see whether Gabriel Osho will be fit for Saturday's League One meeting with Leyton Orient.

Defender Osho has made three appearances for the Bluebirds since arriving from Auxerre in August.

But the 26-year-old was absent from Tuesday's home loss to Burton Albion after suffering a knee injury.

"We expect him to possibly be available for Saturday but it's not guaranteed," said Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy.

Isaak Davies also missed the Burton loss, but Barry-Murphy says the forward will definitely be involved as his team attempt to bounce back against 17th-placed Orient.

"He's fine," he added.

"He played on Tuesday and Saturday, so consecutive games for the first time in a long, long time. He wasn't totally comfortable that he was recovered.

"I took the decision I didn't want to risk him because he has some fatigue in his groin."

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy speaks to BBC Sport Wales after the Bluebirds' home defeat by Burton Albion on Tuesday.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy described Tuesday's League One loss against Burton Albion as "pretty sickening".

The Bluebirds missed the opportunity to go top of League One as Charlie Webster scored late on to give the Brewers - who had started the day bottom of the league - a surprise win in south Wales.

Barry-Murphy's side had just shy of 80% possession in the game, creating 20 chances, while Burton scored with just their second shot on target.

As a result, Cardiff remain in fourth place, three points behind league leaders Bradford City who they lost to in their previous home game.

"When you lose a game of that nature it is pretty sickening from a player and coach's point of view," said Barry-Murphy after the Burton defeat.

"We created more chances than in any other game this season, but it doesn't really mean anything when you lose, we need to learn how to turn that dominance into wins going forward this season.

"It's natural to feel very disappointed, we will encounter a lot of difficult situations this season.

"While we feel frustrated we have to remain calm and understand what we have to do to improve our chances of winning those games."

Tuesday was just the second time the Bluebirds have tasted defeat under Barry-Murphy, having started their first season back in League One strongly while also reaching the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

Cardiff booked their place in the fourth round by beating Premier League Burnley, fresh off the back of their first league defeat against Bradford.

Barry-Murphy is hoping his side show the same character when they face Leyton Orient at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

"I like the challenge of coming back here on Saturday [against Leyton Orient]," said Barry-Murphy.

"We want to see similar to what we saw after the game against Bradford. We went to Burnley and produced a performance of the highest level and backed that up at Wigan.

"We talk a lot about showing character, it sounds great in words, but now we have the chance to show it.

"You have to go through the feeling of pain and losing these games to bounce back, doing that makes you stronger through the course of the season."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy says he will not make team changes "for the sake of it" when Cardiff City host Burton Albion on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

The Bluebirds could go top of the League One table with victory at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Cardiff beat Wigan 2-0 last Saturday with a starting line-up featuring five changes from their previous League One fixture, a defeat to Bradford City.

The Bantams' 3-1 win in the Welsh capital 10 days ago was Cardiff's only loss so far this season.

Barry-Murphy, whose side are in action against Leyton Orient this coming weekend, has not ruled out making further changes to face bottom-of-the-table Burton but is aware of the need for some consistency.

"All the players have to have a sense they can play if they do as well as they're doing in training," he said.

"We also don't want to have a situation where we are just changing for the sake of it.

"If players come and do well and they earn the right to keep the shirt, that has to be the case."

Image source, BBC Sport

BBC Sport asked Cardiff City fans "how many points will the Bluebirds gain from the upcoming League One double header against Burton Albion and Leyton Orient?"

Cardiff host Burton on Tuesday, 30 September (19:45 BST) and Orient on Saturday 4 October (15:00 BST).

Here are some of the responses we received:

Gareth - Six should clearly be the expected return from two home games against teams near the bottom of the table. Bradford should have taught us that a home match doesn't guarantee anything though!

James - 6 points, 6 goals and 2 clean sheets. C'mon City!

Richard - 6 points without fail. We are in form and will be promoted.

Jon - I think we should take 6 points, but neither game will be easy! We need to be more clinical in front of goal though particularly at home!

Andrea - Predictions have a way of becoming derailed. Having said that, City should feel disappointed with anything less than six points at home, following two very good away performances. I'm more concerned with the effect of the international break breaking any momentum. Look what happened with Bradford.

Mick - In theory Cardiff should reap 6 points with 2 clean sheets, but having followed Cardiff for nearly 70 years I've learned not to count my chickens! Fingers crossed for a hat-trick of home wins including Newport in the Cup.

Defender Perry Ng says he is the most excited he has been at Cardiff City after the club's "reset" under head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

Ng scored his first goal in almost a year to help the Bluebirds to a 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic in League One.

Cardiff have only lost once under Barry-Murphy and have the chance to go top of League One with a win at home to Burton Albion on Tuesday, 30 September (19:45 BST).

Ng was missed the first five games of the season due to a knee injury but says he is delighted to be playing again:

"It's probably the most excited I've ever been," he said.

"All the younger lads, it's a real exciting time at the minute and hopefully we'll keep working hard and hopefully just keep winning.

"Last year was horrible for everyone involved with the club, but I think the club needed the reset and I think we've got it and we've got the right man in.

"I can't describe how good he [Barry-Murphy] is - he's brilliant to work with every day. It's intense and it's tough, but that's what we need and it's showing on the pitch. It's a really exciting time.

"It's been a tough couple of months for me personally, I was injured for a couple of months and I've been working so hard off the pitch, but I'm just so happy to get out with the lads and with this manager."