Cardiff City

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Midfielder Alex Robertson has praised Cardiff City's coaching staff for helping him settle in a deeper role.

The Australia international, who made 38 appearances last season, has been asked to play further back by boss Brian Barry-Murphy and is enjoying his new responsibilities.

"I'm just learning every day. I've got a great coach and staff to learn and develop from," Robertson said.

"I keep trying to play as many games as I can, and as many minutes as I can. I feel in a good place and I quite enjoy playing deep.

"'I get a bit more of the ball, but as long as I'm playing I don't really mind."

The versatile midfielder has impressed in his new role to earn praise from Barry-Murphy.

"I'm very pleased with him, his progress has been outstanding," said the head coach.

"Since Ryan Wintle left, the focus has been on Alex as a very creative player who has helped us so much going forward.

"We are just making him really aware of the defensive side of the game so that he can really help make us more secure.

"We're a very attacking team but we also have to be strong defensively."

The Bluebirds have struggled so far this season, drawing four and losing two of their opening six Championship games since returning to the second tier.

"There are quite a few boys that hadn't played in the Championship until this season," said Robertson ahead of Saturday's trip to play Bolton Wanderers.

"It's going to take a bit of time to adapt and the way we play is obviously special. It's different to most teams.

"We need to keep trying to adapt to the league and the differences from last season, but we're coming good and hopefully we can get over the line and just keep pushing on."

Luke Hemmings
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Brian Barry-Murphy says Joel Colwill can score more goals for Cardiff after finding the net during his first Championship start.

The 21-year-old's header ensured Cardiff avoided three consecutive defeats as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Stoke City.

Colwill, who scored seven goals last season, was central to Cardiff's improvement after the break, and could have snatched a winner had it not been for the post.

"It was a great finish and very important for us - he carries a big goal threat," said Barry-Murphy.

"You saw he got close to another goal. His movement in the box in the second half, particularly, was very good."

And Barry-Murphy said moving Colwill higher up the pitch after the break was key to Cardiff's improvement.

"Joel played a little bit too deep in the first half, but in the second half he was very good, very close to Yousef [Salech]," he added.

"A lot of our best moments in the box, he was on the premises, which is a big part of his role for the team."

Cardiff were without Joel's older brother Rubin Colwill against Stoke, though Barry-Murphy is hopeful the influential midfielder will not be sidelined for long.

"Rubin's ankle wasn't OK yesterday. He didn't train," said the Irish coach.

"There was talk of putting him on the bench, but I wasn't sure he would be fully fit if he was to come on.

"That was also the case on Saturday, and I didn't want to risk it because of what he's been through with the ankle."

Barry-Murphy is hopeful the elder Colwill can be available for Saturday's trip to Bolton as the Bluebirds await their first Championship win of the campaign.

We asked for your views after Cardiff City came from behind to draw with Stoke City on Tuesday.

Brian Barry-Murphy's team hit the woodwork three times as their winless start to the new Championship campaign stretched to six matches.

Here are some of your opinions:

Greg: Cardiff definitely the best team on the night. [Nathan] Trott should have stopped their goal. Lack of striker options causing City problems with finishing.

Barry: Great football but lack the killer punch. Failure to secure another forward will haunt them until January. Defence let silly goals in, and I am always concerned when our defence is pressurised.

Paul: Great second half - someone is going to have beating. Stoke didn't have a look-in second half. They wouldn't have scored in a month of Sundays if it wasn't for our error.

Mike: An OK performance, but when are we going to take our chances?

Mostyn: So far this season, we have been the best team in a majority of the games. Keep plugging away boys; our luck will change.

Mike: Unfortunately, City don't have a player that can score goals. Until they get a striker that can score goals, they will struggle.

Roger: Overall, fairly pathetic. Blunt attack. A decent centre-forward would have scored a hat-trick. Naive hierarchy responsible for not strengthening the team. Will be lucky to avoid relegation. Playing like Manchester City but without any attacking flair or competence.

Luke Hemmings
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City boss Brian Barry-Murphy appeared rejuvenated after his side's second-half display in their 1-1 draw against Stoke.

The Bluebirds looked more like themselves after the break, creating a host of chances and hitting the woodwork three times, but could not find a winner.

Despite the promise, the Bluebirds are therefore still searching for their first Championship win of the season.

Yet Barry-Murphy was keen to focus on the positives from a second consecutive home display that produced over 25 attempts on goal.

"To bounce back in terms of performance, my admiration for the players is very obvious because of how much they put into the game," he said.

"I like the mentality of the team, especially when we're behind. In the second half, we went for it, and it was a good feeling to watch the team play in that way.

"Our job is to try and give them [Cardiff supporters] the performances and victories they want as soon as possible."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

He added: "The players are in a great place, really focused, really together, and the dressing room is a very tight place where there's a great sense of unity."

"We keep getting into positions, we train a lot on finishing actions, and the goals will be inevitable.

"Tonight Salech looked really dangerous. As long as he keeps getting into positions close enough to goal, then the goals will come."

While pleased with much of Cardiff's attacking play, Barry-Murphy admitted the opening goal remained a source of frustration.

"The goal we conceded is actually disappointing and felt pretty easy from our point of view," he said.

"We didn't plan on giving away a goal of that nature, so we have to tidy up."

Cardiff visit fellow promoted side Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, 12 September (12:30 BST).

Stoke City are hoping to make it three successive Championship wins when they visit Cardiff City on Tuesday evening (19:45 BST).

The Bluebirds are seeking a first home win since returning to the second tier this season.

• Cardiff lost their last Championship game against Stoke City 1-0 in April 2025, but have not lost successive league games to the Potters since February 2008.

• Stoke are looking to win back-to-back away league games against Cardiff City for only the second time, after doing so in October 1999.

• Cardiff have drawn both of their home league games this season; only in 1977-78, 1990-91, 1999-00, and 2000-01 have they started a league campaign with draws in their first three home matches.

• Stoke have lost each of their past nine away league outings, their longest run in the Football League since losing 10 in a row in September 1952.

• Stoke are winless in nine away league games against newly-promoted opponents (D3 L6) since a 5-1 win at Sunderland in March 2023.

Cardiff seek their first win of the season as they make the trip to Fratton Park on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Portsmouth have claimed one victory so far, but their three other matches all ended in a loss including their past two.

• After their 2-1 win in their last meeting in February 2025, Portsmouth could win back-to-back league games against Cardiff City for the first time since December 1972 (3 in a row).

• Cardiff have only won one of their last 10 league visits to Portsmouth (D5 L4), a 2-0 victory in August 2010 under Dave Jones.

• Portsmouth have lost three of their first four games of a league season (W1) for the first time since 2010-11.

• Cardiff are one of three teams still without a win in the Championship this season (along with Burnley and Preston), while overall their winless in their last 12 second tier games (D8 L4).

• No player has had more shots in the Championship this season than Adrian Segecic (17), though he has just one goal to show for his efforts so far.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Brian Barry-Murphy says Cardiff City must be "aggressive" against Portsmouth as they take their search for a first Championship win of the season to Fratton Park.

Cardiff are licking wounds after suffering a maiden league defeat of the campaign at Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday.

The 2-1 loss came after the Bluebirds kicked off the 2026-27 campaign with three successive draws.

Cardiff are 19th as they prepare to re-establish themselves in the second tier, with their cause not helped by a lack of transfer activity before the window closed earlier this week.

Barry-Murphy, who insists he was backed in the transfer market, says his players must take the Loftus Road setback "on the chin" and focus on Portsmouth.

"We go there Saturday and give our all to try to be aggressive and win the game," the Cardiff head coach said.

"We need to improve, we need to be better. We are not naïve. We know parts of our game [at QPR] were not at the level we need to win games.

"QPR are a very good team and so are Portsmouth, so we need to be at our best."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff maintained their record of scoring in every game this season thanks to Perry Ng's thumping drive at Loftus Road, but the right-back's strike counted for nothing thanks to two Rumarn Burrell goals.

While there was no lack of endeavour, Cardiff could not muster an equaliser on a night when QPR had the better chances.

"The opponents were pretty good but we just didn't find the right level and as such we suffered," Barry-Murphy added.

"We always try our best to give the supporters a team they can be proud of. The players kept going, but we couldn't get it back."

One of the new faces in Cardiff's squad, Krystian Bielik, impressed on debut against Sheffield United last weekend but was only fit enough to feature as a substitute against Rangers.

Barry-Murphy says the Poland international had been suffering with "severe cramp" but Cardiff are hopeful he will be available to start against a Portsmouth who have lost three of their four league games so far this season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Cardiff City had the quietest transfer window of any team in the Championship, signing four players following their promotion from League One.

Nathan Trott and Calum Scanlon are back at the Cardiff City Stadium after helping Brian Barry-Murphy's side back into the Championship.

Jack Moylan and Krystian Bielik have also been added on permanent deals, but Barry-Murphy had been hopeful of more signings.

The 48-year-old has insisted that he was backed by the club this summer, but did not want to sign players for the sake of it.

Do you feel Cardiff have the requisite depth for a Championship campaign? Is there a position you think the Bluebirds should have addressed?

Are you pleased that the Bluebirds kept their best young talents? Where does this transfer window leave your expectations for Cardiff this season?

Let us know your views by clicking here.

Brian Barry-Murphy reflects on Cardiff City's 2-1 defeat at QPR - their first of the Championship season - and the recent transfer window.