Cardiff boos return but Barry-Murphy remains unfazed

Boos at the final whistle used to be a regular occurrence at Cardiff City Stadium, where disillusionment had taken hold as the home side lurched from one crisis to another.

That was in the Championship, where one relegation battle too many eventually took Cardiff down to League One last year.

This season has been a different story. The Bluebirds have been rejuvenated under Brian Barry-Murphy, a team full of young, Welsh talent playing expansive football and, importantly, winning.

On Saturday, however, the boos returned.

Cardiff's goalless draw at home to relegation-threatened Blackpool was not a setback in isolation. This was a third successive home game without a goal and another squandered opportunity in a run of only two wins in seven matches.

Barry-Murphy's side are still well placed to make an instant return to the Championship. They are second in League One, with a healthy gap between themselves and the chasing pack outside the automatic promotion places.

But the many joyous moments of this campaign seemed a world away on Saturday when Cardiff's fans jeered their team at the final whistle.

"I didn't hear them do that," Barry-Murphy said. "I was in my own mind and the support here has been incredible.

"The players have done everything to try and give the supporters enough days over the course of the season where they've had brilliant Saturdays, and today we weren't able to do that.

"We love playing at home and our form at home has been incredible. But in recent games, we haven't got the results we want, but it hasn't been for a want of trying."

Cardiff have been the great entertainers of League One this season, scoring freely and, for the most part, playing with verve and innovation.

Ian Evatt, Blackpool's manager, described the Bluebirds as the best technical team in the division as he reflected on Saturday's game, adding that Cardiff's playing style is his favourite to watch in League One.

Lately, however, goals have been in scarcer supply.

The most obvious reason for that is the absence of top scorer Yousef Salech, out since January with a neck injury.

Cardiff have primarily played without a conventional striker while Salech has been missing, using attacking midfielders Omari Kellyman and Rubin Colwill as a 'false nine' with mixed results.

Evatt said Salech's absence – and Cardiff's subsequent lack of a focal point up front – was key to their planning. Blackpool forced their opponents wide and were happy for them to cross into the box, knowing there was rarely anyone there to convert them.

Other teams have had similar success against Cardiff, notably leaders Lincoln City and Wycombe Wanderers, who both won 2-0 in south Wales this month.

"Against a team who defends so deep with so many numbers, it can be difficult," said Barry-Murphy.

"We want to play quicker and be more direct to try and make sure we can get to them before they get into real deep organisation.

"We created some good chances and a game like that, you're always hoping you will take one of those chances to change the shape of the game and the longer the game is done, they're very deep and very difficult to break down.

"Today we have to accept that we weren't able to score the goals."

Asked if his side's recent shortage of goals was a concern, Barry-Murphy said: "We've scored the most goals in the league [before Lincoln overtook them later on Saturday].

"I think the players have done fantastically well. It doesn't mean that we're not looking to improve, but there will be stages of the season where it doesn't go your way. And today was one of those days."

Barry-Murphy is level-headed. When his team are flying, he remains grounded. When they are faltering, he does not wallow.

"Naturally we're going to be very disappointed today and this evening," he said.

"Then we'll bounce back, keep going, keep trying to improve and keep trying to win the games."

Barry-Murphy claims not to have heard the boos on Saturday, loud as they may have been.

With seven games left this season, Cardiff will hope their fans have no more reasons to jeer.