Erol Bulut’s squad has been hit with multiple injuries in the last week, but Andros Townsend could potentially alleviate some of the absences
Cardiff City’s start to life under new Turkish boss Erol Bulut has been surprisingly a success, with the Bluebirds sitting eighth in the Championship standings after 10 matches of the 2023-24 season.
The Bluebirds have struggled in the last two years with battles at the bottom end of the table, finishing 21st last season – owing to Reading’s late six-point deduction – and 18th in 2021-22, with somewhat of a fall from grace from their fifth-placed finish in 2019-20.
But the early signs under Bulut have been promising, and he was certainly backed over the summer to transform the look and feel of the squad.
A few players that were based in Türkiye were acquired, and whilst transfer fees are still not allowed to be spent at the Cardiff City Stadium, ambitious signings such as Ike Ugbo, Josh Bowler and the return of the prodigal son Aaron Ramsey meant that there was optimism heading into the new campaign.
Things can go wrong though and in the aftermath of their 2-0 defeat earlier in the week at Middlesbrough, Bulut has been struck down with all kinds of bad luck in the injury department.
Bulut confirmed on the eve of Cardiff’s clash with Watford that four of his players are set to be sidelined for at least a month or more, with the most significant one being that of Ramsey.
The Wales captain will be sidelined for between eight and 10 weeks with a knee issue, and he will be joined by Callum O’Dowda, who has had surgery on a troublesome groin problem and will be out of action for between 10 and 12 weeks.
Alongside that duo, attacking pair Kion Etete and Yakou Meite are also out for at least a month after they both suffered hamstring injuries in the Rotherham and Middlesbrough matches, leaving Bulut light up top.
Josh Bowler has also been out of action and might not be fully fit to take on Watford, leaving Karlan Grant, Ollie Tanner, Callum Robinson and Ike Ugbo battling for four places in attack.
Cardiff could potentially look to the free agents market in order to give themselves a short-term boost in the final third, and in Andros Townsend there could be a player who not only wants to prove himself, but also who could offer City something they don’t have.
With Bowler, Meite and O’Dowda all injured or in the former’s case has been injured for a while, it doesn’t really give Bulut enough options for the amount of fixtures that come in a short space of time in the Championship.
And none of his current crop and options have the ability to cut inside onto their left foot and make something happen out of nothing as good as Townsend does.
Bowler of course can do it to an extent but he is more of a dribbler and creator, whereas Townsend wants goals and he also has a mean delivery with his trusted left boot.
Experience is also a factor as well, with Cardiff lacking a certain level of top-flight player throughout their team – only Ramsay can really bring that to the table but of course he is now going to be out for an extended period too.
Townsend has had a good attitude throughout his career and he could be a boost for the club both on and off the pitch.
Townsend would of course have to drop his level of expectations, having been on trial with Premier League outfit Burnley in pre-season and coming close to winning a contract with the Clarets, but it’s now unlikely that a top flight outfit in the English footballing pyramid would pick the ex-England international up.
The next best thing for Townsend is the Championship then, and even though he hasn’t played senior football since early 2022 due to a serious injury suffered whilst at Everton, you’d back the 32-year-old to make an impact.
Townsend is currently training with Luton Town, but there’s no guarantee that he will earn a deal and the Hatters squad is pretty stacked in terms of numbers anyway.
Should that not come to fruition, then Cardiff should make their move for the veteran winger.