Cardiff City

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Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts believes Cardiff City's Rubin Colwill is a better number 10 option for Craig Bellamy than Swansea City's Liam Cullen.

Colwill is enjoying a fine run of form at Cardiff, where he has scored four goals in 17 appearances so far this season.

But the 23-year-old, who was a late call-up to the national squad in this month's international window, is still to convince Wales boss Bellamy that he should be part of his team.

Swansea's Cullen, who has spent most of his career as a striker, has been used in a deeper role by Bellamy.

Roberts argues Colwill is better suited to that position than his Swansea counterpart, and that he should be utilised more by Wales.

"If you are going to go with two numbers 10s against maybe the smaller nations, when the onus is on us to go and attack, I think he is a better player in that position than Liam Cullen," Roberts told this week's Feast of Football podcast.

"I think Liam Cullen is a more of a centre-forward. I don't think he has got the technical ability Rubin has got.

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"I think he's got better ability, he's better on the ball. He can pick a pass, he can open a defence. I think Liam Cullen ideally, if I look at the way Swansea play, I think he'd be better close to Zan Viptonik as a second centre-forward."

Roberts says Colwill is performing "on a weekly basis" at Cardiff because Bluebirds boss Brian Barry-Murphy has focused on the academy product's strengths rather than his weaknesses.

Cullen, meanwhile, has faced a battle for game-time at Swansea thanks to the fine form of Slovenia forward Vipotnik and the £6m signing of Adam Idah.

However, another ex-Wales international, Sam Vokes, says Cullen is worthy of his place.

"I think that's one of our strongest positions," Vokes said on Feast of Football.

"I like Liam Cullen. He had a much stronger season last season in terms of numbers and output wise. I like him in that position.

"Right now I don't think he (Colwill) breaks into our starting line-up, but he can be used as a good back-up or someone to bring in if we are struggling to unlock a side."

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Chis Willock will not be fit to return for Cardiff City until after the November international break.

The 27-year-old winger has been absent from Cardiff's past two matches with a thigh injury.

He is now set to miss Saturday's FA Cup tie to Peterborough, a league trip to Blackpool on 8 November and the EFL Trophy game against Arsenal Under-21s.

But Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy is relieved Willock is not facing a longer lay-off.

"It's pretty positive news," he said.

"We're looking at after the international break for Chris."

Meanwhile, Cardiff striker Callum Robinson is a doubt for the first-round tie against fellow League One side Peterborough.

"Callum rocked his ankle in training on Monday and wasn't fit on Tuesday morning," said Barry-Murphy.

"He'll be assessed but at this point he's a doubt for Saturday. We have a few doubts for this game based on the week we've had."

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Rubin Colwill thanked Cardiff City fans for helping get them over the line in their Carabao Cup win at Welsh rivals Wrexham on Tuesday.

Goals from Yousef Salech and Will Fish - either side of a Kieffer Moore equaliser -saw the League One side earn a 2-1 win at the Stok Cae Ras and send them into the quarter-finals, where they will host Premier League side Chelsea.

The result against their Championship hosts delighted the 1,249 visiting Bluebirds fans among the 10,563-strong crowd who had made the 137-mile journey north.

"Fair play to them, they were having a good battle with the Wrexham fans, they were at it all game so it was special for us to give them that experience," attacking midfielder Collwill said.

"We've had a lot of away games recently as well, so to have them travelling up and down the country supporting you, they've been fantastic.

"We knew coming here [to Wrexham] there's a lots of fans and energy around the club at the moment, it would've been hard if we'd let them get a foothold in the game.

"Once they scored the stadium came alive and we knew there could be a hard 40 minutes left for us, but after that we put our feet on the ball and controlled the game.

"It was a very tough game but I think we played really well, especially in the first half. We had a lot of energy and they play on the front foot... we were ready for that but I don't think we expected to start as strongly as we did.

"I just want us to go as far as possible."

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Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts says Cardiff City thoroughly deserve to be in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after outplaying hosts Wrexham on Tuesday night.

Goals from Yousef Salech and Will Fish, with Kieffer Moore having equalised for Wrexham, gave the League One Bluebirds a 2-1 victory against their Welsh rivals from the Championship.

"It was brilliant, there wasn't an empty seat in Stok Cae Ras," Roberts told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"I think over 1,000 Cardiff fans had made the journey from south Wales. There was a bit of banter going on north versus south as you'd expect.

"Cardiff were absolutely exceptional from the first whistle to the last - they played well at Burnley on the 20th of September [knocking out the Premier League side in the previous round].

"First half [at Wrexham] it was men versus boys. Wrexham, they just didn't know how to handle Cardiff. They got that good early start with the early goal from Yusef Salech.

"They could have had more in the first half. Rubin Colwill smashed a free-kick against the bar. Callum Burton produced an outstanding save from Cian Ashford.

"It could have been three at half-time, to be fair. Phil [Parkinson, Wrexham manager] went to his bench at the start of the second half, he brought on Josh Windass, Kieffer Moore and Matty James.

"A momentum change - they got that early goal to equalise, but I have to say, the way they responded and the composure that the young Cardiff lads showed after conceding that equaliser, it was great to see from a Cardiff point of view, and fully deserved.

"They had more shots, twice as many shots on target. I think they had three times as many corners as Wrexham. So no luck involved - fully deserved to go through to the quarter-finals."

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Yousef Salech says that reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup will not distract Cardiff City from their season goal of making an instant return to the Championship.

The Danish forward opened the League One side's scoring in their 2-1 win at Wrexham on Tuesday night, making a statement against their Welsh rivals from the Championship.

The 23-year-old reacted quickest to tap in the ball from close range, after Omari Kellyman's shot was saved by Wrexham goalkeeper Callum Burton, but rebounded nicely for the forward as he followed up.

"It means a lot and to have a cup run is nice for the fans and the players as well," Salech said.

"We're working on a long-term goal about smashing the league and getting up, that's what we want, but it's nice to have something else to focus on and work on while doing the main goal."

Salech was delighted to have scored his sixth goal of the season, and his first in the Carabao Cup.

"I'm very pleased," he added. "Obviously as a striker when you see that rebound come to you it's like Christmas Day, a present in front of you that you just need to grab - so that was a nice feeling.

"I think we started well as well so it was nice to get the goal while we were pressing them and playing well the first 10-15 minutes."

After the highs of the EFL Cup, Cardiff turn their attention to the FA Cup with Saturday's first-round trip to League One rivals Peterborough United.

The two sides go into the FA Cup game in very different form, with The Posh rock-bottom of the league while the Bluebirds are third.

Cardiff will not return to League One action until 8 November when they travel to Blackpool, with their league schedule disrupted further as the following Saturday's home fixture with Huddersfield Town on 15 November being postponed due to anticipated international call-ups.

A new date for this fixture will be announced in due course.

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Cardiff City have two aims in the EFL Cup fourth round at Wrexham on Tuesday - beating their Welsh rivals and proving they can compete at Championship level.

The Bluebirds and Wrexham swapped divisions for this season with the Welsh capital side relegated to League One while their north Wales opponents rose to the second tier of English football.

Cardiff have been revitalised by the drop and remain top of League One despite losing to Bolton Wanderers in the league on Saturday while Wrexham lie 16th in the Championship under Phil Parkinson following their 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough at the weekend.

Wrexham have also found home wins hard to come by in the league, registering their first last Wednesday against Oxford United.

It makes for an intriguing build-up to an encounter so rare they last faced each other 21 years ago.

The prospect has stirred excitement among both fanbases, prompting Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy to pledge taking his strongest side to the Stok Cae Ras.

He says that after speaking to supporters he was "left in no doubt whatsoever" about what this game means to them.

Barry-Murphy added: "We were told 'no messing around, bring our strongest squad' and that's what we'll do on Tuesday.

"This is a tie where the whole club is really excited and we're going to take not as many fans as we expect because of the limited number of tickets, but a huge swell of support to go and compete against a team from the same country. It's very exciting."

Barry-Murphy also paid tribute to Wrexham boss Parkinson, whose side have climbed from the National League and dream of a spot in the Premier League with the backing of their Hollywood owners.

"I have real admiration for what Parkinson has done," said Barry-Murphy.

"To earn so many promotions, regardless of the backing, is something I can only dream of."

Barry-Murphy also acknowledged Wrexham's quality, saying: "They're experienced, full of players who've competed at high levels, and they've invested well.

"But we believe we can compete with Championship-level teams. Tuesday is our chance to prove it - and that's exactly what we intend to do."

Cardiff City fell to a late goal away to Bolton Wanderers and the 1-0 defeat at the Toughsheet Stadium will have been tough to take.

It was the first away loss for the Bluebirds in League One this season, although they remain top of the table.

Will the last-gasp loss at Bolton hit Cardiff's confidence or will it be a mere blip as they bid for a swift return to the Championship?

Have your say here

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Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy has said winger Chris Willock is unlikely to be available for their EFL Cup game against Wrexham.

Willock was not included in the Bluebirds squad for the 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers on Satuday.

After the match Barry-Murphy revealed Willock had been sent for a scan on a quad injury suffered in training.

"He had an issue before the international window with his quad," said Barry-Murphy.

"He played through that against Reading, but yesterday he couldn't complete training. We'll have to watch this space on that."

Asked if Willock will be available to face Wrexham on Tuesday, Barry-Murphy said: "I would say no."

The defeat by Bolton was Cardiff's first away loss in League One this season, though the Bluebirds remained top of the table after Bradford and Stevenage drew 1-1 later in the day.

Bolton's winner, scored by Amario Cozier-Duberry, came in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

"It's a very disappointing goal from our point of view," said Barry-Murphy.

"With it coming so late you can't do anything about it.

"When something like that happens it's obviously very disappointing for us all.

"When you don't have enough attacking momentum, you're always in danger of conceding a goal like we did, and today that was the case."

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Cardiff City boss Brian Barry-Murphy is relishing the encounter between his own side who he views as "one of the best" in League One against the team he is told "are top of the league on so many different metrics".

League leaders the Bluebirds go to Bolton Wanderers, in eighth, on Saturday aiming for a third consecutive league win.

Barry-Murphy's side will be hoping to continue their momentum following a 2-1 victory against Reading at Cardiff City Stadium last Saturday.

"I believe we're one of the best teams in the league ourselves and our intention is to go and show that on Saturday," said the Cardiff manager.

"I think we've seen from week to week how difficult this league is and the level of challenge is consistently high.

"Everyone in the club tells me that they [Bolton] are top of the league on so many different metrics and they have one of the best teams, it's clear.

"To give ourselves a chance to win, we'll have to be at our absolute best."

Cardiff's form in the league has made supporters optimistic of an immediate return to the Championship. Yet, fans have not been entirely satisfied by the goals conceded in the last few games.

"I think with such a large number of supporters, if there is a performance that doesn't quite reach the levels that we've come to expect, it's natural that there is going to be disappointment," added Barry-Murphy.

"Our intention is to give them more and more periods of the games where they feel excited and less of the ones where they get frustrated."

Bolton, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their strong finish in a 2-1 win at Huddersfield as they set their sights towards the play-off places.

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Cardiff City are top of League One having taken 26 points from their first 12 third-tier games under Brian Barry-Murphy.

Is momentum with the Bluebirds as they look to make an immediate return to the Championship, or are there any concerns that defensive frailties could dent their promotion bid as the season develops?

We asked Cardiff's fans for their views.

James - I don't really buy into the narrative that we have defensive 'frailties'. Yes, compared to our extraordinary start to the season we've shipped a few goals recently but we still have the joint second best defensive record in the division. We're just going through an unfortunate spell where our centre-back partnerships are being disrupted through injuries/knocks to a few players and loss of form for one (Osho). Our young team is still finding its feet and continue to play a brave possession-based game, so the odd mishap is bound to happen and there'll still be many twists and turns to come. Top of the table with the joint second best defence and second best attack doesn't sound like much of a cause for concern to me!

Greg - I really feel Cardiff City's defence looks rather weak at present. Only heroic goalkeeping and a fair amount of good fortune have prevented more goals from being conceded. [Gabriel] Osho is clearly out of form and doesn't look comfortable in his current position. BBM (Brian Barry-Murphy) brought him in over the summer, but shouldn't feel obliged to play him, as doing so is currently detrimental to the team's overall performance and results - and it's the latter that ultimately counts!

David - Still early days. The tough winter schedule when injuries and suspensions kick in may expose our small and young squad.

Alex - Don't understand why we're so high up the table. Mid-table side at best. Give away far too many chances and we're outplayed by most teams. All I can think is that the standard of finishing in League One is atrocious.

David - I believe that there is cause for concern for home matches and so many defensive flaws considering the strong start and minimal goals conceded until now. If it were not for [Nathan] Trott, we could easily lost 7-2 [on Saturday], Reading so unlucky.

Nigel - There are a few things to address and we are fortunate to have Nathan Trott in goals. Fish and Lawlor seem to be our best partnership but injuries have meant a different pairing every game recently. However it's midfield that feels more of a concern as it is too open and needs addressing in personnel and shape/tactics. The continued absence of Alex Robertson remains mysterious but he is exactly the player who can make a huge impact in our engine room.

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Kion Etete may be facing the prospect of seeing a second loan spell away from Cardiff City ruined by injury.

The 23-year-old striker joined Rotherham United on loan for the 2025-26 season in August, but has managed only five starts – plus four substitute appearances – for the Millers and is yet to score for the Yorkshire club.

Etete has not been helped by fitness troubles, with groin and knee injury issues preceding a significant quad injury.

He is expected to be out until Christmas at the earliest, prompting suggestions that he may even return to Cardiff when the transfer window opens in January.

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but these are frustrating times for former Tottenham youngster Etete, who joined Cardiff for around £500,000 in 2022.

Etete spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers, but was restricted to five substitute appearances there thanks in part to hamstring problems.

Etete, who is under contract at Cardiff until 2027, can only hope for a change of fortune as he looks to revive his Bluebirds career at some point down the line.

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales

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Chelsea loanee Omari Kellyman hopes his performances for Cardiff City can go some way to assuaging doubts about his fitness.

The 20-year-old winger joined League One leaders Cardiff on a season-long loan deal in September in a bid to kickstart his promising but injury-hit career.

Kellyman had corrective surgery on persistent hamstring issues in March, having been limited to just four appearances for Chelsea Under-21s since joining in a £19m deal from Aston Villa in 2024.

He has yet to manage a single minute of first-team football at Stamford Bridge but is now playing for Cardiff - and he marked his first league start for the Bluebirds with a goal in Saturday's 2-1 win over Reading.

"I've been working hard. I had a tough year last year and I'm just trying to find my feet again, so I think it's a good step in the right direction," said Kellyman.

"I feel good. Every game I'm getting more and more confident in my body that I can push and keep building. So yeah, I think it's been another positive step. It's the longest I've played in a game in a long time.

"That was a big question mark over my head, my fitness. So being in a position where I've not been for a long time, where I'm playing games week in, week out now, I just think the confidence is going to come with that."

Kellyman's goal against Reading - a second-half equaliser as Cardiff came from behind to win - was his first in what was his seventh appearance for the Bluebirds.

Victory returned them to the top of League One and, as well as playing for a winning team, the England youth international is enjoying the style of play under head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

"We're a team who like to dominate games," Kellyman added.

"So me being an attacking player, it's great really, getting a lot of the ball and then I get to showcase what I want to do."