Cardiff City go into the 2023/24 Championship campaign with the nucleus of a good squad.
But, as we saw this season, a few injuries to key players can quickly expose the frailties of having to build a Championship squad from scratch on a relatively threadbare budget.
Having the likes of Jamilu Collins and Callum Robinson missing huge chunks of the season — Callum O'Dowda, too — are always going to hinder a team's progress. They are all internationals and are good pros at this level, but City's struggle to cope without them was concerning.
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Despite bringing in 17 players last summer, 14 of whom remain because three were loaned in, it is a task to categorically pin down a 'nailed-on' starting team for next season.
Well, you can, but there are holes in it. And, if you looked at the bench, too, there is a dearth of quality options. It's why City simply have to get it right this summer and they have to get a wriggle on, too, if they aren't to miss the boat.
While there are reservations regarding Ryan Allsop after a little bit of a dicey end to the campaign, he probably showed enough throughout the course of the season to warrant a place between the sticks when next term starts.
The defence is probably the easiest to sort, although even that is not straightforward. All of Mahlon Romeo, Perry Ng, Mark McGuinness and Jamilu Collins would deserve to start, if fully fit, when next season begins. But would City be vulnerable at the back with that centre-half pairing? Is it balanced? Would it need a back five with another brute like Cedric Kipre in the middle to add some mettle?
Either way, you would be hard pressed to find a meaningful number of Bluebirds fans who would argue against the notion that Romeo, Ng, McGuinness and Collins all have a claim to start in some capacity next season.
But Cardiff almost certainly need another centre-back to add cover. Jack Simpson had a wobbly first season in the Welsh capital and, beyond that, you are looking at Oliver Denham, Xavier Benjamin and the academy lads. There is an argument to say that an experienced centre-back should be high on the agenda – and, unsurprisingly, we are led to believe it is a position the club are looking at.
If Joel Bagan stays on, City are probably covered in the left-back spot, with O'Dowda and Joe Ralls able to fill in if push comes to shove. If Bagan goes, another left-back is needed. Joe Bryan is someone who has been on City's radar for the last few windows, but it seems increasingly likely he will return to his former club, Bristol City.
Cardiff were fortunate with injuries on the right-hand side of defence last year, with Mahlon Romeo missing only a small number of games and Ng available throughout. Vontae Campbell's move has not really worked out as yet, so might City try to add competition on the right-hand side of defence? It's low priority, perhaps, but a thought.
The midfield has been a bit of a sticking point this season. Under Steve Morison's style of football, Romaine Sawyers, Ryan Wintle and Andy Rinomhota flourished as a three. While, towards the end of the season, Ralls stood up to be counted and showed his character and fight for survival. And patience is needed when it comes to Ebou Adams, who will have stepped up from League Two and has had a year out injured, so let's temper that expectation a little.
All cards on the table, though, have any of them done enough to be guaranteed a starting position next season? Perhaps Wintle, at a push, although he did tail off towards the end of the campaign. Cardiff need someone who can control a game in there, dictate passing tempos and give opposition defenders more to worry about than they currently do. A Tommy Doyle-type of player needs to be in there to add some dynamism and creativity.
If we are looking at four more positions up for grabs, however which way you configure it — whether it be two strikers or three in behind the front man — only O'Dowda and Robinson can realistically be confident their names will be on the team sheet come that first weekend of August.
Kion Etete has some real potential and Cardiff fans can expect him to kick on once again next season, but having to rely on him week in, week out to score the number of goals required to fire City up the table? The sort of goal ratio Robinson or Sory Kaba brought? He might not be quite ready for that yet. Isaak Davies the same.
It was expected that Davies and Rubin Colwill, with another year's worth of Championship experience behind them, would be nailed-on starters in this 2023/24 campaign, but a year of stagnation and injury woe have seen those plans hit the brakes a tad. Another building year beckons for them, one suspects.
So, in a best-case scenario, with no injuries, that first weekend of August might see a team that looks a little something like this: Allsop; Romeo, Ng, McGuinness, Collins; New CM, Wintle; New RM, Robinson, O'Dowda, New ST.
Then, we have to look at a new centre back, a playmaker for when Robinson is required to play up front, at least one more wing option and potentially another striker.
That's another seven players, give or take how they see the right-back and left-back situations. Expect players to leave, of course; the three loanees have returned to their parent clubs, Gavin Whyte and Tom Sang are to depart, while Connor Wickham could yet leave, too. So there is room to manoeuvre without it being the complete upheaval of 12 months ago.
The focus now is on quality. The quantity of players is there — it is a well-stocked squad — now this summer's acquisitions must immediately improve the starting XI and the bench and there is an acknowledgement from within the camp that is the case.
The building blocks are there, but this summer is crucial. It is why it is so excruciating for City fans that there is so much uncertainty still, with other clubs already well under way with their own transfer agenda. Although we expect the situation regarding the manager to be resolved in the coming days, one way or another, which will provide some clarity at the very least.
Cardiff have identified players they want already, but need the manager in place in order to ensure key decision-makers are all on the same page.
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