Cardiff City's South Wales derby hammering is still raw for most. It is all the more disappointing because the Bluebirds went into Saturday's tie in fine fettle, having won seven of their previous 12 games and shot up the table.
Indeed, the first time this writer stuck his head above the parapet and dared to voice his confidence about Cardiff's chances in the derby, Swansea bulldozed through the Bluebirds' defences and stuck four past them. In doing so, The Swans inflicted their biggest victory over Cardiff since Christmas Eve 1949, when they triumphed 5-1.
Understandably, the mood of the Bluebirds fan base is flat on the floor. Nothing sucks the life out of a club's momentum like a humiliating derby drubbing. There was a tentative positivity about the direction in which Cardiff seemed to be going ahead of the weekend, but they were sent crashing back down to earth with another all-too-predictable derby day capitulation. You can read more about that with this week's fan column.
READ MORE: What Cardiff City's ideal summer transfer window looks like
With the season all but over, to all intents and purposes, the derby was the last big game supporters were looking forward to. Given the club's position in the Championship is consolidated, fans could be forgiven for thinking the final seven games of the season are dead rubbers.
But in fact they should be incredibly useful for Steve Morison and his coaching staff. Given the mass exodus Cardiff will see this summer, they will need to find out just what those fringe players who are still in contract are all about as they plan their big rebuild. As things stand, only Joe Ralls is likely to strike terms on a new deal. There is also the possibility of Sean Morison getting an extension as he works his way back to fitness. You can read more about that here.
So, best-case scenario, Cardiff will see as many as eight senior stars leave, perhaps more, with five loan players returning to their parent clubs. That is quite the void to fill. But what of the players who are still contracted to the club next term who have not been afforded the opportunities to impress yet?
In an ideal world, these final seven games would be the perfect chance to blood some players who will form part of the first-team furniture next year. The likes of defenders Oliver Denham and Jai Semenyo, midfielder Eli King, even more established players such as Rubin Colwill, Isaak Davies, James Collins and Max Watters will need the rule run over them as the make-up of the Bluebirds' squad is assessed ahead of next term.
It's far easier to throw together more of a mix-and-match team, however, on the back of a derby victory. At present, Cardiff are not in any sort of position of strength and are suddenly in need of a big performance against Reading this weekend to assuage at least some of the disappointment from last weekend.
That makes it harder for Morison to tear up the playbook. If he throws in players who are deemed more of a gamble than his tried-and-tested stars who, since January at least, have done so well to get the club away from the relegation zone and it fails, then the bad feeling will only be heightened.
A heavy derby defeat takes some getting over for supporters and throwing caution to the wind with team selection, which could backfire, presents a risk of ending the season on a really sour note.
On the other hand, if Morison sticks to his guns and plays the same 13 players who have tended to play in his first-choice XI over the last few months — ostensibly the team who started on Saturday plus Alfie Doughty and Isaak Davies — then are the club really gaining anything as we look ahead to next season?
Of those 13 players, it is feasible only five could be at the club next term. If you're looking to the future, what's the point of playing them any more?
There is far more to gain in the long term from picking players who need to experience first-team football. We need to see how Denham copes in defence, for example, if Aden Flint isn't going to be here next term.
As incredible as Cody Drameh has been since he joined on loan from Leeds United, Semenyo will need some senior minutes under his belt before the season's end to see if Cardiff have a ready-made Championship right-back who can cut it at this level next term.
In midfield, Cardiff could lose Ralls, Will Vaulks, Leandro Bacuna and Marlon Pack, so it would be beneficial to see Eli King given a run-out in a few matches to see what he can offer. Is Sam Bowen still in that bracket, too? If so, should he be afforded the opportunity to prove himself once again?
Tommy Doyle has been a fantastic addition to this Cardiff squad since January, but given he occupies what is as close to a playmaker-role as the Bluebirds have, it keeps Colwill, one of the most gifted players in the Bluebirds' ranks, sidelined. Morison spoke of treating Colwill like Phil Foden at Manchester City and it may well pay off in the long run. Equally, though, there must come a time when he gets a run of games and the coming weeks seems the most logical time to learn more about a player who is undoubtedly a hugely exciting talent.
Strikers Jordan Hugill and Uche Ikpeazu have also proved positive signings, by and large, since arriving from Norwich City and Middlesbrough a couple of months ago. But the question must be asked whether playing them every week at the expense of players who are going to be here next season is the right call. What does James Collins' future look like? Will he get another crack in a Cardiff shirt before the summer?
Will Max Watters be afforded the opportunity to re-enter the fray when he returns fully from his ankle injury? Given Cardiff spent a decent sum on the young striker, one suspects he still features prominently in the club's plans moving forward.
In goal, too, Alex Smithies will likely leave this summer, so does Dillon Phillips now get the gloves? Or, does George Ratcliffe, Cardiff's third-choice keeper, finally get his debut? At 21, does the Wales youth international now need to experience the rough-and-tumble of Championship football?
There is a delicate balance to be struck on the transfer front as well, of course. The likes of Manchester City will not want to see one of their most promising academy products be on the bench for the last month or so of the season. Would that potentially harm what is understood to be a very positive relationship between Cardiff and Man City ahead of such a crucial summer?
The same, perhaps to a lesser extent, could be applied to Leeds and Drameh and Norwich City and Hugill. Plates are spinning and balls are in the air.
These decisions would no doubt have been easier if they weren't coming off the back of such a big loss to their arch rivals. We have seen the understandable backlash from fans and Morison and his players will have to work hard to win some of that lost positivity back from them in the coming weeks.
But it is a necessary exercise to see if some of these players sink or swim at this level with such a big summer lying in wait. Watters is a prime example; he has done it in League One and League Two, but how will he fare with a good run in the team at Championship level?
There is lots to consider over the coming weeks and at this stage it is not straightforward. Perhaps the best way forward is a blended approach, where one or two untested talents are given opportunities at different stages. But at some point Cardiff will have to change tack and look ahead to next season, whether that comes at the expense of results or not.
