A major source of frustration for Cardiff City fans has been the same, tired, laboured jibes aimed at their team in the build-up to matches.
No matter how much positive work has been put into changing the team's philosophy and style since Steve Morison took charge, before every match the opposition would always expect a "tough, physical battle" against the Bluebirds.
It heartening, then, to read John Eustace's pre-match thoughts ahead of Birmingham City's trip to south Wales at the weekend. The Blues boss was glowing in his praise of the Bluebirds and their manager.
“[I expect] a very, very difficult game," he said. "They have got a fantastic manager there. He came into the club last season in difficult times and turned them around and this year they are playing really good football. We know it is going to be a test.”
How refreshing! And Cardiff did not disappoint. They turned out a silky-smooth performance against the Blues at the weekend and that will only help to change the perceptions further.
Back in May, Morison pledged to 'change the narrative' surrounding Cardiff City. And if he didn't? Well, he thought the club was in danger of getting left behind as the game evolved quicker than the Bluebirds could keep up with.
"We don't want to get bogged down with the same old narrative every week of 'Oh they are just a physical team' and it's just the same every single week," he said in May.
Ahead of the season, he reiterated the point in his first press conference: "Our biggest challenge is changing everyone’s mindset, getting them to understand that football is changing, the game is changing, we need to change with that. Otherwise you get left behind.
"I’d like to think you’re going to see a more progressive style, one with longevity which can be improved on and added to. It’ll be a continuous work-in-progress, but hopefully it will lead to results on the pitch."
Words are encouraging but hollow until you see the fruits of the labour, of course. Well, while it is still only three games into the campaign, this style of football so far is definitely one which ticks the boxes of being progressive and having longevity.
That is down to recruitment, of course, but also having the gumption to back it up on the training ground and on a Saturday afternoon. It's a bold new approach and it could easily have fallen flat on its face, but instead it is a Cardiff side that supporters are genuinely excited about.
Against Birmingham, the Bluebirds had 57 percent of possession, 16 shots including seven on target. They dominated and probably should have won by five clear goals. They had an expected goals of 2.61, the highest in the division across the weekend.
They are already averaging 330 passes per game. Last season that number was 290 per game. The season before that? Just 262 passes per 90 minutes. Possession for the last two seasons has been 46 percent or below, this season Cardiff are in control of the ball for an average of 54 percent of the game. On this very early-season evidence, those numbers, the key signifiers of a change in style, are trending in the right direction.
Birmingham were not great, and Cardiff will come up against far tougher tests, but Morison was delighted that all the hard yards being put in behind the scenes are manifesting in not only pleasing performances, but points on the pitch.
"The biggest challenge is changing the perception and the mindset," he reiterated after the game on Saturday. "The beauty of that is if you do it on TV then it helps!"
Some thought it might have been difficult to get this completely new squad to play in such a way so quickly. The partnerships look as though they have been there for some time already. The midfield trio all complement each other well, Perry Ng and Cedric Kipre are looking strong at centre-back, while the wing-backs and their wingers ahead of them have all been pleasing aspects of City's early-season performances.
While it might be a surprise for some that it has all clicked so early, Morison is not shocked in the slightest.
"No [I'm not surprised], because of the work that has gone in behind the scenes," he added. "The recruitment team. Kev Beadell [head of recruitment], Paddy [Patrick Deboys, lead recruitment analyst], Jenks [Matthew Jenkins, first team data analyst], to find out what they are all like as characters.
"We've all made phone calls, myself, Huds [Mark Hudson], finding out who the people are, whether they are good eggs, bad eggs. We've brought in really good human beings who happen to be good footballers as well."
These good footballers will have to be at the top of their game next time out, though, with Championship big hitters West Brom next on the agenda.
READ NEXT
Cardiff City star's flying start has given Bluebirds new edge as fans' reaction says everything
