Former Cardiff City forward Nathan Blake has urged the Bluebirds not to rush into the market for a centre-back despite the club’s current defensive injury crisis. Blake said the team were left without a senior centre-back for Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Derby County, and could face a similar situation when they host Norwich in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Blake explained that Dylan Lawlor, Calum Chambers, Will Fish and Gabriel Osho are all injured, leaving the squad with only two or three centre-halves available. "If you sign a player and you tell him he’s going to play, he plays well, there’s only one of the four who you can bring back in," he told the BBC’s Feast of Football podcast.
Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy has echoed this view, insisting clubs would be reluctant to bring in a loanee if they could cast a player aside once the injured defenders return. Barry-Murphy has not confirmed a timescale for the return of Lawlor, Chambers or Osho, and the club will be without Fish for an extended period.
The injury woes could open the door for 15-year-old defender Noah Anyadike, who featured in the club’s final pre-season friendly against AS Roma. Blake said, "I know there is competition for places; I believe in that heavily, but, as a manager, you also don’t want to upset your balance."
"He [Barry-Murphy] has been really strategic in his signings, both last season and this season. They haven’t rushed out like a kiddy in a sweets shop," Blake added.
