Cardiff City fans shown exactly what transfer strategy is as new star turns heads

There was a moment towards the end of Cardiff City's thrilling 1-1 draw with Wrexham on Monday night when Jack Moylan picked the ball up in midfield, drove forward and looked for another opening.

It was not necessarily the most spectacular passage of play in a game packed with drama, but it was illustrative of what Cardiff have added.

There was zip. There was energy. There was quality.

And, perhaps most importantly, there was a player who looked completely comfortable operating at Championship level despite having never played a game in the division before.

Two matches into his Cardiff City career, Moylan has already given supporters plenty of reason to get excited.

The 24-year-old scored the winning goal on his debut against Swindon Town in the Carabao Cup before following that up with an outstanding performance against Wrexham.

He played the full 98 minutes and was WalesOnline's star man in our player ratings.

It is, of course, very early days. Nobody should be making sweeping judgments after two matches. But the early signs are extremely encouraging.

And in Moylan, Cardiff may have provided their supporters with the clearest example yet of what Brian Barry-Murphy means when he talks about the club's recruitment strategy.

Because while some fans have understandably grown restless at the pace of Cardiff's transfer business this summer, the club - and Barry-Murphy specifically - have been adamant they would rather wait for the right players than simply add bodies.

Moylan looks like a player who fits that philosophy perfectly.

Against Wrexham, Moylan started as a No.8. He then moved into the No.10 role before eventually finishing the game out wide on the left.

And he caused problems in all three positions. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community.

That versatility is a huge asset for Barry-Murphy, particularly given the manager's preference for fluidity and positional rotations.

Moylan is not simply a player who occupies one position and waits for the game to come to him.

He wants the ball and he wants to move it quickly. He wants to run beyond opponents and get fans off their seats - which he did again and again against Wrexham.

And he has the technical quality to make things happen when he gets into the final third.

That was evident against Phil Parkinson's side, where he looked one of Cardiff's most threatening players despite this being only his second competitive appearance for the club.

It is exactly the sort of impact supporters want to see from a new signing. And perhaps it offers a little perspective on the criticism surrounding Cardiff's relatively sluggish transfer window.

There has been understandable concern that the Bluebirds have not been moving quickly enough. Nathan Trott, Calum Scanlon and Moylan are the three additions so far, with all three having played League One football last season.

For some, that will inevitably raise questions about whether Cardiff are recruiting strongly enough for the Championship. But Barry-Murphy does not appear remotely concerned by that argument.

Indeed, he sees Moylan as evidence that the route to building a successful Championship team does not necessarily involve signing players with years of experience in the division.

[]

Follow Bluebirds correspondent Glen Williams

Wrexham have, in many ways, been the antithesis of Cardiff in recent years.

Their rise has been extraordinary and hugely impressive, while the club's ownership and leadership have been highly visible and engaged.

On the pitch, their recruitment strategy has also been clear. They've gone for experience and know-how. Players who understand the Championship and, in some cases, have played at an even higher level.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that approach. But Barry-Murphy is adamant it is not the only way to succeed.

Asked whether Cardiff would look to replicate Wrexham's strategy of recruiting players with Championship experience, the City boss pointed towards Moylan.

"We're very pleased with our own players and we try and bring in the best players we can for this club," Barry-Murphy said.

"But we brought Jack Moylan in, who has zero Championship experience, but he's the right player for us at our club at this time and we'll continue to try and do the best thing for the club and the supporters."

Cardiff want quality and value for money. And that means there are unlikely to be huge-money signings simply for the sake of making a statement.

Championship cast-offs and free agents do not appear to be the answer either. The club's strategy is about identifying players they believe can improve the team and provide value over a longer period.

Moylan, on the evidence of his first two outings, looks like a very good advert for that approach.

None of this is to suggest Cardiff's recruitment work is finished. Far from it. The Bluebirds still need additions.

Another striker and a dominant central midfielder remain very much on the radar, while further attacking reinforcements would give Barry-Murphy an even stronger hand.

And just imagine what the attacking picture could look like if Cardiff add a quality right winger.

Moylan, Rubin Colwill and a new winger operating behind Yousef Salech would suddenly give Cardiff a formidable attacking unit.

And it is not just Moylan who impressed on Monday night.

Calum Scanlon came straight into the starting XI and produced an excellent performance against the dangerous Danny Imray on that flank. The Liverpool loanee looked composed, athletic and willing to get forward, giving Cardiff another dimension from left-back.

Then there was Trott. The goalkeeper's return was made permanent this summer following his loan spell last season, and his first Championship outing as a Cardiff player included several trademark saves.

[]

Get YOUR Cardiff City Newsletter

So, while the headline-grabbing narrative has been about Cardiff's lack of transfer activity, the three additions they have made have all provided encouraging early signs.

Barry-Murphy made his stance clear at the end of last season - "Quality over quantity."

The objective was not to flood the squad with new faces. It was to find players who could genuinely improve it. Moylan has certainly done that in his first two games.

And if Cardiff can replicate that recruitment hit rate over the final fortnight of the window, suddenly the mood around the club could look very different.

Fans are entitled to want more. They are entitled to want the squad strengthened before the window closes.

But perhaps Moylan's arrival provides a little reminder that more does not necessarily mean better. Sometimes, one right signing is worth several wrong ones.

And if Moylan's first two matches are anything to go by, Cardiff may have found one of the right ones.

[Google Preferred Source Badge]Follow Wales Online: