By admin 
Cardiff City have made a remarkable turnaround in recent weeks under Omer Riza, especially after it seemed they were heading for an unprecedented relegation to League One.
The sacking of Erol Bulut proved to be the turning point for the Bluebirds, who had struggled to secure victories under the Turkish manager. Now, they appear set for a comfortable mid-table finish once again.
Recent victories over potential relegation candidates Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth have pushed them clear of the bottom three, and the team looks much more balanced under Riza after a challenging start.
However, further improvements will be necessary in the January transfer window to strengthen a squad that still has weaknesses. Vincent Tan may need to open his cheque book to fund some of these much-needed changes at Cardiff.
Verdict on where Cardiff must improve
While the recent weeks have been promising, it is clear that an injury to Callum Robinson could put Cardiff under pressure once again, as their other striking options have not been sufficient this season.
The striker position needs more firepower, or else the team could be dragged back into the relegation battle.
Football League World’s Cardiff Fan Pundit, Jack Price, was asked about his top priority for the club’s owner in the upcoming January transfer window.
He told FLW: “One thing I would demand from Vincent Tan for the next transfer window is to sign a striker.
“I think we neglected this position in the summer. We put a lot of our eggs into one basket by signing Wilfried Kanga on loan from Hertha Berlin, but the reality is he has looked hopeless. He hasn’t adapted, he hasn’t hit the ground running, and he’s yet to score.
“He is now very much a bit-part player under Omer Riza, who rightly hasn’t valued him the same way Erol Bulut did.
“We didn’t sign anyone else apart from Kanga. Isaak Davies and Kion Etete both suffered long-term injuries in pre-season, which can’t be helped, but it’s still a problem.
“We signed Roko Simic at the very end of the window when it was obvious we still needed another striker, but he was immediately sent out on loan to Kortrijk, where he’s also struggling.
“As I said, we put a lot of our hopes on Kanga, and it hasn’t worked out. Robinson needs competition, and with Davies and Etete coming back into the fold, I think they can help. But neither has been prolific for Cardiff, and while Davies is a top player with mitigating circumstances, Robinson could really benefit from some competition that will challenge for his place.
“So, signing a striker is definitely important for the next window. Right now, we’re doing well—Robinson is scoring goals for fun—but he needs more support, and we need better options to bring on than Kanga.”
Robinson’s impressive form
Few would have predicted that Callum Robinson would emerge as Cardiff’s hero this season, given his previous goalscoring record in South Wales. However, this year, he has been exceptional, already surpassing his goal tally from his first two seasons at Cardiff City Stadium.
There is one concern, however: his fitness.
Callum Robinson – Cardiff City Stats (TransferMarkt)
Appearances: 59
Goals: 16
Assists: 8
Stats correct as of 05/11/2024
He played only half the number of league games last season, and there are concerns that his injury issues could resurface. Nevertheless, he is proving to be the player many expected when he first signed.
Robinson has kept Kanga out of the starting lineup and has scored consistently in important matches, including his goal against Swansea City, which secured Cardiff’s first point of the season.
Despite the positives, Cardiff must sign another striker for cover in case Robinson’s injury problems
return, or this promising run could quickly fade.