How worried should Cardiff be about wasteful finishing?
If football matches were decided on chances created alone, Cardiff City would be among the Championship's early contenders.
Cardiff City's wasteful finishing has become a major concern for the struggling Championship side. Despite creating an average of 6.4 shots on target per 90 minutes, the Bluebirds have only managed to find the net seven times in the league, underperforming their expected goals (xG) rate by 5.7 goals. Cardiff's current xG ranking places them eighth in the table with just four points, hovering just above the drop zone.
Injury-hit Cardiff is considering free-agent options to instill more ruthlessness in their play, as boss Brian Barry-Murphy emphasizes the need to win games quickly. Striker Yousef Salech, Cardiff's main source of goals last season, has only scored once so far in the league, ranking 18th among strikers for shots per 90 minutes. Salech's lack of confidence in the final third and his missed big chances have raised concerns, with former Wales forward Nathan Blake suggesting the striker needs to regain his confidence.
Cardiff's next match is a crucial one against Charlton Athletic on September 19, where a win could provide much-needed morale boost.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
