**Cardiff City’s Season Reviewed: Who Emerged as Standouts and Who Struggled?**
The end of the Championship season has brought a period of sombre reflection for Cardiff City supporters. After spending over 20 years within England’s top two divisions, the Bluebirds have found themselves relegated to League One, finishing at the very bottom of the table. The campaign has been universally regarded as a disappointment, with underwhelming performances across all areas of the pitch contributing to the club’s demise.
This season’s statistics make for grim reading. Cardiff conceded far too many goals while ultimately lacking the cutting edge in attack—an issue that plagued them from start to finish. Responsibility is widespread, with few individuals escaping criticism, and both established stars and new arrivals often failing to live up to expectations.
In analysing the season’s player performances, football statistics site WhoScored offers a revealing insight, grading players on their match-by-match displays. For the purposes of this analysis, only those featuring at least five times were considered, ensuring fringe players were not unfairly maligned or praised based on limited showings.
At the upper end of the list is January acquisition, Yousef Salech. The Danish-born striker provided a rare glimmer of hope to beleaguered Cardiff fans, registering a solid average rating of 7.00 and netting nine goals from 22 outings in all competitions. Salech’s impact demonstrated he could be pivotal to Cardiff’s attempts to secure an immediate return to the Championship, though his form has inevitably piqued the interest of clubs elsewhere.
Close behind is Alex Robertson, a 22-year-old midfielder who arrived from Manchester City. Robertson may not have set the division alight but still achieved a respectable 6.80 rating, showing flashes of his considerable potential. Observers anticipate further suitors could emerge as the summer transfer window opens, with clubs recognising his scope for growth.
Perry Ng, a two-time Cardiff City Player of the Year, followed with a score of 6.76. The defender’s consistency has rarely been in question, even if some opinions suggest his levels dipped below his usually high standards this past season. Alongside him, the likes of Callum O’Dowda (6.75), Dimitrios Goutas (6.74), and Calum Chambers (6.71) completed the list of reasonably well-performing squad members.
On the opposite end, the Bluebirds’ unsuccessful recruitments stood out for different, less desirable reasons. Wilfried Kanga, who joined from Hertha BSC, finished with the lowest rating among regulars—6.05. Deployed 16 times before being loaned to Dinamo Zagreb in January, Kanga failed to score a single goal for Cardiff, though his fortunes improved slightly overseas.
Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath also struggled, earning a rating of just 6.29. Thrust into the starting role after Jak Alnwick sustained a serious injury, Horvath’s tenure between the sticks was inconsistent at best. Alnwick, by comparison, posted a higher rating of 6.56 prior to his absence.
Elsewhere, defender Jamilu Collins endured a particularly turbulent year, spending the latter part of the season away from the first-team squad. Rated 6.30, Collins was left out after Omer Riza’s appointment, training with the under-21s as a result, and his future at Cardiff remains uncertain with his contract expiring soon.
As the dust settles on a forgettable campaign, it is clear that Cardiff City face a summer of reckoning. Key figures, both promising and underperforming, could move on, leaving supporters to ponder how best to rebuild a squad capable of promotion. The full list of WhoScored ratings demonstrates a club in desperate need of revitalisation and renewed spirit—qualities that will be crucial if Cardiff are to bounce back at the first attempt.