Bluebirds' best XI is now taking shape just a week from League One kick-off

CARDIFF City are just a week out from starting their bold new era under new head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, with just one more preseason fixture remaining before the season kicks off.

- GLEN WILLIAMS Football writer [e-mail]

Their League One campaign, their first in the third tier for more than two decades, kicks off at home to Peterborough next Saturday, with the Bluebirds tipped by many to go straight back up to the Championship.

While the summer window usually sees a flurry of signings, Cardiff's activity - certainly in terms of incomings - has been nonexistent.

The plan right from the start of the summer was to ensure key assets were kept hold of, with an emphasis placed on cutting down the squad size and promoting youth.

Cardiff's top brass are excited by the talented crop coming through, but it must also be stated that they have some way to go before they become a golden generation.

Reinforcements are still needed - particularly in defence - and experienced heads will have to guide the green-gilled academy graduates.

But having thus far kept hold of key assets such as Yousef Salech, Alex Robertson, Rubin Colwill, Callum Robinson, Perry Ng and Calum Chambers, Cardiff will likely be quietly happy with how the window has gone thus far.

There will likely be more exits, however, and certainly there must be incomings to address weak areas of the squad.

Centre-back, right-back, left-back and wing are all areas which potentially need to be bolstered.

It looks unlikely that will be the case before the Posh game, however. So, after an undefeated preseason so far, taking in games against Newport County, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Southend United, Cambridge United and QPR with a final game against Notts County tomorrow - what does Cardiff’s best XI look like right now? We take a closer look...

GOALKEEPER

AN interesting one to start. The summer kicked off with reports that Ethan Horvath wants out in order to ensure his place in the USA national team wasn’t in jeopardy ahead of next year’s World Cup. I get that logic, plus, let's be frank, he doesn’t strike you as a Brian Barry-Murphy-type of goalkeeper.