The Game
Argyle v Cardiff City. Saturday, 21 February. 12.30pm. Sky Bet League One.
The Opposition
Cardiff City are top of League One, with 69 points from 32 games; they have won 21, drawn six and lost five.
Relegated alongside Argyle last season, Cardiff always felt like they would be promotion contenders, and retained many of their squad from the Championship. They appointed Brian Barry-Murphy as their head coach in the summer, and began with a seven-game unbeaten run, winning five.
They lost two in three – both at home, to Bradford City and Burton Albion – before winning two in a row, and then losing twice more, this time on the road at Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool. The answer to this was five straight wins, scoring three goals or more in four of them, before the run ended with a loss at Lincoln City on 20 December.
There have been no losses since, though. In their last 12 league games, Cardiff have won eight and drawn four, with their last three being a 3-0 win at Rotherham United, then 3-1 and 4-1 home wins, over Luton Town and AFC Wimbledon.
Cardiff’s goals-for tally is 61 – the highest in the division, five more than second-placed side Lincoln City. Their goals-against number of 31 is equalled by four other teams, but no-one has conceded fewer.
The Gaffer
Cork-born Brian Barry-Murphy’s playing career began at his hometown club, before a move to Preston North End in 1999. After loans at Southend United and Hartlepool, Barry-Murphy went to Sheffield Wednesday, and then on to Bury, where he played more than 200 times. He then moved to Rochdale, where he played and then transitioned into being a first-team coach.
In 2019, Barry-Murphy took over from former Argyle defender Keith Hill as Rochdale boss, but after two seasons where Dale finished 18th, then were relegated, he left Spotland and took a job with Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, aka their Under-23 side.
After three years, Barry-Murphy left City to join Leicester as a first-team coach, and then took the step back into management this summer.
The Squad
Defender Perry Ng, 29 is not only a consistent performer in the Bluebirds’ rearguard, but has scored five goals this season, including two in his last two. After playing almost 200 games for his first club, Crewe Alexandra, he moved to Cardiff in January 2021, and has now played 213 times for the South Walians. Able to play along the backline, he is most likely to play at right-back.
Cardiff’s captain is Calum Chambers (below), a former England international, with three caps earned in 2014. Chambers, now 31, started at Southampton, moving to Arsenal, where he spent eight years, with loans to Middlesbrough and Fulham. He moved to Aston Villa, and then onto Cardiff in 2024.
No outfield player has played more minutes for Cardiff than Joel Bagan, who is likely to line up at left-back. The 24-year-old is Basingstoke-born, and a former Ireland Under-21 international, but turned professional with Cardiff, making his debut in 2020. Bagan had an early loan at Notts County, and spent time at Zulte Waregem in Belgium. He has played largely sporadically over his time at Cardiff, until being prominent last season, and a fixture this season.
Earlier This Season
Cardiff ran out easy 4-0 winners when the sides met at the end of August. Ryan Wintle and Chris Willock scored for Cardiff in quick succession, towards the end of the first half, with Rubin Colwill scoring soon after the break. Isaak Davies added a fourth in injury time.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin at 11.30am, with Aaron Cusack and Erin Black building up to the game, before commentary of the game comes from Charlie Price and Chris Hargreaves.
Match passes to watch this game on Argyle TV are available overseas, while the match is available to watch on Sky Sports+ in the UK & Ireland. CLICK HERE for more information.
