If ever a week encapsulated the full scale of Cardiff City's rebuild, this was it.
Last Saturday's 3-1 loss to Bradford City brought an end to Brian Barry-Murphy's unbeaten start to life as Bluebirds head coach at the 10th time of asking.
Victory lifted the Bantams to the summit of the League One table and further backed up Barry-Murphy's repeated sentiment that this season would be far from a walk in the park for his new-look squad.
But the suggestion a large bubble had been burst was made to look simplistic by Tuesday night, when Cardiff earned a stunning 2-1 victory away at Premier League Burnley in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
The reward for that impressive night’s work was an all-Welsh tie in round four with a tasty-looking trip to Wrexham, now, of course, operating at one level above the Bluebirds in the Championship.
The loss to Graham Alexander's Bradford side certainly did not dampen what has been a hugely encouraging start to the campaign for Cardiff.
But following the flat showings in the away draws with Port Vale and Stockport, it did serve as a reminder that the Bluebirds are still firmly a work in progress.
A host of young academy players have been hurled straight into the deep end, with the majority showing they are not just capable of staying afloat, but that they can thrive in such conditions.
Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio have both made their senior Wales debuts this season - with the latter signing a new contract to remain with the Bluebirds until the summer of 2029 on Monday.
It represents another piece of sterling business from the club given the huge potential of the right-back - who only four months ago reached adulthood.
Barry-Murphy has clearly been vital in the development of Cardiff's young contingent, and Kpakio's comments on the Irishman typify what the 47-year-old boss is attempting to put together in the Welsh capital.
"Brian really believes in us. I feel I can be confident on and off the ball. It's what you dream of," Kpakio said after putting pen to paper on fresh terms with the club.
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Just four hours after official confirmation of the full-back's new deal, Cardiff announced Wales Under-21 international Isaak Davies - scorer of three goals so far this season - had also extended his stay with Cardiff until June 2029.
"The whole buzz around the club at the moment is so good and it is unbelievable to be a part of," said the young Welshman.
Following an electric start combined with the romanticism of the impact of so many Welsh academy talents, the Cardiff faithful had every right to revel in their stunning early season form - particularly on the back of what was a wretched 2024-25 campaign in the Championship.
Those feelings were heightened by those within the camp, with Rubin Colwill backing the Bluebirds to win the third tier title in the aftermath of their opening day win over Peterborough while centre-back Lawlor - on the back of his stunning international showing against Kazakhstan - said Cardiff want to "annihilate" and "batter" the league.
So, it's perhaps no wonder that Vincent Tan feels it's about time he showed his face at Cardiff City Stadium.
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The Malaysian businessman has not attended a home Cardiff game since a 2-2 draw with Plymouth on Boxing Day in 2023, but is now expected to watch the Bluebirds in person before the end of the year.
His presence may well have attracted a negative, or to put it more accurately, toxic reaction from Bluebirds fans just a few months ago.
But given the long overdue rebuild and emphasis placed on youth at the club under the guidance of Barry-Murphy, supporters will - while still having concerns and even feelings of anger towards Tan - likely be far more focused on investing their emotion and support into the young crop of players who have breathed new life into the club.
Cardiff have been transformed dramatically as a team and a club since Tan was last in the stands at Cardiff City Stadium.
His next visit will at least give the 73-year-old faith that they are back on track under Barry-Murphy.
READ MORE: Dylan Lawlor Insists Brian Barry-Murphy Has Been Key to his Cardiff City Breakthrough
