Divine Mukasa and Arne Engels struggled badly from a defensive point of view in those defeats by Southampton and West Brom. On Saturday, Baggies boss James Morrison revealed his plan to expose a sluggish backline with direct passes through the centre of the park, in the knowledge that neither Engels nor Mukasa had the defensive instincts to protect the vulnerable defence. It was a plan which worked wonders, as it turned out.

Scott Parker gives Soungoutou Magassa a start in Cardiff

Parker, to his credit, is wasting no time in his attempt to plug the gaps. Magassa starts as his fellow Frenchman Mohamadou Kante – who played as the most advanced of the midfielders in Nuno’s final appearance – drops to the bench.

Whether it works or not, only time will tell. Cardiff City have mustered the third most shots on target across the entire Championship and have missed the second-most ‘Big Chances’. Brian Barry-Murphy’s side are underperforming their ‘Expected Goals’ tally by five. So while Cardiff don’t always take their opportunities, they are very, very good at creating them.

After months without a competitive appearance, Magassa could struggle tonight. But many are just happy that Parker is moving away from a system which West Brom so easily exploited.

“The fact Magassa has appeared out of nowhere and is straight in the XI speaks volumes,” one fan writes on social media.

“He might be way off the pace of the game because he ain’t played for so long, but at last we’re playing a defensive midfielder,” says another.

“A CDM in the squad, it’s a start.”

“Magassa starting. Pablo dropped. I am moved.”

One of Parker’s other decisions, though, did not go down so well. Alphonse Areola won Fulham’s Player of the Year award under Parker in 2020/21. The oft-maligned Mads Hermansen, though, keeps his place in goal – for now at least.

“Hermansen again! Sticking a bullseye on us to be 1-0 down inside the first 15 minutes,” says one less-optimistic member of the claret and blue brigade.

“Hermansen again and again and again?”

“Areola and it’s perfect.”