South Wales Derby: Bulut Under Pressure as Cardiff's Struggles Continue

The stakes are high for Erol Bulut as he prepares to lead Cardiff City into the third South Wales derby of his tenure. The Bluebirds' manager is facing increasing pressure after a disastrous start to the Championship season, leaving them winless and goalless in the league.

Following a promising end to last season, which saw Bulut guide the club to a mid-table finish after narrowly avoiding relegation the previous year, Cardiff extended his contract for two years in June. There was a sense of optimism surrounding the club, fuelled by the manager's continuity and some positive summer transfer activity.

However, that optimism has quickly dissipated. A 2-0 defeat to Sunderland on the opening day was followed by a humiliating 5-0 thrashing at Burnley last weekend. The second-half performance at Turf Moor was particularly concerning, even though Burnley are considered among the promotion favourites and Cardiff had offered a competitive first-half display.

BBC Radio Wales pundit Kevin Ratcliffe labelled Cardiff's second-half showing at Burnley as "embarrassing," having previously praised "some of the football" in the first half as "as good as I have seen Cardiff play."

The stark reality is that Bulut's side are one of only three Championship teams yet to register a point this season, and one of just two without a league goal. While the season is only in its early stages, the pressure is already mounting on the manager as he prepares for the crucial derby encounter.

The upcoming clash against Swansea City presents a chance for Bulut to ease the mounting pressure and inspire some much-needed confidence within the squad. However, a defeat against their local rivals could further intensify the scrutiny on his position.