Jack Moylan has already scored five Championship goals for Cardiff City this season after his summer transfer from Lincoln City, quickly establishing himself as one of the division’s most dangerous attackers. Moylan netted twice in Cardiff’s 5-1 home win over Watford, including a composed penalty, underlining his growing influence in the side.
Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy praised Moylan’s adaptability after deploying the midfielder as a makeshift striker against Watford. “One of the big reasons we brought him to the club was how adaptable he is to different situations,” Barry-Murphy said. “I saw him play as a centre forward in Ireland on occasions – not lots of times, but I saw him in some key games. He has certain qualities there that can be very useful for us.”
Moylan’s goal-scoring form has caught attention beyond Cardiff. Since his move to south Wales, the former Shelbourne player has matched some of the Championship’s top scorers, with only Middlesbrough’s Will Lankshear, Southampton’s Cyle Larin, and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen having more league goals so far this season. Moylan has also contributed two assists, making seven goal involvements, a tally bettered only by Bowen, Lankshear, and Southampton’s Finn Azaz.
Before joining Cardiff, Moylan scored 21 goals in 81 appearances for Lincoln City. He made his Republic of Ireland debut in May and has scored four goals in six caps, showing his ability to perform on a bigger stage.
Barry-Murphy noted Moylan’s composure in front of goal, recalling the Watford match: “When he ran through on goal it was very reassuring to see him take so much time because we’ve created good chances this season and not always taken them. That was a good sign of real composure that allowed us to score such a great goal.”
The manager was less certain about Moylan’s future role as a lone striker, with Cardiff’s forward options still evolving. Fellow Irish international Callum Robinson scored his second goal in two games after coming on as a substitute against Watford, while last season’s top scorer Yousef Salech has returned to training following a shoulder injury. Barry-Murphy said Moylan’s threat from midfield remains significant and there is room to develop his game further. “He knows the large part of the game he has to improve, and he will do because he has the mentality to do it,” he added. “I think he’s a very exciting player to watch because of how attack-minded he is, and we don’t want to take away any of that while obviously adding to the parts of his game that he needs to improve.”
Moylan could have completed a hat-trick against Watford but did not take the second penalty after Chris Willock went down in the box in the second half. Willock stepped up amid boos from the home crowd but had his spot-kick saved. Barry-Murphy admitted he was unsure why Willock was chosen over Salech, the regular penalty taker. “I have to hold my hands up and say I didn’t do much planning [on penalties],” he said. “I wasn’t fully aware of [the boos], but everyone seemed pleased afterwards. I’m sure the supporters will value the performance, and Chris was a big part of that, so I’m sure we’ll all get behind him.”
Cardiff face second-place Middlesbrough on Saturday, 17 October, with Moylan’s role and form sure to be a key point of interest for fans and opponents alike. Barry-Murphy’s comments suggest the club sees Moylan as a player with room to grow and an important attacking option through the rest of the season.
According to Yahoo Sports.
