Cardiff City are still searching for their first Championship win of the season, and Brian Barry-Murphy knows exactly why: his side are creating the chances but not taking them. Four draws and two defeats from six games tells only part of the story. The fuller picture is a team that has had to come from behind in three of those draws, and one that mustered 27 attempts against Stoke City on Tuesday yet still had to settle for a 1-1 result.

Joel Colwill's equaliser salvaged a point after Cardiff conceded what the head coach acknowledged was a sloppy goal, and Barry-Murphy was candid about what needs to improve. "We're having to come back in all the games at the moment and that's a challenge in itself," he said. "We're aware we haven't won this season. We're aware in many of the games we've played really well, created chances and haven't taken them. So we just have to keep improving and the goals will come if we keep getting in the same situations and just be a bit more ruthless."

That word, ruthless, is doing a lot of work right now. With 70 per cent possession against the Potters and more than two dozen efforts at goal, Cardiff had the tools to claim all three points. They did not. Giving opponents a head start, as Barry-Murphy put it, and then spending energy clawing back into games is an exhausting way to navigate a second-tier season. Six games in, a single win would put Cardiff on five points; instead they sit on four. The margin is slim but the pattern is becoming a concern.

To be fair to Barry-Murphy, the injury list is a genuine complication. Wales international Rubin Colwill is nursing an ankle problem, and the Bluebirds were reduced to naming three teenagers on the bench against Stoke, including 15-year-old Noah Anyadike. "We have quite a few injuries so we'll get stronger as the season goes on," said the head coach. That is a reasonable argument, but it needs to be tested by results rather than repeated as reassurance.

There was at least encouragement in the reaction after back-to-back defeats at QPR and Portsmouth, where performances as well as results fell short. Against Stoke, Barry-Murphy felt the Bluebirds responded with character. "There could be a sense of here we go again, we're behind and we haven't won. But those things didn't look evident," he said. He added that he expects the team to improve as the campaign progresses, and that if they continue on the same trajectory they will have "a great season". That is a bold claim from a coach whose side are yet to win a league game.

Krystian Bielik started against Stoke just days after police confirmed they are investigating an incident at Fratton Park, where the Cardiff defender became involved in a physical altercation with a home supporter while retrieving a ball from the crowd. Barry-Murphy had previously said Bielik "got slapped in the face" and the Football Association is reviewing the referee's report. Despite the distraction, the 28-year-old trained well and, in his manager's view, "did a great job" on the night.

The broader context is important here. Cardiff won promotion from League One last season under Barry-Murphy in his first year at the club, and returning to the Championship after an absence always carries an adjustment period. Four draws show resilience of a sort. But resilience without wins does not move you up the table.

A run of four decent performances can flatter a squad. Cardiff fans will be wary of reading too much into controlled possession stats when the scorelines are not yet reflecting them. The next few weeks, as injured players return and the squad deepens, will reveal whether Barry-Murphy's confidence is grounded or simply a manager buying time. Right now, a first win of the season is overdue.

Frequently asked

How many games has Cardiff City won in the Championship this season?
Cardiff are yet to win a Championship game this season. After six matches they have four draws and two defeats, leaving them with four points.
Who scored Cardiff's goal against Stoke City?
Joel Colwill scored Cardiff's equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Stoke City.
What is the latest on the Krystian Bielik incident at Portsmouth?
Police are investigating an incident at Fratton Park in which Bielik became involved in a physical altercation with a home supporter. The Football Association is also reviewing the referee's report. Bielik started Cardiff's next game against Stoke and, according to manager Brian Barry-Murphy, performed well.