The Bluebirds took on Boro in the lunchtime kick-off and lost 2-0

Cardiff City head into the international break without a win in the league after Middlesbrough's 2-0 triumph stretched the Bluebirds' winless run to four matches.

Two second-half goals courtesy of a Matt Clarke header and an Aaron Ramsey own goal means Cardiff's record in the first four games makes for grim reading. Just one point, one goal scored and 10 conceded. Much cause for contemplation over the next two weeks, that's for sure.

Despite impressive cameos off the bench last week, Erol Bulut ignored the temptation to start the likes of Rubin Colwill, Ollie Tanner and match-winner Callum Robinson, instead plumping for an unchanged XI as far as the league was concerned.

The team that started against Boro were a little more robust and in control than they were at the Swansea.com Stadium, enjoying some periods of eye-catching build-up play, but without really troubling Seny Dieng in the visitors' goal.

Michael Carrick's side, on the other hand, had some joy with rapid-fire passes through the middle, opening Cardiff up far too easily for their liking on the break. One such break saw Middlesbrough have a three-on-one opportunity, but Calum Chambers produced a masterclass in defending and managed to extinguish any danger single-handedly. The travelling Boro fans were bewildered they didn't make more of it.

The visitors were by and large restricted to shots from distance, with Finn Azaz and Hayden Hackney both hitting shots from 20 yards into the arms of Ethan Horvath.

Cardiff, who enjoyed marginally more possession, struggled to find any punch in their attack. Wilfried Kanga was largely anonymous while Aaron Ramsey was perhaps trying a little too hard and lost possession far too frequently in good areas. Yakou Meite and Chris Willock failed to find joy on the flanks, either. Cardiff failed to register a shot in target in the first half. In fact their only pop at goal saw Manolis Siopis hit one 15 yards over the bar from 30 yards out.

Just before the break Erol Bulut was forced into a change, too, with Jesper Daland, who had been fantastic for 43, forced to limp off. He had gone down three times following a tangle with Hackney in the seventh minute, which saw the Boro forward fall awkwardly on the defender's Achilles, and could not carry on.

The second half saw Ollie Tanner replace Yakou Meite and the former made an instant impact. With his first touch he zoomed on the outside of his marker and found Ramsey, who needed two chances to send a decent effort on goal and it was deflected off Luke Ayling and into the post. The half-clearance then fell to Chris Willock, whose lovely effort was saved by Seny Dieng.

Minutes later Ramsey was found with his back to goal inside the box and he spun his marker before rifling a shot bound for the top corner, but Dieng flew through the air before tipping it away.

That's why, when Boro's goal came, it was a bit of a body blow. It stopped all of the momentum and, frustratingly for Bulut, was wholly preventable.

A Corner and a Defensive Blunder

A corner was whipped in and Clarke peeled away from any markers before sending a powerful low header into the bottom corner. Nothing Ethan Horvath could do about it, but how was Clarke afforded such room to guide his effort home?

Bulut was forced to throw on the cavalry, Rubin Colwill, Anwar El Ghazi and Callum Robinson were all introduced in a bid to restore parity, with the game visibly opening up for both sides.

But Cardiff's attack was poor thereafter and their defence, much like in the opener against Sunderland, allowed a second to be conceded.

Mannequin-Like Defending

Mannequin-like defending allowed Alex Gilbert to pick the ball up in Cardiff's box and find Aidan Morris, whose dragged shot from the penalty spot pinged off Ramsey's knee and into the back of the net.

Cardiff City XI: Horvath; Ng, Chambers, Daland (Goutas 43), O'Dowda; Siopis, Robertson (Colwill 62); Meite (Tanner 46), Ramsey, Willock (El Ghazi 62); Kanga (Robinson 73).

Subs: Alnwick, Bagan, Rinomhota, Ashford.

Middlesbrough XI: Dieng; Ayling, Clarke, Dijksteel, Borges; Hackney, Morris; Burgzorg (Latte Lath 70), Azaz (Hamilton 90), Jones (Simpson 90); Conway (Gilbert 70).

Subs: Brynn, Barlaser, Hunt, Lennon, McCabe.

Full-Time and Another Disappointing Result

Full-time. Another loss. The Bluebirds remain winless in the league, with this loss marking their fourth consecutive game without a victory.

The game was a frustrating one for Cardiff City fans, as they witnessed their team's defensive woes continue to plague them. Despite some encouraging moments in the first half, the Bluebirds were unable to create any clear-cut chances and ultimately fell victim to Middlesbrough's more clinical finishing.

The international break gives Erol Bulut some time to reflect on the team's performance, and work towards improving the side's defensive frailties. They will need to find a way to shore up their backline if they want to make a serious push for promotion this season.