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They’ve lost six matches out of seven in the Guinness Pro12 and a push to qualify for next season’s European Champions Cup already looks a forlorn hope for Cardiff Blues.

There have undoubtedly been some positives for the Arms Park region in Danny Wilson’s first season in charge, but cynics will point to rugby being a results business.

So after the 35-30 defeat to Glasgow on Saturday, what are the issues that warrant scrutiny at the Blues?

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Danny Wilson must be given time

When any side loses six matches on the spin there is almost always a whole heap of pressure on the coach.

Wilson will unquestionably be feeling the heat because he is paid to deliver success, but suggestions that he is not the right man are ridiculous under the circumstances.

The former Wales Under-20s boss is highly regarded in the Welsh game and that is for a reason. Wilson is an excellent coach, respected by senior players.

He must be given time to implement his plans at the Blues who cannot countenance another change to their rugby leadership.

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In fact Wilson should be safe in the role for at least three seasons.

If by then the Blues are still losing matches in blocks of six it will be a different matter.

Long term lack of stability hangs over the Arms Park

Danny Wilson is the fifth different leadership option at the Blues since Dai Young left for Wasps in the summer of 2011.

There’s been Justin Burnell and Gareth Baber, Phil Davies, Dale McIntosh and Paul John, and Mark Hammett in that time.

All had different philosophies, all rated different individuals more than others, all had their own priorities.

In short, no template has ever been able to bed itself down, there’s been no continuity, no stability.

Getting those ingredients won’t happen overnight. Wilson is only just beginning to work with his full roster of players.

You hope results will come. But while Wilson may deserve instant success, you can’t really say the same about the Blues.

The squad simply isn’t good enough

Yes the Blues have marquee players and on Saturday there were three Test Lions in their line-up in Sam Warburton, Gethin Jenkins and Alex Cuthbert.

There are also the likes of rookie Wales stars Cory Allen and Kristian Dacey, the resurgent scrum-half Lloyd Williams, Kiwi import Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Patchell (soon to be departing) and the superbly consistent Josh Navidi. There’s Tom James back from Exeter on the wing as well.

But when you consider Wales call-ups limiting the availability of some and then look at the wider squad there are, with respect, too many players who don’t look up to providing consistent excellence in the Guinness Pro12 and European rugby spheres.

(Image: Huw Evans Agency)

I’d say there at least a dozen who are closer to the level of the Welsh Premiership – and no, I’m not naming names.

The Blues are believed to have a playing wage bill of around £4.1m at the moment, but do they have a £4.1m standard squad? I’d argue not.

Cast your eye across the Scarlets squad by comparison. Make your own mind up, but I’d say there’s a lot less dross in their ranks.

The Blues have talked about going for Leigh Halfpenny and Taulupe Faletau.

You can’t fault their ambition, but perhaps recruitment should be geared more towards players from an echelon or two below such superstars, people who could provide some quality ballast over the course of a long campaign.

The attitude was good against Glasgow, the players clearly want to play for Wilson.

But there’s an old adage in sport about only being as good as your weakest link. If it rings true then the Blues have concerns.

Is it time for a change at the very top?

Peter Thomas has put millions of pounds into Cardiff and latterly the Blues, and been an outstanding servant to the Arms Park outfit for years.

But for all his great work, you wonder whether it is time for fresh ideas to start trickling down from the top in the form of a new chairman.

Thomas could still provide expertise on a more informal basis, but with the WRU having just appointed a new chief executive would the Blues benefit from the wind of change blowing from the Millennium Stadium through the back of the old North Stand?

Thomas is a proud and committed man who will probably want to continue at the helm. He's faced down plenty of critics in the past and nobody could accuse him of not having done his bit.

Sometimes in life though, it’s time to take a step back and just let someone else have a go.

Only Thomas will know if that time is now or not.

A disappointing attendance

It was a Saturday afternoon and the league champions were in town. Yet the Blues could only pull a crowd of 5,700.

OK, Glasgow aren’t renowned for their large contingent of travelling fans, but then the Ospreys managed to get more than 7,000 through the Liberty Stadium turnstiles for their far less attractive meeting with Zebre – another outfit whose visiting support normally arrives in a taxi.

There will be the usual apologists for the low crowd, but it underlines how vital a successful team is to the number of people prepared to part with their cash.

A good on-field product and a winning team are things more casual followers want to be associated with on a regular basis. And vice versa.

One last thing, please don't anybody blame Sky Sports' coverage of the game for affecting the crowd. The impact of that would have been miniscule.

Patchell leaving is food for thought

Why does a local Cardiff lad in Rhys Patchell see his future at the Scarlets?

There are whispers that Patchell wants to be regarded as a fly-half only at the Arms Park and that because this request has been refused he has looked elsewhere.

True or not, it’s a blow for the Blues to be losing a young player of his calibre, especially on the evidence of Patchell’s display against Glasgow which was excellent.

There was a time Cardiff used to be the side most of the best Welsh players aspired to join.

Times are different, but this is another challenge for Wilson...to once again make the Arms Park a place top players want to be.