<p>American goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has struggled in the early going of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/championship-tv-schedule/">2024/25 EFL Championship</a> with Welsh side Cardiff City. After three games, Cardiff is bottom of the league with two losses and a draw. In those three games, Cardiff has conceded eight goals. That is the worst in the Championship to go along with the side’s league-worst goal difference of negative seven. Now, analysts and pundits have started to point the finger at Horvath. </p>



<p>On Sunday, BBC Sports analyst Jason Perry admitted that Cardiff City has a goalkeeper problem in the form of Horvath. The former Cardiff City and Wales defender said Horvath does not have the confidence of a goalkeeper that clubs often need in the difficult EFL Championship.</p>



<p>“I understand why [Cardiff manager Erol Bulut] stuck by him [Sunday] because if you dropped him after Burnley, then you lose him. But today, he was very, very nervy,” Perry said. “If you want to play possession football from the back, a goalkeeper becomes an outfield player because sometimes it’s the goalkeeper who will step in between and make that pass.”</p>



<p>It is not just a matter of failed distribution plaguing Horvath either. Shot-stopping, previously Horvath’s calling card among goalkeepers, has haunted him. Perry did attribute the goal <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNeGuIcOB2A" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cardiff conceded against Swansea</a> to Horvath. That may be harsh, as the American made a sensational save before Swansea tucked the ball home on the rebound. Still, Horvath looked shaky.</p>



<p>“He didn’t look comfortable from crosses, the shot for the [Swansea] goal or balls [played] back to him. He doesn’t look comfortable in possession. So, it’s hard to play that way through the thirds starting from that backline.”</p>



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<h2>Ethan Horvath at Cardiff is the latest nervous American goalkeeper in Europe</h2>



<p>Ethan Horvath’s struggles have <a href="https://x.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1824824645079773250" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dipped into the embarrassing</a>. Perry mentioned keeping Horvath in the fold after the Burnley game. He is mentioning the 5-0 drubbing Cardiff experienced at the hands of the club recently relegated from the Premier League. However, the opening goal, arguably the emotion setter for the contest, was a massive blunder from the American. A pass back, something Perry criticized about Horvath, slid off the American’s foot and crept into the net. Horvath and Cardiff never recovered from that moment.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240826_WST_524719_Horvath-Burnley-blunder-1200x675_4455840a.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-524724" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Horvath-Burnley-blunder-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Horvath-Burnley-blunder-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Horvath-Burnley-blunder-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Horvath-Burnley-blunder-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Horvath-Burnley-blunder.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>For American fans, Horvath is a name that has not featured in recent tournaments. Although he was a part of the squad for both the World Cup and Copa America, he played second fiddle to Matt Turner. However, both goalkeepers have been the subject of criticism. Turner is <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/forest-signs-goalkeeper-as-turners-time-as-clubs-starter-to-end-20240201-WST-486784.html">no longer in the conversation</a> as a goalkeeper at Nottingham Forest, a position he helped take from Ethan Horvath, after Turner struggled mightily in the 2023/24 campaign.</p>



<p>Horvath faces major questions from Cardiff manager Erol Bulut. The Bluebirds return home after two games away from Cardiff City Stadium in a fixture against Middlesbrough. Bulut must decide if he should stick with the out-of-form Horvath or an option like Jak Alnwick. The Cardiff backup started the League Cup game against Bristol Rovers, which was a 2-0 win for Cardiff in the First Round of that tournament.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>

Ethan Horvath under pressure; criticized by Cardiff analyst

American goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has struggled in the early going of the 2024/25 EFL Championship with Welsh side Cardiff City.

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Ethan Horvath under pressure; criticized by Cardiff analyst