Davies should drop Birmingham flop who gained simply 38% duels

Birmingham Metropolis may effectively have risen to ninth place on the finish of their Championship conflict with Sheffield United, however they’re nonetheless a approach off disrupting the playoff social gathering.

Certainly, they’re seven factors off bursting into these coveted high six positions, with the ultimate 1-1 outcome in opposition to the Blades happening as a missed alternative to attempt to unnerve Wrexham in sixth spot.

Birmingham in some way did not find yourself claiming a victory in opposition to Chris Wilder’s guests, because the South Yorkshire aspect have been down to 10 males for 67 minutes of the intently fought contest.

Marvin Ducksch would discover the again of the web shortly after Femi Seriki was handed his marching orders, although, along with his luxurious free-kick beating Adam Davies within the opposition objective.

Nonetheless, the tense affair at St. Andrew’s would have left these with a Blues persuasion wanting extra but once more from Jay Stansfield, who continues to look goal-shy for Chris Davies’ males.

Stansfield’s goal-shy performances proceed

Davies would have been relieved that second of magic from the German attacker arrived, as 17 different pictures handed his aspect by in the course of the irritating draw.

Stansfield would tally up two of these efforts, however as a substitute of breaking his objective duck within the Championship, it ended up simply being one other conflict that the previous Fulham striker will not look again on with a lot fondness.

Stansfield’s objective document in 2026
Stat	Stansfield
Video games performed	14
Minutes performed	978 minutes
Objectives scored	1
Assists	3

Amazingly, Stansfield has only one paltry objective subsequent to his title this calendar 12 months in league motion, regardless of accumulating ten objectives in all competitions this season.

It is clear from watching his show in opposition to Wilder and Co that his confidence is dented, because the misfiring quantity 28 might solely muster up a weak 18 touches of the ball.

Usually, he would simply be discovered operating round breathlessly, failing to strike concern into the depleted Blades’ backline, resulting in January signing August Priske taking up for the latter phases of the irritating match-up.

It could be time now for Davies to stay by Priske and see what he can provide, away from over-relying on an out-of-sorts Stansfield to spark again into life.

Extra reshuffles might quickly happen within the attacking positions, for video games to comply with in opposition to Derby County and Blackburn Rovers, as one other disappointing ahead presence could be petrified of the chop, alongside the 23-year-old.

Stansfield not Birmingham’s solely underperformer

Priske wasn’t the one notable January addition who linked up with Davies’ camp in the course of the bumper mid-season switch window, as Ibrahim Osman would additionally be part of up with the Blues on mortgage from Brighton and Hove Albion.

As soon as costing the Seagulls a mighty £16m, loads would have been anticipated of the difficult Ghanaian on his arrival at St. Andrew’s, as his gung-ho shows probably pushed the League One title winners to make their back-to-back promotion desires a actuality.

Osman has excited the St. Andrew’s lots in spurts since becoming a member of, with a objective put away in opposition to relegation-threatened Leicester Metropolis opening his Blues account again in February.

However the identical, lightning-quick winger intent on inflicting all kinds of hassle wasn’t current in opposition to the ten-man Blades, with none of his three dribble makes an attempt in the course of the 1-1 draw coming off.

Furthermore, other than hitting the woodwork early on, Osman regarded hesitant in entrance of objective, with the United defenders in a position to hold tabs on him fairly comfortably, ensuing within the 21-year-old solely having the ability to win 38% of his tried 13 duels.

The choice conundrum Davies now faces is whether or not he ought to drop the previous FC Nordsjælland winger or not, contemplating his alternative in opposition to Wilder’s males, Demarai Grey, additionally significantly struggled, because the skilled attacker gave away possession six instances, from solely 20 touches of the ball.

Davies does have the luxurious of getting loads of attacking choices to fall again on, with Birmingham well-known for his or her extreme spending powers, as he makes an attempt to place collectively a beginning XI that may get again to successful methods as quickly as doable.

Extra missteps to return, corresponding to this level collected in opposition to United, and the promotion dream will probably be useless and buried.