Birmingham City boss Chris Davies was pleased with what he saw as Blues progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup
23:05, 13 Aug 2025Updated 23:06, 13 Aug 2025
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies(Image: Matt West/Shutterstock)
Chris Davies was delighted with what he saw from new signings Eiran Cashin and Tommy Doyle as the pair contributed to Birmingham City’s Carabao Cup progress at the expense of Sheffield United at St Andrew’s on Wednesday evening.
Davies fielded Brighton loanee Cashin, and Doyle who has been borrowed from Wolverhampton Wanderers for the duration of this campaign, from the off and the duo impressed in their respective central defender and advanced midfielder roles as a part of the 2-1 win, with goals coming from Kyogo Furuhashi and Jay Stansfield bookending the game.
Cashin and Doyle were among six changes made by Davies, alongside the likes of Ethan Laird, Willum Willumsson and fellow debutant James Beadle, but despite the alterations to the side who were left disappointed with only a draw against Ipswich Town on Friday night, Davies was pleased with the transition.
“You can sometimes forget that these players have been with a different coach, a different teams not long ago – different ideas, different principles,” Davies reasoned. “It takes a little time, but we looked seamless, we looked like we’d picked up where we’d left off against Ipswich.
“I was really impressed with the new players, the way they have picked up our principles so quickly.”
In truth, Blues should’ve been out of sight at half time; Kyogo, who opened his account for Blues after only five minutes thanks to excellent work from winger Demarai Gray, might’ve netted four himself by the break. Despite the frustrations and the precariousness of the score-line, the message from Davies to his players in the dressing room was simple.
“I wanted it to be 3-0 at least, but at the same time it’s about performance at that point,” Davies said. “You’re never going to win a game a half time so it was what we’re doing well, what we can continue with. There were a few points we made at half time.
“A lot of it was in place. We bounced our way through their press really well, then in the second half we had a mixture of patience, crossing the ball and putting them under pressure.”