Birmingham City take on Swansea City in their next Championship match at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park
Birmingham City reporter for BirminghamLive and the Birmingham Mail
Kyogo Furuhashi of Birmingham City
Birmingham City are looking to halt a run of three straight defeats without scoring against Swansea City today.
Blues have never lost a league game on home soil under Chris Davies and could use some home comforts after two difficult defeats on the road in the Championship.
Davies has some selection dilemmas, most notably in his misfiring attack, that he needs to navigate before seventh-placed Swansea arrive at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.
Our Blues writers have given their thoughts and predicted line-ups ahead of Saturday’s fixture…
Alex Dicken
Sorting out Blues’ woes in front of goal is of top priority, but Davies must couple that with ensuring his team can cope at set pieces.
Blues don’t score many, but they don’t concede many either – unfortunately, those they do concede, are coming at set pieces.
Davies selected an XI against Stoke that only included two outfield players over six feet. To make Blues’ zonal marking on set pieces effective, they need three big bodies.
Which is why I’m making the case for Marvin Ducksch. We have seen nothing to suggest he should start against Swansea, but Davies has tried other combinations in attack that haven’t worked.
Ducksch isn’t noted for his aerial ability, but he is 6ft 2in and that size gives Blues a Willum Willumsson-like presence on defensive set pieces.
By playing Ducksch in the number 10 position, Jay Stansfield can stay up front where his pressing and goal-scoring abilities are best utilised in Davies’ system. Demarai Gray and Patrick Roberts are the obvious options out wide.
Will Davies make changes in defence? The only one I see is Bright Osayi-Samuel for Ethan Laird at right-back.
Alex Cochrane had a torrid time in the defeat to Stoke but Davies backed the left-back afterwards and isn’t likely to drop him based on one performance.
(4-2-3-1): Allsop; Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer, Cochrane; Paik, Iwata; Roberts, Ducksch, Gray; Stansfield
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Brian Dick
Davies will have his mind on one thing more than anything else – goals, goals, goals – and while we’re certainly not describing those responsible for scoring them as a motley crew, or even a Mötley Crüe, finding the right combination will be uppermost in his thoughts.
Blues’ shortcomings in front of goal are becoming increasingly well-documented and Swansea arrive at St Andrew’s with the joint second best defensive record in the Championship.
Most of Blues’ team picks itself, aside from some potential debate around Alex Cochrane after he struggled against Million Manhoef of Stoke City. However, Davies can be incredibly loyal to some players and I’d expect the left-back to retain his spot.
I’d also expect the only change from the defence that started at the bet365 Stadium to come in the other full back spot, with Bright Osayi-Samuel replacing Ethan Laird to play alongside Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann and in front of Ryan Allsop,
Davies is also wedded to Tomoko Iwata and Paik Sueng-ho in the middle of the park.
So the attacking line is where it becomes difficult with so many options.
Marvin Ducksch hasn’t done much with his game-time, Lewis Koumas has played infield and on the wing, Patrick Roberts is available, as are Demarai Gray and the lesser-spotted Kanya Fujimoto.
Then there’s strikers Lyndon Dykes, Jay Stansfield and even Kyogo Furuhashi who can played behind a front man.
There are almost too many variables, which is why I’d wind it back to the start of the season when Blues were creating chances.
That was with Demarai Gray on one wing and Keshi Anderson on the other, with Stansfield just behind Kyogo. Anderson isn’t available but Roberts is.
(4-2-3-1): Allsop; Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer, Cochrane; Paik, Iwata; Roberts, Stansfield, Gray; Kyogo
How should Blues line up against Swansea? Have your say HERE