Another “dilemma” At Birmingham City, Coach Revealed After Match’s Victory

Chris Davies faces his biggest selection dilemma yet as Birmingham City’s warhorse reveals Plan

The fifth goal of Willum Willumsson’s highly promising season put Birmingham City into the second round of the FA Cup.

Playing in the first round for the first time since 1994, Blues were streets ahead of National League Sutton United – albeit they found themselves locked in a contest that might have been stopped on points but never came close to a knockout.

Let’s move on

Blues were in almost total control, dominating possession and pinning Sutton deep into their own penalty area.

However, if there is a gripe it’s that they didn’t ask enough questions of the hosts’ backline. Not only did they not create anything like enough goal-scoring chances, they didn’t deliver the ball into the penalty area to try to generate them.

Too often the ball was passed around the box or Blues tried to pick their way through areas where there was little space. Their struggles breaking Sutton down left them vulnerable to a freak equaliser, a scruffy set piece or a random refereeing decision. Chris Davies would have seen his team in total control and under little threat of conceding. However, to remove the threat of a mishap Blues must not allow themselves to become happy with simply owning the ball.

A second goal is usually going to be required – therefore so is more variety to produce it.

That said while Sutton played well within themselves, Blues were also well short of their best resulting in a game which won’t linger in the memory.

In truth the home side got what they deserved, they focused on containment and delivered nothing by way of entertainment, nothing for their supporters to get excited about

Over the top

To be fair Davies did try Plan B with 22 minutes to go – and the arrival of Lukas Jutkiewicz immediately changed the game.

Within a few minutes of coming on he’d seen a low drive deflected wide and had made first contact on the resulting corner. He would go on to have another shot blocked by a sliding defender.

Jutkiewicz is back after a few weeks out with a knee injury but – and I know this won’t please some – should still have a role off the bench against opponents who are refusing to open up.

Lyndon Dykes is probably the first ‘style change’ off the bench, but he doesn’t play centre-forward the way Jutkiewicz does – and sometimes you just need a bit of Jukey as an antidote to possession-obsession

He also won a knock-down for fellow sub Ayumu Yokoyama and gave his team a focal point to the point that Sutton just couldn’t sit deep and mark space.

Jutkiewicz is back after a few weeks out with a knee injury but – and I know this won’t please some – should still have a role off the bench against opponents who are refusing to open up.

Big calls

Yokoyama produced another inventive display, for the second time in five days backing up his defender and sewing doubt with his ability to go both inside and outside.

He could have come on at half time to be honest because Keshi Anderson was getting little change out of his man and rarely looked like he would be able to get in behind.

Krystian Bielik could be back in contention next weekend and with Christoph Klarer nailed on as the right-sided centre back, the manager has a difficult choice as his partner.

Should Bielik get straight back in because he’s the captain or does he have to wait until Ben Davies’ form or fitness opens the door?

There are so many variables to consider, Davies defends like a more authentic centre back and brings balance with his left foot, while Bielik is better carrying the ball and playing passes through the thirds. It’s a close call and honestly, I’d be loath to drop Davies

Keeping Right On

All in all it’s been a good week for Blues. Being held to a draw at Mansfield wasn’t ideal but attention turned to consecutive cup games, against Fulham in the EFL Trophy and Sutton in the FA Cup.