Birmingham Metropolis could have moved as much as ninth place on the finish of their Championship showdown with Sheffield United, however they’re nonetheless a good distance from upsetting the play-off occasion.
The truth is, they moved into the coveted prime six by seven factors, and the 1-1 closing consequence in opposition to the Blades meant they missed an opportunity to upset sixth-placed Wrexham.
After 67 minutes of a detailed recreation, the South Yorkshire aspect had been decreased to 10 males and Birmingham someway didn’t get a win in opposition to Chris Wilder’s visiting aspect.
Nonetheless, simply after Femi Seriki was given his marching orders, Marvin Dakush took a spectacular free-kick that beat Adam Davis within the opposition purpose and located the again of the online.
Nonetheless, after watching a tense recreation at St Andrews, these of the Blues persuasion will as soon as once more count on extra from Jay Stansfield, who stays goal-conscious in opposition to Chris Davies’ aspect.
Stansfield’s goalless efficiency continues.
Davies would have been relieved that the German attacker’s second of magic had arrived, as 17 different photographs handed his aspect through the irritating draw.
Stansfield would go on to file two of these performances, however somewhat than breaking his Championship scoring duck, they ended up being simply one other recreation that the previous Fulham striker will not look again on too fondly.
Stansfield’s 2026 purpose file | |
|---|---|
standing | Stansfield |
video games performed | 14 |
Play time (minutes) | 978 minutes |
Variety of factors | 1 |
help | 3 |
Surprisingly, Stansfield has solely scored one purpose in league play this yr, regardless of accumulating 10 targets in all competitions this season.
It is clear his confidence has been harm by his lackluster video games in opposition to the likes of Wilder, with the quantity 28 having simply 18 touches on the ball.
Typically he was simply operating round gasping for air, unable to strike concern right into a depleted Blades backline, which meant January signing August Pliske took over for the second half of the grueling fixture.
Now stands out as the time for Davis to lean into Pliske and see what he can supply, somewhat than counting on Stansfield, who has been in poor kind, to make a comeback.
Additional adjustments might quickly be made in attacking positions forward of Derby County’s match in opposition to Blackburn Rovers. That is as a result of alongside the 23-year-old, the presence of one other disappointing ahead might threaten the chop.
Stansfield shouldn’t be alone in Birmingham’s poor efficiency.
Pliske was not the one notable January signing to hyperlink up with Davies’ camp throughout a productive mid-season switch window, with Ibrahim Osman additionally set to affix the Blues on mortgage from Brighton & Hove Albion.
Having as soon as price the Seagulls a whopping £16m, there may have been a whole lot of expectations when the difficult Ghanaian arrived at St Andrews. His gung-ho play might doubtlessly enhance the League One title winners and make their desires of back-to-back promotions a actuality.
Osman has quickly thrilled the St Andrews public since becoming a member of, scoring in opposition to relegation-threatened Leicester Metropolis, who opened his Blues account in February.
Nonetheless, the identical lightning winger intent on inflicting all types of bother was absent in opposition to the 10-man Blades, with none of his three dribbling makes an attempt profitable through the 1-1 draw.
Moreover, aside from hitting the woodwork early on, Osman seemed hesitant in entrance of purpose as United’s defenders had been capable of monitor him fairly comfortably, and in consequence, the 21-year-old solely managed to win 38% of the 13 duels he tried.
The choice conundrum that Davies now faces is whether or not to depart out the previous FC Nordsjelland winger. The skilled attacker struggled mightily, shedding the ball six instances in simply 20 touches, contemplating he was substituted by Wilder’s man Demarai Grey.
Davies has the posh of getting loads of attacking choices to depend on as he seems to be to place collectively a beginning XI that may get again to profitable methods as quickly as attainable in Birmingham, a aspect recognized for his or her extreme spending energy.
Errors like this level in opposition to United will proceed and desires of promotion will disappear and be buried.
Worse than Stansfield: Birmingham should capitalize on Wagner’s greatest failure
Jay Stansfield shouldn’t be the one participant struggling at Birmingham Metropolis.
