In the Championship, successful teams consistently rely on a particular type of centre-forward: a physical, mobile striker who battles centre-backs and leads the attack with strength and presence.
This season, Birmingham City have tried to fill that role with Marvin Ducksch. Yet Ducksch’s strengths lie in quick, one- or two-touch play and combination football—not in holding up the ball or engaging in physical duels. His natural style contrasts sharply with what most promotion-chasing teams demand.
Lyndon Dykes fits that physical mould better, but he has struggled to convince manager Chris Davies enough to secure regular starts. Meanwhile, contenders like Coventry City boast robust forwards like Haji Wright and Ellis Simms. Middlesbrough have Tommy Conway; Ipswich rely on George Hirst and Chuba Akpom; Preston and Millwall are stocked with physical players; Watford have Luca Kjerrumgaard; and Hull City count on Oli McBurnie. The pattern is clear: every team with serious promotion ambitions fields a commanding striker.
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Despite the Championship evolving towards a more possession-oriented style, the importance of a classic target man hasn’t diminished. Players such as Oli McBurnie and Kieffer Moore—the latter now 33 and hitting double figures for Wrexham—underscore the enduring value of physicality up front in securing promotion.
Only three teams in the division buck this trend: Birmingham City, Leicester City (relying on an aging Jordan Ayew), and Southampton, who prefer versatile forwards like Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer, although they do have the 6ft 2in Ross Stewart.
Looking back at recent promotion-winning squads highlights this pattern further. Southampton’s success under Russell Martin was shaped around Che Adams, a powerful striker supporting smaller forwards. Leicester City had Jamie Vardy’s relentless Premier League-proven energy, while Ipswich featured the imposing Kieffer Moore. Leeds United last season counted on Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford; Burnley on Zian Flemming; Sunderland on Wilson Isidor—all tall, physically adept strikers essential to their campaigns.
With Birmingham City actively searching for a striker to replace Dykes, this is a pivotal moment. Recruiting that ideal centre-forward won’t require abandoning their possession style, but it will add a critical Plan B—making the team less predictable and much harder to defend against. That missing physical ingredient could be exactly what propels Birmingham City into the play-offs and beyond.