Birmingham City manager Chris Davies faces a tactical conundrum ahead of today’s home clash with Bristol City, a team he describes as a “blind spot” due to their evolving style under new manager Michael Skubala.
Last season, Birmingham encountered two very different Bristol City sides. Under interim manager Roy Hodgson in April, the Robins played an expansive, possession-based game, which Blues overcame 2-1 thanks to a set-piece goal from Phil Neumann and a pressing display from Jhon Solis. Conversely, under former manager Gerhard Struber, Bristol City adopted a more rigid tactical framework, defeating Blues 1-0.
Skubala, known during his time with Lincoln City in League One for teams proficient in set pieces and counter-attacking, took over at Bristol City this season. His Robins have so far lost their opening two matches, showcasing varied styles: they dominated possession against Walsall in the Carabao Cup but were edged out 1-0, then surrendered most possession to Millwall while reduced to ten men, losing 2-0 last weekend.
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Davies admits that Skubala’s evolving tactics add to the uncertainty. “They’ve tried to be quite proactive in the games I’ve seen so far, and you’re never quite sure,” he said. “They look a bit different to the Lincoln team we know. We played them multiple times in League One, but they seem to be operating with a back four rather than a back five now.”
Reflecting on last season’s encounters, Davies noted Bristol City “played total football, were really brave and took the ball, causing us a few tricky situations,” though Blues ultimately gained the upper hand. He suggested the current team “might be focusing more on solidity and counters,” but warns that “they have players who can hurt you if you give them time. We have to be prepared for anything.”
Birmingham City are building on a solid start to the season, particularly with back-to-back clean sheets against Championship opponents away from home. Davies has made adjustments to improve away performances but feels little change is needed at St Andrew’s, where Blues have lost only three league games over the past two seasons.
A key tactical decision for Davies is the role of Paik Seung-ho, who has started the first two games in the number 10 position, providing solidity and midfield control. However, Davies considers other attacking options, such as Jay Stansfield, his preferred number 10 last season. Interestingly, Davies has previously utilised strikers like Stansfield or Marvin Ducksch in that role in most home games.
Davies commented on his selection approach: “I’m pleased with how the team is performing and feeling. My job is to weigh up horses for courses, balancing the rhythm and confidence of a settled team with the need for solutions. Sometimes that means switching from a third midfielder to a more striker-like player in that position. We don’t tend to change the system a lot, but we might tweak personnel to ensure enough goal threat.”
Today’s match promises a tactical battle with many variables, and Birmingham City will need to be adaptable as they seek to maintain their strong home record against a Bristol City side still finding its identity under Skubala.