Birmingham City manager Chris Davies described the 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns as “a point gained” following Marvin Ducksch’s 78th-minute header that salvaged a valuable point for the Blues.
Alex Mowatt initially put West Brom ahead with a deflected shot, putting Birmingham on the back foot. Moments before Ducksch’s equalizer, Davies had prepared to bring on striker Kyogo Furuhashi as a substitute. However, when Tommy Doyle delivered a free-kick that Ducksch expertly flicked into the net, Davies decided to delay making the change and kept Ducksch on the field.
“I usually make substitutions earlier, but I felt we needed to give the players more time to find their rhythm and chemistry,” Davies explained. “Our connections weren’t quite sharp, so I wanted to be patient. When the opportunity came from the set piece, Marvin was still on, and he made it count.”
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Davies also noted the strategic considerations behind holding off on substitutions during a key moment in the game. “Both teams held off on their changes because of the set pieces. Thankfully, Marvin was on the pitch when we had ours, and he scored a quality goal.”
While Birmingham City boasts one of the best home records in the Championship—second only to Coventry City—they have struggled away from St Andrew’s this season. Against local rivals West Brom, securing an away point was seen as a positive outcome given the first-half challenges.
“We weren’t at our best in the first half,” Davies admitted. “Our rhythm was off, and we made some errors. Going a goal down from a set piece was tough, but I believed we could improve as the game progressed. Away local derbies are always challenging, and it’s rare to see fluid play.”
He continued, “Despite some rare breakaways from the opposition, I felt we were pushing forward and gaining momentum. To come back from behind and earn a draw away is a good point for us.”
Davies concluded by reinforcing his confidence in the team’s resilience and ability to adapt, highlighting the positive takeaway from a hard-fought derby.