Birmingham City manager Chris Davies expressed his frustration after his team’s 1-1 draw against Derby County on Boxing Day but emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive mindset amid a demanding festive schedule.
Jack Robinson scored his first goal for Birmingham, cancelling out an early strike by Patrick Agyemang for Derby. Despite early promise, Blues were unable to secure a win, extending their winless run to five games. Late drama saw Christoph Klarer receive a red card in stoppage time, ruling him out for the next three matches. Derby, too, finished the game with ten men after Joe Ward was sent off in the 39th minute for a second bookable offence.
Robinson came agonizingly close to clinching victory with a stoppage-time header that struck the crossbar and rebounded away from goal. Reflecting on the match, Davies said, “From our point of view, I think we sit here a little bit frustrated that we haven’t got the three points out of today. I think we did enough to win the match in the end but it wasn’t to be.”
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Davies praised his team’s attacking play, particularly the fluidity on the right flank where Patrick Roberts and Tomoki Iwata combined effectively. “There was fluency to our play,” he added.
However, a “really sloppy goal” conceded early on disrupted their rhythm. A long clearance was misjudged, allowing Derby to score against the run of play. With the man advantage in the second half, Birmingham adopted an expansive strategy, stretching Derby’s defense and applying pressure in search of a winning goal. “We got the goal with about 25 minutes to go and it was a case of just getting a second,” Davies said. “There was a lot there and we just needed that goal to go in but it didn’t.”
Birmingham’s defensive lapses eventually cost them, with Davies acknowledging that the team must tighten up. “We don’t give many chances away typically,” he explained. “I think we concede the fewest shots in the Championship, but it just took one shot today to score a goal.” He acknowledged the need to analyze and correct these mistakes moving forward.
Looking ahead, Davies faces the challenge of preparing for Monday’s match against Southampton without Klarer due to suspension and with Demarai Gray sidelined through injury. Despite these setbacks, Davies remains determined to inspire confidence within his squad. “It’s not a time for heads down, it’s a time for heads up,” he urged. “We wanted more, they gave absolutely everything. I’m as frustrated as anyone that we haven’t come away with three points but it’s important they get heads up.”