Birmingham City manager Chris Davies is confronting a significant selection headache as his team prepares to travel to Bristol City this weekend, with up to eight players potentially unavailable for the Championship fixture.
Suspension and Disagreement Deepen Crisis
The Blues' problems mounted during their midweek match against Preston North End, where winger Bright Osayi-Samuel received his fifth yellow card of the season. This booking, awarded in the 12th minute for a foul on Daniel Jebbison, triggers an automatic one-game suspension.
Manager Chris Davies expressed clear frustration with the decision, stating, "It's frustrating but what can you do? They don't get them all right. I didn't think it was a yellow card." Osayi-Samuel's absence is compounded by the continued suspension of defender Jack Robinson, leaving two players out for disciplinary reasons.
Injury List Piles Pressure on Squad
The suspension issues are merely the tip of the iceberg, with a lengthy injury list depleting Davies's options. The situation was exacerbated just minutes before the Preston game when Patrick Roberts suffered a muscular injury during the warm-up, leading to Osayi-Samuel's late introduction to the starting line-up.
Davies provided a glimmer of hope, suggesting Roberts's issue is not "an extensive" one. There is also positive news regarding Willum Willumsson, who has missed the last seven games but is "getting close to training with the group."
Striker Marvin Ducksch, who boasts an exceptional past availability record, is also nearing a return after suffering a leg injury in the warm-up at Coventry on September 27. Davies recently confirmed the player is "close" to returning to training.
Long-Term Absences Cast a Shadow
The most severe blows come from longer-term injuries. Full-back Ethan Laird sustained a significant hamstring injury against Coventry, with Davies confirming a bleak outlook: "We won't see him for a few months," casting doubt on his return this calendar year.
Furthermore, the club is managing two long-term knee casualties. Left-back Lee Buchanan is eight months into his recovery and is hoped to be fit towards the end of the year. Winger Scott Wright is in a similar situation, though slightly ahead in his rehabilitation timeline. Both players have been omitted from the squad for the first half of the season, with a target for a return to action in the New Year.
With a total of eight players facing a race against time to be available, Chris Davies's tactical choices and squad depth will be thoroughly tested as Birmingham City seek a positive result away at Bristol City.
