Birmingham City's ambitions for a late-season push towards the Championship play-offs are being undermined by a glaring absence in their squad, according to analysis of the division's most successful teams.
The Championship's Blueprint for Success
Chris Davies's side currently sit 14th in the table, seven points adrift of the top six, and face a battle to mount a credible promotion challenge. A look across the league reveals a consistent trend: almost every team with serious aspirations possesses a specific type of centre-forward.
The archetypal Championship striker is a physical, mobile target man who relishes a battle with defenders, holds up the ball, and runs the channels. This profile remains crucial, even as the league has adopted a more possession-based style in recent years.
Blues' Striking Conundrum
Birmingham have attempted to adapt existing personnel to this role without full success. Marvin Ducksch has been asked to perform these duties, but his natural game is based on quick one and two-touch combinations rather than acting as a physical focal point.
Lyndon Dykes fits the traditional mould, but the Scotland international has not convinced manager Chris Davies that he merits a regular starting berth. The club is now actively seeking a striker to replace Dykes in the January transfer window, with the need to "pick well" being paramount.
Research indicates that only three teams in the Championship do not lean heavily on this key ingredient: Birmingham City, Leicester City, and Southampton. Leicester rely on the experienced Jordan Ayew, while Southampton often deploy smaller, quicker forwards like Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer ahead of taller option Ross Stewart.
History Points to a Physical Presence
Recent promotion-winning campaigns underline the importance of this player type. When Southampton won promotion under Russell Martin two years ago, they used Che Adams as the physical foil for their more diminutive attackers. Leicester had the evergreen Jamie Vardy, and Ipswich benefited from the presence of Kieffer Moore.
Last season, promoted sides like Leeds United (with Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford) and Burnley (with Zian Flemming) all boasted strikers of a similar, robust profile. Even this term, the likes of Coventry City (Haji Wright, Ellis Simms), Middlesbrough (Tommy Conway), and Hull City (Oli McBurnie) showcase the model Birmingham lack.
Signing a striker of this ilk would not mean abandoning Davies's passing principles but would provide a crucial Plan B and make Blues "less predictable" – a quality the manager has referenced recently. As the January window progresses, addressing this missing ingredient could define the second half of Birmingham City's season.
