Birmingham City manager Chris Davies faces a stark contrast in selection decisions as his side travel to face Watford on New Year's Day. While his defensive picks are straightforward, solving the team's attacking woes presents a far more complex puzzle.
A Tale of Two Form Lines
The Blues head to Vicarage Road on January 1st, 2026, searching for just their third away victory of the entire season. Their wretched form on the road stands in direct opposition to Watford's resurgence. Since Birmingham's 2-1 win at St Andrew's on December 1st, Javi Gracia's Hornets have won four of their six matches without defeat. Meanwhile, Davies's side has failed to secure a single win in that period.
Two constants have plagued Birmingham: poor away results and a chronic lack of goals from their strikers. Since beating Watford, the team has scored only five times. Tellingly, these came from wingers and centre-backs, with the recognised forwards drawing a blank. Jay Stansfield is without a goal in eight games, Marvin Ducksch hasn't scored since November 26th, and Kyogo Furuhashi's finishing troubles continue to dominate discussions.
The Striker Conundrum: Pace vs Proven Finishing
Assistant manager Ben Petty recently highlighted the positives in Kyogo's game after a 1-1 draw with Southampton, praising his energy and link-up play. However, he acknowledged the Japanese striker's glaring lack of confidence in front of goal, with several high-profile misses adding to a growing collection.
"He always gets a chance – and when he does score, I think you'll find they come in a cluster," Petty said. This sums up Davies's dilemma. Does he opt for Kyogo's clear attributes – his pace, movement, and pressing – despite his inability to convert? Or does he turn to Ducksch, who scored as many goals in two games against Norwich and West Brom as Kyogo managed in all of 2025?
The choice appears to be between blind faith in Kyogo's luck turning and the hope for a moment of magic from Ducksch. Given the away fixture and the likelihood of Watford dominating possession, Kyogo's industry might be the preferred, if frustrating, option. Ducksch's contributions in away games have often been too minimal to justify another start.
Potential Midfield and Formation Shuffle
Elsewhere, the defence picks itself, with Alfons Sampsted, Phil Neumann, Jack Robinson, and Eiran Cashin expected to start in front of goalkeeper Beadle. The main questions lie in midfield and attack.
With Demarai Gray injured, Jay Stansfield could continue on the left. This could prompt a formation shift to a 4-3-3, adding strength in the middle with Marc Leonard alongside Tomoki Iwata and Paik Seung-ho. Patrick Roberts and Stansfield would then support a central striker, most likely Kyogo.
While selecting Ducksch as a No. 10 has been mooted, his work rate remains a concern. Therefore, a change in system seems the most logical, if not confident, prediction to address Blues' glaring issues.
Predicted Birmingham City XI (4-3-3): Beadle; Sampsted, Neumann, Robinson, Cashin; Iwata, Leonard, Paik; Roberts, Kyogo, Stansfield.
