Chris Davies' Fundamental Goalkeeping Philosophy Explains Birmingham City's Choice
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has consistently demonstrated his unwavering commitment to a fundamental principle when it comes to selecting his goalkeeper. In his first meeting with the media nearly two years ago, Davies made his priorities crystal clear while sitting in his office at the club's Henley-in-Arden training ground.
The Blues had recently signed Ryan Allsop, a goalkeeper renowned for his exceptional ball-playing abilities that had impressed Birmingham fans during his time at Hull City. When questioned about Allsop's distribution skills, Davies immediately reframed the discussion.
"Ryan is a very good goalkeeper with his hands first and foremost, and that's his fundamental," Davies stated emphatically. This philosophy has guided his decision-making throughout his tenure at St Andrew's, consistently prioritizing shot-stopping prowess over any secondary attributes.
The Statistical Evidence Behind Davies' Decision
This fundamental approach explains why Allsop, despite winning League One's Golden Glove award last season for recording the most clean sheets, has found himself playing second fiddle to James Beadle during the current campaign. While Allsop undoubtedly possesses superior distribution skills, the statistical evidence regarding their shot-stopping abilities presents a compelling case.
Beadle has conceded 33 goals across his 27 Championship starts, averaging 1.22 goals against per 90 minutes. In contrast, Allsop has allowed 15 goals in just 11 matches, resulting in a higher average of 1.36 goals against per 90 minutes. The disparity becomes even more pronounced when examining save percentages.
Allsop has faced only 33 shots on target, making 19 saves for a save percentage of 57.6 percent. Meanwhile, Beadle has confronted 101 shots on his goal, producing 69 saves for a significantly better save percentage of 67.3 percent. For context, ten Championship goalkeepers currently boast save percentages exceeding 70 percent according to FBREF data, placing Beadle in the middle tier league-wide but clearly ahead of his teammate in this crucial metric.
Davies' Loyalty and Beadle's Breakthrough Moment
Since making the switch to Beadle in early October, Davies has remained steadfast in his support of the younger goalkeeper. A brief question emerged in February when Allsop delivered an outstanding performance against Leeds United in the FA Cup, but Davies promptly reinstated Beadle for the subsequent league match.
The 21-year-old goalkeeper has faced challenges winning over all Birmingham supporters, but a significant breakthrough occurred during last weekend's draw with Sheffield United. Beadle saved a penalty from Sydie Peck and, for the first time this season, heard his name chanted by The Tilton End supporters. Fifteen minutes later, he produced an even more impressive save to deny Patrick Bamford, prompting renewed chants of 'Beadle, Beadle...'
This represented a marked contrast to the previous match against Queens Park Rangers, where supporters appeared visibly anxious whenever the ball approached their goalkeeper. Addressing this concern before the Sheffield United clash, Davies emphasized the importance of player support.
"With James, the first thing is we should always support our own players," Davies stated. "Our fans are fantastic and they only want to win. I'm the same. All I want to do is win and be successful for this club, exactly the same as every fan that buys a ticket, and the best way we can do that is by encouraging the players. That gives us the best chance of winning."
Davies expressed confidence in Beadle's mental fortitude, adding: "James can handle it. If he's going to get to where he really wants to get to – and he's got high, high hopes – you have to be able to handle all sorts of environments and take it in your stride. He's a strong character and I'm sure he can do that."
Distribution Concerns and Managerial Defense
The primary source of supporter anxiety regarding Beadle has centered on his distribution capabilities. During Birmingham's recent defeat to Middlesbrough, the team repeatedly encountered difficulties attempting to play through Boro's press. Davies defended his goalkeeper post-match, attributing the issues to outfield players failing to create adequate passing angles rather than Beadle's execution.
The Birmingham manager can also highlight that his team has not conceded a single goal this season directly resulting from playing out from the back. "For a team that's been pretty dominant in possession like we have – in the Championship we're definitely top-six for dominating the game with ball possession and we were top by miles in League One – in order to do that you need to have composure at the back," Davies explained.
"If you just get rid of the ball every time, the game will become a little bit more broken. I don't think we've had anywhere near as much as I predicted we might in terms of issues about build-up or big errors that have led to a goal. It might happen, it's part of football, but we really have been very good and secure in that space."
Davies elaborated on his tactical expectations: "There's always an element of don't overplay and I make that clear to the players. If there's a doubt, I never want them to feel like 'the manager has told us we must pass this short' because they will sense and feel on the pitch the time to clear the ball. I want them to do that."
"But, if you look across all of football, if you want to be a good team you have to have an element of composure on the ball, and I think James can technically execute what he needs to do. A lot of it with keepers is side-footed passes, there shouldn't be any longer than 20 yards, and they're either bounced into the midfielder or out to the centre-back."
"So, in terms of execution, the passes are things he's well capable of. He's got a nice side-foot pass and first touch. Then it's about the decision making, when to play and when not to, and what detail you put on it, and those things are never always perfect – for every team."
"I'm really comfortable with where we are with James. I don't expect him to be putting his foot on the ball and flicking balls round the corner and overplaying, but I expect him to have the composure to play a simple pass at the right time so we don't just give possession straight back to the opposition."
The essential conclusion remains clear: James Beadle possesses adequate distribution skills while demonstrating superior shot-stopping abilities compared to Ryan Allsop. This alignment with Chris Davies' fundamental goalkeeping philosophy has secured Beadle's position as Birmingham City's first-choice goalkeeper for the foreseeable future.
