Chris Davies 'Bewildered' by Birmingham City's Dismal Away Form in Championship
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has openly expressed his bewilderment and frustration over his team's consistently poor performances away from home, following their latest defeat in the Championship.
Another Away Defeat for Blues
On Saturday, Birmingham City suffered their 12th away loss of the season, falling 1-0 to play-off contenders Derby County at Pride Park. The match was particularly dismal for Blues, as they failed to register a single shot on target, marking one of their worst showings this campaign.
With this result, Birmingham have now lost 12 of their 20 away games in the Championship. Only Sheffield Wednesday, West Bromwich Albion, Swansea City, and Oxford United have recorded more feeble records on their travels this season.
Stark Contrast Between Home and Away Performances
The disparity between Birmingham's home and away form is striking. At St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, backed by crowds of 27,000, Blues boast the league's fifth-best home record on a points-per-game basis. However, their away performances have been a major source of concern.
When questioned about the struggles away from home, Davies did not mince words in his post-match analysis. "If I knew why I would fix it straight away," he admitted. "It's very frustrating and bewildering at times because the same players can look very different home and away."
Lack of Personality and Attacking Threat
Davies pointed to a significant lack of personality and attacking intent in away matches. "For most of this season we haven't changed our attacking spirit, our attacking style, or intent," he explained. "(Derby) was a little bit different. We tried to be solid defensively."
However, he acknowledged that scoring has been a major issue on the road. "We've struggled to score away from home, that's been a big issue for us. We haven't been threatening enough away from home," Davies stated.
He also highlighted deficiencies in key areas that typically yield away goals. "Do we use counter-attacks and set pieces well enough? Probably not. They are classic away goals that you can score."
Reflecting on the Road Woes
Davies emphasized the psychological aspect of their away performances. "With the ball I feel there's been a lack of the strength and personality we have shown in home games, we don't have that in away games," he noted. "We can get knocked off the ball easily, we lose the ball, we don't have moments that can really push you on in an away game."
He specifically mentioned the absence of momentum-building plays, such as turning between the lines, delivering sharp passes wide, or getting crosses in. "Those moments can lift you and give you belief," Davies added. "We've had too many times when we lose possession in that situation with teams on top of us."
The manager revealed he has spent considerable time analyzing the issue. "I've spent a lot of time reflecting on it and considering it because at home we're one of the best and away we're right down there," he said. "Last season we were good away and at home, we were the best team, but this season it's not been good enough."
As Birmingham City continue their Championship campaign, addressing this glaring away form will be crucial for Davies and his squad to improve their standing and consistency throughout the remainder of the season.
