Chris Davies Explains Birmingham City's New 'Template' After Hull Fightback
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has outlined the club's new tactical approach, which he believes is behind their improved results over the past two weeks. This comes after a hard-fought draw against Hull City in the Sky Bet Championship, secured by Tomoki Iwata's stunning 77th-minute goal.
A Creditable Point on the Road
The match at the MKM Stadium saw Hull take the lead in the first half through Joe Gelhardt's deflected strike. However, Birmingham showed resilience to bounce back, with Iwata's late equalizer earning a valuable point. This follows a strong performance against Ipswich Town and a recent win over Wrexham, giving Blues four points from their last two games against play-off contenders.
"I thought we played well and certainly deserved what we got, which was a point and a result," Davies reflected. "If anyone over the course of the game deserved to win it, it could have been us. The attitude of the team, the commitment, the fight from our side was evident again and it allowed us to stay in the game."
Simplifying the Game Plan
Davies emphasized that simplifying Birmingham's play has been key to their recent upturn. At half-time, with his team trailing, he encouraged players to "stay positive and not neglect the simplicity of what was needed, which was to play forward, get the ball wide and get crosses in." He noted that the dry pitch conditions were not conducive to slick passing football, prompting a more direct template.
"Our template in the last few games has been to not invite pressure, to make sure we're getting the ball forward and becoming more of a threat in the games," Davies explained. "By keeping it more simple for the players, we have looked more of a threat."
Iwata's Goal as a Perfect Example
The manager highlighted Iwata's goal as a textbook execution of this new approach. "The goal was a really good example of getting hold of the ball, the overlap from a full-back, a cross, and Tomoki does really well," he said. "He sprints into position and earns his luck. It was one of those finishes that he was known for last season."
Birmingham have adopted a more direct style recently, often targeting 6ft 4in striker August Priske with long balls and competing for second balls. This shift has helped them address a poor away record, with only Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United earning fewer Championship points on the road this season.
Building Resilience and Threat
Davies praised his team's toughness in coming back after conceding, a marked improvement from earlier away games. "I was encouraged by the performance, considering where we have been in some away games after going down," he said. "We had that resilience and toughness to come back."
With this new template in place, Birmingham City will look to build on their recent form as they continue their Championship campaign, aiming to climb the table with a clearer, more effective game plan.
