Birmingham City Manager Chris Davies Reflects on Millwall Defeat and Solis Red Card
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has delivered an honest assessment following his team's 3-0 defeat to promotion rivals Millwall at The Den on Wednesday night. The loss served as a stark reminder of the brutal challenges the Championship can present, according to the Blues boss.
Davies Admits Blues Were 'Second Best' in Comprehensive Defeat
Davies openly acknowledged that his Birmingham City side were thoroughly outplayed during their mauling at Millwall's home ground. "We didn't do enough to get something from that match, clearly," reflected the manager. "There wasn't much in the game as a football game, the direct style of their play – long balls, throw-ins and free-kicks – we were second best."
The manager emphasized that when a team finds themselves consistently second best in such encounters, they stand little chance of securing a positive result. Davies pointed to specific moments that defined the match, noting that Femi Azeez's opening strike was "potentially the best goal I've seen this season in the Championship."
He described the second goal conceded to Tristan Crama as "sloppy on our part" and acknowledged that from that point forward, Birmingham faced "a mountain to climb." Despite some decent moments in possession, Davies highlighted his team's struggles with "the bouncing balls" as a particular area of concern.
Everything That Could Go Wrong Did Go Wrong
The Birmingham City manager characterized the evening as "one of those nights where it felt like everything that could go wrong went wrong." This sentiment was compounded when Jhon Solis received his marching orders in the second half for a second bookable offense following a clumsy challenge on Casper De Norre in midfield.
Davies did find one positive to take from the difficult situation, noting that "the one thing we didn't do was buckle. We stayed resolute and kept it at 3-0." He framed the experience as "a timely reminder to the players – if we needed it – of what this league is and how challenging it is, and how you have to earn every single point."
Davies Addresses Jhon Solis Red Card Situation
The second red card of Colombian midfielder Jhon Solis' young professional career will see him suspended for Birmingham City's upcoming match against Middlesbrough on Monday. Davies offered a measured perspective on the incident, balancing criticism with support for the developing player.
"He's been really good and played more than any of us expected," Davies said of Solis. "He's done well, he's young, new to the league and everything that comes with it. You can see the reception he gets from our fans, that tells you a lot."
The manager emphasized the learning opportunity presented by the situation, stating: "If you're on a yellow card, you need to be really careful. He will learn. He's a young player. He will learn and that's what he's here to do. He'll learn a lot from tonight, I've no doubt about that."
The comprehensive defeat leaves Birmingham City with significant work to do as they continue their Championship campaign, with Davies' comments highlighting both the immediate frustrations and longer-term developmental aspects of managing a football team through challenging periods.
