In the Sky Bet Championship this season, Birmingham City have failed considerably in being an intriguing unit. Gianfranco Zola’s regime hasn’t borne the fruits that were counted on his revolution but then, there is still a ray of hope. After 32 games, Zola & co. are a fourteenth at the moment and thus, it means that it is a high time for some of their prime players to up the ante.
Here are three such players whose performances for the remainder of the season will play a massive role in Birmingham City’s remaining fixtures.
Kerim Frei
A January transfer window incoming at St. Andrew’s from Besiktas, Karim Frei should be a key man for Zola for the remainder of the season and even beyond. The Turkish international has mustered 4 appearances for Birmingham City but is yet to find his name on the goal or assist tally. Nonetheless, he is still finding his feet in the English Championship and should he start to waive off his mediocre patches, the Blues would benefit hugely.
Frei is a good dribbler, can viciously cut inside and is versatile enough to ply his trade on either wing. Moreover, he has the necessary experience and although a play-off spot is a distant dream at the moment, if he steps up, his side can definitely finish conclude the season a place or two higher than their tenth-place finish last term.
Michael Morrison
A veteran who has delivered but must not let his yardsticks stagnate, Morrison’s resilience and experience should come handy for Birmingham City. He was one of the most crucial players during the Gary Rowett revolution and has continued to be so after the Zola era kicked off.
The 28-year-old defender has much more to him than making 19 tackles and 17 blocks from 25 league appearances Morrison should be solid, reliant and compact at the heart of the Blues’ defence and should also pass his knowledge and experience of the game to the fellow defenders of his side.
David Davis
In the royal blue jersey, the 25-year-old Davis might have been doing a lot of things right but is still lagging behind in leaving a thumping signature on the side’s game plan. He might not be an outstandingly technical servant of the game but he professionally nullifies a large chunk of loopholes by injecting energy and resoluteness at the centre of the park.
Nonetheless, he needs to up his rate of pass accuracy (73% of completion of passes isn’t the best of him), try to push the team forward with much more enthusiasm and create chances in his pursuits. He has been a very special player for Birmingham City ever since his move from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2014 but has been taking things way too lightly of late. It is high that he remains consistently consistent and hit the right chords to better his intrinsic value.
Statistics Credits: Squawka.
