Part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, this piece offers our FLW Fan Pundits their personal thoughts on the newest breaking news, teams, players, managers, possible additions, and more.
After a record-breaking League One campaign the previous season, many fans had high expectations for Birmingham City, and the Blues have steadily returned to the second division with little under a third of the Championship season completed.
After a busy summer transfer window, Birmingham City’s budget and new players at St Andrews naturally gave Blues supporters high expectations for their team, which is now back in the second division. With 15 games played, they are comfortably in 11th place, just four points outside of the play-off spots.
“Inconsistent” is a good way to describe Chris Davies’ team this season. But the higher level of competition was always going to be difficult after moving up to the Championship.
Arrivals like Kyogo Furuhashi, Demarai Gray, and Tommy Doyle are undoubtedly generating excitement among the Blues’ supporters, but Patrick Roberts, who recently completed a loan from Sunderland, a Premier League team, is one player who has truly adapted to his new environment.
In addition to being the spark Davies needed in his ranks, the imaginative wideman has already proven his value by being an immediate hit. Roberts has demonstrated that he has a wealth of championship experience with the Black Cats.
Given that the 28-year-old’s contract with Birmingham City expires in June 2026, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Blues made an effort to sign him on a long-term basis. That might happen as early as January.
Patrick Roberts from Sunderland should be signed permanently by Birmingham City.
The influence Roberts has had on his new team in such a short period of time has greatly impressed many Blues supporters. You may argue that his short-term signing has paid off, but Davies undoubtedly found a gem because his entrance carried very little risk because of the modest cost.
According to Jason, a Birmingham City fan pundit for Football League World, Roberts is just what Birmingham has been lacking for some time, and most of the supporters would be delighted to see him commit to the team permanently once January rolls around.
It would be easy for me to sit here and say, “I would love to sign this player, this player, that player,” Jason remarked. However, Patrick Roberts is the only player I believe we should have signed yesterday, let alone in January, and I believe many Blues fans would agree with me on this point.
“My God, what a player he has been, and he’s exactly what we’ve been screaming out for.”
He can go on his left or right, and the guy is great. He’s also precisely what Chris Davies wants, so I’m more confident about him taking on a man than I am about Demarai Gray.”
“He’s a neat player who can stay out wide or come in and play number ten with ease. He has basically been the ideal signing for me.
Patrick Roberts should be acquired by Birmingham City as soon as January arrives.
When it comes to Birmingham City, losing a player of his caliber could result in the Blues regressing in terms of their attacking options. In contrast, clubs can reassemble their squads during the January transfer window and make adjustments in areas that might require improvement for the second half of the season.
Roberts’ sharp link-up play has made Birmingham City such a threat this season, and his presence has benefited players with the pedigree of Gray and Jay Stansfield.
It would therefore be difficult for the Blues to accept if Roberts were to return to Sunderland at the end of the season; they might be plagued by the adage, “don’t fall in love with a loan player.”
Jason, a Birmingham City fan commentator for FLW, thinks that keeping Roberts on the team would be the best late Christmas present for everyone at St. Andrews out of all the players the Blues could possibly sign in January.
Jason commented: “He’s not even someone I would’ve thought about in the summer, to be fair, because I just would’ve assumed that Sunderland would’ve wanted to keep him.”
“To be honest, we ought to have signed Patrick Roberts yesterday; thus, we should acquire him in January. Patrick Roberts, close that agreement by January 1st. Given what a player he is and has been, don’t take the chance of losing him.”
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