Birmingham City received a welcome boost when Icelandic midfielder Willum Willumsson returned to training at the club’s EPIC facilities this week, ahead of a key match against Charlton Athletic at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.
And head coach Chris Davies has put an end to any lingering conjecture over the playmaker’s future in the West Midlands after he was sidelined for three months, but the specifics of his absence are unknown at this time.
Blues are looking to win against the out-of-form Addicks on Saturday afternoon and continue their impressive home form under the 40-year-old’s direction, but the same cannot be said about their performance and results away from the West Midlands.
Indeed, Birmingham’s away woes were compounded twice within a three-day span in the Championship’s most recent three-game week, first losing 3-1 at St Mary’s to a resurgent Southampton side boosted by Tonda Eckert’s permanent appointment, before producing what many Bluenoses have labelled as their side’s worst performance of the season thus far against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night.
It appeared that their poor performance would be forgotten when Patrick Roberts scored a 93rd-minute equaliser in response to Jimmy Dunne’s first-half opener at Loftus Road, but James Beadle was beaten by Kieran Morgan’s fizzing strike in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, allowing Blues to lose a crucial point.
As a result, prospective team selection has been hotly contested ahead of Saturday’s match against the South London side, with Davies lacking depth in several areas.
However, his team, which has scored 14 goals in the last four B9 games, could welcome back the aforementioned Willumsson if everything goes as planned for the 27-year-old.
Chris Davies describes Birmingham City and Willum Willumsson’s plans amid a big injury boost.
Willumsson was one of a slew of players signed by Birmingham ahead of their record-breaking League One title win last season, with the 18-time international joining from Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles for a reported £3.5 million on a four-year contract.
During the first few months after his move from mainland Europe, the playmaker was one of the Blues’ most significant players, helping to set the tone for what was to come in the shape of the EFL’s all-time points total of 111 by winning 34 of 46 league games.
Willumsson had six goals and as many assists in 41 league appearances. However, only one of those goals would arrive after New Year’s Day, and Davies signed Kieran Dowell on loan from Rangers to play in an attack that featured two ‘number 10s’ behind the main striker.
The former Tottenham Hotspur assistant has since changed his intentions, as evidenced by the form and roles of Roberts and Demarai Gray on each wing, and Jay Stansfield has recently returned to playing as a ’10’ behind Marvin Ducksch.
Willumsson has made three league appearances this season, starting against Oxford United and Leicester City, and also provided an assist for Stansfield against Sheffield United in the EFL Cup.
After suffering an initial setback, Football League World exclusively revealed that Willumsson was recovering faster than expected, and this has proven to be the case, with Birmingham Live reporting that he could make Davies’ squad against Charlton on Saturday, while the Blues manager revealed that he will still play a role this season rather than potentially leaving.
“I believe Willum has a role to play,” Davies stated.
“He’s a distinct kind of number ten; he fits between the lines and in the narrow spots. He has the ability to spin and thread a ball through.
“There was one he threaded through to Alfie May against Wigan really early last season, there was another away at Rotherham for Jay and in these moments you saw his ability,” he told me.
“He performed well in the early phases of the season. He provides us something different, Willum; he’s a really distinct player in his approach, and that little bit of pause, control, and technique to slow it down and pick someone out would be beneficial, so I definitely believe he has a job to play.”
“My preference now is to play with two wingers rather than the inverted one so Willum’s role within that would be the 10 and that’s where I see him from now on.”
Willum Willumsson might be an important squad player for Birmingham City following Chris Davies’ adjustment.
Willumsson will seek to instantly press his cause as to why he should play regular minutes for the Blues between now and May, whether as a starter or replacement.
Given Stansfield’s link-up play in recent weeks, and the careful approach that will be taken with Willumsson’s fitness, it is difficult to see him starting anytime soon.
However, he has demonstrated exactly what the Blues have been looking for in specific situations: a player who can control the tempo of a game when necessary.
Birmingham have dominated recent home games to a significant degree. However, the same cannot be said about form away from St. Andrew’s, where a player with Willumsson’s talents will be beneficial to Davies.
xz
