Ben Davies proves Rangers theory wrong at Birmingham City ahead of transfer decision
Chris Davies has moved his captain to shoehorn Ben Davies into Birmingham City’s starting line-up. That alone shows the importance of the on-loan Rangers defender to Blues’ recent success.
Krystian Bielik has been shifted out to right-back to allow Davies to retake his place in the centre of Blues’ back-line. An 11-game unbeaten run and a string of solid defensive showings have followed.
The no-nonsense Cumbrian has played 20 games for Blues this season and they have only conceded seven goals when he has been on the pitch. Eleven of the 13 clean sheets Blues have kept this season have come when Davies has started. Oh, and Blues haven’t yet lost a game the 29-year-old has started.
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Davies doesn’t possess the poise in possession of Bielik or the towering frame of Christoph Klarer, but he has perhaps been the most solid of Blues’ four central defenders this season. Most probably because he doesn’t take risks in possession and understands his limitations.
Very rarely will Davies try to do anything out of the ordinary in possession, often opting to find one of his defensive colleagues or a midfielder with a short pass. A pass completion rate of 88 percent in League One suggests he does that to a good standard.
Admittedly, Davies is expected to be a cut above League One given his Championship pedigree and brief spell at Premier League powerhouse Liverpool, but he has done everything Blues hopes he would and more.
Supporters are already starting to wonder whether Blues should snap Davies up on a permanent deal when his loan spell comes to an end. There isn’t believed to be an option to do that, but Davies is clearly surplus-to-requirements at Rangers so there’s no reason why a deal couldn’t be agreed.
Rangers fans weren’t exactly singing Davies’ praises when he lined up in their defence and many rejoiced when news broke that he was on his way to Blues. In his own, quiet, unassuming way Davies has silenced his critics in the first four months of his St Andrew’s career.
What Blues have found is a very useful, Championship-standard defender who didn’t bleat at playing a bit-part to begin with, instead biding his time to prove his worth when the chance presented itself.
