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Chris Davies will change his plan to cope with Birmingham City’s brutal schedule
Chris Davies hasn’t played tinkerman much during Birmingham City’s strong start to the season.
The Blues manager has been reluctant to rotate, despite the obvious strength of his squad, and his decisions have been vindicated by results. But Davies knows that can’t continue with Blues about to tackle a brutal run of fixtures.
Shrewsbury Town are the first of 17 confirmed opponents for Blues in the next 70 days and the likelihood is that will increase. Blues can progress in two cups and postponed matches versus Cambridge United and Stevenage still need to be rearranged.
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Davies won't always be able call upon his preferred XI. The likes of Christoph Klarer, Krystian Bielik, Alex Cochrane, Paik Seung-ho, Tomoki Iwata, Willum Willumsson and Jay Stansfield will need to be rested and rotated.
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“I’ve got an idea in my head of possible rotations but the context always shifts after each game played, and form, and results,” says Davies. “I tend to take just one game at a time but I do know that it’s not going to be possible just to roll out the same 11 players over and over again.
“It’s a case of being ready from the players’ point of view but I won’t have mapped out the next three teams on paper, I will just think let’s focus on the next one, that’s the most important one, then we’ll pick up the pieces from that and go again.”
Blues now face two games per week for the next month and there isn’t any let up until early February. With the likelihood that the Cambridge and Stevenage matches will be rearranged before the next international break, Blues face a minimum of 26 games between now and mid-March. Progression in the EFL Trophy would add three more matches to that schedule, not to mention the FA Cup.
Davies is used to working at clubs who go deep into domestic and European cup competitions, but those teams enjoy a reduced league campaign.
He added: “I’ve been involved in all competitions with clubs playing in Europe, or in the Championship, or up in Scotland where you are playing loads of games, but I can’t remember such an extensive period with this volume of fixtures.
“It’s going to be testing but it’s going to be testing for everyone. It’s not just us, that’s the main thing. To be involved in four competitions this season, with a 46-game league schedule as well, it’s demanding but I love it. The players have to love it, they want to play football and we are representing a great club. We have to go out and attack every game and not think too far ahead about what’s coming.”
