£3.5m Birmingham City man tipped for Championship struggle - he's not been "the same player" since injury | OneFootball

FLW's Birmingham City fan pundit hasn't been impressed with Willum Willumsson's contributions to the side this season

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Birmingham City's lofty ambitions have meant that, over the past two summers, the higher-ups at St Andrew's have had to put together a side good enough to win League One, and then strengthen further in the Championship.

Owner Tom Wagner said following their record-breaking League One campaign that the goal would be to secure a second successive promotion, but those who played such key parts in the 2024/25 campaign have been able to try to prove themselves in the second tier so far, leading to a mixed bag of results.

Willum Willumsson arguably falls into that category of player. After being bought for £3.5 million last summer, the Icelandic international was a key member of Chris Davies' squad last season, making 41 third-tier appearances and scoring and assisting six times.

After showing glimpses of quality in League One, he has yet to truly stamp his mark on the Championship, being ineffective in starts against Oxford United and Leicester City before the international break.

Jason Moore, FLW's Blues fan pundit, doesn't feel that Willumsson can prove he is up to the level in the second tier, and that it won't be long until he gets pushed to the wayside by other options, especially given that the 26-year-old is set to be out for the next month through injury.

Birmingham City fan pundit delivers honest assessment on Willum Willumsson

Moore admitted to Football League World that whilst there is some quality in the way that Willumsson plays, his style arguably isn't suited to English football, especially in a tougher league than League One.

"It's clear there's a player in there," Jason told FLW. "I just don't think he's agile or quick enough to keep up with the pace of English football.

"He showed that there is a player in there in League One, but when he got injured around January, he just wasn't the same player."

Willumsson missed a few weeks of action at the beginning of 2025, and whilst he was able to regain his place in the starting eleven regularly between February and May, he contributed just one goal and one assist in the 19 league games he played.

It was a cause for real frustration for Blues fans, who had seen the 26-year-old score and assist five times in his opening 22 league games for the club - he's now also injured until after the October international break, meaning he may have to fight for his place even harder when he returns.

"You can't afford to have someone that inconsistent if you're trying to be a successful team, and if you're that inconsistent in League One, then you're not going to be good enough in the Championship - it's only a matter of time before he leaves," Moore continued.

"The only thing that may see him hold on to the club is that Chris Davies loves him so much, and whilst he knows more than us, he sees him every day, the eyes are the ultimate test and, for me, he's not quite it, especially if we go to the Premier League.

"So. I think he'll fall away and eventually lose his spot."

A month-long injury layout may have come at a bad time for Willum Thor Willumsson

Willumsson was absent from Birmingham's recent defeat away at Stoke City, and after the game, Chris Davies revealed that the 26-year-old won't feature until after the October international break due to an unspecified injury.

This will allow those in his position to step up and take more of a commanding hold of a place in the starting eleven in his absence, and when the Icelandic international returns, it may be difficult for him to re-establish himself in the team regularly.

Or, it could go the complete opposite direction, and light a fire under Willumsson now knowing he has quality wide men to contend with in the Blues side, and he may return from this layoff with the skill he showed towards the start of last season.

Either way, Chris Davies is in need of a creative spark, with his side failing to score in their last two games. It won't be Willumsson for the time being, and time will tell whether the 26-year-old will be called upon for such when he returns.