Chris Davies deserves huge credit for one thing he's doing at Birmingham City - It should worry their promotion rivals | OneFootball

Birmingham City haven't convinced this season, but they are defending very well on their return to the Championship.

There was a lot of excitement around Birmingham City following their promotion back to the Championship, with the substantial investment into the club meaning reaching the Premier League is the next aim.

A return of ten points from six games is a positive start in Blues’ quest to make it back-to-back promotions, but that doesn’t tell the whole story, as Chris Davies’ side have underwhelmed at times in the opening six weeks.

Five goals in six games highlight the issues Blues have in front of goal, with Lyndon Dykes, a player who was ready to leave in the summer window, scoring late winners to secure maximum points against Blackburn and Swansea, whilst the other victory came thanks to a solitary goal against Oxford.

Birmingham City are struggling to fire in the Championship right now

So, it’s fair to say that Blues aren’t the most exciting team to watch right now, and if this level of performance continues over an extended period, questions will be asked of the manager.

But, it must be said that Davies oversaw a hefty rebuild in the summer, so it’s natural that players will take time to adapt to their new surroundings, as they build an understanding with teammates on the pitch.

And, even though Birmingham aren’t free-flowing right now, they are getting results, which is the sign of a successful team.

Chris Davies has made Birmingham City a difficult side to score against

More importantly, whilst they are lacking in the final third, Blues are proving to be a tough nut to crack defensively.

Ryan Allsop has only been beaten five times in six games, and that solidity is backed up by the stats, with Blues having an xG against of 4.7, which is the third best in the league, only bettered by Ipswich and Middlesbrough.

Another area Blues excel in is how they limit the opposition to shots on goal, with the side facing just 6.7 shots per game on average, a figure which is comfortably the best in the league.

Of course, credit must go to the manager for this, as you don’t have numbers like that by accident.

It means that Birmingham are excellent in the way they are setting up to stifle the opposition. They are limiting the space they give away in the final third, they press well, and they can do the basics right in terms of blocking crosses and shots.

Blues also keep the ball well too, so it’s not like they are constantly soaking up pressure, and that controlled approach is another reason why they manage to restrict the opposition.

Birmingham City have the solid foundations to push for promotion

That should offer plenty of reason for optimism for Blues, as it’s clear the building blocks are in place for the club to kick on this season.

Obviously, it’s all about balance, but you would expect Birmingham to click going forward when you consider the talent at their disposal, which includes the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Jay Stansfield, Marvin Ducksch and Demarai Gray, among others.

The next challenge for Davies is to find a formula that works, and that will take time given how many new attackers have come through the door.

However, with the defensive foundations in place, Birmingham are sure to be in the mix for another promotion if they can get it right in the final third.