Football League World
·21 de dezembro de 2024
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·21 de dezembro de 2024
Birmingham City fan pundit, Mike, weighs in on where his side should strengthen in January.
Birmingham City find themselves in the midst of an intense title battle with Wycombe Wanderers and Wrexham AFC.
The Blues currently sit second in League One, but have a game in hand over the leaders, Wycombe.
Undoubtedly, the side that has smashed every spending record in the third are expected to spend again in January.
The club's ownership is keen to ensure that they only spend a single season in League One, as they look to turn the club back into a Premier League outfit.
One area that has been identified as a potential area to strengthen is on the wing.
Birmingham have already been linked with experienced wide-man, Nathan Redmond. Fans and ownership seem to be on the same wavelength, as the links to Redmond suggest that the club is looking to strengthen their flanks.
We asked our Birmingham City fan pundit, Mike Gibbs, what the club's number one priority should be in the upcoming transfer window. He told us: "It would probably be a winger.
"I think it's a priority just because of injuries really, and it's the one area of the pitch that I don't seem to think we've nailed on the starting players.
"I think Keshi Anderson is pretty much a given in one of the positions. I know Jay Stansfield has played out there as well.
"But I think with Willumsson coming inside, Hansson not really taking advantage of his opportunity and being injured. Scott Wright has been injured for some time as well.
"I think we are lacking in that space, so that would be the priority for me."
Once again, Wycombe have proven that simply spending ludicrous amounts of money doesn't guarantee you top spot. Whilst anything other than the title would be seen as an embarrassment for the former EFL Cup winners, they must get this window spot on if they want to fulfill what's expected of them.
Of course, their competitors will also be busy in January. Wrexham, Huddersfield, Bolton, and Stockport will be looking to close the gap to the top two in the second half of the campaign. Wycombe, now backed by billionaire owners, are an unknown when it comes to spending. If they believe there is a real chance of promotion, the Chairboys could also be very active in the market.
Patching the gaps in the squad for Birmingham will be hugely important. On paper, Chris Davies' side is by far the best in the division. However, as they proved against Shrewsbury, the money spent doesn't always guarantee results on the pitch.
Coupled with the fact that they aren't running away with the league, it's important for the Midlands side they identify the areas where they're lacking compared to their rivals. With the quality in depth of their closest rivals, more injuries could cost the Blues valuable points. Ultimately, this could impact their promotion push if it isn't addressed.
The links to Redmond are an encouraging sign for Blues, as it shows the club is working hard to further strengthen their squad already.