Opinion: Exactly where Birmingham City should be looking to strengthen this January | OneFootball

Birmingham City have been very streaky at the beginning of this Championship season.

That meaning that they have had one main impressive streak and one main poor one. Which side of that indifferent form they lie we are yet to find out, probably somewhere in the middle but the Blues will point us in one direction in the next four weeks between international breaks.

Winless in their last five, scoring just once in the form of a Troy Deeney penalty, will have given Lee Bowyer plenty to ponder over the last fortnight and the former League Cup winner will have been looking to iron out those shortcomings on the training ground.

Jeremie Bela and Tahith Chong have provided the most creativity in the final third for the Blues so far, with Maxime Colin also chipping in. But Bela is a square peg in a round hole at left wing back and would be better utilised going forward. Bringing in a specialist in that position in January would improve the Blues’ efforts in attack and add defensive solidity.

Another area that Bowyer may look to strengthen would be at centre back. Outside of Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Dion Sanderson the Blues only have the ageing duo of Marc Roberts and Harlee Dean. With Kristian Pedersen able to fill in on the left in a back three this is not as much of an immediate concern.

However, it is an issue that will need addressing in the summer so if an opportunity arises to pickup a more youthful centre back then the Blues should jump at it. Particularly if the back three system is one that Bowyer wants to stick with long term, having a consistent back three can be huge to the overall success of the team.

Birmingham have been involved in a relegation battle more often than not in recent years and a lack of defensive solidity has been a contributing factor in that. Should the Blues have greater staying power in games, they would pick up so many more points with the game changing quality they possess in the final third.

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A centre back with a long term view and a specialist left wing back would do wonders for the capabilities of Bowyer’s squad.