Birmingham City’s starting XI could look very different after three signings in the January transfer window bolstered Tony Mowbray’s ranks.
Andre Dozzell, Paik Seung-ho and Alex Pritchard have arrived in B9 to inject some freshness into Blues’ squad. In the case of Pritchard Blues are acquiring a proven performer in the Championship.
“Confidence, self-belief, talent, ball retention, ball delivery, personality,” said Mowbray when asked about Pritchard’s qualities at his press conference on Thursday. “He’s just a good footballer, Alex. I could see on day one in training, good players can lift the whole tone of training sessions. Alex Pritchard is a good player.”
It is hard to envisage a Blues line-up without Pritchard in it once he’s got his feet under the table. The same can be said for Dozzell and Paik, neither of whom have joined Blues to sit on the bench. But how will they all fit in?
Mowbray clearly prefers to use a 4-2-3-1 formation and, when everyone is fit, his back four could be Ethan Laird, Dion Sanderson, Krystian Bielik – who has excelled in three games in central defence – and Lee Buchanan. Mowbray isn’t afraid to play without natural central defenders and has earmarked Blues’ other high quality right-back, Cody Drameh, as an option in the middle.
