Chris Davies Hits Back at Critics of Jay Stansfield After Birmingham City Draw
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has launched a robust defence of striker Jay Stansfield, describing himself as "baffled" by the ongoing scrutiny of the player's performances. This comes after Stansfield failed to score in Birmingham's 1-1 Championship draw with Hull City on Saturday, extending his concerning goal drought.
Stansfield's Struggles in Front of Goal
Jay Stansfield was substituted just after the hour mark at the MKM Stadium, where he never truly looked like finding the net. The 23-year-old's record now stands at just one goal in his last 27 appearances across all competitions. This stark decline follows a promising start to the season, where he netted nine times in his first 17 games. His only goal since November came in a February winner against Leicester City.
Blues were rescued by a spectacular strike from Tomoki Iwata, which secured a point after Joe Gelhardt had opened the scoring for Hull. During the match, Hull fans taunted Stansfield with chants of "what a waste of money," referencing the club-record fee in excess of £10 million that Birmingham paid for him.
Davies' Stern Post-Match Defence
In his post-match press conference, Davies expressed confusion over the intense focus on Stansfield. "This attention that he gets baffles me," said Davies. "There's a lot more players that have cost a lot more money and everything else, and everyone seems to focus on Jay. I don't quite understand it to be perfectly honest."
Davies highlighted Stansfield's contributions beyond scoring, noting his role and work ethic. "He's joined us in League One, and he's a young English player making his way, still with lots to improve and learn, but I trust him a lot because of his honesty and application," he added.
Contextualising Stansfield's Season
Despite the drought, Stansfield has managed 10 goals and seven assists this season, making him Birmingham's most productive player in terms of goal contributions. Davies pointed out that Stansfield has often been deployed in a number 10 role behind the main striker, focusing on midfield duties rather than solely on scoring.
"It's the role that he's playing," Davies explained. "He's playing as a 10 behind August (Priske) and I'm having him focus on gaining second balls and doing a bit of a midfield job. It was a game of few chances for all the strikers."
The manager also emphasised ongoing efforts to develop Stansfield's game, including recent meetings and training sessions aimed at adding new dimensions to his play. Davies cited an assist against Ipswich Town as an example of his effectiveness in this adjusted role.
Looking Ahead with Confidence
Davies remains confident that Stansfield will return to scoring form. "Jay has played in multiple positions and we know what we're going to get from him in terms of his energy and intensity. I'm confident with Jay that he will score goals because of how he is," he stated.
He concluded with optimism for the remainder of the season, saying, "He will want to score. I know what he's like. He will want to score. Hopefully before the end of the season he can get a couple of goals."
As Birmingham City continues its Championship campaign, the spotlight on Jay Stansfield's performances is unlikely to dim, but Chris Davies has made it clear that he stands firmly behind his striker.
