Tomoki Iwata's Positional Evolution Forces Birmingham City Summer Rebuild
Tomoki Iwata has emerged as Chris Davies' most versatile asset for Birmingham City this Championship season, with his positional shift now triggering significant summer planning.
No player has accumulated more minutes or started more league matches for Blues than the Japanese international this campaign. While some supporters have questioned Iwata's recent performances and Davies' continued selection of him, few can dispute that the 29-year-old has successfully adapted to English second-tier football.
From Midfield to Right-Back: A Statistical Transformation
Iwata began the season in midfield but was redeployed to right-back in early October following Bright Osayi-Samuel's injury against Wrexham. Having previously played full-back during his youth career, Iwata adapted seamlessly to the position, developing an effective partnership with winger Patrick Roberts that produced three consecutive four-goal home victories against Portsmouth, Millwall and Norwich during autumn.
The statistics reveal a clear pattern: Birmingham have achieved better results with Iwata operating at right-back rather than in midfield. With Iwata in midfield, Blues recorded five wins, three draws and eight losses in Championship fixtures. When deployed at right-back, those numbers improved to eight victories, seven draws and seven defeats.
"As it's developed with Tomoki he's turned into a right-back who can play in midfield, as opposed to a midfielder that can play at right-back," Davies recently acknowledged when discussing the player's positional evolution.
Physical Attributes Outweigh Technical Limitations
The data supports what has been evident throughout the season: Iwata's physicality and ability to support attacking play through overlapping runs at full pace clearly outweigh his limitations in possession during intense midfield battles.
"I think he has been very effective at right-back since I made the change for Wrexham away," Davies continued. "He got the hang of it and started to do the inverted role more, but now he's going on the outside as well. I think he's been very effective as a right-back and he's got to know the position better."
The manager now categorizes Iwata as "a right-back who can also fill in in midfield" rather than the reverse, representing a significant shift in perception over just six months.
Summer Rebuild Implications
This positional reassessment has major implications for Birmingham's summer transfer strategy. With Iwata now primarily considered a right-back, his days as a Championship midfielder appear numbered. This development also casts doubt on Osayi-Samuel's future at St Andrew's, as the club is unlikely to carry three specialist right-backs next season.
Ethan Laird remains capable of claiming the starting right-back position, potentially leaving Iwata as valuable defensive cover rather than an automatic first choice.
Most significantly, Iwata's shift to defense opens the door for midfield reconstruction. Since his positional change, Paik Seung-ho has been partnered by either Tommy Doyle or Jhon Solis in central midfield. However, Doyle is returning to Wolverhampton Wanderers after his loan spell, while Solis' permanent transfer remains uncertain.
This situation means Birmingham could require three new midfield additions during the upcoming transfer window to build a squad capable of mounting a promotion challenge next season, regardless of whether Davies remains as manager following this campaign's disappointing results.
