Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies admitted his side should have been “out of sight” in their clash with Sheffield Wednesday.
The Blues scored a dramatic 99th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at St Andrew’s, with Demarai Gray earning them a point. However, the boss felt all three would have been fairer, given their missed chances.
Davies Points to Missed Chances
Birmingham had the majority of possession and created 20 efforts on goal, yet only five troubled Owls goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. After Jamal Lowe cancelled out the opener, Barry Bannan’s free-kick picked out youngster George Brown at the far post to give Wednesday a late lead before Gray struck deep into stoppage time.
“There’s an element of relief and happiness with the way we got the equaliser but underlying that, a frustration that we let the game get away from us somehow,” said Davies.
“I thought we should have been winning that game. It was a game I felt we were very comfortable in, in the sense of being 1-0 up early, dominating the game, all the territory and all the possession and then one big error led to them somehow finding their way back into the game.”
The Blues head coach was left unimpressed by defensive lapses, particularly in conceding from set pieces. His side’s vulnerability from dead-ball situations was highlighted again, with Wednesday capitalising late on to almost snatch all three points.
Pressure on Davies
Despite a dominant promotion from League One last season and a £15m summer outlay on signings and Premier League loanees, Birmingham have struggled for consistency. Davies was even booed for making a triple substitution in the second half, underlining growing supporter frustration. Expectations remain high given the investment, but results have left them sitting in mid-table.
In contrast, Sheffield Wednesday, still beset by late wage payments off the pitch, extended their unbeaten league run to three matches. Henrik Pedersen’s side showed resilience despite being under pressure for long spells, and they left St Andrew’s with another encouraging result in difficult circumstances.
Writer’s View
Birmingham may feel aggrieved not to take three points, but Davies’ frustration is symptomatic of a side struggling to match ambition with results. For all their attacking intent, the lack of cutting edge and recurring defensive mistakes continue to cost them.
Wednesday, meanwhile, demonstrated once again the character that has kept them competitive despite off-field turmoil. While Birmingham look for a spark to ignite their season, Pedersen’s men will be quietly satisfied with a point that felt like a victory.
