Birmingham City’s dream line-up after Aiwu, Drameh and Burke deals complete transfer window
Latest Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive includes how John Eustace could line his team up after making 13 new signings
John Eustace might have to wait a while before he can select his strongest Birmingham City XI.
The transfer window is now closed and Blues bagged 13 new players in total following the late arrivals of Emanuel Aiwu, Cody Drameh and Oliver Burke. Defenders Aiwu and Drameh will provide Eustace with much needed competition for places in a defence which has appeared threadbare up to now.
Drameh could be given the opportunity to stake his claim at right-back immediately with Ethan Laird currently sidelined due to a hamstring issue. Aiwu might have to bide his time due to the solid start central defensive pairing Dion Sanderson and Kevin Long have made to the campaign. Likewise Burke, who has been used as an impact substitute more often than not throughout his career to date.
Blues’ treatment room has been busy since the start of the season with key players Laird, Siriki Dembele, George Hall and Tyler Roberts not yet discharged. Laird and Dembele, in particular, are almost certain to be included on the team sheet when fit. We have taken a look at the options Eustace can choose from when everyone is available…
4-2-3-1
This has been the formation Blues have used in the first month of the season. It is hard to look beyond a back five of John Ruddy, Laird, Sanderson, Long and Lee Buchanan. Blues haven’t conceded a goal when those four have been on the field together this season.
Krystian Bielik and Ivan Sunjic have become a useful pairing in midfield and offer plenty of protection to the back five in this shape. It is in front of Bielik and Sunjic where things become interesting
Koji Miyoshi, Hall – who has now committed his future to Blues – and Dembele working in unison behind a striker is a tantalising prospect. Keshi Anderson, Jay Stansfield and Tyler Roberts show the depth Blues have in the forward positions.
Stansfield and Roberts can also play up front, but it is hard to look beyond Scott Hogan at the moment. The 31-year-old has started the season well and has two goals in his last two matches.
(4-2-3-1): Ruddy; Laird, Sanderson, Long, Buchanan; Bielik, Sunjic; Miyoshi, Hall, Dembele; Hogan
3-4-3
The arrivals of Aiwu and Drameh open the door to play a back three again. Eustace hasn’t had enough central defenders to play anything other than a back four up to now, but Blues’ defensive additions bring an element of unpredictability when it comes to team selection.
Aiwu is an ideal right-sided central defender and Drameh excelled as a wing-back to help Luton Town win promotion to the Premier League. Speaking at his press conference on Thursday, Eustace noted Laird and Drameh are both capable of playing on the left.
We have all seen that Buchanan could play as a left-sided centre-back, too. The defender has shown the qualities which prompted Wayne Rooney to toy with the idea at Derby County a couple of years ago.
“I like Lee as a centre back,” Rooney said at the time. “It’s something I have been looking at in training for a bit with his speed and he’s good in the air.”
A three-man midfield would prevent Eustace from fielding three of his talented attackers together. And why would you break up the Bielik-Sunjic axis in their current form?
For the three attacking positions Eustace can take his pick. Miyoshi, Hogan and Dembele would offer the best balance in this particular system.
(3-4-3): Ruddy; Aiwu, Sanderson, Buchanan; Drameh, Sunjic, Bielik, Laird; Miyoshi, Hogan, Dembele
