Keita, Nsue and the two Jonathan’s

While Gianfranco Zola presses ahead with his plans to overhaul his Birmingham City squad, he deserves praise for addressing the positions that have long been in need of strengthening. If Zola manages to get deals for Cheick Keita and Emilio Nsue over the line, both full back berths will carry a completely contrasting approach.

Presently, Jonathan Spector and Jonathan Grounds occupy the right back and left back positions. For the most part, they have done satisfactory jobs but carry obvious limitations. Understandably, a full backs prime task is to defend. But to fully embrace Zola`s footballing mantra, the gap between the defence and the midfield must be finer which puts an emphasis on attack minded full backs.

Paul Caddis is a player who can conceivably contribute to Blues in an attacking sense – but seemingly he isn`t fancied by Zola, nor was he by previous manager Gary Rowett. Josh Dacres-Cogley is asserting himself as an exciting prospect but is still very raw, he could certainly be one for the future.

In Keita and Nsue, Blues would be buying two athletic and forward-thinking players. Yet, essentially, both are trustworthy from a defensive point of view too.

Spector, it seems, may be departing Blues this month to return to his native America. Grounds, on the other hand, could still have a part to play in offering competition to Keita, assuming the Frenchman signs on the dotted line this week.