Leeds United away this Saturday should not hold any fear for Birmingham City.
With a good mix of young and older, experienced heads, in the squad, especially on the back of an excellent Middlesbrough win, Elland Road could be a happy place for travelling fans come 5pm.
Leeds of old may have been a different proposition, but their current squad is not performing and results against Charlton and Millwall which produced zero points will have had a nervous effect.
Difficult as it is to have a high press against any away team, I believe Leeds is the place to exercise this. Blues need the obvious strength at the back but, equally, they need the craft to keep a decent percentage of possession.
Keeping the ball at Leeds is, in my opinion, the natural route for success. Repeating the Middlesbrough performance is not easy away from home and not many expect the same performance but Sunjic and Crowley do look at their best which naturally inspires the likes of Bellingham.
Blues need to, and can afford to, have a bit of a swagger with this blend of youth-especially Jude -who at times looks capable of ghosting past heavy defenders. Does he start against Leeds, is perhaps in Pep Clotet’s thoughts along with the backroom team.
Certainly not an easy decision.
My feeling is that he will, with perhaps a recall for Davis to replace him, should a point be in the bag with twenty minutes to go. All conjecture I know, but the Middlesbrough performance, ignoring the result, has changed many supporters outlook including my own.
Forget the woeful opposition’s contribution to that game – that Friday night will remain in the memory with eleven plus players not giving an inch from minute one. Repeating it is the hard bit now but confidence must be good and the younger players must be counting the days down to Saturday.
Bellingham and Bailey might have an estate agent sounding ring to it – but there is an opportunity that nearly all Blues supporters would give the world to have in their place, let’s hope this duo continues to make the right headlines footballing wise.
Leeds will be no tougher than any other in this Championship league and crazy results happen each week and will continue to do so, Blues, however, can by-pass this factor and play like they can with the emerging and consistent Sunjic and Crowley to lead the way.