Where have all the strikers gone? Throughout the years Birmingham City FC have had clinical finishers from Joe Bradford (267 goals in 445 appearances) to Trevor Francis ( 133 in 329) to more recent strikers Kevin Phillips ( 4 in 20) and Mikael Forssell (10 in 42) yet this season the three strikers have seemingly done everything but scored.
With 3 fit strikers and Matt Green potentially returning in 2015 it`s not as though Gary Rowett has limited options up top it just seems nothing is working for the blues. With the work rate of Wes Thomas, the sheer physical presence of Nikola Zigic and poacher Clayton Donaldson there should be a striker for all possible scenarios yet goals as far as the strikers are considered are hard to come by.
With Clayton Donaldson being the starting pick for both Lee Clark and now Rowett the summer signing only has 6 goals to his name after 24 appearances and despite being a promising start for the big man he should quite simply be in double figures. So far Donaldson has frustrated fans by taking chances well but has also missed several tap ins leaving some fans searching for a new option to lead the line.
Fellow new boy Wes Thomas returned to St Andrews in the summer and has also been given chance for Birmingham albeit from the bench more often or not. Thomas offers a different attack to Donaldson as Thomas has his game centered on speed and work rate chasing the ball and pressuring opposition back lines causing mistakes to be made. Whilst the style of play is applauded by fans what matters most in the goals scored column. For Wes Thomas it doesn`t make good reading. 3 goals in 19 whilst most of the appearances have been substitutions it simply hasn`t been good enough for fans who pay to see goals.
With a lack of goals being an issue for blues Gary Rowett moved for Nikola Zigic. The cult hero returned to Birmingham following a failure in the summer to agree a new deal and after impressing during his time training was told by Rowett that he could be more than a sub. In an interview with the Birmingham Mail Rowett said: “I think if he does really well he is obviously going to come into the reckoning to start games,” with this in mind fans will be looking forward to seeing the Serbian native in action. With only a cameo appearance so far since rejoining Zigic has the chance to make himself the starting striker in the coming weeks.
Whilst the goal returns are low currently for the strikers it has to be said the strikers are more often employed as lone strikers which may be limiting what they can do. In the future a partnership of Zigic and Thomas would provide great interest with the work rate and Zigic has a knack of being in the right place at the right time at important moments such as Wembley in 2010 and against Bolton last season. Another partnership could be Donaldson and Thomas whose pace can stretch the defense for the other to benefit.
In summary whilst the goals are still coming in a 4-2-3-1 set up continue as they are however if the goals dry up a look to opting to a dual striker attack may be what is needed to get Birmingham firing again should a goal drought occur.
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