Chris Davies opens up on Alfie May axe as Jay Stansfield takes the lead for Birmingham City
Chris Davies has tried to fit Birmingham City's two top scorers into his line-up since September, but he has settled on Jay Stansfield leading his attack in recent weeks
Chris Davies has empathised with Alfie May after dropping the Birmingham City striker in favour of a free-scoring Jay Stansfield.
After a brief stint on the left-wing, Blues’ record signing Stansfield has resumed striking responsibilities in the past two weeks and hit another purple patch in front of goal.
Stansfield netted winners versus Rotherham and Stevenage, starred against Newcastle United in the FA Cup, and netted his 18th Blues goal of the season against Cambridge in midweek.
May has been forced to watch on from the bench and hasn’t scored in his last seven outings. The striker, whose former employers Charlton Athletic visit St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park on Saturday, was an unused substitute against Cambridge.
“From Alfie’s point of view, he scored a couple of really good goals against Wigan that set us up well in the league, then I made a couple of changes for the cup games, bits and bobs, and as it’s all panned out he’s played the Wrexham game but he’s not been starting games,” said Davies.
“I’ve had a chat with Alfie, he’s a brilliant character. There are things people don’t see, like how he is around the place with his energy and his personality, and we know he’s a proven goalscorer.
“He’ll get back and back playing again. I think last game was the first game that I’ve not used him. The way it went in terms of substitutions and injuries diverted off my original plan.
“It is what it is, Alfie won’t change his enthusiasm I’m sure, and we know he can score, and he’ll get a chance again soon.”
Stansfield and May’s compatibility was debated earlier this season and Davies has shifted both of them in an attempt to make them excel in the same line-up. The 7-1 thumping of Fulham’s under-21s is the only game where Stansfield and May have both made it onto the scoresheet.
The fact of the matter is that both have performed better in the centre-forward position when the other hasn’t been playing. Stansfield’s strike-rate, which sees him average a goal every 114 minutes in League One, has given him the edge.
Asked whether it’s now one or the other, Davies replied: “I feel like a lot depends on the opposition as well. It’s the type of team that we’re facing. Do I feel we can play with two strikers? Do I think it’s more three midfielders behind that? I always gauge what I think we’re going to need with and without the ball. That’s the route I’ve been going down.
“The reality is they could both play and make it work. But the depth we have now in midfield, we’ve got wingers coming back, there’s high competition for places, and I think Jay has scored his goals and probably got a better return when he’s been a nine than out wide.
“There’s lots to think about but the overall message is what I remind everyone about every day, which is the amount of games we’ve got. It’s 11 weeks left on this weekend and 20-odd games. I always assure the players that the one thing I can guarantee is minutes on the pitch.”