Chris Davies Defends Luis Vazquez After Viral Miss
Chris Davies is not about to let one viral clip rewrite the story of Luis Vazquez.
The Birmingham City head coach has doubled down on his belief in the Argentine striker after last weekend’s astonishing late miss in the 2-1 win at Derby County – a chance so glaring it was instantly spliced into social media montages alongside some of football’s most infamous sitters, from Roger Davies to Ronny Rosenthal.
To Davies, it was exactly what he called it: “a freak”.
“He could do that 100 times and score 100 goals,” he told BBC Radio WM, brushing aside the noise. “It can only make him stronger.”
The miss denied Vazquez what would have been his first league goal for Blues and a perfect way to force his way into the starting XI. So far, all his Championship minutes have come from the bench. The internet may have had its fun, but inside the camp, the mood is very different.
“He’s a tough cookie. He’s shown no signs of fragility,” Davies said. “I made a point to talk to him straight after the game last Saturday. And, when he scored a good goal in training this week, he got a big cheer from the lads.”
The dressing room reaction matters. So does the hunger of the player.
“He’s so desperate to score,” Davies added. “And we so want him to score. As soon as that first one goes in, it will all be forgotten about.”
Away form strong, home questions linger
While the Vazquez moment has dominated the online chatter, Davies’ focus is already locked on Saturday’s visit of Middlesbrough to St Andrew’s and a more stubborn problem: why his team keep coming up short at home.
On the road, Birmingham have been resilient and efficient. Seven points from a possible 12 away – at Sheffield United, Wrexham, Norwich City (their only defeat) and Derby County – is a solid return from a demanding run.
At St Andrew’s, the story changes. Three games, three draws: 2-2 against Bristol City, 1-1 with Southampton, 2-2 versus Wolves. Entertaining, yes. Convincing, not yet.
Even so, Davies is content with the broader picture, especially given the warnings he heard before a ball was kicked.
He has been told repeatedly that Birmingham’s opening fixtures rank among the toughest in the Championship. After seven games, he looks at the table and sees a platform, not a problem.
“We’ve got the same amount of points as we did this time last season, but we’re a better team,” he said. “We’re more of an attacking threat, but we also look a bit more solid and more of a team.
“There’s still room for improvement in a few areas, but we can’t say we’re not pleased with the start we’ve made, given the challenge we had.”
That balance between front-foot intent and defensive steel is becoming central to how Davies wants his Birmingham side to be recognised.
“Our love of defending is clear to see. It’s as good as scoring a goal,” he said. “That takes you a long way. So much gets talked about systems but you can’t get away from commitment.”
Commitment. A striker desperate to shake off a meme. A team searching for that first home win. Middlesbrough arrive next – and St Andrew’s is waiting to see whether Birmingham’s growing belief can finally translate into something more tangible on their own turf.
