Juninho Bacuna might get the start against Ipswich Town after Birmingham City won two games in a row last week thanks to two strong bench appearances.
The Blues have won their last two championship games when they have started with the same starting lineup. There comes a time when you have to give replacements credit for their contribution while they are not playing. When that occurs, the instinct is to stick rather than twist.
The goals the Blues won against Blackburn and Sunderland were instigated by Bacuna. He runs the risk of becoming known as a “super sub.”
Mowbray gave Bacuna some comfort last week that he will start games. “He won’t accept or want to be that player continuously and he won’t,” the Blues manager stated.
Maybe the ideal opponent to get the Curacao international back in the starting lineup is Ipswich, who Bacuna gave lots of trouble to in the rematch at St Andrew’s. However, who might Bacuna replace?
Bacuna will be watching the three spots behind Jay Stansfield closely. In the victory versus Sunderland, Jordan James and Koji Miyoshi each scored goals, and Tyler Roberts gave the greatest performance of his Blues career.
Roberts could withdraw, but Miyoshi hasn’t played much away from home this season. In the 16 Championship games the Blues have played away from St Andrew’s, the Japanese playmaker has only started five of them.
James isn’t anticipated to go back to center midfield, where he has developed a great rapport with Paik Seung-ho and Andre Dozzell. Nobody else has exerted enough pressure to gain entry into the XI save Bacuna.
Although Dion Sanderson, the captain, is back in the mix, Marc Roberts is still likely to start with Krystian Bielik. Hard to see Blues changing in any other place.
Lex Pritchard’s return date is officially set for Birmingham City. Update on George Hall
READ: Press conference notes: Mowbray, Dozzell, and the “nice problem” at Birmingham City
Maybe the ideal opponent to get the Curacao international back in the starting lineup is s, who Bacuna gave lots of trouble to in the rematch at St Andrew’s. However, who might Bacuna replace?
