Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has opened up on the battle for the right-back spot
Chris Davies has been’very impressed’ by Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s efforts at right-back in the absence of Ethan Laird.
Gardner-Hickman, a midfielder, deputized at right-back in Birmingham City’s draw with Walsall during the international break and has since held his spot in League One triumphs over Wrexham, Rotherham, and Peterborough. With a string of impressive performances, the 22-year-old has kept Iceland international Alfons Sampsted out of the starting lineup.
“Initially he’s a player we brought in as a central midfield player that we knew could fill in at right-back having played there for West Brom, but the idea was that he would be a central midfielder,” according to Davies. “Inadvertently, with Ethan injured and Alfons unavailable for a game, he ended up filling that role.
“I’ve been quite impressed. He can get up and down the line quickly and is physically fit. He is disciplined, and if you give him a task, he will complete it precisely. He works extremely hard.
“He has been supplemented by Alfons, who comes in for the final 20 minutes of games and keeps the energy level high on the right side. So far, he’s doing exceptionally well.
Sampsted’s absence during the previous international break, as well as a case of food illness he contracted while traveling, harmed his cause. Gardner-Hickman hasn’t made a mistake since receiving the call for the Wrexham game.
Davies added: “Alfons got a little bit of food poisoning shortly after the international break, so he didn’t have a great training week going up to that game. In terms of energy, Taylor had been with us during the international break, so he was arguably in the best physical shape to play the game.
“Alfons had done nothing wrong, so he seized his chance. He is in there, and he must keep the standards he has set for himself.”
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