Birmingham City have got off to a superb start to the 2023/24 season, earning an EFL Championship top-six spot after 11 fixtures. Things have been shaken up despite the promising results, however, with head coach John Eustace out of the door and Wayne Rooney a new face in the dugout.
There were a total of 12 signings in the summer transfer window –with £6 million spent – to give the club a proper overhaul under new ownership. Some of the fresh additions have made better impressions than others. The same can be said with the rest of the squad, with the congested fixture schedule pushing players to the limits.
With the October international break giving fans and the media alike time to reflect on the start of the season, we’ve sat down and rated individual players out of 10. Click through the pages for a brief analysis of the 28 individual Birmingham men to have featured so far this campaign.
9. Emanuel Aiwu - 6
Just two minutes of competitive action for the summer signing, so it’d be unfair to properly rate his time at the club so far. The Austrian will be hoping Rooney gives him a chance to impress. | Getty Images
10. Emmanuel Longelo - 6
Often comes on to see out matches and has done a decent job of doing so, especially as he’s not naturally a defender. Hasn’t done anything particularly special but is a model professional. | Getty Images
11. Lee Buchanan - 8
Has settled back into English football really well and had cemented the spot at left-back before picking up an injury. Buchanan will be keen to push on and regain that place when he’s back. | Getty Images
12. Krystian Bielik - 8
Consistently brilliant and has probably only had one truly bad performance, away at Preston. Commands the base of midfield effectively and is a nightmare for opponents due to his immense physicality. Sometimes a little slow on the half-turn but that’s to be expected. | Getty Images