Ex-West Brom star admits what he 'loves' about £15m Birmingham City gem and makes major top three claim
The former Wolves and Sunderland man was full of praise for The Blues’ big-money striker
Chris Davies is on the hunt for back-to-back promotions as the Birmingham City boss prepares his team for a trip to Stoke this weekend in the EFL Championship.
The Blues haven’t looked out of place in the second tier so far and currently tenth in the league table, earning seven points from a possible twelve. In order to help the cause of getting back in the big time, with the financial backing of Tom Brady, Birmingham have spent big over the past few seasons - and are getting the results.
Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has heaped praise on a Blues star after their impressive start to the Championship. Despite as a player plying his trade at Birmingham’s rivals West Brom and Wolves, Goodman has identified one of their big-money additions as one of the top three strikers in the division.
Goodman rates ‘relentless’ Stansfield as top three strikers in the league
Along with Norwich City’s Josh Sargent and Coventry City’s Haji Wright, Don Goodman added Jay Stansfield’s name to the list of the top three strikers that currently play in the Championship. Sargent and Wright sit top of the league’s goal-scoring charts, but Goodman thinks The Blues man offers something different.
He told Football League World: think I’m going to go for Jay Stansfield as well (as Sargent and Wright). Not necessarily an out-and-out number nine, but I love what he does with and without the ball. He’s relentless in his pressing, and I’ve seen, certainly over the last couple of years, that he can be a smart finisher as well.”
Birmingham have been handed a big boost following the International break as it looks as if the injury that Stansfield picked up against Port Vale in the EFL Cup isn’t as bad as first feared. After missing out on The Blues’ defeat to Leicester City, the fan favourite may be available for selection for the weekend’s clash with Stoke.
Stansfield living up to price-tag at Blues
When Jay Stansfield signed for Birmingham from Fulham for £15m, it broke the record for the most an EFL League One side has ever spent on a player, however a year on, it’s clear to see why he cost the big bucks. The forward scored 23 goals in 44 appearances last season and looks to have picked up from where he left off thus far.
Playing in a slightly different role following the signing of Kyogo Furuhashi, Stansfield has already bagged himself two goals in the Championship this season. The most important of which came against Blackburn Rovers, as the 22-year old’s ice-cool last minute penalty inspired a Blues comeback at Ewood Park.
In the new Tom Brady, big-spending era at St Andrews, the record signing of Stansfield put a marker down that Birmingham were willing to splash out to acquire players. In doing so, high expectations were set for the youngster from the get-go, but so far he has surpassed these and more.