It was notable that when Birmingham City trailed Walsall last week, Chris Davies’ first substitution was to bring on Krystian Bielik. Normally, managers would turn to more attacking players in such situations, but Bielik was introduced in the 55th minute, replacing debutant Ben Davies.
Davies made the change because he was dissatisfied with the speed of Blues’ play from the back. Ben Davies wasn’t able to match Bielik’s tempo-setting ability.
This isn’t a criticism of Ben Davies, as there are very few, if any, League One defenders who can do what Bielik does. Over the summer, Bielik was shifted permanently to defence with clear instructions from his manager: “I want you to control the tempo from the back.”
The stats back this up. According to Opta, Bielik has completed 318 successful passes in League One this season—at least 55 more than any other player.
Standing at 6’3″, Bielik hasn’t neglected his defensive duties either. He ranks second in the league for blocks (5), interceptions (12), and duels won (41).
With top teams increasingly focusing on possession-based football, Bielik’s talents are better suited to defence than midfield. Both Tony Mowbray and Chris Davies have acknowledged this.
It may be early in the League One season to talk about promotion, but that is where Birmingham City is heading, and Bielik is one of the few players who can grow with the club.
While Bielik was a solid midfielder in the Championship, he proved late last season that he is an outstanding defender for Birmingham’s current playing style. Their Championship record with him in defence last season included five wins, two draws, and two defeats, a trend that has continued into League One.
Amid talk of squad rotation throughout the season, Bielik’s position is untouchable. At 26, he is the cornerstone of Davies’ team and simply undroppable.
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