Birmingham City have made a strong start to the season and their captain Krystian Bielik has stood out.
It was instructive that when Birmingham City fell down against Walsall, Chris Davies’ first choice substitute was Krystian Bielik. Normally, a manager would opt for more forward-thinking players, but Blues captain Bielik was summoned in the 55th minute, replacing debutant Ben Davies.
Chris Davies did so because he was dissatisfied with the speed with which Blues were playing out of the back. Ben Davies failed to match Bielik’s performance.
That is no compliment to Davies; there are few, if any, League One centre-backs capable of performing what Bielik does. When Bielik was permanently transferred to defence in the summer, his manager delivered a clear message: “I want you to control the tempo from the back.”
The statistics show that Bielik is doing just that. According to Opta, Bielik has made 318 successful passes in League One this season, which is at least 55 more than any other player.
Bielik, a 6ft 3in colossus who played defense throughout his youth career, has not shied away from the fundamentals of his position. Bielik ranks second in each category, with five blocks, 12 interceptions, and 41 won duels.
Given the current state of the game, with the vast majority of top-tier teams opting for a possession-based approach, Bielik’s skill set is better suited to defence than midfield. Tony Mowbray and Davies have both recognised this.
It may be premature to talk about the Premier League four games into a League One season, but that is where the Blues are aiming, and their captain is one of a few players who have the potential to progress with the club.
Bielik was a strong Championship midfielder when deployed appropriately, but at the conclusion of last season, he shown that he is an excellent second-tier defender for the Blues’ current style of play. Last season, the Blues’ Championship record with Bielik at the back was five victories, two ties, and two loses. This tendency has unsurprisingly persisted in League One.
Bielik’s name is synonymous with the strength of Davies’ squad and the potential of rotation throughout the season. The 26-year-old is Davies’ team’s fulcrum and belongs in his own category: undroppable.