Juninho Bacuna may find himself in the starting lineup against Ipswich Town following two impactful appearances off the bench that helped Birmingham City secure consecutive victories last week.
Despite the consistent use of the same starting eleven in Blues’ recent Championship matches, resulting in successful outcomes, there’s a recognition that rewarding substitutes for their contributions is necessary. Bacuna played a pivotal role in securing victories against Blackburn and Sunderland, potentially earning him a reputation as a game-changing substitute.
Manager Mowbray hinted at Bacuna starting games soon, emphasizing that he won’t be confined to a substitute role indefinitely. The upcoming match against Ipswich, against whom Bacuna previously caused problems, could be an opportunity to reintegrate him into the starting lineup. However, the question remains: who would Bacuna replace?
Bacuna has his sights set on three positions behind Jay Stansfield. While Jordan James and Koji Miyoshi have made recent scoring contributions, and Tyler Roberts showed improvement, they could potentially make way for Bacuna. Miyoshi, particularly, has seen limited action away from home throughout the season.
Although there are considerations such as the return of Dion Sanderson and the performance of other players like Marc Roberts and George Laird, significant changes to the lineup are unlikely. Ruddy’s solid goalkeeping, Drameh’s impact at right-back, and Roberts’ defensive improvement suggest continuity in those positions. Meanwhile, Bielik’s disciplinary record poses a risk, and Laird’s versatility has proven valuable, especially at left-back.
