After watching on as he limped off in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Coventry, Birmingham City boss Chris Davies has confirmed the extent of Ethan Laird’s injury.
David admits "frustration" after Sheffield Wednesday draw
It’s not been a good week for Birmingham, who were pushed aside by Frank Lampard’s Coventry side at the weekend and then forced to rescue a point in the 99th-minute against Sheffield Wednesday last night. The Blues were expected to defeat the Owls, whose struggles away from the pitch have created an impossible scenario for the players on it, but found themselves frustrated once again.
Davies couldn’t hide his frustration in his post-match reaction, but did admit that there is some “relief” among the Birmingham squad after they salvaged a late point.
He told reporters: “We stabilised at half time and regrouped, we came out well again and on the front foot, having moments and chances. We couldn’t take them and then they go in front from a set piece, out of nothing, and a goal.
“What it leads to is a very difficult situation, at home, 2-1 down in a game that we really feel we should be winning. That’s a test of character, that’s a test of mental strength, and the players did it. It could be one of the biggest points of our season, and one of the biggest moments of our season.
“From our point of view there’s very mixed feelings in the dressing room. There’s a sense of relief, or happiness that we got the goal, but there’s an underlying frustration because we know that we let that game turn into a game that was possibly going to get away from us.”
The manager also had more bad news to share regarding the extent of Laird’s injury, who has added to the Blues’ woes.
Birmingham games that Ethan Laird will now miss
Revealing the extent of Laird’s injury, Davies said: “Ethan is unfortunately an injury that will take him some time, a few months, which is a real blow. A real blow to him and us. He’s had it assessed and looked at, and unfortunately it was as bad as we feared it would be. We won’t see him for a few months.”
Based on the manager’s verdict, Laird is likely to miss at least three months of action and will be absent for a number of games as a result. The right-back had featured in all seven of his side’s Championship games prior to his injury – starting four times – but could now be forced to sit out for the next 16 in a monumental blow.
That run could include games against the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United and will most certainly include Wrexham this weekend. Sat one point adrift of the playoff places, it’s an injury blow that Birmingham could do without.
