Chris Davies Defends Luis Vazquez After Derby Miss
Chris Davies is not about to let a meme define his striker.
Luis Vazquez’s late miss at Derby County – the kind that instantly lives forever on social media – has been clipped, replayed and spliced alongside some of football’s most infamous howlers, from Roger Davies to Ronny Rosenthal. It should have been the moment the Argentine opened his league account for Birmingham City. Instead, it became a punchline.
Davies stands firm behind Vazquez
To Davies, it was exactly what he called it: “a freak”.
“He could do that 100 times and score 100 goals,” the Birmingham City head coach told BBC Radio WM, brushing aside the online noise. One swing of a boot, one ball skewed wide, and a week’s worth of jokes. The manager is having none of it.
If anything, he sees it as fuel.
“It can only make him stronger,” Davies said. “He’s a tough cookie. He’s shown no signs of fragility.”
The reaction was immediate and personal. Davies made a point of seeking Vazquez out straight after the 2-1 win at Pride Park, not to dwell on the miss, but to protect the player from the storm he knew was coming. The squad followed his lead.
When Vazquez found the net with a tidy finish in training this week, the response was loud and telling.
“He scored a good goal in training and he got a big cheer from the lads,” Davies revealed. A small moment, but in a dressing room that knows the scrutiny a forward lives under, it mattered.
Vazquez has yet to start a league game for Blues, used so far as an impact option from the bench. That chance at Derby would have been his first Championship goal, the clean break every striker craves at a new club. It slipped away, but his manager is already looking towards the next one.
“He’s so desperate to score,” Davies admitted. “And we so want him to score. As soon as that first one goes in, it will all be forgotten about.”
The message is clear: the miss belongs to the internet now. The future belongs to Vazquez, if he takes it.
Strong away, stubborn at home
While the memes have dominated the chatter, Davies’ focus is fixed on something more tangible: points, and particularly points at St Andrew’s.
On the road, Birmingham have been quietly efficient. Seven points from a possible 12 away to Sheffield United, Wrexham, Norwich City and Derby County represents a solid return, with only the defeat at Carrow Road blotting the record. This is a team that travels well, that can dig in and nick results in hostile environments.
The riddle lies at home.
Bristol City, Southampton and Wolves have all left St Andrew’s with a share of the spoils, each taking part in lively, high-scoring draws: 2-2, 1-1, 2-2. Entertainment, yes. Control, not quite. For a side that prides itself on its defensive commitment, those numbers will itch at Davies.
Yet he is content with the broader picture.
“We’ve got the same amount of points as we did this time last season, but we’re a better team,” he said, pushing back on any early-season anxiety. The fixture list has not been kind, and he knows it.
He has been reminded often enough that Birmingham’s opening programme ranks among the toughest in the division. That context shapes his assessment of their start.
“We’re more of an attacking threat, but we also look a bit more solid and more of a team,” he insisted. The balance is not perfect, and he does not pretend otherwise. “There’s still room for improvement in a few areas, but we can’t say we’re not pleased with the start we’ve made, given the challenge we had.”
A team built on defending – and belief
For all the talk of systems and shapes, Davies keeps returning to something more old-fashioned.
“Our love of defending is clear to see. It’s as good as scoring a goal,” he said. That line tells you where his priorities sit. Birmingham may be more adventurous going forward this season, but the heartbeat remains at the back, in blocks, tackles and bodies thrown in front of shots.
“That takes you a long way,” he added. “So much gets talked about systems but you can’t get away from commitment.”
Commitment to the press. Commitment to the duels. Commitment, above all, to each other when the spotlight turns harsh on one of their own.
Middlesbrough’s visit to St Andrew’s on Saturday now arrives with twin threads running through it. Can Birmingham finally turn their home draws into wins? And can Vazquez, the man at the centre of the week’s viral storm, step from the shadows of that miss and write a different story?
One clean strike, one net bulging in front of the home crowd, and the clip doing the rounds online will start to look like ancient history.
