Blues duo striking right balance for Lukas
STRIKER Lukas Jutkiewicz reckons Blues have all offensive bases covered following Scott Hogan’s arrival.
The pair have accounted for five of Blues’ last seven league goals and neatly combined to put Pep Clotet’s resurgent side ahead against Brentford on Saturday.
Hogan, whose displays have been underpinned by intelligent movement, cleverly dummied Gary Gardner’s cross allowing Jutkiewicz to outmuscle his marker and tuck the ball past Bees’ keeper David Raya.
The move highlighted the understanding they have already developed and the different skillsets each brings to the Championship table.
“You need to get balance in the side because you want to cover all aspects of the game, whether that’s playing in behind teams or into bodies,” Jutkiewicz said. “Scott does certain things I can’t, and I try to do things Scott’s not favourable to do.
“It takes different styles to win football matches and pose different threats to defences and we try to do that, so hopefully we’ve got a decent balance.”
Jutkiewicz took his goals tally for the campaign to 12, just two short of the 14 he achieved during the 2018/19 season alongside Che Adams.
For Hogan, forced off 15 minutes from time with an ankle injury, it was a first blank fired in royal blue, having bagged in each of his opening three matches.
His goalscoring form since joining on loan from Villa last month has come as no surprise to Jutkiewicz. “You always knew he would score goals,” he said. “He didn’t play a huge amount at Stoke, but he still scored. I think he scored a brace on his home debut for them. He’s shown wherever he’s been that if he gets a good run of games he will score goals and we’re really happy to have him here.
“I’m enjoying playing with Scott and I enjoyed playing with Che also. It’s worked well.”
The form of Birmingham’s front two has coincided with a general upturn in fortunes for a team now unbeaten in ten league and cup games following Saturday’s draw.
Clotet’s team is now nearer the play-off places than the drop zone and Jutkiewicz is convinced a corner has been turned.
“We had a tough period over November and December,” he said. “We’ve come through that and hopefully we can continue to do well and keep pushing on.
“It just goes to show there’s not a huge difference between all the teams in this league. “