Chris Davies has no doubts about Luis Vazquez, and he wants the rest of Birmingham City to feel the same way. The Blues head coach came out firmly in support of his Argentine striker this week, dismissing last Saturday's glaring miss in the 2-1 Championship win at Derby County as "a freak" and insisting the goals will come.

Vazquez, signed for a reported £3m from Anderlecht in the summer, is yet to open his account in league football for Blues and has not yet started a Championship fixture. His substitute appearance at Pride Park ended with a late opportunity that would have put him off the mark — instead, it became meme material on social media, drawing unflattering comparisons to some of the most famous misses in football history.

Davies was having none of it. "He could do that 100 times and score 100 goals," he told BBC Radio WM. "It can only make him stronger. He's a tough cookie. He's shown no signs of fragility. I made a point to talk to him straight after the game last Saturday. And, when he scored a good goal in training this week, he got a big cheer from the lads."

The manager's message is clear: the only antidote is the first goal, and he expects it to arrive sooner rather than later. "He's so desperate to score," Davies added. "And we so want him to score. As soon as that first one goes in, it will all be forgotten about."

A solid start, with caveats

Beyond the Vazquez situation, Davies used the build-up to Saturday's home fixture against Middlesbrough to take stock of a seven-game opening to the Championship season that has delivered a reasonable but not convincing return. Blues have picked up seven points from four away fixtures, winning at Sheffield United, Wrexham and Derby while losing at Norwich City. At home, though, they are still waiting for a first victory, having drawn with Bristol City (2-2), Southampton (1-1) and Wolves (2-2).

That home record is the nagging concern, and Davies acknowledged it openly. Three draws at St Andrew's is not the platform a promotion challenge is built on; points dropped at home in the Championship have a habit of proving decisive come May. One good run of form does not paper over such a pattern, and it will need to be addressed.

The head coach does offer context: he has been told repeatedly that Birmingham faced one of the toughest early schedules in the division. That is worth noting, but only up to a point. The same points tally as twelve months ago tells you roughly where the squad stands; the test is whether the improvements Davies claims are real enough to hold up across 46 games.

What Davies actually believes

"We've got the same amount of points as we did this time last season, but we're a better team," he said. "We're more of an attacking threat, but we also look a bit more solid and more of a team. 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."

He also pointed to the defensive work ethic as a genuine foundation. "Our love of defending is clear to see. It's as good as scoring a goal. That takes you a long way. So much gets talked about systems but you can't get away from commitment."

That is fair enough as far as it goes. A defence that competes earns points in this division; it is not glamorous, but the Championship table does not care about glamour. The question facing Blues is whether the attacking end — with Vazquez still to contribute — can convert that solidity into wins rather than draws.

Saturday's visit of Middlesbrough to St Andrew's is an immediate opportunity to put the home record right. Davies will not want to be having the same conversation about the inability to win in front of their own supporters when the next round of fixtures comes around.

Frequently asked

Has Luis Vazquez scored for Birmingham City yet?
No. As of the first seven Championship games of the season, Vazquez is yet to score for Blues. He has been used as a substitute in league matches and has not yet made a league start.
How much did Birmingham City pay for Luis Vazquez?
According to reports, Birmingham City signed Luis Vazquez from Belgian club Anderlecht for a fee of around £3m in the summer transfer window.
Why can't Birmingham City win at home this season?
After seven Championship games, Blues have drawn all three home fixtures, against Bristol City (2-2), Southampton (1-1) and Wolves (2-2), without recording a home victory. Manager Chris Davies has acknowledged it as an area that needs to improve.