Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies has declared that the extended international break has left his squad fitter, sharper and better prepared than they were before the pause, treating the three weeks as a deliberate second pre-season rather than dead time.

Birmingham sit on 11 points from their opening eight Championship matches, which Davies notes is an identical return to this point last season. It is a perfectly acceptable start, but it is not one that inspires confidence about a big push, and Davies knows it. The next seven games before the late-November international break will go a considerable way towards defining what kind of season this actually is.

What the break was used for

"I used it for the players as kind of a second pre-season really," Davies told BBC Radio WM. "I think it was really important that we used it well. It wasn't just a 'nothing' waste of time. I really wanted to focus on our game, how we can improve and push them."

Part of that preparation involved a closed-door friendly at the CBS Arena, which gave fringe players meaningful minutes and allowed Davies to work on specific tactical details in a competitive environment. He was encouraged by what he saw across the squad, and singled out the performance of forward Jay Stansfield, who scored twice in the fixture after managing only one Championship goal in eight league games and three in his previous 40 appearances.

"Jay got a couple of good goals," Davies said. "I play him as a sort of a 10, or a withdrawn striker. He wants to score goals and I think it'll do his confidence good." Whether two goals in a friendly can genuinely unlock a forward who has looked inhibited in the league is a fair question: Davies is right to welcome the signs, but a good outing in a low-stakes game is not the same as finding form when the points matter.

The tactical challenge ahead

Davies was candid about the areas that still need addressing. Clean sheets remain a problem, and the manager acknowledged that the upcoming run of fixtures will demand a more assertive approach than Birmingham have shown in recent weeks.

"We've corrected the away form, we've scored more goals, we need to keep more clean sheets," he said. "In terms of the style of the games coming up, we're going to have to be more the protagonist, take the game to the opposition more than we've done."

That is a significant admission. Birmingham's draw record, which has already attracted scrutiny this season, points to a side that is competitive but not yet dominant. Being the protagonist, as Davies puts it, requires sustained control and the ability to win matches when the other team set up to frustrate. Those are habits that take longer to build than three weeks allows.

Seven games that matter

The first test arrives immediately: Saturday's derby against West Bromwich Albion at St Andrew's (12:30 BST kick-off). Derby games have their own logic and form counts for less than usual, but Birmingham will know that a winning start to this run would set a very different tone to another draw or, worse, a defeat.

After that, six further Championship fixtures follow before the squad disperses again for international duty. Davies framed the block plainly: "These next seven games are important for our season. If we're going to really push on we need to make an impact."

Eleven points from eight games keeps Birmingham in the pack. It does not separate them from it. A side that converts a well-used break into a run of five or six points from the next three games will earn the right to be taken seriously. A side that drifts to three or four points from the same fixtures, however tightly contested each game might be, will find the gap to the upper reaches of the table starts to look meaningful rather than manageable. Davies has bought goodwill with a disciplined pre-season and a solid if unspectacular start. Now comes the part where goodwill alone is not enough.

Frequently asked

How many points do Birmingham City have so far this season?
Birmingham City have 11 points from their first eight Championship matches this season, according to head coach Chris Davies.
When is Birmingham City's next game?
Birmingham City's next game is the West Brom derby on Saturday, with a 12:30 BST kick-off.
How is Jay Stansfield performing for Birmingham City?
Stansfield has scored only one Championship goal in eight league games this season, but he netted twice in a pre-break friendly, which Davies hopes will boost his confidence.