A trip to Cardiff exposed something Chris Davies can no longer paper over: Birmingham City do not carry enough threat up front. Saturday's defeat at Cardiff produced just 0.8 expected goals, and the Blues never genuinely looked like scoring until two late chances briefly raised hopes that had long since faded.

Priske's absence felt immediately

August Priske, Birmingham's leading scorer with five goals in all competitions this season, picked up a knock in training ahead of the match. The suggestion, according to BBC Sport reporter Laura Kenyon, is that the injury is minor and the Danish striker should not be sidelined for long. Even so, his absence stripped the side of their sharpest edge at exactly the wrong moment.

Luis Vazquez stepped into the role as Priske's replacement. The summer signing had everything to gain from a performance at Cardiff, a fixture with real weight in the Championship table. He did not deliver it. Vazquez barely registered in the game, and the opportunity to announce himself as a dependable alternative came and went without consequence.

What the numbers actually say

Birmingham's xG figure of 0.8 needs context. Two late chances were carved out and both carried genuine weight, which means the underlying number flatters the preceding 80-plus minutes. For a side that sat fourth in the Championship before this fixture, the creative output was well below what their league position implies.

The conditions at Cardiff were difficult, and it would be unfair to ignore that. Adverse weather disrupts shape and sharpens the value of a high press, which Cardiff used well. But mitigating factors do not score goals, and Birmingham's record in tight away matches now has a question mark sitting alongside it.

Davies faces a tactical choice

Davies has options, though none of them is straightforward. Jay Stansfield has performed well this season operating in a deeper creative role behind the striker, and pushing him higher would add pace and directness to the front line. The risk is that it removes the link between midfield and attack that has made Birmingham hard to play through in recent weeks.

Vazquez could still come good. One poor showing does not define a player, and a striker who has moved to a new club mid-career often needs a run of games before the system fits naturally around him. Davies may well persist with him while Priske recovers.

The louder argument, though, is the one supporters are already making: Birmingham should be looking at the January window. A proven Championship striker, available on loan or for a modest fee, would give Davies a genuine Plan B rather than a forced reshuffle whenever his first choice is unavailable.

Bigger picture for the Blues

One defeat does not unravel a good start to the season. Birmingham had collected nine points in their previous run of form, and the squad's confidence remains higher than it was this time last year. But the Championship punishes teams that stand still in January, and this performance at Cardiff has given Davies a clear brief: find another striker before the window closes.

Cardiff, for their part, took the points efficiently. They did not need to be brilliant; they needed Birmingham to be blunt, and blunt Birmingham duly were. The gap between the two sides on the day came down to one area of the pitch, and it was the area where goals come from.

Frequently asked

How long is August Priske out for Birmingham City?
According to BBC Sport, the knock Priske picked up in training ahead of the Cardiff match is thought to be minor and he is not expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
Will Birmingham City sign a striker in January?
No deal has been announced, but the lack of attacking options exposed in the defeat at Cardiff is likely to put a new striker near the top of Birmingham's January shopping list.
What was Birmingham City's xG against Cardiff?
Birmingham registered an expected goals figure of 0.8 in the defeat, with their clearest chances coming late in the game.