Misfiring Kyogo defended by Birmingham boss as ex Celtic hero draws another Championship blank
The £10million summer signing has endured a tricky start to life in England after three league games without a goal
Misfiring Kyogo has been defended by Birmingham City boss Chris Davies after drawing another Championship blank.
The ex-Celtic hero endured a frustrating afternoon after passing up some golden opportunities in the 1-0 win over Oxford United.
Kyogo, 30, has yet to break his three-game league goal duck for the Blues since his £10million switch from Rennes - but did score in the EFL Cup victory against Sheffield United.
However, Blues gaffer Davies is adamant the Japan international will soon hit the goal trail.
He explained: “I said to him at half-time and I'll maintain I genuinely never worry when they miss chances. I worry when they don't get them and you can't think ‘When was the last time he had a chance? He's a striker, he should be getting chances.’
“It's when they get them and they miss them, I always think ‘That'll come because they know how to score goals’.
“They know how much to get on the ball or the technique they need to use. It's very instinctive, it's very natural, especially for someone like Kyogo who scored consistently for a long time. So I really never worry about it.
“I just remind him to continue because that will work sometime soon and that will be a goal, but it's getting the chances that I'm looking at and he's getting them.
“He’s playing with belief, I think he's enjoyed his time a lot since he's been here, he gives a lot to the team as well if you watch how much he sprints and presses and makes a lot of runs in behind, he occupies defenders by his movement.
“If you leave him one by one, you're always at risk because he's very sharp and quick and he makes clever runs, so therefore often it's 2 against 1, then if it's 2 against 1, then someone else should be free, so, he does a lot for the team.
“I've got no doubt, and I think he's also an experienced player, he's not a young lad on his first club or anything like that. He knows the game and he knows that he just needs to continue and the goals will come.”
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.
You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.