Chris Davies has outlined the importance of Paik Seung-ho to the Blues side.
The Blues boss says he is an ‘exceptional’ player.
The South Korean star’s performances have come under scrutiny of late, at a time when Marc Leonard is showing signs of blossoming.
Then there’s Tommy Doyle, another midfielder who is giving Davies food for thought.
But it seems as if Davies is not prepared to take drastic measures and leave Paik out of his side in the quest to play quicker, play forwards more and make their possession count.
“Paik is an exceptional player,” said Davies.
“I think he’s a very good midfield player, he reads the game well, quick, strong, very diligent, disciplined, can run, will arrive in the box.
“OK he hasn’t got too many goals because most of his job since I’ve been here has been to stay outside the box and just kind of be there.
“But the Hull match he had the shot that’s led to the goal that Jay (Stansfield) scored.
“I’ve worked with a lot of midfield players, Paik’s a top player, I think he’s excellent and every job I’ve given him he does it to the best of his ability.
“I’m really pleased that he’s here because he’s someone we can really rely on.
“He is possibly not at his absolute best of where he’s been maybe at other times but he played a long season last year, game after game and there were games that he wasn’t at his absolute best and games where he was exceptional.
“But he gives you good continuity, good rhythm he’s always there, he’s always available, always on it.”
Davies has tinkered with Paik in the number 10 role and a more advanced midfielder in a 4-3-3. Last Saturday it was Paik’s poor pass that was intercepted and resulted in Bristol City’s winning goal.
“I think it would be wrong to point at someone like Paik and say, ‘Well, he’s not playing well, that’s why the team’s not playing as well or anything like that’. I don’t see or think that at all.
“I’m a big, big believer in Paik, I think he gives us an awful lot and I think we’re a much better team with him in it.
“Like anyone, he can still improve, it doesn’t matter what age you are or how experienced you are, you can still improve and I always encourage him and the other players to do that and challenge them to do that.
“I speak to him about that, how he needs to keep going and keep improving but, I think he’s a really important player for us.”
