Boxing Day was the first time Ryan Woods was subbed in what was his 18th start for Stoke City.

Read into that what you will, but is he in danger of now symbolising something quite different?

When he first arrived he was seen as a vital cog in the wheel of bolstering Stoke’s flimsy defences by shielding the back four and few could deny he played his part in doing just that.

But now, perhaps, he’s in danger of seeing himself, or at least his role, as coming to symbolise a brake on the greater attacking prowess Stoke now needs.

Stoke enjoyed 67% possession at Birmingham and visibly failed to make much of it in areas that could really hurt their hosts.

Woods was sacrificed after an hour at St Andrew's, but is the team now reaching a crossroads where he might be sacrificed before kick off?

Woods himself recently acknowledged that his own personal form had tailed off a bit recently following that breath-of-fresh-air that was his arrival.

But his admirers would also lay less blame at his door and more at those team-mates failing to offer him a decent outlet when he’s taken possession from his centre halves midway inside his own half.

The dilemma now hovering over Woods is symptomatic of the on-going search to hit upon the system, style and personnel to fire Stoke City into true play-off contention.

There is still time with 22 games to go, of course, but no-one wants to see that five-point gap to the top six extend much further with every passing game.

Talk of changing the manager - unlike this time next year - is surely premature?

He remains pro-active in his quest for that winning formula and, given this is his first season, the deep-seated problems preceding his arrival and the fact no board wants to be seen removing three managers in the space of one year, the club will surely stick by him for the foreseeable.

But in the meantime he will be keen to inject energy, urgency and potency into his side at Bolton this weekend so standby by for several changes.

Tom Edwards is a shoo-in for Cuco Martina at right back and either Sam Clucas or that man Woods is likely to step aside for Peter Etebo, while Benik Afobe and/or Peter Crouch should be be polishing their boots with extra relish.