Where The Title Was Lost
May 6th, 2009 | By KevB8ll | Category: Blues News, Matches, Reports By BazzaAn end of season article from Bazza.
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I enjoyed Nat’s article looking at where promotion was won and am broadly in agreement. At the start of the season I stated that only the title would do if we were to claim a truly successful season. It was disappointing to miss out to Sunderland on the last day two years ago (Preston again damn them) and it was just as much a dampener to allow Wolves to win the top prize in the end at a canter.
Now don’t get me wrong here, I am of course thrilled to be back in the Premier League after the heartbreak of last season but the fact is that our squad with all of its alleged quality at this level underperformed for large chunks of the season.
Three teams beat Blues home and away which is two more than two years ago. The teams were Blackpool, Coventry and Preston. These six fixtures represent 18 points and if you add to that our failure to beat relegated Norwich on either occasion you can add another four.
Finally, I would add the contributions made by two of the worst officials I have ever witnessed namely Lee Mason at Sheffield United and Michael Oliver at St Andrews against Plymouth. These two referees and their inept assistants cost us a further five points. There were a number of missed opportunities of course such as the games at Crystal Palace and Charlton for instance but these can be placed one side.
Considering the final total discussed above, the point count comes to a staggering 27!
Let’s be hard on ourselves and say that it is not unreasonable to expect that Blues should have gleaned at least one third of these points? That would be nine which would have delivered the title by a clear two points over Wolves.
Other teams will of course argue that they should have had more here and there also but I’m concentrating on totally avoidable slip ups in this article. Our performances against Blackpool and Coventry were nothing short of abysmal and there can be no excuse for losing to these mediocre outfits once let alone twice in a season. The Preston results were a little more unfortunate as I felt we had been the better side at Deepdale only to get mugged and the two goals they scored at St Andrews wouldn’t appear in the same match under normal circumstances and probably cannot be catered for.
Against Norwich and Plymouth it was a case of missed chances, and bad refereeing in the case of the Plymouth game. It is therefore remarkable that despite our profligacy we have still managed to secure automatic promotion and we have to be grateful that due to Reading’s form completely deserting them that we were not punished.
Next season, whomever we buy, however we strengthen, there is one inescapable truth; Blues will have to beat the teams they should beat and it will quickly become apparent who those teams are. Last time we should have beaten Derby, Reading and Fulham at home. These lapses costing two points a piece are what relegated us. Alex McCleish and David Gold say that we have learned the lessons from before; let us all hope so!
KRO SOTV
Are you insane? Points at the end of the season = points deserved.
For every point you think you should have got, there will a point you did get that you didn’t deserve.
You finished 2nd, where you deserved to finish.
Nice logic there. You fail to take into account the bigger picture. For example, the fact that Birmingham have played apalling football in a majority of games where they deserved nothing. Also, you have probably excluded the decisions that went your way, and only included decisions that went agaisnt you. Over the course of a season they even themselves out. You also fail to take into account decisions that have gone agaisnt Wolves. I could sit here and pinpoint those decisions, which have cost us points, and we would be at square one again. The TABLE does not lie, we are deserved champions stop making excuses
Hang on a minute guys, this isn’t an article about Wolves it is an article on a Blues blog about the Blues of course Baz hasn’t taken your issues, or Sheff Utd’s issues etc into account. Why should he?
All through the season things went for and against every team but it doesn’t mean that someone can’t put their perspective on the subject for their own side.
Chill out eh.
On a seperate not, let’s hope the West Midlands can put up a better fight this year with all 3 sides staying up.
Kev
Yea but Kev – he is arguing that with those points, Blues would’ve won the title! Which is why people are saying it is appalling logic! Because if he wants to claim Blues would’ve won the title with the points they dropped, surely he does need to take into consideration other teams.
Thank you for your comments everyone. I am not for a moment saying that we didn’t deserve to finish below Wolves I was merely making the point that failure to beat teams one should beat costs titles. Yes things do usually even out over a season but I felt the Sheffield Utd and Plymouth incidents were exceptional and happened so late in the season there was no way any evening out of those was going to take place. It was Blues’ shortcomings; mainly lack of goals that cost Blues the title ultimately and they did indeed only get what they deserved. Andy Reeves; I am not insane by the way and Lee; Blues did play some decent stuff in among the dross and that goes for all teams in the top six. To say they played apalling football most of the time is unfair; by your own argument if we were that bad we wouldn’t have ended up second would we? Finally, Wolves are worthy champions; congratulations.
A fair point Tom and thanks for the follow up Baz.
Nice one.
I dont think it really matters who wins the title, after sitting on Sunday through all the nerves keeping an eye on both scorelines im just glad to be able to relax and know were in the premiership next season. Not saying whoever wrote this blog isnt but its getting quite annoying the way blues fans generally seem to focus alot on negatives, at the end of last seasonn most people wanted rid of the board but i think we should be glad to not be going the way of charlton, and although we didnt play well i dont think it was right to be calling for the manager (a few months back) to be sacked when we were always there or there abouts throughout the whole season until wolves pulled away with it. The fans of other clubs dont seem to moan or have the kneejerk reactions blue fans do, reading also got relegated andf kept most of their squad (granted ours was better), but they didnt seem to have the instability we had because of the fans moaning. From what ive seen i think we should be glad to have the manager and board we have because its better than most clubs.
The table never lies Boysssssssssss…
A serious request Wolfies.
Would you be interested in doing a joint article about our chances next season?
If so contact me using the contact page see the link on the menu at the top of the page.
Kev
[...] upset a few Wolves fans, (all be it accidently), with his post about how the title was lost. I therefore asked if anyone would be willing to have an input into an article about Premiership [...]