Birmingham City v Manchester City – a Blogger’s Perspective
Filed under: Blues News, By Other Supporters, Kev's Ramblings
We have joined up with Man City blogger Danny Pugsley who runs the Manchester City blog bitter and blue. (Not bitter and twisted as previously written! Sorry Danny. Anyway, we both answered some questions from each other.
My answers for Danny’s questions can be found here, and below you will find Danny’s responses to my questions.
Thanks for doing this Danny.
Kev
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Do you feel that you will become a bigger club than your neighbours?
It is a difficult task to become bigger as such, given their achievements over the last twenty years in particular which, having coincided with the explosion of the Premier League popularity has ensured they have a huge global presence to go with the trophies they have won and history they have built up.
The new ownership that is in place has clearly got big ideas and plans for the club though, and what is impressive is that their focus seems to be on what we can achieve and creating something in our own right rather than aiming to be the ‘next whoever’ or focusing on what United are doing – something I don’t feel we have always done.
Did Shinawatra tarnish your club?
Looking back the answer is a definite yes. It is fair to say that his unsavoury past (which were only allegations at that stage it has to be said) was largely glossed over because of the money he brought to the club but as the season he was in charge (2007/08) progressed it was clear that the problems were anything but going away.
We are fortunate that not only did the new ownership rescue us when they did as it is frightening to think what position we could have been in had they not, but the way they have gone about things in terms of development of the club, vision, continuing ties with the community, academy etc has meant that although the Shinawatra era is a stain on the clubs history any damage caused has been repaired.
How do you feel about being owned by people from abroad?
When both Shinawatra and ADUG respectively took control of the club I don’t see where they were from as being an issue – and feel that is a view of the overwhelming majority. Most fans of course just want to see more money being ploughed in (see Liverpool wanting the Yanks replaced with the Sheikhs) so overlook geography.
As proved with our current ownership group, it is not where they are from but their approach to the club, fans, history etc that is important and whilst we were guarded at first when they came in they have most definitely been warmly received. Having unlimited pots of cash to lavish on the club doesn’t harm their standing either!
Did moving to the new ground make a difference to the supporters either good or bad?
Whilst it was sad to leave Maine Road, we had outgrown the place in terms of capacity (35,000) and it needed expanding and rebuilding so it was the right decision to move although for nostalgic reasons you always look back fondly at it.
The stadium we have is fantastic, well sized (with the potential to grow further I believe) with great views etc. I think it has taken longer than anticipated for fans to ‘settle’ though, and atmosphere has definitely suffered in the seasons since the move.
I would say last season and so far this one though – perhaps coinciding with better fortunes on the pitch – this seems to have been rectified and maybe it is finally a place to call ‘home’ and start generating its own memories and history.
Which of the big money signings has made the difference, and is there one you wish didn’t happen?
All of the signings that Mark Hughes has brought in have been for a reason and all fit into a certain role within the side and squad. It is early days of course but all have impressed for different reasons and none have ‘flop’ written all over them.
Most impressive so far this season is Craig Bellamy though. Hughes took a lot of flak from fans and the media when he signed him but he has been sensational so far this season.
From what you have seen of us this season, do you think we have the wherewithall to stay up?
Definitely. You look to be in a far stronger position squad wise than when you were last in the Premier League, although (like most teams to be fair) look to lack a genuine goalscorer and as it has been shown with promoted sides it is wins, not avoiding defeats that keep you up.
The injection of cash will be useful in January and could be vital in bringing in goals at a crucial time.
I do think you will survive, and your case will be helped by the increasing number of poor sides at the bottom end of the league,
Which of the squad should we be worried about on Sunday?
It is difficult to know precisely what the side will be as we have players back from injury now (who did well in midweek in the Carling Cup). Whilst we are strong in all areas – particularly in attack and whilst his goal ratio could be better Carlos Tevez has the ability to run the defence all over, which frees up space for the rest of the attackers.
Prediction?
2-0 to us.
Birmingham City vs Manchester City – Preview
Team News
Blues will give fitness tests to Keith Fahey and Gregory Vignal but I would expect the team to be the same as last week. I can’t see any reason to change it!
Man City are still missing Benjani but will have Pablo Zabaleta available again after substitution. Martin Petrov is a doubt and this game will come too early for Robinho.
Last Meeting
Our last meeting took place in March 2008 and ended with a 3-1 victory with two goals by on loan Argentinian Mauro Zarate. Gary McSheffrey also added a dubiously awarded penalty late on. The victory was particularly impressive after taking into account that Blues played an hour with ten men after Franck Quedrue was sent off. In all Premiership games against City at St Andrews Blues have won three and lost two.
Recent Form
Last week’s victory against Sunderland broke a string of three straight defeats for Blues who are now averaging one point a game which if it continues should keep us up.
Man City walloped Scunthorpe in the Carling Cup midweek but their form in the Premier League has not been as impressive as they would have liked. They have won only two of their last six games drawing the last three. They have won two and drawn two of their five games this season, the only defeat coming in the twenty-seventh minute of injury time at Old Trafford.
Outlook
At the beginning of the season I would have considered this as one of the games that we should not expect to get anything from. Man City are after all the leagues big spenders who will be looking to break into the top four this season. They have an array of attacking talent and have also spent big on two new central defenders and one of the league’s best goalkeepers. However they are not exactly setting the league alight are they. In their last few games they have failed to beat Fulham and Wigan and their expensive new defence has failed to keep a clean sheet since August. They appear to struggle particularly away from home so I think that we should go in with the attitude that if we get at them there are points to be gained.
On the other hand if we are too positive we could get picked off on the break with the pace of Bellamy and Wright-Phillips. McLeish could take the cautious approach and put another body in midfield but I think that would be a mistake. We’ve got nothing to lose in this fixture so let’s go for it. After all it’s more fun to lose 4-3 than 1-0. Let’s put on a show for the Sky cameras.
My prediction. 1-1.
New Era, New Optimism, New Poll
In the last few weeks there have been a number of reasons to be cheerful for us long suffering Blues fans. Firstly the takeover finally being completed which brought a long period of uncertainty to an end. Then the promise of more money than we have ever had to spend in January and finally the good performance and three points against Sunderland on Saturday.
So does all this make you optimistic about our survival chances this year or do you still think we will struggle. On the other hand is talking about survival now being too pessimistic and should we be looking for a mid table finish. I personally believe that come May we will not be travelling to Bolton needing to win to stay up and could even match the 13th place finish that was achieved in 2002.
Anyway, the poll is up please let us know what your think. In our last poll 50% of respondents were excited about the new board although 40% said they will wait and see.
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – BIRMINGHAM CITY vs SUNDERLAND
Looking through the predictions of various pundits on the net there was one that had asked no less than 14 reviewers what the outcome of this match was likely to be; six went for a draw and eight for an away win. Yes intrepid readers – not a single vote for the home side; our great and glorious lads! I have to confess I was feeling apprehensive about this one. The Maccams had been playing out of their skins and few can have failed to be impressed by their storming displays at Old Trafford when they were very unfortunate not to have taken all three points and at home against Liverpool when they thoroughly deserved to beat the Reds despite the help of that beach ball. I had this awful feeling that their front two, Kenwyne Jones and Bent would cause us no end of trouble with their pace and power. The absence of Cattermole in their midfield was the only plus for us as I saw it. I expected that McCleish would set up 4-5-1 again to try and boss midfield and cut off Sunderland’s supply to their strikers so like many, I suspect, I was surprised and delighted that he actually chose an aggressive 4-4-2 with Jerome and Benitez up front. Ridgewell was still at left back with Carr, Johnson and Dann making up the back four. Midfield comprised of Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer and McFadden so all in all we looked solid, compact and full of attacking intent. I was still worried about them though but as the first half wore on it became apparent that they were missing Cattermole considerably giving the ball away cheaply with only Reid for them showing any inventiveness.
The first twenty-five minutes were cagey but Blues took control as the half advanced and I was pleasantly surprised how little threat our opponents were expressing. A free kick twenty-five yards out on 38 minutes well within Larsson’s range was carefully set up and no doubt Craig Gordon and the rest of the Sunderland rearguard were expecting one of the young Swede’s trademark swinging shots inside the near post. Larsson certainly shaped to shoot but gave them the eyes and instead whipped the ball around the wall towards the centre of the goal where Liam Ridgewell stole across the defenders to glance a header past the hapless keeper to the exultation and relief of the St Andrews crowd. The lead was thoroughly deserved and could have been more but for a very smart save by Gordon from Jerome’s fierce shot from eight yards or so. It is interesting that on MotD Mark Lawrenson churlishly pointed out that Ridgewell may have been offside at the point of Larsson’s impact from the free kick. If he was there was no ‘day light’ and I cannot see how any linesman (I still call ‘em that!) can possibly give it as Ridgewell is virtually level and the official has to judge from when the ball is kicked so by the time he turns his head towards the defenders and where Ridgewell is the ball is already well on its way into the back of the net. Lawro has already got us on his betting slip for relegation from the start of the season so he’s going to get picky like this all year I suspect. At least he will have got his usual Liverpool 2 whoever they are playing 0 correct this weekend. My wife could predict better that Lawrenson and she knows sod all about football.
The second half started with a flourish with a second goal for Blues taken in a calm composed manner by James McFadden who was looking back to his best for the first time in a while. A lovely pass from Seb Larsson was controlled in the box by McFadden who turned inside wrong footing Bardsley in the process. McFadden took his time, looked up, picked his spot and passed the ball into the far corner past Gordon and the centre-half vainly attempting to block on the line. Two goals in a game! What is this; the stuff of dreams! To be honest it could have been more, so much was the control Blues had over this game. However, this is Birmingham City we’re talking about and following what looked like a desperate triple substitution by Steve Bruce on 78 minutes Blues contrived to give Sunderland a lifeline three minutes later. I am beginning to have serious concerns about Joe Hart. After the Burnley debacle I had hoped he would keep a clean sheet against this team who had done nothing to threaten us all game and whose much lauded front pairing had been largely anonymous. Instead he chooses to come for a ball that he had no business going for and with his Superman impression gets nowhere near it as Turner gets there in front of him to divert his header past our super hero. I think the ball was just going wide but Scott Dann is not to know that and made a valiant attempt to clear but instead diverted the high ball into the roof of the net. This turned a very comfortable 2 – 0 score line into a very precarious and fragile 2 – 1. Sunderland had two good chances to equalise in the final minutes including a Bent volley that flashed across goal in the final seconds to peel the paint off the far post. It should not have been this way. McSheffrey who had come on as substitute could have made it 3 – 1 near the end but for another excellent save by Gordon with a couple of minutes to go. If Joe Hart wants to be England’s number one keeper he must cut out these types of error. The goal conceded at the newly named Gil Merrick stand was a shambles. The great England goalkeepers like Gil, Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton, David Seaman all made occasional rickets but they kept them to a bare minimum say one or two a year not every five or six games. Decision making is as important, if not more so, than shot stopping. This fault has stopped me adding David James to the illustrious list although he has improved as he has got older but still has the occasional rush of blood. Hart is not alone in making costly errors; one only has to look at Robert Green and Arsenal’s Mannone over the weekend. Our problem is Blues can afford such gaffs a darn sight less.
Overall this was an excellent performance by Blues; the defence was solid and played well. My man of the match was Seb Larsson who set up both goals although it was given to Chucho on the day. The little Ecuadorian was terrific and full of pace and movement giving the Maccams’ defence problems all afternoon. Jerome worked willingly alongside him as did the lads in midfield behind them. James McFadden had an excellent game solidly supported by Bowyer and Ferguson. Getting back to MotD, Old Jug Ears, Lawro and Alan Hansen kept making the point that Sunderland would have climbed to fourth in the table had they won. They made this point not once but twice. They also kept on about how poor the Maccams were; not a single word about how well Blues played and just perhaps Sunderland’s lacklustre performance may have been because Birmingham did not allow them to strut their funky stuff? Steve Bruce did have the good grace to admit that his team didn’t deserve anything from the game and had they have snatched a point near the end it would have been harsh on Blues. This was a measured and fair assessment of what took place. Make no mistake, Blues beat a good side and beat them well and they deserve all due credit for their performance. We can be a little more optimistic for another week at least. Manchester City up next – no problems there then (gulp!)
KRO SOTV
Birmingham City vs Sunderland – Match Preview
Team News
Gregory Vignal, Franck Queudrue and Stuart Parnaby could all be back for Blues although only one would be required to slot into left back. This could mean that Liam Ridgewell returns to central defence probably at the expense of Scott Dann. Keith Fahey is likely to be out again and on-loan Teemu Tainio is ineligible to play against his parent club. Christian Benitez should start after being given a bit of a talking to concerning his late return from international duty.
Sunderland will be without Lee Cattermole, who is out for at least 12 weeks after suffering medial ligament damage against Liverpool. Kenwyne Jones was also stretchered off in that game but is expected to be available. Last week’s match winner Beach Ball (On loan from Liverpool) is unlikely to feature.
Our last meeting in January 2008 ended in a 2-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light. Earlier that season the two sides drew 2-2 at St Andrews. Garry O’Connor’s first goal for the club put us 2-1 up before former Blues favourite Stern John scored a last minute equaliser. I still think there was a foul on the keeper in the build up to that goal.
7th placed Sunderland are unbeaten in four games in all competitions which includes a 2-0 defeat of Blues in the Carling Cup. They have had only one away win in the league this season which came on opening day at Bolton. They have scored only four away goals.
Blues sit 17th just outside the bottom three on goal difference. They have lost the last three and have scored only 2 goals at home all season.
This is a game of firsts. It will be the first home game under the new owners and the first time that Steve Bruce visits St Andrews as an opposing manager. Of the two the return of Brucie holds the greater significance for me. For the first three years of his managership he gave us some of the best memories of recent times. In the latter years his transfer policy was questionable to say the least and led to a slow decline and many fans calling for his head. By the time he went it was probably for the best although the manner of his departure was disappointing. I for one will clap him if the opportunity presents itself. I wonder if we can get him to give us a wave?
As for the game this is one where we need to be looking to get something out of. Sunderland will be tough opponents but on the back of three straight losses and with Man City and Liverpool to come even a point will be welcome. As Hull are playing Portsmouth a defeat could plunge us into the bottom three and it might take a while to get back out again. For me the key is to be positive. Sunderland have a very potent strike force and Darren Bent is on fire at the moment but their defence has been far from sound. They will also be missing their key defensive midfielder Lee Cattermole. Of course for us to exploit this defensive weakness we have to attack which surely must mean 4-4-2 from the start. Especially now our strikers are fit. For me it’s a lack of belief that has led to our negative displays at home and if we can get this back then we can definitely get something out of this game. Even though we can’t spend it until January the proposed cash injection should help raise spirits. As fans we can also help with this.
My prediction 1-1.
Enjoy the game but if you’re going please leave your inflatables at home!
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