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