He’s back!

Once again we read of Bazza the Bluenose’s match day experiences.

My eldest son and I met up with designated driver Will in Guildford for the journey north. The first home game as always was eagerly anticipated and we were all excited at the prospect of seeing our new signings, Ben Foster, Nikola Zigic, Matt Derbyshire and Enric Valles play at least some part in the game. It did not take long for the banter to start and Will was convinced that the sensible line up of Foster in goal, Carr, Ridgewell, Dann and Johnson across the back, Larsson, Gardner, Ferguson and McFadden in midfield with Zigic partnered by Jerome up front would actually not happen and that Zigic would be playing full back with Maik Taylor on the wing and Fahey and Larsson in the centre of defence; as I’ve alluded to before in previous articles, Will has little regard for Alex McLeish’s tactical abilities and a high appreciation for irony and the absurd!

He didn’t mean it, of course; that the team selection would be such extreme nonsense but he does make a solid point that the line up like that last week can be dull, predictable and lacking in imagination and threat. I was confident however that playing at home the Gaffer would choose an attacking line up with our new signing Derbyshire coming on later from the bench.

We made good time and avoiding slow traffic on the Coventry Road came in through King’s Heath taking the opportunity to turn right on the Alcester Road into the Pavilion pub. After a fortifying pint and a bit of a laugh at the Coventry – Derby game on the telly we made our way to the ground. Will went off to the Olympic Gallery and Jonny and I went towards the Kop. A pie and a pint and it was time for the game. I am bound to say that the catering has improved since the club took it back under control, the pies were piping hot and the beer didn’t taste of cleaning fluid or like they hadn’t been cleaned at all; well done to the club!

The line up was as I had predicted and as I keep telling everybody who cares to listen; I am never wrong with a prediction except Birmingham City’s score lines and lottery ticket numbers! After a bright start by Blues, the first half was pretty dire to be honest with neither side offering much in the way of attacking threat or entertainment. We kept giving the ball away and lacked cohesion and on balance the visitors had the better of it with more controlled possession without really threatening. It took 28 minutes before the first and only worthwhile chance was fashioned from a corner when Scott Dann’s fierce goal bound header was well saved by Robinson in the Blackburn goal. There was another chance that interestingly fell to Blues despite Blackburn’s dominance in the opening 45 minutes when Sebastian Larsson saw his shot deflected behind for a corner.

The second half was better with Blackburn quicker out of the traps. However, it needed good defending from Michel Salgado to prevent Zigic claiming his first Birmingham goal in the opening moments of the second half after Gardner somehow dug out a cross to the back post. However, Morten Gamst Pedersen was given a golden chance to open the scoring in the 50th minute when the big Serb fouled Christopher Samba in the box. A blatant shirt pull and push on the centre-half by the only player realistically big enough to mark him but it was right in front of the young referee, Michael Oliver who correctly pointed to the spot. The shot was struck hard and true to the keeper’s left but Foster pulled off a superb save to palm the ball onto the bar to lift the St Andrews’ faithful.

The penalty had resulted from a corner and there was to follow a succession of them which Birmingham were struggling to keep out mainly because of the quality of deliveries right under Foster’s crossbar. Blues failed to heed the lesson and four minutes later the visitors were ahead as Steven Nzonzi headed in at the near post for a deserved lead. Blues’ response was swift as within a couple of minutes Gardner restored parity. A poor corner by Larsson was cleared to Carr near the half way line. His chipped pass was met on the volley by James McFadden; the pass finding Gardner for an easy tap in from six yards.

There were now chances coming thick and fast, although mostly at the Tilton Road End where Birmingham’s beleaguered defenders were massed. Foster pulled off another good save to keep out Kalinic’s low shot, and the striker found himself in acres of space from Pedersen’s free-kick but headed against the post; a very lucky let off! Kalinic impressed me playing as a lone striker. He gave our defenders a torrid time his pace and movement adding another dimension to Blackburn’s superior aerial threat.

With 24 minutes to go, Matt Derbyshire made his bow in a Birmingham shirt replacing the disappointing Zigic who in fairness had spent the whole afternoon battling the massive unit that is Christopher Samba and it was a battle I’m afraid the Blackburn colossus won with plenty to spare. There are better days ahead for Zigic I feel as he won’t be up against players as big, strong and powerful as Samba every week.

Birmingham appeared to have weathered the Blackburn storm and in the 71st minute they took the lead when Gardner let fly from 30 yards and found the bottom corner. It was a well-struck effort that bounced in front of Robinson, the keeper would still have been disappointed to be beaten from such a long way out and by his defenders’ failure to close the midfielder down to get the shot off in the first place; a cracking strike nevertheless and worthy of winning any game at any level. The remaining twenty minutes of so seemed to go on forever as the affronted visitors bombarded the Birmingham goal with cross after cross and set piece after set piece which somehow our battered defenders kept out.

This allowed the possibility of breakaways and from one of these Derbyshire bore down on Paul Robinson’s goal and elected to shoot just as Salgado desperately lunged across in front of him to block the shot; a touch inside would have left the defender on his backside and an easier attempt on goal assured. 3-1 to Blues would have been very harsh on the visiting side.

As the match went into added time, substitute Keith Fahey drew a decent save from Robinson with a sweet volley while Birmingham’s only real moment of alarm came when Cameron Jerome headed just over his own bar from yet another corner. Finally after just past the 94th minute Mr Oliver blew his whistle and the points were ours. On balance I felt we were fortunate to win but it speaks volumes for Blues’ resilience that they held on against a side that physically dominated the game. If I were a Blackburn fan I would be feeing somewhat aggrieved that my team had come away with nothing from this match. They are a tough, no nonsense, powerful team which with more firepower could do very well this season. They will trouble better teams than us and I suspect beat most teams who aren’t. They are a typical Sam Alardyce team, heavily reliant on set pieces from which the majority of their goals will come but with the delivery qualities of Pedersen and Diouf they are very good at what they do. Robinson, Salgado and Kalinic stood out for me but their best performer by far was Samba who kept Zigic under control and nullified his threat. The referee had a good game on his Premier League debut, a marked contrast to his performance in his last St Andrews match against Plymouth two years ago that was truly dreadful. At twenty-five the youngest Premier League Referee ever – well done my son! (I am old enough to be his father).

Pleased with the result, however fortuitous, we stopped at the Punjab Paradise Indian Restaurant for a ‘Special with a kick’ and what a kick! I love really spicy food and did the meal justice but for the first time in my memory Will was beaten a mouthful or two from the end. That evening my smugness came back to haunt me as whilst contentedly watching MotD my belly was like a big bass drum and this had undesirable side effects which Mrs Bazza is finding hard to forgive this morning. She still can’t enter her living room safely to open the windows. ;-D As that little ginger nut on the telly advert says; “Ah that start of the season feeling!”

I hope all Joys and Sorrows’ readers have an enjoyable one in the months to come.

Bazza