VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – BIRMINGHAM CITY v WIGAN ATHLETIC
Bazza’s latest match report.
——————————————————————————
Will and I were joined for this one by my eldest son, home from University for a few days. We had a pretty clear journey punctuated by the occasional manic exhortation of “TWO!” referring to magpies that I saw on the roadside and in trees. I am ridiculously superstitious when it comes to those bloody birds which have now become so commonplace that you cannot help but see one especially on a Saturday morning. One for sorrow, two for joy and I kept seeing them in pairs all the way up to the Midlands although Will did point out on one of the occasions that a third one was present; three for a girl and as his wife is expecting that may be an omen.
We called in as usual at Will’s brother, Chris’ pub, The Oak at Baginton for a pint before going on to the game. It turns out, whilst touching on the subject of fertility; spring being just round the corner and all that, that Chris’ Border Collie, Jasper (named after Jasper Carrott; he has another Beau named after another well known dog) has been doing what comes naturally and much excitement was in the air as the possibility of a litter from another pedigree Border bitch was in the offing.
Jasper is apparently descended from a winner of Crufts a few generations back so his seed is much sought after! Gail, Chris’ wife assured me that she had personally witnessed the deed being done and I was anxious to establish that the full mating ritual had taken place. For those of you that don’t know when the dog initially mounts that is really only foreplay and he has to turn away from the bitch so that the two animals are facing away from each other. Gail said that this indeed had occurred and the dogs were locked together for at least ten minutes; beats thirty seconds I suppose. 
Anyway, Gail was off to the vets with the other owner for a doggie scan to confirm or refute the presence of the forthcoming patter of tiny paws.
On to less exciting things such as the game; we arrived near the ground and whilst walking up Arthur Street, Will told me I had to go back as I had trod on three pavement covers in a row and that was unlucky and I had to do it again. You see readers with me it’s magpies, with Will it’s paving slabs or covers. So back I went, trod on two and avoided the last. The relief on Will’s face was that of the dying man in the films when the victim is released into paradise to meet his maker. I couldn’t in all conscience let Will be tortured for the whole match worrying that we were going to lose because I’d stepped on three paving covers now could I?
OK that’s enough preambles what about the game? Well on the way home…………….. No seriously, the reason I’m telling you all this was that the game was non-descript to say the least. Some said it was absolutely abysmal but I don’t subscribe to that view; I thought it was simply dreadful! To be honest it was a game of two halves with Blues easily the better side in the first. Actually they played some pretty decent stuff in the first period and should have been comfortably ahead at the break. Scott Dann crashed a header against the bar from an excellent inswinging free kick from Larsson and missed the target with two other headers that he really should have done better with. Ridgewell, who had one of his best games this season, supplied Jerome with a glorious opportunity having got in behind the Wigan defence but the striker tried to take a touch and we all know how that was going to end; a first time side foot would surely have been the better option but the chance was gone.
Chris Kirkland made a brilliant point-blank save from McFadden from another Ridgewell delivery and it looked as if Wigan were going to hold out until half time. With seconds of the half remaining a cross from Fahey was only cleared back to him in the corner of the box. Mario Melchiot stabbed out a foot at the ball which was no longer there as it had been toe poked away by the midfielder who promptly hit the deck. I have to say that the excellent referee, Anthony Taylor gave the penalty immediately and it looked a sound decision from where I was. However, the replay on MotD showed virtually no contact and if there was, there certainly wasn’t enough to ground the player. I cannot condone this and for any Latics fans reading this; this is not that way I want my team to win football matches but sadly your team have been harshly done to on this occasion. Mind you, it was not as bad as ‘le plongeur extraordinaire,’ David Ngog at Liverpool who did a double pike twisting somersault with tuck to win his spot kick. McFadden dispatched the kick into the bottom corner sending Kirkland the wrong way. The lead was deserved most definitely however, the manner of it was not.
The second half was truly dire as Blues went off the boil and allowed Wigan the majority of the play although most of the time they played in front of our customarily well marshalled defence. Hugo Rodallega provided the only scares to be thwarted by a great save from Hart midway through the half and near the end shot two inches wide of the post with Hart beaten when well set up by Victor Moses. Stephen Carr tweaked a hamstring late on and had to be replaced by Gardner at full back instead of coming on for the disappointing Larsson. Kevin Phillips came on for McFadden and missed Blues best and only chance of the second half in the final seconds when having nicked the ball out wide and cut in past two desperately retreating defenders took the shot on when a square ball would surely have sealed the argument once and for all. The only other action of note was a scything tackle by Ridgewell on McCarthy which took out the Wigan player, the corner flag and the assistant referee who was lucky not to be blinded by the flag pole which pierced his forehead. The challenge looked far worse than it actually was and I’m glad to say that the referee who was excellent all afternoon did not overreact. Steve Bennett, the fourth official on this occasion ran the line for the final few minutes.
This was not a game for the connoisseurs of the beautiful game but it moves Blues onto the magical 40 points; a fantastic achievement with the squad we have. Well done to the players and Big Eck and his management and coaching staff. They have a real chance to achieve their best finish in the top flight since 1956. As for Wigan, I am afraid to say they are the poorest team I have seen at St Andrews this season but that is not to say they are necessarily that bad. They have a real struggle on their hands but I suspect that there are another two teams in this league worse that Wigan who along with Portsmouth will be playing their football in the Championship in August. Wigan should have enough firepower with Rodallega, Scotland and Moses at the DW to ensure their safety.
Back at The Oak, I understand that the scan was inconclusive and another examination is therefore required. It seems we don’t have to call Jasper, ‘Jaffa’ just yet! 
KRO SOTV
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – DERBY COUNTY vs BIRMINGHAM CITY
Like many supporters of the Royal Blue the expectations of a positive result from this encounter were high in my mind but that did not hide the nagging doubts that any away tie in the FA Cup brings regardless of the opposition. We had of course negotiated tricky ties against Forest following a replay and the Daddy of them all Everton whom I have to say I did not expect to get past at Goodison. After all that we couldn’t fail at Pride Park could we?
The 147 miles from home to a potholed muddy car park near the ground went without hitch. I travelled up alone for this one since Will had failed to get his act in gear in time to get a ticket before they were sold out. I rang him having just enjoyed a truly delicious hot roast pork bap with sage and onion stuffing; yes proper meat! I had a pint in my hand and was among the faithful throng and said to Will that I could not believe that he was not with us instead of being at home romancing his wife. “She wo’ appreciate it Will” I said “Sod off Baz” came the rather disgruntled reply. I promised to keep him posted although he was going to be sitting by the radio all afternoon; logic eh? He may as well as come to the game if he was going to ignore his missus anyway!
Blues were back to the eleven that have served us so well over the last four or so months and for the first twenty–five minutes appeared to control the game well although there were no clear chances for either side. The poor weather had clearly taken its toll on the Derby pitch and the surface was in poorer condition than the one we have got used to at St Andrews. This made it difficult for the Blues to get their passing game together and may explain the greater use of the longer ball into channels and onto the pacy Jerome. Derby did play a high line encouraging this ploy presumably to squeeze the midfield and stifle Bowyer and Fergusson. These tactics started to pay off in the last 15 minutes of the half when Blues got sloppy and began to give the ball away cheaply. Derby were working very hard and gave us all a reminder of what it is like to play Championship football week in week out with an industrious, in your face, attritional performance which began to pay off with threatening crosses into the Birmingham box. The game plan appeared simple to get it wide, get it in and fight for the scraps.
It took half an hour for the first chance on goal when Bowyer getting his head down and going for goal from well outside the area. The shot lacked the power to trouble Bywater but the keeper needed to be mindful of the bumpy pitch which could have taken the shot in. This effort seemed to act as a catalyst for further chances as they came and went in a flurry. Christian Benitez connected with a weak header that was gathered easily and by far the best chance of the half fell to Jerome when his strike partner put him clean through for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. His side-footed effort was well saved round the post for a corner but Jerome should have scored. This was for me a defining moment in the game because I believe that if this goes in Blues go on to win this match comfortably instead of the heart stopping event it became.
Derby buoyed by their fortunate escape grew in confidence aided by sloppy play from Blues to create one or two chances of their own just before the break. Stephen Pearson drilled a fierce shot into the chest of Hart standing at his near upright in the first half after a neat exchange of passes with Michael Tonge and then Shaun Barker was denied by an exceptional point blank save from the keeper that was cleared finally by Dann. Blues were lucky to get away with this and shouts of ‘wake up’ could be heard among the large contingent of away fans.
Like many, I had hoped that McCleish would get Blues refocused following what had been a careless, complacent and sloppy 15 minutes that a better team than Derby would undoubtedly have exploited. Unfortunately, the stuporous torpor continued and Blues allowed Derby too much play. Derby are what they are; a below average Championship side but they were working their socks off and were first to every ball at this stage and deservedly took the lead on 55 minutes. From a remarkably similar position to Bowyer in the first half, McEveley hit a highly speculative shot from over thirty yards across Hart who appeared to have it covered. He seemed to go down too early so when the ball kicked up wickedly off the pitch (I’ve seen ploughed fields flatter that this) over him into the roof of the net. Alex McCleish said in one of his interviews after the game that it looked like we were going out of the Cup and for the 18 minutes that followed the goal so did I. Derby’s tails were up now and they continued to harass our midfield. Changes were needed and they duly came on 65 minutes when the disappointing Benitez was replaced by Kevin Phillips and Fahey came on for the ineffective Larsson who had not had one of his better games. This seemed to wake Blues up and Derby started to defend deeper. However, we were not really threatening Derby’s rugged defence but corners and free kicks were stating to happen more. On 73 minutes there was salvation. McFadden’s in-swinging corner was won by Scott Dann whose powerful downward header squeezed in at the foot of the post despite the presence of a defender on the line. The 5,500 Blues fans erupted the previously taunting home fans silenced. The game was opening up now and both sides went full bloodedly for the win. Derby were now under the greater pressure as fatigue began to get the better of their valiant midfield still led by the classy Robbie Savage who, whatever we all may think of him, is a cut above anything else Derby currently have in their side.
Big Eck made the last of his substitutions on 82 minutes when McFadden got the hook for the oncoming Craig Gardner. This was to prove decisive. In time added on, a free kick given away by a tiring Derby defender was lined up by Gardner. He fired it in but I’m unconvinced he caught it as cleanly as he would have liked. The ball nevertheless came fast at Phillips standing round the penalty spot. The little fox in the box controlled it swivelled and sent a shot off in the direction of the goal in one flowing, instinctive movement only for the ball to thump against the foot of the post. What happened next seemed to occur in slow motion. The ball ricocheted across the goal spinning as it did so but agonisingly slowly. Unhindered the ball would undoubtedly have crossed the line to complete a truly brilliant strike but with two defenders nearby it would probably have been cleared. Liam Ridgewell who seems to be making a habit of being on the far post when needed lunged at the ball and from two inches crashed the ball into the net for the winner. The roar from the Blues fans was tangible and the fat bloke next to me hugged me like a long lost cousin; a dramatic end to a full blooded, no quarter given cup tie. There was still time for Joe Hart to redeem himself from his misjudgement earlier. Robbie Savage, of all people, cracked a wonderful thirty yards volley which dipped viciously and was destined for the top corner before Hart dived acrobatically to get both hand to the ball to send it over the bar to safety. It only remained for Phillips, Jerome and Gardner between them to play keep ball in the corner for the win. Another tricky tie negotiated for Blues. Derby will feel they deserved a replay and I have much sympathy with that view. They will claim that they had periods in the game when they were the better side but this is illusory. Savage, Tongue and Commons were excellent for Derby with our old player being the pick. However, despite their hard work and laudable unsettling of their Premiership opponents, they were never really good enough to hold on once they had got ahead. They were undone by the fact that they failed to defend two set pieces properly and that will cost you whatever level you are playing at.
Derby: Bywater 7; Hunt 7, Barker 7, Buxton 7, McEveley 8; Tonge 8, Green 6, Savage 9, Pearson 7; Hulse 6, Commons 8
Birmingham: Hart 6; Carr 7, Johnson 7, Dann 9, Ridgewell 8; Larsson 6 (Fahey 64 7), Ferguson 8, Bowyer 7, McFadden 6 (Gardner 82 6); Jerome 6, Benítez 6 (Phillips 65 
Referee: Martin Atkinson 7
Attendance: 21,843 (amazed that for a local derby with a quarter-final place at stake that Pride Park wasn’t packed. We did our bit though! )
Man of the Match: Robbie Savage worked tirelessly all afternoon and is still a stand out player despite the ravages of time. I enjoyed the incident when he inadvertently kicked the ball into the nether regions of the assistant referee in the first half. He behaved impeccably despite enormous provocation from the Blue Army and he only reacted once when he gestured towards us by rubbing his fingers together in response to “there’s only one greedy bastard!”
KRO SOTV
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – BIRMINGHAM CITY vs WOLVES
Filed under: Blues News, Match reports, Matches, Reports By Bazza
Here is Bazza’s report on our dramatic win yesterday.
————————————————————-
This turned out to be a very sport filled weekend for me; much more than usual that is. I didn’t go to St Andrews much as I wished to, as I valued both my life and everything that I hold dear in the manhood department! I had on Saturday been invited to the England-Wales game at Twickenham with a prolonged and copiously liquid lunch beforehand by a mate of mine who happens to be a Viler! Despite that, Jeremy is a top bloke and I am very grateful to him that he was able to see past my lifelong affliction of being a Blues supporter. I’m delighted to say that England defeated Wales in their encounter in the Six Nations opener and I returned home happy not just because of the alcohol that I had consumed.
Mrs Bazza has become wise to Blues games being on the telly and had pointed this fact out to me in midweek. Her piercing stare told me that me saying that it wasn’t my intention to be away most of Sunday in Birmingham was probably a good and wholly safe answer! In all seriousness, I needed to spend some time at home and I was feeling a little tired and emotional on Sunday morning. I took the dog out for her walk to clear the head and settled down to watch the game.
Blues had the luxury of naming an unchanged line up for the 12th successive Premier League game, but recalled Phillips to the bench following his groin injury.
Blues started brightly and Ronald Zubar’s timely tackle prevented Lee Bowyer from opening the scoring after a couple of minutes before James McFadden’s drive was headed behind. Blues forced a series of corners in the first twenty minutes and Wolves looked in trouble with each delivery into the box. Cameron Jerome’s goal bound header was fortuitously headed clear by Michael Mancienne standing right in the centre of the goal where a defender would probably not have been expected where the keeper would normally be. Wolves rode their luck as they tried to ride out the pressure. Sebastian Larsson hit a rasping volley two yards over after 14 minutes before Hahnemann managed to smother at Jerome’s feet after Benitez’s knockdown.
Wolves began to settle after being under the cosh for the opening quarter of the game and Dave Jones registered their first effort, when his free-kick dipped over goalkeeper Joe Hart’s bar with 23 minutes gone. Doyle was then brought down just outside the area by Hart, who was cautioned, but Jarvis’ free-kick was easily cleared.
Wolves were showing confidence as they got into the game and Zubar should have put them ahead on the half-hour mark from Matt Jarvis’ corner but the defender planted his header wide with the goal gaping. Blues fashioned further good chances as Jerome fired at Hahnemann from an acute angle when he would undoubtedly have preferred to roll the ball square to Lee Bowyer coming in at pace. However, the midfielder wasn’t there having been deliberately tripped by Mancienne who should have been given a yellow card. This was one of the many decisions that Mr Probert and his assistants failed to spot. Scott Dann volleyed inches wide and it was inevitable that the missed chances by Blues would come back to haunt them.
Wolves took the lead three minutes before the break when Jarvis’ cross was deflected against the foot of the near post by Roger Johnson. Doyle was on hand to tap in the rebound from three yards for his sixth goal of the season. The score was against the run of play but Blues had paid for their continued inability to take the chances they keep creating in games. Blues should have had a penalty when Zubar shoved Liam Ridgewell in the back in first-half injury time.
Graham Souness at half time said that the reason the penalty wasn’t given was because the referee bottled it. He was right but I would just put it down to the general ineptitude of the officials who had given goal kicks instead of corners, corners instead of goal kicks, throw-ins the wrong way on too many occasions for so-called top flight professional referees.
Wolves started the second period the brighter buoyed by their score just before the break. It was a far more even contest but Wolves had the edge at this stage now they had a lead to defend. Benitez limped off after a tackle by Hahnemann to be replaced by Phillips as Blues struggled to break Wolves down, but they began to see more of the ball as Wolves began to defend deep. Nevertheless, Foley tested Hart from 18 yards before Adlene Guedioura unleashed a fierce 25-yard effort, which flew inches over with 13 minutes remaining.
It was difficult to see where a goal was coming from with only ten minutes to go when Barry Ferguson tossed a ball to the far post, which Craig Gardner who had come on for the jaded looking Larsson headed down for Phillips to tuck in at the near post. St Andrews and my living room were in raptures as the momentum swung in Blues favour.
One sensed that Blues could go on and win the game now and so it was to prove as Super Kev grabbed the winner five minutes from time when Stephen Carr was allowed to run from deep to tee up Phillips, who found the corner with a neat volley following an exquisite touch off his chest with six defenders around him. This was a truly class finish from the little maestro and Chucho would do well to learn from him as this was a salient lesson in how it should be done.
Blues were not at their best for this one but still showed enough resilience to pull off the win. Wolves did look the better side for twenty minutes or so of the second half but then wilted. Blues despite being under par deserved their victory.
Kevin Phillips stole the man of the match accolade in only half an hour and must be a candidate to start next week. Fergusson was once again the pick of the midfield. The defence was solid and a little unfortunate in the manner of conceding the goal.
As for Wolves, Doyle was by far their best player and troubled Johnson all afternoon. Jarvis was quick and presented a threat on the left and his cross for the goal was excellent which led to the telling deflection. Zubar had a good match going forward and was their most effective defender although he was fortunate not to concede a penalty when he blatantly pushed Ridgewell in the back.
Ward was truly awful and I can see why the Wolves fans think he is Mick McCarthy’s love child. He was arguably at fault for both our goals. Mancienne, I don’t rate and never have. He has played over one hundred games at senior level for QPR and Wolves on loan from Chelsea. He is supposedly a central defender who has latterly been used as a defensive midfielder. I have watched him in both positions and frankly he isn’t good enough at this level which is why I doubt we will see him breaking into the Chelsea side any time soon.
Apart from Doyle, Jarvis and Stearman when fit, Wolves have too many Championship players and that is why they are struggling for survival. I nevertheless hope that they do for the sake of Midlands’ football.
Blues: Hart 7 Carr 7 Johnson. R 6 Dann 7 Ridgewell 7 Larsson 5 Bowyer 6 Ferguson 8 McFadden 6 Benitez 5 Jerome 6
Subs: Fahey 7 Gardener 7 Phillips 9
Wolves: Hahnemann 5 Zubar 7 Craddock 6 Berra 5 Ward 4 Mancienne 4 Foley 6 Henry 6 Jones 5 Jarvis 7 Doyle 8
Subs: Guedioura 7 Surman n/a Ebanks-Blake n/a
Referee: Lee Probert 5
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – BIRMINGHAM CITY vs MANCHESTER UNITED
The latest report from Bazza.
______________________________________________________________________________
The weather outside is frightful, the result of this delightful! Living as I do on the Surrey Hampshire border the snowfall this week has been very heavy and it is only the last day or so I have been able to get the car out at all. The neighbours in my road diligently cleared the road ourselves as there is no chance of the council coming to do it despite our high Council Tax burden. More snow was forecast and with the temperature at St Andrews -3 degrees Celsius and dropping to -8 by the end of the game I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and stayed at home in the warm to watch the game on the telly.
This was a truly fantastic result which in the end could have been a famous win. It was not looking that way in the early stages where United dominated the first half with the lion’s share of the possession making the Blues players chase shadows for the most part. When they did get it Manchester United pressed hard to retrieve it, a feature of their play that is often overlooked because of their overwhelming talents in other areas. Nevertheless, Birmingham’s willingness to throw their bodies in the way of shots and get their heads on crosses meant that despite all their dominance, United created only one moment of real danger in the first period. A misdirected header by Ridgewell was seized upon by Valencia whose exquisite cross found Rooney in the clear with only Joe Hart to beat. Rooney’s first touch was sublime his second saved by the keeper who spread himself to block the shot with his legs. This was a lucky escape and had we fallen behind at this juncture half way through the half the result would undoubtedly have meant end of unbeaten run. Blues hardly got out of their half until they won their first corner on 38 minutes, the result of a blocking of Jerome’s goal bound shot. The corner was incompletely cleared and headed back towards the goal by Bowyer. The ball ricocheted off the legs of Jonny Evans to Jerome who could hardly miss a gaping target from three yards. Against the run of play Blues were ahead and it was bedlam in our household as I and my two sons celebrated like headless chickens.
The second half was a more even contest with Blues more on the pace. Despite this a spell of pressure around the hour mark resulted in the resolute Blues backline finally cracking. There was a huge element of good fortune about the equaliser although no one could deny that United deserved their goal. Another blocked shot ricocheted to Evra on the left corner of the box. His fierce shot was sadly diverted into his own net by the luckless Scott Dann. There was a flag for offside against Rooney but subsequent pictures show Ridgewell was playing him onside anyway. Mark Clattenburg rightly awarded the goal having consulted his assistant. United didn’t really threaten us after this which surprised me as I was waiting for them to up the tempo and take the points with another goal or two. Remarkably it was Tomas Kuszczak in the United goal who had the most work to do making good saves from Benitez twice and Roger Johnson late on. Unfortunately the shots were all straight at him. A glorious opportunity was wasted by Jerome when we found ourselves three on two. The simple ball inside to Benitez or the straightforward cross shot were spurned and instead he over hit the dinked cross to Bowyer coming in at the far post and the chance was gone.
Six minutes from time Fletcher was dismissed for a cynical tackle on Jerome which prevented the striker engaging in a footrace with Evans as United pressed high up the pitch. He merely hung a leg out as the Blues centre-forward went by; it was deliberate, unsubtle and prevented a counter attack with United out of position. Despite Sir Alex’s whining afterwards the decision by Mr Clattenburg was correct and Fletcher can count himself fortunate that he wasn’t dismissed an hour earlier following a barrage of verbal abuse after he had already been booked for the foul on Bowyer. He was given a talking to instead despite that fact that Larsson was booked for speaking to the assistant regarding the United goal; no friendly chat there then! The young full back Raphael should have gone in the book as early as the third minute for clattering into the back of McFadden and was again warned for persistent fouling after about twenty-five minutes but it was deep into the second half before he was eventually cautioned for an identical infringement to the one ignored after three minutes! Sir Alex as usual, protests too much especially when things don’t go his way. However, even the red-nosed one had to admit that it was a good point for his team and the result was fair as indeed it was. I was watching the match in HD with the advantages that this brings to the enjoyment of the action; the down side is that you get detailed close up shots of the contents of the United manager’s mouth as he furiously chews his gum and the distraction of a forest of hairs festooning from each nostril – A little personal grooming would not go amiss Sir Alex; curbing the filthy habit of a lifetime of chewing gum with mouth wide open is probably asking too much.
The run continues and now represents a club record in the top flight of 12 league games unbeaten. This in itself is a magnificent achievement for which Alex Mcleish, his team and his players deserve their accolades. They are drawing and winning games they would have lost or drawn respectively two years ago and that is the difference between then and now. More of the same next week please – Bravo Brum!
KRO SOTV
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – BIRMINGHAM vs CHELSEA
Filed under: Blues News, Match reports, Matches, Reports By Bazza
Here is Bazza’s match report.
—————————————————————————-
I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and didn’t overindulge to the point that you missed this match as I nearly did although not on the grounds of ill health. The family had spent the festivities in darkest Essex at the home of my wife’s sister whom I have to say, in total contrast to my beloved, loves football and has a depth of understanding as demonstrated by the fact that she is actually a qualified referee! She supports Ipswich Town (I suppose someone has to) and my brother-in-law barracks for Crystal Palace and I often sympathise with him about this fact.
On Boxing Day morning having dragged my two lads kicking and screaming into the pre-noon part of the day (a serious diversion for them) we set off towards home intending to call in very briefly at my father-in-law’s place near Sevenoaks in order to take him in a Christmas lunch which was plated up and would slip into the microwave. Things did not go to plan and despite all good intentions, we got caught in traffic on the A12 because of a metallic disagreement between three cars which of course everybody, us included, had to slow right down and have a good gawk at! The M25 was full of cars off to the sales near Dartford and I forlornly watched the time tick rapidly towards kick off time. The final straw was being told on the radio that there was a tail back of several miles from intersection 4 to 8 making any prospect of getting home and seeing any of the game, out of the question.
Ordinarily I would have gone to the match but logistically it was going to be impossible but I felt cheated nevertheless and my mood darkened by the minute. “Never mind, you can watch what happens on MotD tonight” said Mrs Bazza. (Forgive her, she doesn’t understand!) “Can we not watch it at Granddad’s?” said my eldest lad. “He doesn’t have ESPN” I replied gloomily but I thought I would try and see if I could get a single game subscription or find a pub. We arrived at my father-in-law’s place five minutes before kick off. He greeted us with a smile and said “Hurry up boys, the game is about to start!” He explained that there had been a special offer of two months subscription for half price and so he had taken it; there is a God!
I suspect all of you bothering to read this drivel will have seen the game so I won’t bore you further with a detailed description but like many if someone had offered me a draw prior to the game I would have taken it without hesitation. Yes, Benitez’s goal should have stood, no we can have no complaints as it was a very tight call and we got away with a far more clear cut decision at Everton last week, yes we rode our luck and yes Joe Hart had the game of his life but make no mistake whether you are a partisan, neutral or Chelsea fan, Birmingham thoroughly deserved their point for their endeavour and spirit alone. Man of the match, goalkeeper, Joe Hart was awesome between the sticks and will have done his Wold Cup aspirations no harm with this performance. His save from Sturridge was nothing short of fantastic without getting carried away with hyperbole. Once again Scott Dann and Roger Johnson aided by Stephen Carr and Ridgewell on the flanks kept the megastars of Chelsea largely quiet and the biggest threat came from Alex whose aerial power caused Blues problems from set pieces all afternoon. His thirty yard drive from a free kick crashed against the crossbar in the first half and was the closest the London club came to scoring although they did have several clear chances to win the game which they spurned. Blues could have nicked this game as well but it would have been highway robbery had they done so. Seb Larsson whipped a brilliant free kick over the wall into the postage stamp only for Cech, who had his moments too, to save brilliantly whacking his head against the post in keeping it out. Thankfully the Czech international recovered and was probably thankful of the skullcap that has become his trademark in preventing another serious head injury. By the same measure Chelsea did not deserve to win this game and a draw was a fair and honourable result; if nothing else the main quality that this present Blues side has restored to the faithful at St Andrews is pride and I for one am proud to be a bluenose.
Stoke City next, a tough, uncompromising, determined team who are a formidable proposition at the Britannia stadium. Avoid defeat and Blues will set a new record of 11 league games without defeat in the top flight; a record that has stood since 1906-07! Apparently, we still got relegated that season which is why the quest for 40 points has to be and remains the primary objective. As Jimmy Greaves used to say “Funny old game in’it?”
KRO SOTV
-
Partners
-
Polls
Loading ...
-
Recent Posts
- Birmingham City v Everton Brief Post Match Thoughts
- Birmingham City v Everton Preview
- Blues Play the Balancing Game
- VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – PORTSMOUTH vs BIRMINGHAM CITY (REFRAIN)
- St Andrews Tannoy Sytem – Give Your Feedback
- Post Portsmouth Musings!
- Who’s going to be the top marksman?
- VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – PORTSMOUTH v BIRMINGHAM CITY
- Nail Biting Blues!
- Portsmouth v Birmingham City – FA Cup preview
-
Other Stuff
