Who’s going to be the top marksman?
Well we are out of the cup and there’s still a quarter of the league season to go but goal scoring remains a problem. The failure to sign a striker in January could well be telling. It looks like whoever ends up our leading scorer this year will do so with under ten goals but who do you reckon that is going to be. The current standings including cup goals are,
Lee Bowyer 6
Cameron Jerome 5
Seb Larsson 4
James McFadden, Christian Benitez, Kevin Phillips, Liam Ridgewell 3
So while the total might not be great, who do you think will end up Blues top scorer. Vote in the poll on the right.
In our last poll only 15% correctly predicted that we wouldn’t get further than the quarter final with almost double that thinking we would win it. That’s what optimism does for you..
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – PORTSMOUTH v BIRMINGHAM CITY
Filed under: Blues News, Match reports, Matches, Players, Reports By Bazza
I had to re-type this, the tear stains on the original prevented me from copying it straight over. 
Over to Bazza:
I have found it very difficult even the day after to find the heart and energy to write my report on this game such is the sense of disappointment that I am sure is shared by every Blues fan this morning. Fratton Park is a simple train journey for me even though it still takes an hour and a half. Having arrived at Fratton station and walked to the ground I met ‘Sandwich’ Bill and Alan in the disabled car park who had travelled down from Birmingham after an early start. We must thank the football authorities at this point for putting our game on early despite the length of journey for the away side and their fans when the Fulham-Spurs tie would have been better suited; reminds me of the time when we reached a semi-final against Leeds and the match was played on a ‘neutral’ ground at Hillsborough!
Anyway, moving on Alan and Bill are some of the most long suffering noses I know and I have seen them many times before at away games. Alan, as he usually is, was smoking a fag in the back of the car and as he flicked the ash the slight breeze kept taking it onto Bill’s lap sitting in the front passenger seat with the door open. “Hey!” Bill kept saying flicking the ash off himself “watch what yow’er doin!”
After about the sixth time of asking Bill stood up protesting still but onto the deaf ears of Alan who simply lit up another having seconds before put the last one out. Both these boys are professionals when it comes to smoking which they continued to do whilst we reminisced about previous games against Pompey. “At least they got a roof on the away stand nowadays,” lamented Bill. We had all been at the game about 12 years ago when it rained incessantly and we all got soaked through to the skin. Four cigarettes later (Alan won the gold medal for smoking in the Olympics in 1964 
) it was time to walk round the other side of the ground to our seats. Pompey may have invested in a roof for the old open stand and over-invested in players they couldn’t afford but the investment stopped short at the toilets which remain pretty basic and have been so all the time I’ve been going to Fratton Park. As they say in these parts avoid the heads unless you’ve got to.
Well I’ve put off talking about the game for long enough so here goes; I thought Portsmouth would fly at us and we would have a torrid first twenty minutes. Apart from a weak shot from Belhadj in the first minute they offered very little and in fact Blues were the better side in the first half controlling the midfield in a calm composed manner but offering little threat. Jerome had a snap shot following good set up work from McFadden and Bowyer which was well saved by David James.
McCleish had started with the same formation as for the Fulham and Wigan games which surprised me as it hadn’t really worked at Fulham when the opposition scored our only goal and against Wigan we only won because we were given a dodgy penalty. Despite this I believe that with a half decent striker we would have gone into the break 2 – 0 to the good. As it was it was 0 – 0 and although we hadn’t made our overall dominance count there was little to complain about. I felt we were more than a match for anything they had to offer and would snatch the necessary winner at some stage purely by the law of averages.
Those hopes were dashed in three second half minutes when a lucky deflection led to a toe poked effort towards Hart who having appeared to grasp it, had it kicked out of his hands by Scott Dann challenging for the ball simultaneously. The ball flicked up off Hart’s leg to present Piquionne with a tap in from inches out that my arthritic granny could have scored to give Portsmouth the lead against the run of play and on the basis of their performance so far, one they scarcely deserved.
However, how typical this is of Blues. Failing to score when you are on top has cost and will continue to cost them which make their position in the Premier League all the more remarkable having scored only 26 goals all season. Blues were shaken and found themselves two down before they had cleared their heads. Piquionne twisted Roger Johnson inside out when the defender got isolated and a fine cross shot was buried into the bottom corner; oh for a striker of this quality! On came Kevin Phillips and Chucho for Fahey and McFadden and latterly Gardner for Larsson, a change that was made at least 45 minutes too late in my view, in an attempt to salvage the tie.
Ten minutes from the end a corner from Larsson was powerfully headed down towards the bottom corner by Roger Johnson only to be brilliantly saved by James. The rebound was headed in by Ridgewell at the far post but despite the ball being clearly over the line the assistant referee failed in his duty of actually watching what was going on and allowed James to claw the ball back from a foot behind the post. Television evidence shows clearly that the goal should have been awarded; it wasn’t and with that decision went Birmingham’s last chance of Wembley glory.
I rang Will after the game on the train home to get his take on the game from the television perspective. He made several valid observations that the formation meant the team was unbalanced as McFadden is not a centre-forward and Fahey is not a winger. Double Agent Ridgewell was our best player and provided the only width which says it all and I agree wholeheartedly. Larsson was truly dreadful both in the persistent way he kept turning in field instead of staying out wide and as for his set piece deliveries, enough said. Jerome was shocking in thought and movement and gave one of the worst performances I have seen from him. He normally at least works hard despite having the touch of a rapist and other shortcomings but this was a lacklustre performance and we saw little of his much lauded pace. Benitez when he came on showed nice touches but it was too late by then. Phillips and Gardner were introduced too late to have any impact. McFadden held onto the ball too long when well placed and the final ball from midfield generally especially to the players in wide positions was too often badly weighted or misdirected.
Portsmouth didn’t win this game; Birmingham lost it. They have themselves and themselves only to blame. This is such a shame given the season we have all enjoyed to date. One of the highlights was the win at Everton and although I wasn’t present for that one our first half performance was outstanding by all accounts. That day we went with McFadden and Chucho up front together. This may be an option to consider next week if McCleish is going to insist on playing McFadden as a centre-forward. Jerome was so poor it may be time to rest him. The same goes for Larsson; Gardner must be given his chance although he is better suited to a more central role and I really want to see Michel get some game time.
The needs of the squad were brutally exposed if further evidence was needed; two decent strikers and fast specialist wide players. Then and only then we may start offering a threat and win these big games when they present themselves. It has been 54 years since Birmingham last contested a FA Cup Final; it’s 55 now!
KRO SOTV
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – WEST HAM UNITED vs BIRMINGHAM CITY
Filed under: Blues News, Match reports, Matches, Reports By Bazza
On a bitterly cold night at Upton Park, David Gold got his wish for his new team to triumph over his old employees but the result can hardly be described as a “whack.” Much has been said by the two Davids in the days leading up to this one. We are of course all well versed in the playground antics of our former owners but now that they have moved on to a ‘bigger’ club their musings have been brought to higher national attention; after all, West Ham are a club that registers on the wider media Richter scale than the ‘little’ team from Small Heath in the nation’s second city.
They fielded an attacking line up with Mido and the returning Carlton Cole up front aided and abetted by Scott Parker and Diamanti. Blues made some changes with Phillips, Fahey and Gardner coming into the starting line up making a diversion from the side that had done so well for us over the last three months. Blues settled into the game after an initial opening flurry from the hosts and Cameron Jerome had a chance following a nice move but placed his shot wide from eight yards. This was to prove costly. Phillips had a searing 25 yarder tipped over by Green; Diamanti tested Hart with a fierce shot from wide and Scott Dann made a brilliant block from Cole’s fierce shot on 32 minutes which probably represented their best chance of the half. The contest was fairly even with Blues in control for the most part after the early exchanges and the board had been put up for a minute of time added on when Scott Parker’s pacy scurrying run at the heart of our defence was brought to an abrupt end by Dann’s outstretched leg. This resulted in a free kick 25 yards out and a yellow card for Dann. I had a premonition as Diamanti lined up the kick. I remember he came very close with a similar effort at St Andrews in our meeting with the Hammers there and we were fortunate to escape as the ball took paint off the crossbar. This time however, we were not so lucky and the Italian’s beautiful curling strike flashed past the despairing Hart into the top corner for a lead West Ham didn’t deserve on the balance of play but it was a goal to grace any match and would have beaten any keeper in the land. It was to be the last kick of the half.
The second half presented very few chances for either side and West Ham were resolute and more solid in defence than they had been in the first and were clearly in no mood to allow their opportune lead to be nullified by their in-form opponents. Blues played some nice stuff in midfield with Fergusson imperious again and Gardner making frequent pacy runs down the right making the letter our best player by far on the night. However, Blues could not find the killer ball or opening to trouble the Hammers defence. Michel came on for the tiring Bowyer and on 67 minutes McFadden came on for Fahey in a clear attempt to freshen the impetus in search of the equaliser. Just as the first half free kick had been the telling moment of the first period, this innocuous replacement was to be the turning point of the second. McFadden had barely stepped onto the pitch when Ridgewell found himself facing two West Ham attackers on the overlap one of whom was Faubert who found himself at the by-line. McFadden, not yet in tune with the game, realised the danger too late to help his colleague and the result was a clipped cross from Faubert to the stooping Carlton Cole who cleverly got across Johnson to head into the bottom corner; 2 – 0 and game over. This was a pity for I am sure that five minutes later and the goal doesn’t get scored because the cross doesn’t come in because the cover would have been there; a very nice finish nevertheless. West Ham held on comfortably after that and a couple of half chances which fell to Phillips were snuffed out by the uncompromising defenders. Upson clearly handled at one point but it was one of those nights when nothing ran for us and decisions like that were never going to go the way of the boys in blue.
Blues did not play badly but were undone by two key moments especially the free kick in the first half. I think it would have been a different outcome had the score been 0 – 0 at half time as it should have been. A couple of West Ham fans told me after the game that Birmingham should have been 2 – 0 to the good before Diamanti scored. It would appear that our chances were better than they looked to me from the poor viewing position I had for the princely sum of £35 last night. Unfortunately, we missed the opportunities we created and they took two of the three they carved out during the game; the other was the block by Dann of Cole’s shot. That was the difference between the sides in what was a decent game and on that basis West Ham deserved their three points. Well done Hammers, Bravissimo Zola even if your Chairman thinks you are paid too much!
On the way back to Upton Park station with Will and his brother Chris who had travelled down from the Midlands to join us, Will asked; “Hey Baz, ‘ow do yow know if yow’ve got frost bite in yower feet?” I said “when yow take yower socks off, if yower toes come with them yow’ve got frost bite!” It was freezing cold in the stands and icy underfoot; probably as chilly as the relations between the respective boardrooms? A man walked past us in the queue with his two little girls who were wearing our colours and was overhead to say “Ah well sweetheart you can’t win every game you know.” Indeed you can’t and that is one of life’s lessons and so is the fact that there is always the next game (unless you’re a Portsmouth fan possibly. 
) Derby in the Cup; let’s not have a repeat of this disappointment there please Blues. West Ham are a decent side with good players and no disrespect to Derby County but such quality is not clearly visible in their squad. The Blue Army expects!
KRO SOTV
Blues News Digest
I haven’t done one for a couple of days, so here is a few stories relating to the Blues that have been in the press the last 24 hours.
Kevin Phillips will keep his options open about where he plays according to SSN.
Tom Ross added his thoughts about the late Gil Merrick. Mail.net.
The club are hosting a fund raiser for the Haiti appeal. Mail.net.
Barry Ferguson’s International come back, may not be easy according to Alex McLeish in an interview with the Daily Mail online.
Yesterday I did an article on our previous board. J&S.
Today I did an article about financial difficulties. J&S.
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.
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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
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