VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – PORTSMOUTH vs BIRMINGHAM CITY (REFRAIN)
Filed under: Blues News, Match reports, Matches, Reports By Bazza
Here is Bazza’s report from Tuesday night.
I went straight from work to Will’s place where I met his wife Julie for the first time. I introduced myself and said that yes, I really was the serial killer she thought I was given that Will had met me originally via the blog and therefore the internet. She thinks I’m joking so that’s all right then!
Chris, Will’s brother had travelled down from Warwickshire for the game and to have a round of golf in the afternoon whilst muggings had to work. We set off for the short journey south to Portsmouth and managed to grab a pie and a hot drink in the ground. Will still cannot get over the fact that I hate Bovril and I settled instead for tea. We found our place in the stands and hoped we didn’t play like we did at the weekend.
What a difference from the events of Saturday? This was an impressive win following what must have been a bitterly disappointing defeat to the same team just three days earlier. Blues made four changes to the Saturday line up with Michel starting in place of Bowyer, Benitez was restored to the starting line up with McFadden demoted to the bench. Out also went Larsson who was replaced by Gardner and Fergusson took over from the rested Stephen Carr as captain, his place in the side being taken by Parnaby. The side had a better balance to it and as was the case at the weekend Blues dominated proceedings from the off with the essential difference that we looked dangerous going forward with Chucho adding that bit of spice that resulted in an early opener for Cameron Jerome in the 14th minute. A lovely touch through to the striker from his partner on the edge of the area gave Jerome the opening which he drilled low just inside the far post to send the assembled throng of noses wild with delight. Not only were we ahead but we were playing some slick flowing football in the middle of the park orchestrated by Michel who looked sure of touch, poised on the ball with an ability to pick a pass that always seemed to be delivered to the feet of a team mate! The stuff of dreams for a Blues side playing on this occasion in the white kit with the red penguin stripe down the front rather than the black strip that was still in the wash from Saturday. Portsmouth for their part were second best in the opening period and were opened up again when Benitez found himself one on one with David James in the middle of the goal with either side to choose to deliver the ball into. He chooses to dribble round the keeper only to be tackled by Hreidarsson. The frustrations of the travelling faithful were tangible as heads went into hands and expletives abounded. Nevertheless, within minutes the little Ecuadorian had made amends when a clever little back heel split the Pompey defence for Jerome to stroke the ball under the body of the diving James for 2 – 0. This score on 42 minutes was the least that Blues deserved and it could have been more such was the superiority that Blues held over their hapless opponents.
The second half was more one of containment of what Portsmouth had to offer which wasn’t a great deal to be honest and Blues should have added to their tally when Fahey delivered a cross too far in front of Jerome having carved Pompey open again. Dann missed a very presentable chance from fifteen yards placing his effort over the bar instead of the top corner and McFadden who came on late for the tiring Benitez almost caught James napping with a fierce shot towards the near post. Despite giving the eyes, James was equal to the save. The Pompey keeper was given a hard time by the noses behind him especially as he mimed the scooping out of a ball from the net just prior to the second half starting. We gave back with interest but the banter did descend somewhat into obscene chants about activities of his England team mate John Terry and what he may have done with James’ wife, sister, mother etc. We also sang ‘we’ll meet again’ and ‘we’ll never play you again,’ ‘Pay up Pompey!’ and many many more but my favourite of the evening was to the tune of the Conga ‘Let’s all have a whip round!’ Chris turned to me and said “Yow know why we know all the words of all these songs don’t ya?” “Why?” I said, “Cos we’ve ‘eard em sung to us so many times!”
The only blemish of the evening was allowing Portsmouth a consolation goal in the 92nd minute when Kanu, a late Pompey substitute netted an inswinging cross to give us all a nervy last couple of minutes and Pompey, hope their performance did not merit. Fortunately, Blues held on comfortably enough but the margin should have been far greater than it was.
This was a very good win in the circumstances but before getting carried away with hyperbole, the quality of the opposition has to be taken into account. Portsmouth are bottom of the league for a reason and that is that they have lost 19 of their 28 games to date. They were outplayed by Blues last night which makes the loss to them on Saturday all the more frustrating. As I said in my last report, we lost it rather than them winning it with poor team selection and tactics in contrast to this game when the balance was correct, the ball moved slicker and the tempo was higher and we got in amongst them. I am still concerned that we still at times gave the home team too much space to play out wide especially in the first half and improvement will be needed against a resurgent and continually improving Everton who visit St Andrews on Saturday. We will pay heavily if this area is not tightened up on. There were things nevertheless to be encouraged about especially the performances of Michel, Gardner and Benitez. Jerome was also as excellent as he was awful on Saturday and took his goals well. It was sad to see Parnaby who had had a good game to the point where he limped off injured have to leave the field prematurely. He was ably replaced by Tainio.
Alex McCleish has intimated that we do not have enough firepower to challenge for a Europa League spot and I agree. Whilst the league standing may suggest we are in with a shout I think the realistic view is that we are not good enough yet but I am happy to be proved wrong. We have ten games left and before last night McCleish had set a target of 51 points or a point a game for the remaining fixtures. This may sound cautious but with away games at Sunderland, Blackburn, Manchester City, Vile and Bolton and at home fixtures against Everton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Hull and Burnley, I simply think he’s being realistic. Any more than 51 will be a bonus but I suspect whatever we finish up with will not be enough for a place in Europe. The facts remain that we need a centre forward who can deliver 15 goals minimum, fast wide men and a cover at full back down both flanks. Then and only then may we be able to compete.
KRO SOTV
Post Portsmouth Musings!
As you can imagine, after Saturday’s game – the forum was full of disappointment, pointed comments and suggestions of how we could have won.
Here is a hotch potch of those thoughts and some of my added comments.
I’m of the opinion that straight after the game is not the time to analyse, hence a 24 hour wait! Emotions run high and the taste of defeat is raw. So hopefully some of these thoughts are a bit more reasoned today.
The first thought begins like this.
I can’t remember being as gutted about a Blues result for a long, long time. More than the disappointment or anger of watching a linesman and referee make a human error, I’m bitter and twisted over the fact that at least three Portsmouth players saw that the ball had crossed the line and yet, did not speak up. I was angry with Keith Fahey last week when I believed that he cheated to gain us a win over Wigan.
But this week, I’m absolutely furious over the fact that David James – a man who is almost forty – could not find the strength inside to be honest with a referee and say that he had conceded. I know that these days, the game and winning is more important than honestly and integrity and as I watched, I felt myself falling out of love with the game just a little bit more. It’s not about people, honesty and emotion any longer. It’s about cheating, misdirection and who can do what to get the best over his opponent whilst baring following the spirit or rules of the game.
Just… meh, can’t remember being this bitterly disappointed for a long time and just wanted to express absolute anger at a player and a man who would, I hoped, have been a bit more honest.
I totally understood this point, but when you look at the replays it is understandable why it was missed. I don’t particularly blame James, it’s not his job to give the decisions.
HOWEVER I do agree that footballers SHOULD be able to say to the referee – no I didn’t touch the ball, yes it was hand ball, the ball was over the line. It SHOULD happen, but it won’t – yes I know it is fanciful, but at least some of the feelings of injustice would be removed for fans, after all that is the biggest barrier we have to climb!
(Oh and before you get cross, read the 3rd point – but not before the 2nd point!)
The second point.
The country got the result it wanted so who are we to have a moan about it? Some of the coverage has literally made me feel sick to the stomach. At half time, Blues were great value, playing well, etc, etc. By full time, Portsmouth ‘fully deserved the win’ and their loan players ’showed that they cared as much as any Portsmouth fan does.’ Gah, the stuff you could lose your lunch to.
The club I love has been reduced to a footnote in the season of a club who has pulled the wool over the eyes of the footballing public and media with lies and deceit. They’ve financially mismanaged themselves and apparently, this makes them ‘deserve it’ and ‘earn that little bit of luck’. Why? Because they can’t manage and haven’t played very well this season?
Now I totally agree with this. I don’t have an axe to grind with Portsmouth fans, for them this must be a hideous situation – but action should have been taken by the FA or Premier League. We were relegated when Portsmouth’s administration, (excuse the pun), bought big and kept them up. Since then they won the FA cup – however have been racking up the debts. Any other business would not have continued, they just can’t support the large wages and relatively lower gates. The sums don’t add up.
In effect, they have taken advantage of other sides by playing players they couldn’t afford to pay which brings the whole Premier League and FA cup into disrepute. If the FA and / or the Premier League had stepped in earlier, this mess may well have been avoided.
Right, before you jump down my throat saying it is sour grapes, read the next point!
I felt we didn’t deserve to win, although we were never really stretched in the first half, in the second we needed to step up, and to do that we had to offer more in wide areas. Fahey was very poor and Larsson had an off day. I thought Chucho actually looked interesting wide on the left and I hope Gardner starts on the right next game. If we aren’t going for width, why not play 4-3-1-2 with McFadden behind a front two.
Totally agree. Although we were well in charge in the first half with possession and defence, we never really looked like scoring either. We didn’t come out of the changing room until 75 minutes were on the clock and it was too late by then. Portsmouth played well for 15-20 minutes and scored twice, as a result deserved to go through.
I really don’t understand why Chucho and Jerome didn’t start. I appreciate that Alex has tried to keep an unchanged side wherever possible, and that is a positive – however the performance against Wigan was lethargic and I think that Benitez would have bought some life up front. Fahey will become a very good player IMO, but he been poor for a few games now and should be rested.
So it is now all about whether we finish 7-14th, perhaps a little disappointing in that we aren’t playing for something – but at least we know we are going to be playing in the division again next year and with some new faces at the club – maybe we could do EVEN better!
Nail Biting Blues!
Filed under: Blues News, General Football, Kev's Ramblings, Matches
We have another article from Sporting Intelligence. Originally posted here.
Read below:
Wenger an Easy Rider as Blues take Cup break from Premier League dramas
If we define a nail-biting game as one in which the result could be changed with the last kick of the match, then they’re becoming rarer in the Premier League. Never before this season has the percentage of nail-biters been as low as this campaign.
In the first season of the Premier League, as many as 67.3 per cent of top-flight league games were nail biters, with just one goal at most separating the teams at the final whistle.
That rose to 68.2 per cent in 1993-94 and has settled at pretty much the mid-60s in percentage terms in every season since, with lows of 61.6 per cent in 2005-06 then 61.3 per cent on 2007-08. This season? Just 59 per cent of games have been nail-biters.
Arsenal are the least nail-biting team; just nine of their 28 games (or 32 per cent) would have seen a different result with a last-kick goal. Burnley have seen fewer nail-biters than most clubs (48 per cent), but whereas Arsenal’s games are not nail-biters because they normally win so easily, Burnley’s aren’t nail-biters because they lose so heavily.
That’s why today’s match between Arsenal and Burnley at The Emirates is as unlikely to be a nail-biter as any game we’ve seen so far this season, statistically speaking. Arsene Wenger should be one easy rider this afternoon, watching his men speed past the clarets from Lancashire.
At the other end of the nail-biting spectrum, Birmingham really know how to put their fans through the mill: 24 of their 27 league games this season have been nail-biters, or 89 per cent, a whopping percentage that makes them by far the most nerve-racking side to follow.
Thankfully their fans get a break from the league nerves this weekend as Birmingham play at Portsmouth in the FA Cup (see ‘Omens’ below). The pair last met in the FA Cup in 1977, and Brum won, 1-0. Personally, we’ll be keeping a close eye on Reading v Aston Villa on Sunday. If Villa win, as they did the last time these sides met in the Cup, then it’s ‘Hurt Locker’ for Best Picture at the Oscars, we say.
Martin Taylor Speaks to Joys and Sorrows
One of our forum regulars, “Cliffmann,” is a friend of Martin Taylor. He offered to speak to Martin to gain an interview for Joys and Sorrows.
So over to Cliff:
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Joe Hart, Blues, Match Attacks. That’s probably my 7 year old sons current loves in life in the right order. Match Attacks for those unfamiliar with them are cards of the current premier league teams which give stars based on attack and defence ability.
Alex (my son not Eck!) has changed favourite players like most people change socks, Cameron Jerome, Frank Queudrue and Martin Taylor have all been one time preferences. So this year he was a bit surprised Tiny was not in the match attack pack, so we found a card on the internet of Martin from a previous season. When he saw it he was aghast at the fact Martin only had one star, not the maximum of 5 for either attack or defence.
The reason for telling the story is that we know Martin quite well as a family, so next time Alex saw him he decided he would not call him Martin any more and he would be affectionately known as “one star”. One of the funniest things I have ever seen is seeing this massively tall man struggling to come up with a suitable put down for a 3ft 7 year old.
So when he left the club for Watford in January without the chance to say goodbye to the fans I thought it would be nice for him to say goodbye and also maybe think of a response to his new nickname.
“Love the questions mate, something a bit different to usual. I think whoever decided on my one star status must have been watching one of my poorer performances. I always feel it’s better to be underestimated than overestimated, it gives you the chance to surprise an opponent who may have thought they were gonna get an easy game. That aside it was great banter from Alex!
Just a quick note to the fans to say thank you for all the support I received when I was at the club. It’s probably a standard thing to say for a player who leaves a club but I think I can sincerely say that I received fantastic support especially during a certain difficult period of my career and that loyalty from the blues fans helped my family and I enormously.
I’ve always enjoyed speaking to fans that I bump into around and about, they’ve always got good footballing opinions of what’s happening at the club. All in all it’s been a pleasure to play for Birmingham City. Thank you”
1. How did the move to the club originally come about?
It was a few years ago now, Jan 2004 to be precise but Blackburn were going through a bit of a transition. We’d had a good season the year before but some new faces were brought in and I found it more difficult to hold down a place. Sometimes as a professional you get the feeling that your time at a club has passed and you need to move on to further your career. Birmingham showed a lot of interest and were doing very well at that time. I spoke to a couple of lads who were at the club already and it sounded like an excellent opportunity to come to a club that was on the up. It took a couple of weeks to sort out but just before the window closed I found myself 100 miles down the M6 playing at the blues.
2. What was Bruce like as a manager?
I enjoyed my time working with Steve Bruce as a manager, he had wealth of knowledge of the game that he liked to pass on to his players. There were periods when I was at the club that I would have preferred to play more games under him but I always felt that he believed in me as a player who could do a job for him. He had a good team working with him, I thought Erik Black in particular was a very good coach
3. When the new owners came in did you as a player notice a changed atmosphere or is it a press myth?
There was actually a change in atmosphere around the place when the new owners came in. I would agree that sometimes a football club could have a change of ownership and the players would see no differences, however Carson Yeung’s arrival did bring a new feeling. The owners were very direct in their contact to the players showing us what they were planning for the club and the positive changes that they would bring. The previous owners did a great job when you compare the club from when they bought it to when they sold it but the new owners have their own ideas of how to make Birmingham City competitive further up the premier league. They know that for it to be successfully marketable the club and its facilities need to be comparable with the top premier league clubs and these are the differences that the players are now experiencing.
4. So in terms of Blues teams, were the Robbie Savage era better than the current team do you think?
I’ll sit on the fence on this one and say that it’s difficult to compare teams from different eras as they had different styles with their own positives. Both the team when I first joined and the team this season have done exceptionally well to stay in the top half of the premier league. If the current squad can maintain that position for a few seasons then that consistency would be the only separating factor of the two eras.

Martin "Tiny" Taylor
5. When you signed for the club, Steve Bruce said you were versatile and could play left back, right and centre, was he serious? Surely you are 100% centre half?
I actually played all over the pitch at Blackburn and was quite versatile when I was a younger player, if you can imagine! I actually made my debut as an emergency centre forward and played there a few times after that. I also found myself in midfield a few times. It’s often the case that centre half’s play full back when they first progress to the first team and that was what happened to me being used at both right and left. I quite enjoyed it being able to attack for a change and had probably my most successful season at Blackburn when we finished sixth playing a good portion of it at full back, mind, it helped having Damien Duff in his prime helping out in front. My body shape has changed as a player as I have got older into more of a centre half’s, gone are the days of overlapping the winger to get a cross in, I’m happy to just hold fort now.
6. Highlight of being at the club and your best performance?
Highlights would have to be getting promoted twice, especially the first time when we beat Sheffield Wednesday at home to put ourselves on the brink of an immediate return to the premier league. Even though we hadn’t quite made it yet, there was a great feeling following that game.
My best performance would have to be Newcastle away in the FA Cup replay (5-1). Not surprisingly I enjoyed every minute of that game.
7. If you search youtube you can be spotted sat on the bench during a blues-villa game. Two questions… See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugcutAxYD7I around the 1.39 mark!
a) What is the Blues-Villa derby like for a player in terms of pressure/preparation?
The game is prepared for like any other, but the big difference is the pressure and tension that you feel when you get out onto the pitch.
As a player you can sense from the crowd that its not just another game and that the result is the only thing that matters. That’s why the best things about derby games tend to be the tackles as everyone is wired up and doesn’t want to be the one to miss a tackle or make a mistake that could lose the game. Skill and flare tends to be forgotten for an afternoon.
b) What happened to that awful “curtains” hairstyle?
I was very proud of my ‘curtains’ hairstyle thank you very much and I would love to be able to grow it back if a. I could, and b. it came back into fashion.
8. How do you cope with not being in the team, do you get all moody or are you quite relaxed about it?
I would love to tell you that I accept it really well and it doesn’t bother me but in reality I probably get a bit moody.
It’s very frustrating as a player when you work hard all week with the rest of the players but end up not involved in the game on the Saturday. It’s vital to maintain a good condition when not playing as you could be called on at short notice but its a much more enjoyable job when you are playing regularly and experiencing the highs and lows in the team.
9. What career would you have done if football had not worked out?
I think about this occasionally but still don’t know. I think a lot of people don’t really work out their vocation until a few years after leaving school, when they’ve tried a few things or realised they’ve chosen the wrong subject at university.
I would probably have been like this, my favourite subjects at school were maths and geography but I probably would have ended up doing something completely unrelated to these.
10. You won a league cup medal with Blackburn, is it a treasured possession or lost somewhere in the loft?
It’s actually quite treasured with my other medals, three championship runners up gongs.
When I played the final at Cardiff, one of the older lads in the squad said I should treasure playing in a final because not many professionals get the chance in their career.
I’ve been fortunate to have had that chance and would love it again. It’s also a great thing to hold onto to show the grand kids in a few years who won’t believe that granddad was able to run never mind play football.
11. Who were the biggest jokers at the club and were there any stand out pranks played?
In the time that I was there a few jokers have passed through the changing rooms. Dunny was always one for a prank, as well as Sav. I can’t think of a particular one but there was always some good banter flying around. Ian Bennett was great fun to have around the training ground, he had the lads in stitches on a daily basis.

Martin "Tiny" Taylor
12. What’s it like being so tall?
I often don’t think of myself as being particularly tall, I suppose I’ve got used to it now. The only time it is ever a problem is when I hit my head on doorways or low hanging signs, or have cramped legs on transport. I think I’m still above the anthropometric/economic trade off of seating as many people comfortably in a specific area.
There are however advantages to being tall, such as at concerts or in highly stacked supermarkets, oh and not forgetting jumping for headers with Duncan Ferguson!
13. How is Watford different in terms of set-up, ambition and treatment of you as a player?
The set up at Watford is excellent from the facilities to the staff at the training ground to the help I received when I first joined. I found the transition between clubs quite comfortable as many of the training methods were very similar to the ones I was used to at Birmingham. They are a very community friendly club and I have been welcomed very well by everyone at Watford. Like any team in the championship they have ambition of getting promoted to the premier league and being as successful as possible.
14. Have you met Elton John yet, and did he have those great star shaped glasses on?
Unfortunately I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Elton John yet. Hopefully one day in the future.
15. You have already scored for your new club, are you settled in already?
I am pleased with how the first month has gone. To get on the score sheet is a bonus, but I am happy with how I’ve settled in and we’ve had some decent results in that time. As a team we’ve been dominant in all the games I’ve been here which is not easy in the championship as all teams are very competitive.
16. What are your personal ambitions now and do you have plans in place for life after football?
My ambitions are now to play as many games as possible with Watford and to try and get promoted. I think we have as good a chance as most of being in and around the top positions in the championship and if it didn’t happen this season then we would just try for next.
I don’t have any concrete plans for what to do after football. It’s difficult to plan as I don’t know when that will be, hopefully not for another few years. Unfortunately there will be time when I come to retire, something as a young professional looks a lifetime off but creeps up on you all too quickly. The best thing is to prepare that it could happen at any time and not be surprised or disappointed when it does, just be ready to move on to the next chapter.
17. Pressure time now! With a chance to annoy your friends and colleagues what would be your best 11 during your time at the club?
1. Goalkeeper – Maik Taylor
2. Right Back – Stephen Kelly
3. Left Back – Jamie Clapham
4. Central Midfield – Damien Johnson
5. Centre Half – Kenny Cunningham
6. Centre Half – Raidi Jaidi
7. Right Midfield – Sebastian Larsson
8. Centre Midfield – Stephen Clemence
9. Centre Forward – Mikael Forssell
10 Centre Forward – Nicklas Bendtner
11 Left Midfield – Gary McSheffrey
Martin, I think I speak for everyone who supports the blues in saying we hope you do really well at Watford and things go well…
Good luck One Star!
Cliff
Images used with kind permission from Birmingham City FC
Beau Brummie’s Relegation Dog Fight Stops Here!
Here is Dale’s latest article, this week about us achieving the magical 40 point mark!
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Birmingham City have secured another season in the premier league! All seems a bit of an anti-climax though doesn’t it? No last day heroics, no depending on other clubs results and no pitch invasion to get at the owners of the club! Nevertheless, to have reached this points tally quickly and quietly, almost assassin like will be the much preferred method for most fans and I say this with a certain degree of certainty! I know it may seem a bit premature but my thoughts of reflection have begun on what has been nothing short of the most amazing season to date. Some may argue that such a remark is exaggerated and sensationalising a merely “successful” season but I urge to those who do, look at the facts. Birmingham City was hanging onto 16th place and looking over our shoulder at the gaping relegation zone ready to swallow us up! We lost four games on the bounce and won just one game in six. Fans began the “4-4-2” chant after a somewhat shambolic display at home to Bolton, patients were wearing thin towards Alex McLeish and all fans were geared up for the usual dog fight at the foot of the table!
But no such fight was needed and most defiantly was no managerial dismissal necessary! The team of “old boys” and “inexperienced championship players” has produced the leagues success story of the year. McLeish’s men have shown that organisation, spirit and a touch of Lee Bowyer is enough to surpass any expectations that a know-it-all pundit may place on such teams. A shared similarity of most players in this year’s squad is the need and determination to prove a point. If to nobody else but themselves. Joe Hart’s ability to emerge as a possible England keeper and challenge Shay Given as Man City’s number 1. Stephen Carr digging out his boots from under his bed after retirement and returning to have an outstanding season. Agent Ridgewell and his broken leg – enough said there! The two “Championship” centre halves that have been nothing short of colossal! Our two “Bad Lads” in the centre of the park. Their temperament? Age? Ability to play at this standard? I think all has been answered there by Bowyer and Ferguson.
Is it possible that the effects of the Italian match fixing scandal that propelled Canavaro and his pasta slurping team mates to the heights of World Cup glory in 2006 has been replicated right here in Brum? Controversy breeds Togetherness? Or is it simply that McLeish has assembled a squad of winners, troops who seek the adrenaline rush of the battlefield. One thing is for sure, nobody can deny the achievement that the gaffer at the helm of these over-achievers has brought this season. To take a team on a 15 game unbeaten run in any league in the world is an accomplishment to say the least. To do it with the Blues is a near miracle. Or is it? Are these signs to come, is this article outdated and has the tide changed somewhat down at St.Andrews? Has the fortune inside those Chinese cookies found its way to Small Heath and has that evasive F.A cup got out name written on it? Only time will tell but can I personally say congratulations to everybody connected with Birmingham City football club for a season that NOBODY anticipated.
Now let’s give the likes of Gardner and Michel some playing time, see how high up that league we can get and maybe, just maybe engrave our names on that F.A Cup. A Sight that even the most optimistic of fans never expect to witness. Congratulations and Keep Right On!
Dale Moon














