Neil Dawson
UTC Legend
Blues Power.......
When I'm lying on my death bed and reoccurring memories flash before me of things I saw most often in my life they will include my mum's smile, my kids laughing, my christmas tree going up and down and Birmingham City fans leaving the ground ten minutes before full time making a w**ker sign at me.
Yes, we were back at the happiest hunting ground I can remember (i'm sure some statto might confirm its Hillsborough) looking for and getting our fourth win in a row. It was almost a disappointment that we didn't need an abacus for the goals but lets be thankful for small mercies and a 15-2 aggregate scoreline over those visits.
This time it felt very different, City, wracked with financial and administrative difficulties leaving two stands empty, bereft of the cash to get the safety certificates and building work done. That left a lot of season ticket holders unable to attend and the ones that were there singing the very unique 'we want our seat back' - i'm not sure it will catch on as a terrace chant but I didn't think we'd sing Sweet Caroline so what do I know? Mind you, if I was a Blues fan the only seat I would want back during a home game would be one in front of a TV showing something else - and preferably somewhere other than Birmingham.
Parker made one change tonight - Leif Davis slotting in for a rare (we found out why) right wing run out to replace Brooks leaving the rest of the side the same. I think it was a game too soon for Stan and Pearlo.
The first half is probably the easiest half to report on as literally nothing happenned. In terms of robbery it was the most obvious stealing of ticket money in this area since the Peaky Blinders hung up their caps. Something rare happenned to me at an away game about 40 mins in - I sat down through boredom and tried to re-download Candy Crush for something to do. No shots on or off target in 45 mins for us - a couple of smart but routine stops for Travers from Leko and Chong for them. Chong was excellent and the player of the half strutting about like a 70's funk bass playing maestro with that majestic hair. We defended excellently but attack wise were all over the place. Leif reminding me of the old management cliche about not judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree as he was as comfortable on the right-wing slot as Travers would have been, with a centre half in Mepham trying to overlap ocasionally. This imbalanced the side with everything having to go left.. where Chong was there to intercept and run away. More of the tactical stuff in the verdict anyway...
HT Brum 0 AFCB 0
The second half started in the same pattern - we started singing 'attack, attack' giving poor Scott Parker flash-backs of Fulham fans in most home games last season and it all started to look like we were headed for a rare scoreless game at St Andrews to reset the averages. Scott realised a change was due and replaced Marcondes (the last time anything drifted as much as he did tonight it was attended to by the RNLI) with Stan, swiftly followed by Pearlo for Leif - switching Anthony to the right and going with two sitting midfielders to stop the chasm Kilkenny was trying to manage on his own previously.
It all worked a treat. The flanks started to dominate for us, we had more possession higher and when we didn't the two sitting midfielders wrestled it back. We went in front when Pearlo's long ball was latched on to by SOLANKE to finish tremendously well across Sarkic under pressure. Birmingham simply ran out of ideas after that and the goal-scorer a lot of fans had waited for this season followed in ten minutes to wrap things up. Stan was winning a sea of corners down the right and he worked out a routine with Ibsen Rossi right in front of us and executed it to perfection. The young centre back peeled away to the back post to head the corner straight into the path of ANTHONY who finished with joyous aplomb into the top corner to spark wild celebrations in the adjacent away end.
FT Brum 0 AFCB 2
Travers 7 - Smart saves and safe handling
Mepham 7 - Stuck to defending and did it well
Ibsen Rossi 8 - Another imperious display in the air and safe on the ground.
Kelly 7 - Captains defensive performance a little dodgy with ball at times
Zemura 9 - A real superb energetic performance attacking and defending.
Davis 5 - Debut to forget but not his position so not fair to judge.
Marcondes 5 - Some strange positionning and things not coming off.
Billing 6 - Another good shift with some appalling shooting
Kilkenny 7 - Kept trying to make things happen and brave
Anthony 8 - Loving his work-rate, skill and sharp finish.
Solanke 8 - Worked his socks off, linked well - great finish.
(Pearson 7/Stan 7 - both pivotal to win and goals).
MOM - Zemura, just, for me today shading it from the other youngsters. He was just outstanding all over the park and a joy to watch that level of energy.
Verdict
We saw Parker-ball at its worst in the first half (the boss himself admitting we were well off the levels) lots of aimless possession around the back and four of the five midfielders running forwards off the ball everytime the back four had it leaving only Kilkenny to recieve it and get easily swamped and easy to pass around. When you throw in a left back trying to master right wing it all becomes too messy for words and it showed. Our defence was excellent though and made sure this mess did not turn into anything more serious.
It needed switching up and the arrival of Pearson to help hold the midfield was key -as was his long forward pass to Dom - hopefully the team will have seen the benefit of this as opposed to endless square and backwards passing. We had another player deeper but it made us more attacking as we had another link between the defenders and forwards.
With this and players in their natural positions it switched up into a better affair and ended with some superb football and people looking far more comfortable. The kids continue to impress - you would look now and say it should'nt be them first to be dropped when new players inevitably arrive. They play with freedom and energy. Parker has a slight dilemma I think. Away from home two holding midfielders works better - at home its probably two attacking midfielders. Managers don't like to chop and change personnel though so think he has a choice between a fit Pearlo and a fit Marcondes to make. A good problem to have. I think we still need flank and attack re-inforcement although great to see Dom and Jaidon off the mark - richly deserved for their work-rate in the opening three games. I'd love to see Jaidon go at people more and hope this goal gives him the confidence to do this in the next home game.
The important thing while having a thread-bare squad was not to get adrift of the pack. Even the worst case against Blackpool won't leave us that and the best case could leave us top. Not a bad start at all for Scottie with re-inforcements to come. Not pretty today but a Bournemouth side that can scrap out a result? We will all take that for a change - without wanting it to become too permanent.
When I'm lying on my death bed and reoccurring memories flash before me of things I saw most often in my life they will include my mum's smile, my kids laughing, my christmas tree going up and down and Birmingham City fans leaving the ground ten minutes before full time making a w**ker sign at me.
Yes, we were back at the happiest hunting ground I can remember (i'm sure some statto might confirm its Hillsborough) looking for and getting our fourth win in a row. It was almost a disappointment that we didn't need an abacus for the goals but lets be thankful for small mercies and a 15-2 aggregate scoreline over those visits.
This time it felt very different, City, wracked with financial and administrative difficulties leaving two stands empty, bereft of the cash to get the safety certificates and building work done. That left a lot of season ticket holders unable to attend and the ones that were there singing the very unique 'we want our seat back' - i'm not sure it will catch on as a terrace chant but I didn't think we'd sing Sweet Caroline so what do I know? Mind you, if I was a Blues fan the only seat I would want back during a home game would be one in front of a TV showing something else - and preferably somewhere other than Birmingham.
Parker made one change tonight - Leif Davis slotting in for a rare (we found out why) right wing run out to replace Brooks leaving the rest of the side the same. I think it was a game too soon for Stan and Pearlo.
The first half is probably the easiest half to report on as literally nothing happenned. In terms of robbery it was the most obvious stealing of ticket money in this area since the Peaky Blinders hung up their caps. Something rare happenned to me at an away game about 40 mins in - I sat down through boredom and tried to re-download Candy Crush for something to do. No shots on or off target in 45 mins for us - a couple of smart but routine stops for Travers from Leko and Chong for them. Chong was excellent and the player of the half strutting about like a 70's funk bass playing maestro with that majestic hair. We defended excellently but attack wise were all over the place. Leif reminding me of the old management cliche about not judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree as he was as comfortable on the right-wing slot as Travers would have been, with a centre half in Mepham trying to overlap ocasionally. This imbalanced the side with everything having to go left.. where Chong was there to intercept and run away. More of the tactical stuff in the verdict anyway...
HT Brum 0 AFCB 0
The second half started in the same pattern - we started singing 'attack, attack' giving poor Scott Parker flash-backs of Fulham fans in most home games last season and it all started to look like we were headed for a rare scoreless game at St Andrews to reset the averages. Scott realised a change was due and replaced Marcondes (the last time anything drifted as much as he did tonight it was attended to by the RNLI) with Stan, swiftly followed by Pearlo for Leif - switching Anthony to the right and going with two sitting midfielders to stop the chasm Kilkenny was trying to manage on his own previously.
It all worked a treat. The flanks started to dominate for us, we had more possession higher and when we didn't the two sitting midfielders wrestled it back. We went in front when Pearlo's long ball was latched on to by SOLANKE to finish tremendously well across Sarkic under pressure. Birmingham simply ran out of ideas after that and the goal-scorer a lot of fans had waited for this season followed in ten minutes to wrap things up. Stan was winning a sea of corners down the right and he worked out a routine with Ibsen Rossi right in front of us and executed it to perfection. The young centre back peeled away to the back post to head the corner straight into the path of ANTHONY who finished with joyous aplomb into the top corner to spark wild celebrations in the adjacent away end.
FT Brum 0 AFCB 2
Travers 7 - Smart saves and safe handling
Mepham 7 - Stuck to defending and did it well
Ibsen Rossi 8 - Another imperious display in the air and safe on the ground.
Kelly 7 - Captains defensive performance a little dodgy with ball at times
Zemura 9 - A real superb energetic performance attacking and defending.
Davis 5 - Debut to forget but not his position so not fair to judge.
Marcondes 5 - Some strange positionning and things not coming off.
Billing 6 - Another good shift with some appalling shooting
Kilkenny 7 - Kept trying to make things happen and brave
Anthony 8 - Loving his work-rate, skill and sharp finish.
Solanke 8 - Worked his socks off, linked well - great finish.
(Pearson 7/Stan 7 - both pivotal to win and goals).
MOM - Zemura, just, for me today shading it from the other youngsters. He was just outstanding all over the park and a joy to watch that level of energy.
Verdict
We saw Parker-ball at its worst in the first half (the boss himself admitting we were well off the levels) lots of aimless possession around the back and four of the five midfielders running forwards off the ball everytime the back four had it leaving only Kilkenny to recieve it and get easily swamped and easy to pass around. When you throw in a left back trying to master right wing it all becomes too messy for words and it showed. Our defence was excellent though and made sure this mess did not turn into anything more serious.
It needed switching up and the arrival of Pearson to help hold the midfield was key -as was his long forward pass to Dom - hopefully the team will have seen the benefit of this as opposed to endless square and backwards passing. We had another player deeper but it made us more attacking as we had another link between the defenders and forwards.
With this and players in their natural positions it switched up into a better affair and ended with some superb football and people looking far more comfortable. The kids continue to impress - you would look now and say it should'nt be them first to be dropped when new players inevitably arrive. They play with freedom and energy. Parker has a slight dilemma I think. Away from home two holding midfielders works better - at home its probably two attacking midfielders. Managers don't like to chop and change personnel though so think he has a choice between a fit Pearlo and a fit Marcondes to make. A good problem to have. I think we still need flank and attack re-inforcement although great to see Dom and Jaidon off the mark - richly deserved for their work-rate in the opening three games. I'd love to see Jaidon go at people more and hope this goal gives him the confidence to do this in the next home game.
The important thing while having a thread-bare squad was not to get adrift of the pack. Even the worst case against Blackpool won't leave us that and the best case could leave us top. Not a bad start at all for Scottie with re-inforcements to come. Not pretty today but a Bournemouth side that can scrap out a result? We will all take that for a change - without wanting it to become too permanent.
