Birmingham v City Match Thread

Terry Phillips forecasts Turner, Ravel & Pilkington in. Morrison, Noone and Ralls out.
Looks to me as if we're playing another team at the wrong time under a new manager.

Manga is a doubt, so could see Turner alongside Morrison

Noone has to be left out for this one. I'd also love to see Guerra given a chance up front in place of Le Fondre.

Erm Think this might just be a 0-0

Don't think we are going to see Guerra in the light of what Slade has said today.  Presuming Manga fit.......


0 - 0

1-0 cardiff

Morrison is the game changer, that touch of class in the middle of the pitch that just makes things happen. The squad really needs to be built to accommodate a player in that role, and then we need to go all out in January to find someone to replace him.

We can't start Ravel and Ralls, they're not good enough defensively.

We need to dominate the midfield, and control the game. We can bring Ravel on later if we're in control, and need a little more attacking threat.

SteWells wrote:We can't start Ravel and Ralls, they're not good enough defensively.

We need to dominate the midfield, and control the game. We can bring Ravel on later if we're in control, and need a little more attacking threat.

As others have said, I'd drop Le Fondre and play Morrison instead. Can't see how that weakens the midfield since we'd be adding a man to it...

Red614 wrote:

SteWells wrote:We can't start Ravel and Ralls, they're not good enough defensively.

We need to dominate the midfield, and control the game. We can bring Ravel on later if we're in control, and need a little more attacking threat.

As others have said, I'd drop Le Fondre and play Morrison instead. Can't see how that weakens the midfield since we'd be adding a man to it...

I agree

SteWells wrote:We can't start Ravel and Ralls, they're not good enough defensively.

We need to dominate the midfield, and control the game. We can bring Ravel on later if we're in control, and need a little more attacking threat.

I think what you are advocating is a Malky Mackay type approach, but we no longer have the likes of Cowie, Taylor & Conway, who work their socks off and are very effective at this level.

Ralls has toughened up his game and performs better than some left backs we have had when asked to play there. I like the five man midfield with Ralls & Morrison, as both are dangerous in attack, but for different reasons.

We need to see something different in terms of either personnel, formation or both to at least start competing more away from home than we have been. Regardless of that - Birmingham 2 City 0

Toast Boy wrote:We need to see something different in terms of either personnel, formation or both to at least start competing more away from home than we have been. Regardless of that - Birmingham 2 City 0

I don't have a good feeling about this one.  I have said 0 - 0 above, but I wouldn't be surprised if we lost again.  

If we do lose, then I think the knives will be out for someone straight away.  We should not be performing so ineffectively against the likes of Blackpool, Millwall & Bolton.  These were the easier away games we would have been facing this season, but we haven't managed a single goal in these matches.

Over the past few days the feeling has crept back that City should have gone for Pulis or Lennon.

I agree TDA. It is difficult to feel genuine optimism at the moment. All the more damning because of the very real improvements that have been seen at home since Slade took over.

I am pretty certain we will win away from home at some point and i suppose it could start today. However there are no signs of a turn around away from home yet and i find no logical reason to feel any more optimistic for today. As well as us perhaps lacking mentally when playing away there must be an element of encouragment for whoever we play. They must feel that however low they are in the table or however much they have been struggling that they can dominate us if they take to the pitch with belief.

We have to start worrying teams. We have to find a way of putting them on the backfoot even if we go on to lose at the moment. As long as teams feel they have no reason to fear us on their own ground then we will always struggle to come away from the match with anything.

The performance and attitute almost feels more important than the result today for me.

Is this serving as the match thread too by the way?

Fabio dropped and Manga out. Team:-
Marshall, Brayford, Turner, S. Morrison, Connolly, Pilkington, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Noone, le Fondre & Macheda
Subs - Moore, Fabio, Gabbidon, Ralls, Adeyemi, Kim & Maynard.