Match Report: Shot shy City surrender to poor Blues side as drop zone beckons

[Olé]

Any remaining doubt that City are on course for another relegation battle was eradicated at St. Andrews as Nigel Pearson's struggling side lost a fourth in five games and second successive 3-0 away defeat in the Midlands - this by far the more abject against a long ball Birmingham side which itself only hit the target those three times, still more than City who didn't force a save until the very last kick. 

The warning signs were there on Saturday when even the long awaited win at home to Barnsley saw Pearson's men largely second best and today they contrived the opposite ineptness - marginally neater with the ball than their hosts, but only in so far as both teams are among the worst at this level and it was City that produced nothing in the final third and surrendered three awful goals.

It's hard to believe Nigel Pearson is getting to grips with his City side - any changes he makes seem to have little impact on what is now a consistent lack of ideas and cutting edge, and in Chris Martin he is dependent on surely one of the most limited targets in the division. So it's no surprise that a wildly deflected shot and a route one smash and grab left City imploding in the final twenty.

In a match slow to open up it was City that showed first, Weimann threaded in from the right by James but his lob at close range was over the keeper but onto the roof of the net. In response Birmingham broke almost immediately, beat DaSilva and crossed from the right, flashing the ball past Bentley to the back post where Gardner should have headed home, instead back across goal.

It should have been a warning as with their second of so few Blues attempts the ball fell outside the box to McGree who unlike City was never afraid to shoot, and it got him the luck that deserves, a wicked deflection off Kalas diverting the ball beyond Bentley and into the bottom corner. A fortuitous lead and in response Martin glanced a long range header wide from a deep James free kick.

At the midway point in the half Weimann set off on a high speed left to right sprint along the edge of the box before playing in Tanner whose low return cross found no one able to turn home despite defenders all at sea. City were combining well looking for space and got Bakinson into a channel run through the middle - only for the midfielder to squander his left foot shot from the edge of the box.

As it happens the largely out of favour City youngster had been the pick of the visitors with and without the ball - chasing back to block and playing intelligent balls forward - and just before the half hour his killler ball through the middle played Wells in only for the striker to be muscled out on the edge of the box, Weimann seizing the loose ball but ushered left and shooting wide on the run.

Before the break a largely anonymous hosts saw Bela cut in from the left to curl just over, while Zak Vyner, impressive in the middle of a back three, found DaSilva at the left byline with a smart long pass, his cross not turned in by Bakinson or Martin, nor from the long throw in that followed. City lacked a cutting edge and after Bakinson fed Weimann in the right channel, no one converted his centre. 

After the break City seemed the more likely to equalise given their upper hand but for all their possession again there was no cutting edge and it wasn't until the 55th minute - following the loss of an exhausted James for Massengo - that Deeney's quick ball over the top put Hogan clear in the left channel against the run of play, the striker drilling a fierce low shot past Bentley but across goal.

On the hour City again contrived to miss an opportunity with numbers in the box as first Weimann lifted into the area to where Wells and then Bakinson both failed to produce a finish under pressure, the ball half cleared to Tanner who slashed a rising shot over the bar. And that was more or less it. City tried for a further 5 minutes but by now Bakinson and Massengo had surrendered midfield. 

So for fans of City's propensity to surrender football matches no surprises that against the run of play the Blues doubled their lead in smash and grab style - a long goal kick headed down by Deeney right into Hogan's path in the area, the striker drilling low and hard past Bentley into the bottom corner. An improbable two goal lead for a poor home side and yet what followed was unforgivable. 

Pearson's men imploded rapidly from there on out - torn to pieces by wave upon wave of attack by a Birmingham side that even now had the rare luxury of passing the ball such was City's collapse. It drew derision in the away end where travelling fans reprised their sarcasm and ridicule in song form as they had also at West Brom - we're ******* shit among the songs roared by the visitors.

With 15 remaining crosses from both wings should have been converted and a minute later the hosts played straight through the middle thanks to Bakinson's tame challenge before spreading left to Graham who had all the time in the world to pick out Gardner in the box to nod past Bentley far post for 3-0. The Blues would pepper the City goal in the final minutes and could have had five or six.

Met by derision from their 1000 supporters - including some targeting of squad members Semenyo, Palmer and Conway in the away end - it was an abject, leaderless surrender and against a low quality team that offered nothing until 2-0 up. To compound the away side's embarrassment sub Pring registered the first shot on target in the 92nd minute, a respite that prompted more sarcastic songs.

City are now clearly hurtling towards a dog fight at the bottom and boss Pearson looks idealess and powerless to create better out of what increasingly looks like a poor squad which lacks quality, leadership, star players or even just goals. The sight of Chris Martin as our only target man struggling to keep up and unable to control or pass a ball is stark reminder how ill equipped this side really is.

 

Bentley 5 Flapped at an awful lot

Kalas 6 Gives his all but let down by those around him

Atkinson 5 One bright counter, but strikers got the run on him from crosses

Vyner 5 Some good forward balls but did not react quick enough in the box

Tanner 4 Wasn't enough of an outlet, too close to centre backs and forced backwards

DaSilva 2 Absolutely awful, bypassed too easily, over complicated and gave it away

James 5 Better when he was on but looks burnt out and shadow of player he could be

Bakinson 4 Gave his all first half and was everywhere, tracking back to block, picking passes - easily our best player. Completely exposed second half and fell to pieces.  

Weimann 6 More energy than anyone else but that wasn't hard. Wasted on rest of the team.

Wells 4 Never really got into space or looked composed around the box - better in the channels

Martin 1 The likes of Torpey and Diedhiou did not get ridiculed so that this joker can lead the line for a club in the Championship that spent £50m+ in recent seasons. Miles off the required standard and anyone at City who decided he would be enough for us to compete this season should be sacked.

 

Massengo 5 crowd sung his name until he came on, midfield fell apart after he did

Pring 5 watched Blues abuse us last ten

Scott 5 watched Blues abuse us last ten

[Bs4Red]

Apart from Vyner who was a 2 I actually agree with most of that. Not sure it was snatch and grab for their second. Thought they never got out of second gear. City just strung 4 passes together at one point. 

[054123]

Martin needs a rest (being polite) and we really need to figure out how to inject pace and energy into the side.

We have pretty much reached the point where anything we try cannot be any worse.

I don’t know if Louis Britton can’t cut it at this level, but it simply cannot be any worse than our current efforts.

[ralphindevon]

Thank goodness for that good run of away games earlier in the season. A bit like last season when a very good start ultimately saved us.

The worrying thing now is very few players are playing anywhere near their best, their form has dropped just as we should be expecting improvements the longer Pearson has been in charge. 
 

I was expecting a struggle this season and was pleased that we’d got over the line in those away games, most of which could have gone the other way. But to go backwards at this stage is very worrying.

[And Its Smith]

Good to hear the city faithful targeting Semenyo, Palmer and Conway in the away end. If anyone is to blame its almost certainly those three!   Some superb away fans we have 

Good summary although I don’t think anyone deserved a 6/10 last night. 

[maxjak]

9 hours ago, Olé said:

Any remaining doubt that City are on course for another relegation battle was eradicated at St. Andrews as Nigel Pearson's struggling side lost a fourth in five games and second successive 3-0 away defeat in the Midlands - this by far the more abject against a long ball Birmingham side which itself only hit the target those three times, still more than City who didn't force a save until the very last kick. 

The warning signs were there on Saturday when even the long awaited win at home to Barnsley saw Pearson's men largely second best and today they contrived the opposite ineptness - marginally neater with the ball than their hosts, but only in so far as both teams are among the worst at this level and it was City that produced nothing in the final third and surrendered three awful goals.

It's hard to believe Nigel Pearson is getting to grips with his City side - any changes he makes seem to have little impact on what is now a consistent lack of ideas and cutting edge, and in Chris Martin he is dependent on surely one of the most limited targets in the division. So it's no surprise that a wildly deflected shot and a route one smash and grab left City imploding in the final twenty.

In a match slow to open up it was City that showed first, Weimann threaded in from the right by James but his lob at close range was over the keeper but onto the roof of the net. In response Birmingham broke almost immediately, beat DaSilva and crossed from the right, flashing the ball past Bentley to the back post where Gardner should have headed home, instead back across goal.

It should have been a warning as with their second of so few Blues attempts the ball fell outside the box to McGree who unlike City was never afraid to shoot, and it got him the luck that deserves, a wicked deflection off Kalas diverting the ball beyond Bentley and into the bottom corner. A fortuitous lead and in response Martin glanced a long range header wide from a deep James free kick.

At the midway point in the half Weimann set off on a high speed left to right sprint along the edge of the box before playing in Tanner whose low return cross found no one able to turn home despite defenders all at sea. City were combining well looking for space and got Bakinson into a channel run through the middle - only for the midfielder to squander his left foot shot from the edge of the box.

As it happens the largely out of favour City youngster had been the pick of the visitors with and without the ball - chasing back to block and playing intelligent balls forward - and just before the half hour his killler ball through the middle played Wells in only for the striker to be muscled out on the edge of the box, Weimann seizing the loose ball but ushered left and shooting wide on the run.

Before the break a largely anonymous hosts saw Bela cut in from the left to curl just over, while Zak Vyner, impressive in the middle of a back three, found DaSilva at the left byline with a smart long pass, his cross not turned in by Bakinson or Martin, nor from the long throw in that followed. City lacked a cutting edge and after Bakinson fed Weimann in the right channel, no one converted his centre. 

After the break City seemed the more likely to equalise given their upper hand but for all their possession again there was no cutting edge and it wasn't until the 55th minute - following the loss of an exhausted James for Massengo - that Deeney's quick ball over the top put Hogan clear in the left channel against the run of play, the striker drilling a fierce low shot past Bentley but across goal.

On the hour City again contrived to miss an opportunity with numbers in the box as first Weimann lifted into the area to where Wells and then Bakinson both failed to produce a finish under pressure, the ball half cleared to Tanner who slashed a rising shot over the bar. And that was more or less it. City tried for a further 5 minutes but by now Bakinson and Massengo had surrendered midfield. 

So for fans of City's propensity to surrender football matches no surprises that against the run of play the Blues doubled their lead in smash and grab style - a long goal kick headed down by Deeney right into Hogan's path in the area, the striker drilling low and hard past Bentley into the bottom corner. An improbable two goal lead for a poor home side and yet what followed was unforgivable. 

Pearson's men imploded rapidly from there on out - torn to pieces by wave upon wave of attack by a Birmingham side that even now had the rare luxury of passing the ball such was City's collapse. It drew derision in the away end where travelling fans reprised their sarcasm and ridicule in song form as they had also at West Brom - we're ******* shit among the songs roared by the visitors.

With 15 remaining crosses from both wings should have been converted and a minute later the hosts played straight through the middle thanks to Bakinson's tame challenge before spreading left to Graham who had all the time in the world to pick out Gardner in the box to nod past Bentley far post for 3-0. The Blues would pepper the City goal in the final minutes and could have had five or six.

Met by derision from their 1000 supporters - including some targeting of squad members Semenyo, Palmer and Conway in the away end - it was an abject, leaderless surrender and against a low quality team that offered nothing until 2-0 up. To compound the away side's embarrassment sub Pring registered the first shot on target in the 92nd minute, a respite that prompted more sarcastic songs.

City are now clearly hurtling towards a dog fight at the bottom and boss Pearson looks idealess and powerless to create better out of what increasingly looks like a poor squad which lacks quality, leadership, star players or even just goals. The sight of Chris Martin as our only target man struggling to keep up and unable to control or pass a ball is stark reminder how ill equipped this side really is.

 

Bentley 5 Flapped at an awful lot

Kalas 6 Gives his all but let down by those around him

Atkinson 5 One bright counter, but strikers got the run on him from crosses

Vyner 5 Some good forward balls but did not react quick enough in the box

Tanner 4 Wasn't enough of an outlet, too close to centre backs and forced backwards

DaSilva 2 Absolutely awful, bypassed too easily, over complicated and gave it away

James 5 Better when he was on but looks burnt out and shadow of player he could be

Bakinson 4 Gave his all first half and was everywhere, tracking back to block, picking passes - easily our best player. Completely exposed second half and fell to pieces.  

Weimann 6 More energy than anyone else but that wasn't hard. Wasted on rest of the team.

Wells 4 Never really got into space or looked composed around the box - better in the channels

Martin 1 The likes of Torpey and Diedhiou did not get ridiculed so that this joker can lead the line for a club in the Championship that spent £50m+ in recent seasons. Miles off the required standard and anyone at City who decided he would be enough for us to compete this season should be sacked.

 

Massengo 5 crowd sung his name until he came on, midfield fell apart after he did

Pring 5 watched Blues abuse us last ten

Scott 5 watched Blues abuse us last ten

I Really do not understand your concern?...............  you seem to have forgotten that we have a High Performance Centre?    Ha!  

Edited November 3, 2021 by maxjak

[BTRFTG]

Not often I'd find fault in Ole's reports but I think in this one there are several glaring errors.

Quite how Vyner might be described as 'impressive' I'm unable to fathom. Again last night he was a complete defensive liability. I'll forgive him his lack of positional awareness (he's never had any,) but what I can't forgive him is his utter spinelessness in combat. He did ( with Bakinson) nothing to prevent the build up for their first, their second he was brushed aside like an irritant fly, their third he couldn't even be bothered to pick up his man. Several times last night he, along with Martin, and presumably in fear of potential neurological dangers downstream, showed zero inclination to desire to attempt to head the ball. He's nowhere near good enough for this or even the league below.

Bakinson, too, deserves nowhere near the amount of praise given. Clearly he's a bloke with many 'imaginary friends'. He spent all night marking one of them (how else might one explain his positioning,) compounded by passing to several others. Soft as talc he's clearly an advocate for non-violent confrontation. In short, he's a midfield loser. Always was, always will be. To suggest he's good offensively, well most are in that amount of space and with the time afforded. There's a reason good players rarely have that luxury.

Martin rated 1, though I've no idea what for. I've little problem he's no pace, I've every problem the static lump can't get his studs off the turf, plus for a bloke his size I've never seen a less combative powder puff of a forward fraudster. He's sub Paul Williams in my book.

Martin largely avoids the flak because we've Wells on the books. Save for one or two movements out wide Wells was anonymous last night, his first touch ever woeful. And before folks start the, '...it's not his position...we don't play his game'...' we did Saturday. There he was gifted 3 gilt edged chances and he squandered each and every one.

I'm no fan of Flappy but he and James can't keep doing the work of 10 men, ditto Kalas. Tanner will be OK but needs protecting. 

Bentley again shows he's a decent shot stopper (at which he's well practiced,) and pretty much crap at every other aspect of keeping.

Dasilva, like KP should never have been purchased. They showed on loan they weren't good enough to get us into the playoffs. Now on contract they've sod all to play for. Going through the motions, badly at that....

[Rocking Red Cyril]

6 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Good to hear the city faithful targeting Semenyo, Palmer and Conway in the away end. If anyone is to blame its almost certainly those three!   Some superb away fans we have 

Good summary although I don’t think anyone deserved a 6/10 last night. 

How can they have any thing to do with it they not played for ages 

[And Its Smith]

1 hour ago, Rocking Red Cyril said:

How can they have any thing to do with it they not played for ages 

Exactly. Great fans 

[shelts]

Good report . A sly dig at the fans as standard . 

[Mr Chappers]

Pretty accurate report, full backs are both suspect, often caught in no mans land as alleged wing backs, then once James went off we had no direction in midfield. Two young players totally overwhelmed. Trouble is that we have no options, down to bare bones and it’s clear that COD and KP are out of favour.