Birmingham City away match thread

[italian dave]

40 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

WTF was that is my over arching thought. 
 

Did anyone come out of that with any credit other than Bentley and maybe Atkinson!?

We were half arsed, slow, without desire and scared. In front of a big away following. 
 

One individual player did not make a forward pass the entire match. 
 

Semenyo did well for twenty but then fell off like the rest of them, but at least he showed something. 
 

Weimann has been terrible for weeks, ConwAy and Wells never got a pass, eff me, how could we concede three set piece goals. Apparently our white men can’t jump! 

I try to take positives from all our games, but that to use the American expression sucked ass!

 

 

Semenyo was OK. I'd say even good for the first 15 mins he was on - and was a threat (our only one) throughout the half.

Bentley came out of that with no credit in my eyes. We talk about outfield players looking to win the ball, with confidence, looking like they want it. For me the second and third goals were both down to Bentley not attacking the ball. Third one was 'flapping' personified.

Have to say that Birmingham were better than Id expected - albeit we made their finishing look far better than it probably is.

[Numero Uno]

Just now, italian dave said:

Semenyo was OK. I'd say even good for the first 15 mins he was on - and was a threat (our only one) throughout the half.

Bentley came out of that with no credit in my eyes. We talk about outfield players looking to win the ball, with confidence, looking like they want it. For me the second and third goals were both down to Bentley not attacking the ball. Third one was 'flapping' personified.

Have to say that Birmingham were better than Id expected - albeit we made their finishing look far better than it probably is.

That has a bigger effect on the performance of a back line than many people realise. When you are unsure, every single time a ball gets loaded into the box, whether firstly your keeper is even going to come or wants you to head it more or less under your crossbar and secondly if he does come will he flap at the sodding thing, that makes defending even harder than it is already. He did it at Wigan and he did it in spades today. The third goal didn't even look like a professional keeper between the sticks that's how bad that was. Great shot stopper I agree but that's why he's not playing at a higher level, you just cannot trust the guy on a regular basis when crosses get launched into the box.

[77 punk]

brentford got rid of bentley for a reason, to get a better keeper and get promoted

[italian dave]

13 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

That has a bigger effect on the performance of a back line than many people realise. When you are unsure, every single time a ball gets loaded into the box, whether firstly your keeper is even going to come or wants you to head it more or less under your crossbar and secondly if he does come will he flap at the sodding thing, that makes defending even harder than it is already. He did it at Wigan and he did it in spades today. The third goal didn't even look like a professional keeper between the sticks that's how bad that was. Great shot stopper I agree but that's why he's not playing at a higher level, you just cannot trust the guy on a regular basis when crosses get launched into the box.

Completely agree. Both sides had a few corners today - and most of them went into roughly the same sort of area. Ruddy came out and made sure he claimed it just about every time. You could tell his defenders knew where he was and what he was going to do. Bentley and the City defenders - the opposite.

I didn't rely to your question at half time, sorry: the second half kicked off before I could! My comment was in response to one about Scott and HNM as a midfield pair - not about either as individuals. Didn't work today - although not much did! I thought they both looked a little better second half - for 20 minutes anyway - when both seemed to be finding a bit more space. I think HNM is too desperate for a goal now - bad enough when strikers get like that, but when it's someone who's not a natural goalscorer anyway...

[Jerseybean]

Player ratings: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-player-ratings-birmingham-7681019

[RSW8]

Just got back. I’m normally pretty level headed when it comes to city but my overriding emotion today is that was a waste of time and money. I have no problem travelling and spending money to see city lose, we’ve all done it enough times. 
 

My problem is when I question desire and attitude. We were second best to every first and second ball today and started off flat as a pancake. We all know Birmingham are quite a direct and physical team and you have to match that first and foremost. Far too many players didn’t fancy it today and couldn’t wait to get off the pitch. 
 

Speaking to a few Birmingham fans after the game they were surprised how passive we were and weak defensively especially for a team managed by Nigel Pearson.

Embarrassing performance today. Could easily have been 5 or 6 in the end as we waved the white flag.

[Sheltons Army]

5 minutes ago, RSW8 said:

Just got back. I’m normally pretty level headed when it comes to city but my overriding emotion today is that was a waste of time and money. I have no problem travelling and spending money to see city lose, we’ve all done it enough times. 
 

My problem is when I question desire and attitude. We were second best to every first and second ball today and started off flat as a pancake. We all know Birmingham are quite a direct and physical team and you have to match that first and foremost. Far too many players didn’t fancy it today and couldn’t wait to get off the pitch. 
 

Speaking to a few Birmingham fans after the game they were surprised how passive we were and weak defensively especially for a team managed by Nigel Pearson.

Embarrassing performance today. Could easily have been 5 or 6 in the end as we waved the white flag.

You are not the first to report this ‘vibe’

I do find it bizarre , one thing you couldn’t question for last 8/9 months a re these things and it sounds like these fell collectively off a cliff today

Unexplainable and totally bemusing really 

[stephenkibby.]

2 hours ago, Engvall’s Splinter said:

Was only a couple of games back we were dominating Norwich having had an acceptable start - many on here now stating the end is near and we are to be relegated in October. Really? We all took the piss out of Swindon a few years back when they dropped their seminal fluids early doors ! 

You can see on our day we can give good footballing sides like Norwich a decent game.

For a few years now when we turn up at the likes of Brum,Preston,Millwall we get bullied outfought and then outthought.

It's pretty sad to me that Scott at 19 is the toughest and most brave player we have on the pitch.

That's apart from also having the nous and guts to take a booking to stop a dangerous counter attack.

Apart from Williams is there anyone else in the squad with that in them.?

[Better Red]

55 minutes ago, 77 punk said:

brentford got rid of bentley for a reason, to get a better keeper and get promoted

Been our best player for last 2 years.

Up there with the best keepers we have had in last 30 years.

Gets us about 15 points a season on his own.

Makes about 2 goal saving saves  a game.

Everyone can have an opinion but to look at Bentley as the problem in this team is just madness.

We are lucky to have him

 

[Sheltons Army]

2 minutes ago, stephenkibby. said:

You can see on our day we can give good footballing sides like Norwich a decent game.

For a few years now when we turn up at the likes of Brum,Preston,Millwall we get bullied outfought and then outthought.

It's pretty sad to me that Scott at 19 is the toughest and most brave player we have on the pitch.

That's apart from also having the nous and guts to take a booking to stop a dangerous counter attack.

Apart from Williams is there anyone else in the squad with that in them.?

I think individually , and collectively , as a side  we need to be right ‘at it’ and a 8/10 to get results 

I don’t think we have the quality across the side or squad to drop too far from a good / excellent level , and with a thin squad and a fair bit of inexperience that’s difficult to do , week to week

Missing the experience of James , Klose , Kalas , Naismith today and at the moment doesn’t help

I can for that reason , at least ,understand why he wanted to go with King today

[The Bard]

2 minutes ago, Better Red said:

Been our best player for last 2 years.

Up there with the best keepers we have had in last 30 years.

Gets us about 15 points a season on his own.

Makes about 2 goal saving saves  a game.

Everyone can have an opinion but to look at Bentley as the problem in this team is just madness.

We are lucky to have him

 

No he hasn't been our best player. That's Alex Scott. Semenyo, Weimann. 

He was dropped last season for a reason.  Scott and Weimann weren't.

He makes great saves but this is balanced out by the errors that cost us. He's a decent Championship keeper but he's hit his limit at about 12th in the Championship.  We can do better. If we're ambitious, we replace him.

[The Bard]

12 minutes ago, stephenkibby. said:

You can see on our day we can give good footballing sides like Norwich a decent game.

For a few years now when we turn up at the likes of Brum,Preston,Millwall we get bullied outfought and then outthought.

It's pretty sad to me that Scott at 19 is the toughest and most brave player we have on the pitch.

That's apart from also having the nous and guts to take a booking to stop a dangerous counter attack.

Apart from Williams is there anyone else in the squad with that in them.?

Williams? Nous and guts?

Are you talking about Brian?

[Better Red]

Just now, The Bard said:

No he hasn't been our best player. That's Alex Scott. Semenyo, Weimann. 

He was dropped last season for a reason.  Scott and Weimann weren't.

He makes great saves but this is balanced out by the errors that cost us. He's a decent Championship keeper but he's hit his limit at about 12th in the Championship.  We can do better. If we're ambitious, we replace him.

Behave

Yeah and we could not get back in quick enough…

12th is about 6 places above this team - Like I said we are lucky to have.

Everyone has an opinion but in this case you are just the opposite of right.

Again we are lucky to have him

[stephenkibby.]

9 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

I think individually , and collectively , as a side  we need to be right ‘at it’ and a 8/10 to get results 

I don’t think we have the quality across the side or squad to drop too far from a good / excellent level , and with a thin squad and a fair bit of inexperience that’s difficult to do , week to week

Missing the experience of James , Klose , Kalas , Naismith today and at the moment doesn’t help

I can for that reason , at least ,understand why he wanted to go with King today

Get that we need experience in the side and put on here last week that Naismith is the first name on the team sheet for me.

But to get the best out of Scott is for the team to be brave.

If the rest hide away don't want the ball passed to them in a tight area or gamble on his vision and make the runs,well he's wasted.

As you well know Shelts football is all about movement and body position and a lot of ours today was backwards.

[stephenkibby.]

12 minutes ago, The Bard said:

Williams? Nous and guts?

Are you talking about Brian?

No i 'm saying he's the only other player willing to bring a player down when he sees danger.

Now Brian that's a different kettle of Fish. Has he still got a pair of boots?

[Shuffle]

54 minutes ago, RSW8 said:

Just got back. I’m normally pretty level headed when it comes to city but my overriding emotion today is that was a waste of time and money. I have no problem travelling and spending money to see city lose, we’ve all done it enough times. 
 

My problem is when I question desire and attitude. We were second best to every first and second ball today and started off flat as a pancake. We all know Birmingham are quite a direct and physical team and you have to match that first and foremost. Far too many players didn’t fancy it today and couldn’t wait to get off the pitch. 
 

Speaking to a few Birmingham fans after the game they were surprised how passive we were and weak defensively especially for a team managed by Nigel Pearson.

Embarrassing performance today. Could easily have been 5 or 6 in the end as we waved the white flag.

That sums up exactly how I felt & was embarrassed at our lack of fight.

[stephenkibby.]

2 hours ago, The Bard said:

Preston 5-0 

Swansea 7-1

Gas 4-0 

Birmingham last season was worse

Coventry last season.

Any number of Osman games that we've all forgotten as we don't want to suffer the PTSD.

See this is the thing with football.

My first City game was a 2/0 win over Leyton Orient in 66 and it's been mostly downhill since.

Trouble is it will only end at my end!!!!!!

[firstdivision]

1 hour ago, RSW8 said:

Just got back. I’m normally pretty level headed when it comes to city but my overriding emotion today is that was a waste of time and money. I have no problem travelling and spending money to see city lose, we’ve all done it enough times. 
 

My problem is when I question desire and attitude. We were second best to every first and second ball today and started off flat as a pancake. We all know Birmingham are quite a direct and physical team and you have to match that first and foremost. Far too many players didn’t fancy it today and couldn’t wait to get off the pitch. 
 

Speaking to a few Birmingham fans after the game they were surprised how passive we were and weak defensively especially for a team managed by Nigel Pearson.

Embarrassing performance today. Could easily have been 5 or 6 in the end as we waved the white flag.

Perfect summary (although Birmingham fans obviously haven't been paying any attention at all when it comes to the weak defensively and Nigel Pearson bit. We've become used to it over the past 18 months. Not that he's to blame in any way, of course.)

Edited October 8, 2022 by firstdivision

[E.G.Red]

3 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Feel sorrier for the poor sods who've made the trek to the Midlands to support them. 

So do I, especially with no trains running today . Perhaps the players could refund their ticket costs ( as I know other teams have done in the past)

[OliOTIB]

30 minutes ago, E.G.Red said:

So do I, especially with no trains running today . Perhaps the players could refund their ticket costs ( as I know other teams have done in the past)

Just got home. Pissed i wasted time money and effort to make a trek to follow a team, my team who cant even be ****** to put anything into a game where on paper were better than them. Pathetic

[italian dave]

2 hours ago, stephenkibby. said:

 

That's apart from also having the nous and guts to take a booking to stop a dangerous counter attack.

 

Something Birmingham did very effectively today.

Big part of their game plan was evidently to stop us breaking way, back in our own half, however they did it. They did that very effectively and stopped us building any momentum.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, stephenkibby. said:

5hat's apart from also having the nous and guts to take a booking to stop a dangerous counter attack.

Apart from Williams is there anyone else in the squad with that in them.?

Scott has picked up 6 this season in 12 games. Williams 5 in 11.

Agree with quite a bit of your post, the unquoted bit but encouraging more bookings may not be for the best...for fouls wise we seem to be 17th this year which is decent, but 7th for bookings...which leaves us vulnerable to suspensions.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Taylor10]

5 hours ago, REDOXO said:

WTF was that is my over arching thought. 
 

Did anyone come out of that with any credit other than Bentley and maybe Atkinson!?

We were half arsed, slow, without desire and scared. In front of a big away following. 
 

One individual player did not make a forward pass the entire match. 
 

Semenyo did well for twenty but then fell off like the rest of them, but at least he showed something. 
 

Weimann has been terrible for weeks, ConwAy and Wells never got a pass, eff me, how could we concede three set piece goals. Apparently our white men can’t jump! 

I try to take positives from all our games, but that to use the American expression sucked ass!

 

 

Just out of interest how could Bentley come out of that with any credit? Woeful today I'm afraid. 
 

Fantastic shot stopper, rushes out & smothers the ball well but he is part of the problem I'm afraid. Yes defensively we are poor but he doesn’t command his area or take any pressure off what so ever. Doesn’t ever come off his line. I am a bit surprised he often seems to avoid criticism.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, stephenkibby. said:

See this is the thing with football.

My first City game was a 2/0 win over Leyton Orient in 66 and it's been mostly downhill since.

Trouble is it will only end at my end!!!!!!

Done from 66/67 myself cant be arsed no more, why should we, they dont give 2 sh1tes as long as they get paid; I bow down to those fans who did the brum run today....the team....hang your heads down you do not deserve your fans.much has changed since 66/67 including all of the ground and a boss who has more pies than fingers to put in them;

[Son of Fred]

Bentley needs to be rested.

We need to go to a back four.

We need Naysmith sat in front of the four.

If Klose is fit he must play.

Kalas attaining fitness (and staying fit) will be key to our season.

 

[RedM]

13 hours ago, Midred said:

Can  players be docked wages for a poor performance? 

Preston away a couple of years ago we got our match ticket refunded as the players played so badly and felt guilty. This was instigated by Korey though. So unless we have another player as compassionate as Korey, and others to agree, it won't happen

[RedM]

8 hours ago, Taylor10 said:

Just out of interest how could Bentley come out of that with any credit? Woeful today I'm afraid. 
 

Fantastic shot stopper, rushes out & smothers the ball well but he is part of the problem I'm afraid. Yes defensively we are poor but he doesn’t command his area or take any pressure off what so ever. Doesn’t ever come off his line. I am a bit surprised he often seems to avoid criticism.

He is also Captain too, that position alone comes with extra responsibility.

It's fine to come to the for to lift the trophies (metaphorically) but in tough times he needs to be seen to be leading too. Maybe a joint statement from him and Nigel and a bit of honesty?

[Jacki]

Having had the chance to reflect on yesterday, I still can’t find any positives. We were absolutely abject from start to finish… everything was poor. We had players hiding and not wanting the ball, we didn’t match them for effort and we looked so lightweight at the back - it really was dreadful. The only arguable bright spot was Scott, who kept showing for the ball and trying to make things happen, although he was pretty much on his own in that respect.

As others have said, King at centre half was asking for trouble. I could just about understand it v Coventry as that was a change mid game, but to start him in that position was madness and was always going to cost us.

The thing that concerns me the most is the way the confidence has just evaporated after a few poor results. People say we’ve been ‘worked out’, and I’m sure there is some merit in that, but a number of our players are a shadow of what they were when we were playing well. You can see some of them visibly shrinking out on the pitch as soon as something goes wrong - it’s incredible how fragile they are.

After the optimism of a few weeks ago, the threadbare nature of our squad is really starting to bite and I fear it could be another long, long season. These next 2 home games are massive now. 

 

[RedM]

12 hours ago, RSW8 said:

Just got back. I’m normally pretty level headed when it comes to city but my overriding emotion today is that was a waste of time and money. I have no problem travelling and spending money to see city lose, we’ve all done it enough times. 
 

My problem is when I question desire and attitude. We were second best to every first and second ball today and started off flat as a pancake. We all know Birmingham are quite a direct and physical team and you have to match that first and foremost. Far too many players didn’t fancy it today and couldn’t wait to get off the pitch. 
 

Speaking to a few Birmingham fans after the game they were surprised how passive we were and weak defensively especially for a team managed by Nigel Pearson.

Embarrassing performance today. Could easily have been 5 or 6 in the end as we waved the white flag.

Agreed. I'm well used to losing, but its the gutless performance I didn't like. Unlike only a few games ago when players were on the same wavelength, these looked like total strangers who couldn't be arsed

[ralphindevon]

It was one of those hugely anticipated away games, a sell out up the road after being dealt a miserable run of long distance games, especially for those of us south of Bristol.

I suppose as a long time City fan I should have known what was coming, we’re rarely allowed nice things.

Anyway it was a gorgeous day and by far the best tactical decision of the day was me leaving a couple minutes before the end, therefore getting out of the nearby supermarket car park in a couple minutes and not the hour it can take if you leave it late.

On to the next!