Birmingham City away match thread

[Malago]

Word for the ref.  No yellow cards in what was a physical game.  We’re quick to criticise, but possibly the only bloke on the pitch to have a good game.

[Gakoe]

Lots of endeavour tonight,  just lacking a bit of quality.

Good sign that we're all disappointed with a point at St Andrews. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

For anyone thinking of doing a match report-don't. Please.

[Silvio Dante]

To return to a theme, 64% possession and 250 more passes than the opposition. Leads to a step down in performance - however I think this was more due to the fact that Brum lacked confidence and let us have the ball, seeking to sit deep and take a point - as against an intent to change the style.

What it does iterate, again, for whatever reason, is we’re better without the ball. That being said I thought we were the better team and had Mehmeti scored with one or two very presentable chances we win that.

The next question is do managers of opposition teams let us have the ball more now having seen results/performances with and without?

[Top Robin]

Birmingham as a team are poor but they have good individual players and I thought they defended really well tonight - almost parked the bus. Good point for us.

[Red Army 75]

Not again 

[ExiledAjax]

Decent second half which I thought we controlled very well. 

Few chances but the ones we had were good. Conway and Weimann were bright when they cn.

Dickie was my MOTM I think.

[GrahamC]

Poor game, we never got going but another point on the board.

Our record there is pretty awful & couldn’t really understand the “4 on the trot coming up” nonsense.

Dragged us down to their level.

[AppyDAZE]

2 minutes ago, Malago said:

Word for the ref.  No yellow cards in what was a physical game.  We’re quick to criticise, but possibly the only bloke on the pitch to have a good game.

One corner not given to us late on, but otherwise excellent.

[kit]

Taking positives from that we reduced them to next to no chances, snuffed out any of their counters when we were pressing. They had a short spell of domination after their tripple sub but it was very short lived.

I think if Mehmeti takes either of those chances first half then it would be looked on as a clinical performance.

Draw was definitely a fair enough result, it would have been unjust if we lost but we really didn't do anywhere near enough to be able to walk away feeling hard done by not to win even though we were slightly the better side.

[magnuspym]

not an enjoyable watch. somewhat comforted by a point away from home, but barely. disappointing result after watford and with such a promising starting lineup. just felt like such haphazard and aimless play. had all the purpose and skill of a punt around at the park. we really need a creative midfielder in our mix. and to stop being so hesitant to shoot. 

[Jerseybean]

Beeb stats say we didn’t have a shot on target 

[1team]

7 minutes ago, Robbored said:

And drew the game - I’m happy enough with a point away from home.

Against a team that looked nervous,devoid of ideas and created next to nothing, you're easily pleased!

[Curr Avon]

1 minute ago, Jerseybean said:

Beeb stats say we didn’t have a shot on target 

The Weimann shot should have counted as a shot on target, but the ref failed to give the corner.

[Lew-T]

I’m just happy Birmingham is out the way for another season.

Just can’t beat them no matter how shite they are.

[Shauntaylor85]

2 minutes ago, magnuspym said:

not an enjoyable watch. somewhat comforted by a point away from home, but barely. disappointing result after watford and with such a promising starting lineup. just felt like such haphazard and aimless play. had all the purpose and skill of a punt around at the park. we really need a creative midfielder in our mix. and to stop being so hesitant to shoot. 

We have a decent side here but we do lack an ACM who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and score a worldie or create something in tight spaces, coupled with a pacy, powerful striker. Two big priority signings. 

[The Journalist]

There aren’t many games at this level that - relatively speaking - are there for the taking but within the opening 10 minutes that felt like one of them.

That said, if you’re not at your best and can’t find a way to win make sure you don’t lose and we never looked like conceding, which you can’t often say about us with the score 0-0 away from home.

If we want to be a “top-end team” (not my words) we’ll need to add a couple with genuine technical ability in the middle third IMO. 

[GrahamC]

2 minutes ago, 1team said:

Against a team that looked nervous,devoid of ideas and created next to nothing, you're easily pleased!

Far be it from me to agree with him, but no one wins every week.

[cidercity1987]

So frustrating. Forget the defeats it's these annoying draws against teams that sit back that is gonna cost us a play off push.

All the good work from Pearson and now Manning but let down by no creative replacement for Scott

[alexukhc]

Not great but a point is better than no points, Brum looked very disjointed and I don’t think that helped us, Millwall on Monday will be a better game 

[lenred]

1 hour ago, Woofyourkipper said:

Ffs

Shitter eh? Point on the road. 

[Southport Red]

Just now, The Journalist said:

 

If we want to be a “top-end team” (not my words) we’ll need to add a couple with genuine technical ability in the middle third IMO. 

That young lad who plays for Bournemouth would do. 

[RedRoss]

https://www.smallheathalliance.com/read.php?1,3500626,page=12

On their forum they are discussing how they set much more defensive tonight. Guessing Rooney just didn't want to lose that one.

[RedM]

Just now, alexukhc said:

Not great but a point is better than no points, Brum looked very disjointed and I don’t think that helped us, Millwall on Monday will be a better game 

We seem to play better against the better placed teams, City of old that.

[Red Army 75]

You only got to look at results across the championship over the festive period . It’s just so difficult to predict. Sometimes you get two boxers with different styles and it ends up a shit fight. 

[1team]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

Far be it from me to agree with him, but no one wins every week.

Of course not but working their keeper would be nice! An off night if you like but Brum were really poor.

[sh1t_ref_again]

Rooney trying to save his job, set up for a point and maybe have a go for 3 in the last 5 minutes, they defended well, to many loose over hit balls from us, maybe could have done with Cornick on for the last 10.

[cidercity1987]

1 minute ago, RedM said:

We seem to play better against the better placed teams, City of old that.

Not really to do with better or worse.

We play better against attacking teams who give us space. We lack any quality to break down defensive teams

[22A]

8 minutes ago, Gakoe said:

Lots of endeavour tonight,  just lacking a bit of quality.

Good sign that we're all disappointed with a point at St Andrews. 

Meanwhile back at St Andrews; https://www.smallheathalliance.com/read.php?1,3500626,page=13

My point was that i don’t think Rooney sees this as the way forward. He set us up like that to make sure we didn’t lose this game. We offered absolutely nothing up top.

I think he sees it as the best way to keep his job. You’re right he was desperate to not get beat tonight, that was evident. It was more fear football than no fear.

So its a pretty dispiriting stalemate that closes the year for Wayne Rooney and us…. Only seven shots in the whole game and just one of them by Blues on target with 33% possession.

[CityCiderEd]

43 minutes ago, Woofyourkipper said:

I’m sorry but can anyone explain what exactly tanner brings to this team?

so negative

He's a bloody good defender is probably the answer you're looking for......