- Home
- Birmingham City
- Current Squad
- Adam Legzdins
- Jonathan Grounds
- Paul Robinson
- Ryan Shotton
- Maikel Kieftenbeld
- Robert Tesche
- Stephen Gleeson
- Clayton Donaldson
- Diego Fabbrini
- David Cotterill
- Rhoys Wiggins
- Che Adams
- Lukas Jutkiewicz
- Viv Solomon-Otabor
- Jacques Maghoma
- Greg Stewart
- Jonathan Spector
- David Davis
- Michael Morrison
- Tomasz Kuszczak
- Paul Caddis
- Development Squad
- Academy
- Ladies Team
- Sophie Baggaley
- Alex Windell
- Meaghan Sargeant
- Jess Carter
- Kerys Harrop
- Freda Ayisi
- Kirsty Linnett
- Bella Linden
- Andrine Hegerberg
- Abbey-Leigh Stringer
- Melissa Lawley
- Charlie Wellings
- Chloe Peplow
- Rebecca Lloyd
- Connie Schofield
- Emily Westwood
- Cheryl Edwards
- Corina Schröder
- Ashlee Brown
- Coral-Jade Haines
- Aoife Mannion
- Ann-Katrin Berger
- Out on Loan
- Former Players
- Boards and Advisors
- Appearance Data 2014/2015
- Current Squad
- Factfiles
- Series
- Sponsorship
- Website Info
- Social Media
- Contact Me
Injuries and Suspensions
Rookie goalkeeper Nick Townsend was given a first team squad number ahead of Birmingham City’s game with Yeovil after Darren Randolph sustained a broken nose and gashed hand against Leicester City.
With Shane Ferguson having also picked up a groin strain Blues are struggling slightly with injuries already with only four league games gone. Mitch Hancox missed the game at the weekend having picked up a turned ankle in training and with David Murphy still out with a long-term injury Lee Clark faces having to pick either veteran Paul Robinson at left back/left wing-back or recalling rookie Amari’i Bell from his spell at Nuneaton Town.
One of the chief problems Blues have is the threadbare nature of the squad; whilst they can currently put out a first team that isn’t reliant on kids all it will take is a couple of key injuries and Blues could really be struggling. The dearth of players available at centre back have meant that Hayden Mullins has had to be called in to deputise and whilst Will Packwood is now on his return from injury he will still need time to get up to match fitness.
It’s not just injuries though. In their first five games Blues have picked up fourteen yellow cards already, with Neal Eardley and Paul Robinson picking up three apiece. With the first cut off date not until New Year’s Eve that means Eardley and Robinson can only afford one more booking apiece before attracting a suspension – and both play in positions where currently we are not exactly flush with players.
With this in mind if I was Lee Clark I would use the League Cup game for two things. Firstly, I would use it to change the formation back to the 4-2-3-1/4-5-1/4-3-3 that seemed to work well at the end of last year, to see if that could improve matters on the pitch. Secondly, and more importantly I would use the fixture to try out some of the younger blood in the squad to see if they’re up to it. Until investment comes in Blues are going to have to rely on their younger players somewhat and it might be an idea to give them a game in a lower-pressure fixture to see how they cope. For example, if Ryan Higgins has got over his neck injury I’d consider him at right back; I’d think about playing Reece Hales up front with Matt Green to give Lee Novak a break and maybe even think about Reece Brown in the middle to see if he can mix it at this level.
One of the things I admired regarding Lee Clark last season was that he was willing to look at using younger players within the team and was also willing to stick with them if they played well. Unlike previous managers who would seemingly play anyone out of position rather than dipping into the Academy Clark seemed confident enough to give players debuts and I hope he continues in that vein this season – if anything it gives the club access to a pool of new players and potentially creates new assets that can help keep the club going.
It’ll be interesting to see what Clark does do; I can understand the reasoning that a cup run will bring in cash and could raise morale but I also think it’s a useful time to look at players that we might have to rely on later in the season.
Tags: Amarii Bell, Lee Clark, Reece Brown, Reece Hales, Ryan Higgins, The Academy
102 Responses to “Injuries and Suspensions”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Do you think he will play Chris Burke and have you heard anything about him leaving before the end of the week?
I hope so and no.
Playing 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 would accomodate Chris Burke. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hancox recovers in time or Spector plays at left back for Yeovil. Time to give Reilly another chance?
OP there is a thread on SHA today re Chris Burke going. I think if this is true it shows what a total mess we are in financially and a sale is inevitable. I hope it will be in the Autumn to allow new owners some leeway in January. Otherwise it seems we will just limp on, blooding the youngsters. So what happens if Marlon King doesn’t find a club? £18,000 a week salary for nothing or does Lee Clark swallow his pride and play him?
As tatts said two weeks ago, we’ve already agreed a settlement with King…
Surely the settlement only applies if he finds a new club and what if he doesn’t?
Can only agree a cup run would be ideal for the money, but the team and staying up is also just as important and giving the kids experience now might reap it’s rewards in the later part of the season
My god your a barrel of laughs! Lets bring everyone down! You and colin tattum make a perfect couple! We need a cup run for financial reasons a big home draw against scum or man united etc or sell another young prospect in january take your pick?
Thanks for your comment Matt.
Matts got a point mayor you are a bit doom and gloom at the moment,no need to keep ramming it down our throats,look at your blog yesterday ‘”short term pain”??its been two years this shite has been going on now,hows the hell is that short term then??even magic Johnson tweeted Saturday this has been going on far to long……short term pain my arse……
We all know were in the shit mate but wheres the ww2 spirit come on let em av it? Were in this together mate! Oh no were all gonna die hitler gonna kill us all! You do know how many soldiers he’s got! We’ll get through this stop all this preaching doom and gloom your not helping the situation you actually driving fans away!
Matt
I’m all for supporting the team. I think blooding younger players into the team can only be a good thing – it was (as I believe I said) one of the big positives of last season. Now if it’s doom and gloom to suggest that maybe we have the players in the academy who can bolster the squad and that blooding them now is sensible, I dread to see what you’re going to be like when the brown stuff TRULY hits the fan.
If you don’t like what I write, feel free to read another site mate.
Do you honestly believe we have enough quality in the acadamy to make a difference? It’s a long way back from league 1 and i should know having done them all home and away for 30 years!
Matt
We have no choice – we won’t be seeing any money coming into the club any time soon – it is physically impossible for the club to be bought by the end of the transfer window which means loans at best until January – and we’re fully stocked on them already.
Don’t we have one loan slot left – thought the limit in a match day squad was 5 and we currently have 4 – Bartley, Burn, Ferguson and Allan?
You’re right. Not with it this morning
Thats not right mate!
http://www.football-league.co.uk/regulations/20130704/section-6-players_2293633_2125731#52
Whether lee clark plays them is the point!
We have one more available in the matchday squad. We can have more but they can’t all play at once.
Unfortunately Matt… I don’t think we can afford the wages for a loan player unless one or two more go…
MARLON KING?
even when Marlon goes, we can’t afford it. Clarky himself said TWO need to go.
send loans back as we’ve done before it’s not rocket science! If they are not starting the game and there is a better fit do it!
Ferguson has played every game. Burn has played every game. Allan and Bartley are fairly needed cover – without Bartley we have two centre backs with any experience in the squad and Allan is probably one of our best midfielders.
You’re not making sense Matt.
I think all that hong kong phooey lifestyle has gone to your head! The game is about wheeling and dealing with the situation we find ourselves in! We cannot afford loans as cover do you understand? Dead wood cover is useless it’s on the grass where it counts! Your not making sense! In the real world you sound like a quitter! We do not need quitters!
Matt
I’ll say this once more, so maybe you might grasp it.
Blues are skint. Absolutely, utterly, completely broke. There is no wiggle room. There is no money left. We will not be bringing anyone else in unless we lose a few players – and as it stands we’re struggling without losing players.
That’s not “hong kong phooey” stuff, that’s not pessimism, that’s fact. I’ll still be there to support them, I’ll still be at the games but this year is going to be a huge struggle and avoiding relegation will be an achievement.
When you write a piece you give your opinion and allow your readers the right to reply am i right?
My opinion is that you write painful drivel! That is not a critisism it it my opinion! You have to be able to lose an argument when you start one! Otherwise turn off the reply option! This is a Democratic Society live with it!
Thanks
If thats your opinion, don’t read it, simple innit?
If we play 3-5-2 without Burke and lose again will you start to question how much of our predicament is down to the Manager?? He stumbled on a successful 4-5-1 formation last year and I’m sorry to go on but I believe its barking to abandon it.
Teetering on the edge of sh***er’s ditch, hope we don’t slide in! KRO
As every day goes by, Birmingham are heading for disaster, with the silence from the owners it really does mirror the happenings at Coventry City, apart from the Stadium situation.
NOTHING LIKE IT MATE!
What is with all you people !! Blues , as a club owned by Yeung and Co are finished !! They have reduced our beloved club to a laughing stock and sold anyone that is worth 2 bob or more !! NO money has seen the light of day in nearly 3 years and therefore we must assume its gone elsewhere !! ( Do I hear Yeung and Pannu laughing ?)
The best way to get rid of a fever is to STARVE it of its needs !! WE have a fever called Yeungitis at blues so starve it !! ( in Yeungs case thatS = MONEY)
Another golden rule is : NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU !!
Well Yeung and Pannu do that regular , and you all stand for it !!
We have borrowed more than the national debt in terms of players that no one else wants !! All 3rd rate tryers and genuine no-hopers !! It matters not one jot who we play in the team,or who we want to borrow next ….the result will always be the same ……………faliure !!
Even jesus couldnt make a silk purse from a cows ear !!
The academy has produced 2 england players in the last 2 years in Redmond and Butland…….BOTH now sold without a second thought for anything other than to put money into yeungs pocket ! Wonderful isnt it !!!!
We have more chance of jumping backwards over the moon on a pogo stick than getting anywhere near the premiership for the next 10 years !! And only that will happen if someone has the nouse to BUY half decent players …something the chinese will never do !!
GET OUT YEUNG AND PANNU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike
Do you think players play for buttons or monopoly money?
I Have never said anything about what we pay players etc . I am NOT BOTHERED about how much they are paid!! My simple argument is this: The players we now have and are likely to recruit at anytime in the future will be free transfers , loans etc etc .
So with this in mind it stands to reason that we are now restricted to 3rd rate tryers and no -hopers !! If you feel differently then thats your choice BUT when we are in Div 1 or 2 then perhaps you may agree that the current policy has not worked !!
WAKE UP ALL YOU BLUES FANS AND GET REAL !!!!!!!!!
ps. i.M STILL WAITING FOR ONE PERSON on here to say they are happy with how the club is run and if the want YEUNG AND PANNU STILL HERE !!
Perhaps almajir you will oblige me ?? You do appear NOT to be overly concerned with our actual disgraceful position !!
Mike, there is nothing WE can do, so calm down, chill out and stop being silly. And, to answer your p.s., IF Yeung got off with the charge, came back and put serious money into the club, I for one would be happy to see him here. OK ?
take a look at the table now all blues fans were 18th …. we wont be any higher at the seasons end iN FACT WE LOOK ODDS ON TO GO DOWN ….its not lee clarkes fault . we were drinking champagne now we can’t afford aldi lemonade. this lot must go …. staying away will force them to sell boycott all home games … fletch
Fletch take a look at the date Its the 26th August so I don’t see the relevance of the league table at the moment, as for 18th position maybe that may just be enough for us after all of the turmoil.
As for going down – With the addition of Murphy, Packwood, Lovenkrands and Zigic into the matchday squads then maybe it wont be as bad as you think.
KRO.
Seems a bit lively today and its still early mind you I didnt get up until 10 am.
Perhaps your book about Carson Yeung should be called “How to destroy a Football Club in one easy lesson”
boycotting will make no difference to CY/PP it will only hurt the ppl at the club who work there week in week out….End Off….
The time is fast approaching when no amount of pleading and begging by CY or PP or even their cohorts, will be enough to secure another ‘loan’ to keep the club ticking over until Carson makes his mind up as to what he really wants to do. Who can be sold has already been done so – even Burke will more than likely not bring in funds that could cover the club for a few weeks at best if he is sold – and then what?
The ground?
It would be very hard to sell it for a decent price, more likely would be securing some funds against it, but these are all short-term and desperate measures which show how bad a place CY is in and how unrealistic and untenable his and PP’s position is becoming. If they do make the ultimate betrayal and try and do something with St Andrew’s, they will be the biggest losers in the end as the club will be worth next to nothing. This is not to mention what the fans will make of this.
They will do everything in their power to avoid administration as they will be well and truly funkered financially. It really is gut-wrenching to see how far the club has fallen in such a small amount of time. It is unfair to say that any single factor is responsible although some factors are more considerable and bearing than others. The potential suitors are playing a game of “chicken” to see if CY accepts a low bid or the club enter admin, then the more desperate CY and crew become and this relays itself evidently in their decision making process.
Just hope that LC continues to focus on the team, results and getting the fans onside.
I have to agree with OP on this one facts are facts we’re in big trouble absolutely no two ways about it.. This delusion that some fans seem to have is actually starting to grate on me no ones come to save Coventry no on came save Pompey … The club will go into administration Carson is gambling with it to get more money he’s going to lose everything and leave the club in tatters. No ones going to do business with this company the books are probably all over the shop if I were doing due dilligence I’d run a mile
bloody hell dan – have woken up doom merchants…………………so what if we are 18th in the table we wont be relegated……………….
With one or two wins your right back up the table again, imo very much the same as last season any team on their day can be beaten……….
Without goals that ain’t going to happen
agree Dan the four young players in your blog would definately be worth punt, i like the look of this player Reece Brown…… I have said all along that its a joy what Clark trying to do this year working under extreme circumstances……….Noted from last year i feel 451 would do us far more justice and got us more results.
If you cant change something you have to do the best you can with it and i feel that is the situation we are in now. No amount of moaning will change things so we just have to k.r.o.
Tbh, If it was me, I wouldn’t throw the kids in just yet. I’d stick the the players we’ve been using so far, but defintely change the formation. Let’s get a winning side, playing a winning formation first. It’s always good to put kids into a winning team if you can. With the injuries mentioned, I’d go with a side similar to this:
Doyle
Eardley, Bartley, Burn, Robinson
Adeyemi Spector
Burke Allan/Elliott Arthur
Green
Burke needs to get involved. Spector needs games, Bartley needs games, Arthur needs games… and Matt Green definitely needs games. He’ll never get into a scoring run if he’s in and out. If that side doesn’t work, try different players until it does. Then keep a settled side and a settled formation and let’s see if we can run into a bit of form. That’s when you can tinker with things a bit.
Staffsblue spot on with your team choice lets hope somebody at blues look at this site
The reason I haven’t put Shinnie in, is because he’s a bit too much of a ditherer for me. He could have had 3 or 4 goals for the season so far… but he’s just so indecisive with the final pass or shot. If he’d scored, when he should have, on Saturday, we wouldn’t have been looking at a 2-3 defeat that’s for sure.
Reality check ! After Ipswich 3 of next 4 games away fro em home I dread to think what league tablewill look like then. This is worse than the bad
old days of going fown unddf mad barry.
Looking at the next 2 months, the away games against QPR and Leeds will be the tough ones. All the other games are winnable. I’m not daft enough to say we’ll win them, or even most of them… but they are definitely winnable. We’ve done well against some of last season’s top teams, so there’s no one to be afraid of really.
The manager couldn’t make it any more clear about the finances:
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-still-no-money-5786505
If on the 3rd September Marlon King and Peter Lovenkrands are still employed by the club LC must bite the bullet and reintegrate them into the squad with a view to playing them.
It makes no sense to pay their wages until January without the benefit of their services.
In fairness I’ve seen Lovenkrands play this season and we’d honestly be better off not playing him. Dire wasn’t the word.
If as a player you are told you are not wanted at a club and consigned to playing with the kids, it is difficult to achieve top form.
Peter has played for Rangers, Schalke 04, Newcastle and has 22 caps for Denmark.
Every player needs to be wanted to give of their best.
If King is still here after the windows close, I don’t think Clark would be stupid enough not to use him, especially if we’re paying him and we’re still not firing upfront.
However, in the games I’ve seen Lovenkrands play….. we might just as well play with 10 men. He contributes very little to the team and does himself no favours at all.
We’ve lost by the odd goal in three games against three play off teams from last season and in everyone we could have got something! Thats the big picture on the pitch! We never expected a win in any game including yeovil! If we would have drawn three and lost only one we would all be buzzing! calm down only 34 games and 102 pts to play for!
The manager is angry and hurting, it shows in this after-match interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=She1VOGOKi0&list=UUW1HMToSBse9JgQtsm2vMsQ
We could see some interesting changes for tomorrow.
I don’t really care how angry Lee Clark is with his players, he has to look at himself too and some of his decision making ie the persistent craziness of not playing Chris Burke and the 3-5-2 formation. Its total madness, in my opinion, to stumble upon a decent formula last season and then abandon it. I know he has an awful job and position with no funds but he just doesn’t seem to help his own cause either. I know the players aren’t the same either but surely 4-2-3-1would work better.?
I see your point… but it wasn’t Lee Clark’s decisions that lost us the game. His decisions were working fine for 78 minutes. It was certain players not doing their jobs properly that lost us this game.
Would we have been more solid in midfield where we seemed to open up for two of the goals with 4-2-3-1? At least with 4-2-3-1 we can accommodate Burke, Allen and Shinnie. Probably without Burke by the end of the week if all the gossip is to be believed.
Jeez who let off the Miserable Bastard grenade in here today?!
In summary:
1. We will be fine
2. We won’t go down
3. LC won’t play King ever again as he is LEAVING
4. He’ll probably never play Lovenkrands again as the guy can’t find his ass with both hands, let alone the back of the net
5. He will play the kids on Tuesday vs Yeovil and I will be there to see us (hopefully) progress
6. One day we will be sold
7. One day it’ll all get better
8. Dan will eventually finish and sell his book to cult critical acclaim :p
Done.
Next?
Ahhh… sanity has returned. Agree with every point…. except maybe No.5. Not sure he’ll stick the kids in yet, but I for one would be pleased if he did. Reading between the lines of the Clark interview, certain players will be left out because they didn’t do their jobs. I’m sure we could all name names, but it’s pointless. We’ll see over the next 2 games.
Lovenkrands is a strange situation, here is a player we have been trying to get for some time McLeish tried to no avail.
There is no doubt he has been a good player in his time as has Ambrose so what has happened to them? they dont suddenly become bad players similar could be said of Mullins.
Two words Tony: injuries and age. It really is as simple as that.
Mullins has gotten away with it as he’s been played in Defensive Midfield and Centre Back whereas Lovenkrands has lost pace and ability to finish, and he was never prolific even at his peak.
As for Ambrose, the guy has simply been horrendously unlucky and we cannot really judge him until he’s fully fit with games under his belt. Sadly that could be at another club given the money situation although we may be able to enjoy his services in the lead up to the January transfer window in the hope we can prove his playability/value to others.
Lovenkrands is the only Clark signing I was wary of when he arrived. He’d never pulled up any trees at Newcastle to be honest. Ambrose came with a great record in this division, but was never really fit last season, as is the same this season up until now. But going by reports, he’s come back flying, so it’s a case of watch this space with him I think.
As for Mullins… he has one good game, followed by 1 or 2 poor ones. We can’t afford to have players having those many off days. He’s constantly being done for pace…. and for Leicester’s 2nd goal (King’s,) he turned his back on the shot, instead of trying to charge it down, or at least try to put the player off. Love him or loathe him… Roger Johnson would never have done that.
Agreed but we are where we are.
Shinnie, Allan, Elliott and Reilly all go forward when they play. Adeyemi is a box-to-box Midfielder so it’s not inbuilt for him to be defensive, so therefore our only real option for DM is Spector and he’s JUST gotten fit again. It’s a tricky one.
I think a return of one goal after 4 games from a lad who was kicking balls THREE LEAGUES LOWER DOWN last season is a fantastic start and Matt Green should be proud of himself. More is needed but patience is a virtue, something that a lot of the people on here don’t seem to possess an ounce of.
After 4 games I am not worried. If we’d shipped a shitload of goals I would be but there’s been no Barnsley at Home yet has there???
Your right Staffs Johnson would never have done that, he always put his body on the line. Never thought I would ever say it but I wish we had him now
Totally agree. The guy got dazzled by his own publicity. Remember “Johnson for England?” Seems a bit silly now doesn’t it? But, he wasn’t the first to get his head turned and he won’t be the last.
I’d still have him back, better the devil you know eh?
king will go nowhere until it suites him …. unless its the nick …. meanwhile we end up with a player not even fit enough to play because of lack of games , who will want him then , so he sits out his contract on 15k+ a week … and we can;t do sod all about it ….. unless he ends up back in the nick and we terminate his contract. zigic , bad back until the window closes?… going nowhere… our club agreed these wages!!! … you can’t completley blame these aging pro’s …. get rid of the board bring in new finance and play these people off …. players i,d ditch …doyle,ambrose mullins lovenkrand king zigic murphy [ always injured … must be highley paid ] … we need to look at walsall as a example , losat half a team and still playing well ….. boycott all home games strangle this lot out of the club pannu and his big wages could pay some people off
i said a couple of weeks ago peter pannu sees himself as a white knight we will probably sell chris burke in the next few days and will be told its for the benefit of the club and that he is actively looking for investment so expect more bullshit from pp i sincerely hope it does not happen but i believe administration cant come soon enough so these leeches will be gone from our club forever
I am curious if the doom and gloom merchants (other than Tony as I know he goes) have actually watched our games this season and seen the standard of football. Clearly everything isn’t roses and we’re not watching champagne football but the standard is good enough to keep us in the division. Other than Sat when we came under the cosh big time we have defended well and the midfield is developing.There are far worse teams in the division and I think we’ve improved as we’ve gone on. If these misery guts are basing this on 3 defeats out of 4 and an embryonic league table then they really should keep their mouths well and truely closed.
Johnson was a bit of a sad case really, yes there was talk of him playing for England but look at him now as Staffs said he believed all the hype.
Regarding King no one has gone on about the situation as much as me, not just not playing him but still paying him.
However I have now been furnished with information that had I known about at the time would have prevented my comments, I understand more now why he is not playing for us and why he never will again.
I don’t expect you to divulge anything… but if you’re confident of what you’ve been told, I’ll take your word for it.
The team/squad are starting to gel nicely imo. It’s just individual errors/errors of judgement that are costing us. Stamp those out and we’ll start to pick up. Other than 3 or 4 teams – maybe QPR, Leeds and Forest)… I don’t think there’s anyone to unduly worry us.
Ali am I really considered doom and gloom ? lol
You’re a ray of sunshine Tony ;)
lets all get behind the team and support them through thick and thin and being blues fans we have had a lot of thin but hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel kro
hi all….i have been reading the comments all day…..very depressing……not a lot to add……..except please stop having a go at dan……….dont forget all the effort he puts in for us…….
Do NOT engage Matt. He is full of personal insults and he is BORING to read. Please go away Matt so supporters can have a rational discussion without insults,
For me the problem is not the players. We have some good players. It’s the 352 and not playing your best players in the correct positions and LC’s stubbornness to persist with it when it’s not working. It’s inevitable you will lose when it’s the Alamo for 80 mins LC. Change it
Agree with every word Evesham wrote. I can name 9or 10 players who have performed at this level, we do have the players to survive, its the way they are asked to play.
Too early to analyse that deeply, sorry.
Coaching methods need time to bed in and so does cohesiveness, clean sheets and goals. Most of these lads have spent all of a month together competitively.
LC needs to believe in himself, stick to his guns and get the desired ourcomes.
Bear with it Tony….it WILL work.
I’m not a fan of 3-5-2 and never will be… but I think you’re right Neil, we have to give it time. This is nothing like last season.. then, we were absolute crap. Teams were beating us for fun. Regardless of what the doom-mongers say, with a bit more luck, we could just as easily be sitting top with maximum points. It’s all fine margins at the moment, but that could easily change. Things could click in the next game or two and we could take off. I see no reason why that can’t happen.
Of the three teams who have beaten us so far… can anyone honestly say they’ve really deserved to beat us? Watford, scored one and hung on for most of the game. Brighton, we should have been out of sight, if only those two shots hadn’t hit the bar. Leicester, we did well, scored, and, although under As I said, fhe cosh a bit, looked like winning for 78 minutes. Fine margins. Those margins will swing our way soon.
Totally disagree Staffs. It was the other way round. They should have been out of sight at half time. Poor finishing prevented that, they had a free header and a shot placed wide of the right hand post all within the first 25 minutes.
We should have still gone home with 3 goals at least. Only piss poor finishing prevented that.
Randolph and burn great signings. The goals conceded have been kept down largely as a result. We could have been looking far worse results. The midfield players have potential and even Green will score given a chance. Not so sure about The wing backs tho. It asks an awful lot of them. Novak is a cart horse and Burke on the bench is criminal
Mullins ain’t the answer at the back. Novak is a racehorse in comparison. If he insists on playing 3-5-2, it has to be either Bartley or Spector in there imo.
Two players that disappointed me against Leicester, were Eardley, who is far too slow to ever be a wingback. Twice, Dyer skinned him down our right, in fact he had time to boil an egg and eat it on his way past. And he was guilty of ball-watching before the penalty, resulting in Bartley having to race across to cover.
Also, after Dyer skinned Eardley for the first, Elliott, (behind Eardley) gave up and offered no challenge and let Dyer sail on and pass for the goal. For the second, Elliott gave up again and offered no challenge to King. If he can’t track back and, at the very least, offer a challenge when we don’t have the ball, he shouldn’t be in the team. And I’ve always been an Elliott fan.
Its all doom and gloom today which is understandable given the crap we are in. Theres no money and frustration and despondency is there for all to see but we have been in similar postions before and come through it. Expectations can be unrealistic and cause frustration and anger but lets be honest we have never been a big player in english football. The owners need to know we dont expect to be competing for europe every season but we DO expect the club to be run properly with.sensible ambitions.
brumbie;, Your expressd feelings match mine completely,
It is frowned upon to praise Sully,Gold and Brady, but, They did run our club properly, !!.
I praise them and don’t care who doesn’t like it. They took our club from near bankrupcy (1 day from going out of business?) and kept it running smoothly for 17 years or so. It must have been one of the most stable periods in the club’s recent history. So what if they didn’t spend multi-millions getting us into debt… and for what? A trophy? Well, we won one. Nice, a good day in the club’s history, but, ultimately, what good has that done us? Give me stability to a cup any day.
This is the thing… I’m not unhappy, not despondent, not downhearted or gloomy. I certainly was last year.. we were dreadful then.
But, I am a bit wracked off with the fact that we’ve lost 3 games we could, and should, have won. We’re playing much better than at this stage last season… but once again, it’s individual errors that are costing us… mainly, not getting behind the ball quickly enough when we’re not in possession. Too many players are just strolling around, passing the buck to the next man. We need to get some bulldog spirit and let the opposition know we’re there.
Actually we are much better in defence than last year, I said at the time Davies left he was not as good as he thought he was, dont think we are missing him at all nor his partner he was dire anyway.
The way we are playing means Elliott has to track back and cover a man, hes not that kind of player, neither is he that brave, he is essentialy a midfielder with a bit of skill an old time playmaker you have to use him centre mid or not at all.
I like Elliott think he is one of our better players, but he is a luxury in the system Clarks playing if he does not use him properly there is no point in playing him.
Absolutely agree. I’ve always liked Elliott, ever since he was at Bournemouth. But as you said, in this system, he’s a luxury we can’t afford. We can’t play Elliott, Shinnie, Allan, Adeyemi, Burke and Uncle Tom Cobbly and all, in the same team.
I said right at the start of the season, we have a soft underbelly in midfield and it’s been proved. We’re being bypassed through the middle again. It has to be 4-5-1 for me, with one player superglued in front of the back four, at least that’ll give us a little insurance when when the other Four Musketeers lose the ball.
hi all…….just seen our managers interview….from day one his skills in that department have been poor…..he clearly is as fed up as the rest of us …but he must get the right result tonight and saturday or i can see him completely “blowing his top”..
http://thetwounfortunates.com/birmingham-city-and-due-diligence/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=birmingham-city-and-due-diligence.
Mark.. I know mate, I wrote it :)
What I don’t understand is why didn’t LC just stick with the same formation as the back end of last season and then put shinnie or Allan in the Morrison position and Burke in the Redmond position? Then at least we ain’t trying to change players and new formations at the same time?
Then again LC is paid the money to make these decisions
correction on Clark…..he is very passionate about bcfc…….people like to pick bones where they can, and fine faults where there can….. Clark gave a very good account of himself in interview, yes his body language is a big give away, and his frustration is there to see. The man continues to come back stronger, and stronger……. he does not run away hide like previous managers. People do like to take the p*ss that their opinions and their prerogative ……. Due to the Ipswich game i have forfeit going tonight…………..wish the lads good luck for this evening. Imo blues will win this one, they will still be hurting from Saturday, this their chance now to get on some kind winning roll, and get that winning mentality back…..1-0 2-0 blues win, hopefully no extra time, get back and look to wrap up 3 points on Saturday.
I hate the 3-5-2, more with every game… but the manager likes it… and surprisingly, the players seem to like it. But I do think that, one more defeat with this system and even Lee Clark might have to think twice. He can be stubborn, but he’s not stupid.
As for his interviews, it’s obvious he’s uncomfortable talking in front of a camera, but so would the rest of us be. And before anyone says, “that’s what he’s paid for,” that’s bugger all to do with it. But, you can tell he was holding back in the inetrview straight after the Leicester game. He was livid and struggled to hide it methinks. The coaching staff are doing their jobs, preparing the team all week for games. It’s just a few players who aren’t listening that are letting things down.
I expect those players not to be playing tonight.
Very true mate. Not disputing the guys passion. Just think he don’t do himself any favours in his team selections. He is frustrated then blames the players but how about picking the right team/tactics to start with?
He did this last year until he stumbled on a team that won. No way is it as bad as last year tho and we have had a very tough start. He needs to start winning regularly at home anyway he can!
Preferably this sat as I have got out of my armchair for the Ipswich game ;) lol