View from the South – Birmingham City vs Sunderland

After missing last week’s game, Bazza returns with his take on yesterday.

It seemed a long time since the buzz of going to football had been upon me. I had missed the Blackburn game last week as Will, Chris and I had all been involved in a 36 holes golf match last Saturday and had had little chance to keep in touch with the score, only finding out latterly that the lads had secured a 1-1 draw having taken the lead. I did catch up on the MotD highlights and witnessed Ridgewell’s ricket. Never mind, a new game, a new day and like the Bolton game, a must win. Arrangements for this match were a little different to usual in that Will was already up in the Midlands at Chris’ pub and my son Jonny was on tour with his band, Asgods (for those of you into heavy metal; http://www.asgods.co.uk/ ) and therefore wouldn’t be joining me for the game and my younger lad Ben had been to an all night party and was too bone idle to come!

Having walked the dog, got my hair cut as I looked like a Yeti, I climbed into the little run around Polo that I use for football journeys. Jonny had been using this little car and as per usual it was running on vapour when I got in it despite the fact that I’d filled it up only just over a week ago. So that’s me again then down the garage before finally setting off for Baginton. I arrived at about 12.30 to find Will and Chris were nowhere to be found. Chris had apparently been unwell for a couple of days with the sluices open at both ends and poor Little Jack was similarly affected and he therefore was going to be able to join us. Chris finally appeared looking a bit grey but said he felt a little better and thought he was fit enough to attend. Will suggested he should wear a mask until I told him that good hand washing and not sharing the same glass were all that was required; what is this? Japan! 😛 To put his mind at rest I said we could go up in my car and Chris could go in the back as long as he didn’t soil himself and Will could pull the passenger seat as far forward as possible to stay as far away from his brother as he could!

We set for St Andrews with these arrangements in place and reached the Royal George about forty minutes before kick off. Will and I had a pork bap each, the thought of which made Chris turn greyer than he already was but with a hint of green and I got a couple of pints in with an orange juice for Chris. Coming to think of it Will and I did stand a few feet away from Chris throughout; funny how your perceptions and personal prejudices can get the better of you isn’t it? 😀 It was finally time to get into the ground and Will and Chris headed off to The Gil Merrick Stand and me to my place in the Kop.

Blues started brightly and Cameron Jerome came close to putting them ahead after two minutes. A ball over the top from Stuart Parnaby was seized upon by the Blues striker who left defender, Michael Turner in his wake but after cutting into the area, his low shot was blocked by the feet of Simon Mignolet. Craig Gardner was first to react to the rebound but his shot was charged down by Turner who redeemed himself with an excellent block. From the resulting corner, Roger Johnson got on the end of the in swinging ball from Sebastian Larsson corner but directed his far-post header just wide. Blues were very much on top but a mistake by Barry Ferguson almost gifted Sunderland the opener. He was dispossessed by Lee Cattermole, whose shot was brilliantly blocked at his feet by Ben Foster after he had raced off his line. The ball broke into the path of Sessegnon 18 yards out and his low shot was cleared off the line by Johnson. We were so lucky to escape this episode. Sunderland grew in confidence after this and began to take control of the game as Blues resorted to long diagonal passes with low percentage of success. The ball was needlessly being surrendered to Sunderland who in contrast got the ball down spread the play and played some football. Blues were living dangerously and Danny Welbeck had a good opportunity on 26 minutes but Gardner made a brave block as he prepared to shoot. Bardsley tried his luck from 25 yards out and his dipping effort was only a couple of yards wide, although Foster had it covered.

The corner count and possession statistics were rising for the visitors and I feared it was a matter of time before they scored. Then totally against the run of play, Blues took an undeserved lead. Forty-one minutes had elapsed when a hoof down field from Foster was flicked on by Jerome. There seemed little danger as Bardsley appeared to have the advantage over the Swede. However, the Sunderland keeper, Mignolet called for the ball, Bardsley hesitated and Larsson took advantage of the defensive mix-up as both Sunderland men dithered. Larsson appeared to toe poke the ball under the advancing keeper to give Blues the lead on his 100th Premier League appearance. There was still time for Sunderland to jangle the home fans’ nerves as Foster did well to turn a curling drive from Gyan around the post.

Blues started the second period brightly as Johnson headed over from another Larsson corner. However, this ascendancy did not last long as the pattern of the first half was restored. Sunderland came within inches of equalising after the best move of the game after about 55 minutes. Some excellent interplay by Henderson ended with Gyan teeing him up on the edge of the area. The shot looked for all the world to have gone in but it had flashed past the post with Foster beaten rippling the net as it did so. A trick of the light as the net rippled made it look for a second like the ball rolling around the back of the net. This was a very close call and all those around me were convinced that the equaliser was coming. Further chances were to follow as Foster turned aside a skidding low shot from Cattermole and Welbeck then had a close-range header deflected over the bar from a Henderson corner by Foster who was having another fine game.

Blues were under the cosh now and had been for the majority of the game to be honest. The only observation that gave some hope was that Sunderland had put in an enormous amount of their energy into closing down and pressurizing Blues who couldn’t establish any rhythm and continued to give up possession cheaply. A change was needed and it came on 62 minutes with Alexander Hleb replacing Phillips who had been largely ineffective due to total lack of service from a wholly dysfunctional, unbalanced midfield. He was to make an immediate impact by creating a second goal for Gardner after 66 minutes. Out on the right, Hleb held the ball up before picking out the unmarked Gardner thirty yards from goal. The midfielder took a touch and lashed a venomous, swerving left-footed shot containing too much power for Mignolet. The keeper got a hand to it but could only divert the ball as it flew upwards into the top corner of the net. Once again this goal came against the run of play but this time the energy previously mentioned drained out of the visitors as they probably realised that the goose was cooked and the fat fried.

In fairness they did attempt to get back into the game as Gyan volleyed wide from 20 yards out but they seldom threatened to score even a consolation goal after that. Welbeck replaced by Ryan Noble and on Steed Malbranque for Jack Colback but the Black Cats’ race was run with Blues were content to run down the clock.

Sebastian Larsson was replaced on 88 minutes to a standing ovation for a man of the match performance. Matt Derbyshire came on in his stead who should have added a third in time added on when given a glorious chance by Hleb from a break away. 3-0 would have been a total injustice on the Mackems though as they found themselves on the wrong end of a score line from a game that they had largely been the better side in! There were a number of positives from Blues’ perspective however particularly the performances of Foster who was excellent, Roger Johnson who was a colossus in defence and despite playing on one leg towards the end refused to be passed. Cameron Jerome had another good game to add to the excellent performances recently. A goal from him soon has to come if only according to the laws of probability. Hleb made a big difference when he came on and I thought Bowyer and Gardner worked very hard without exactly pulling up trees. Stephen Carr, Stuart Parnaby and Liam Ridgewell stood up to long periods of pressure well. Barry Fergusson nearly gifted Sunderland the lead early on but after that did alright. Larsson was fantastic not only for chasing a lost cause for his goal but for tackling back, putting in quality deliveries and proving a willing receiver out wide. We should attempt to keep him in the summer as a replacement for his quality will cost a lot of money.

The Good: The Pork Bap at the George. The way the boys dug out the result when on the back foot for a large part of the game.

The Bad: Unbalanced midfield again with Parnaby at left back and Bowyer playing left midfield. Fortunately, Sunderland failed to exploit this weakness. Giving the ball away cheaply; I dread to think what Chelsea will do!

The Ugly: Two fights broke out among our own fans! One started in the Tilton and the other in Kop Corner. What are you doing guys!!!!!! I didn’t get a very clear view of either but there can be no excuse for this sort of behaviour; come and support the team or stay away.

Birmingham City: Ben Foster 8, Stephen Carr 7 (C), Roger Johnson 8, Liam Ridgewell 7, Stuart Parnaby 7, Seb Larsson 9 (Keith Fahey, 88, N/A), Barry Ferguson 6, Lee Bowyer 6, Craig Gardner 7, Kevin Phillips 5 (Alexander Hleb, 63, 7), Cameron Jerome 7 (Matt Derbyshire, 90, N/A).

Subs not used: Colin Doyle, David Murphy, Jordon Mutch, Curtis Davies.
Bookings: None
Goals: (Larsson, 41, Gardner, 66)

Sunderland: Simon Mignolet 5, Phil Bardsley 6, Michael Turner 6, Lee Cattermole 8 (c), Jordan Henderson 8, Nedum Onuoha 8, Danny Welbeck 5 (Ryan Noble, 71, 6), Jack Colback 7 (Steed Malbranque, 76, 5), Ahmed Elmohamady 7, Stephane Sessegnon 7, Asamoah Gyan 7.

Subs not used: Craig Gordon, Boudewijn Zenden, Cristian Riveros, David Meyler, Craig Lynch.
Bookings: None
Goals: None

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffs): 8. a highly competent performance from Mr Dowd. I like this official’s unfussy, no-nonsense approach. Kept the game flowing and it was so refreshing to see a game where the quiet word negated the need for cards and pencil.