We are going through a phase when football is not being played at its rightful time of 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon. This was one such and as it was on the telly I sat and watched it from the comfort of my armchair along with my eldest boy Jonny who was home from University for the weekend.
Most other noses who did not attend the match will have done exactly what I did and don’t need me to give a minute by minute account of events but I have a few personal observations that I’d like to share with everyone.
Jekyll and Hyde performance
This was a description that Peter Beagrie used to sum up Blues’ game tonight and it is difficult to argue. We were simply not at the races in the first half but excellent in the second especially when our new loan acquisition Robert Hall joined the fray. He looks a real prospect and I felt did enough to earn himself a start next game but I doubt he will be given the opportunity. In the first period Derby were excellent and the best side we have played so far this season. They put an enormous amount of energy into the first period and were more than worthy of their lead at the break despite the fact that their only goal was clearly offside, a fact missed by a dozy linesman. Ironically despite Derby’s better possession, passing, movement and tempo they hardly troubled Butland and when they did it was with a speculative 20 yarder from Jacobs that he saved brilliantly onto the post only for the offside Connor Sammon to score with a follow up header after 32 minutes.
The Officials
It is a pity to have to say that despite a good overall performance by the referee he was let down by his assistant for the first goal and himself failed to give a clear free kick for an obvious tug back on Marlon King attempting to break from a corner from which Derby went on to score their second. Gareth Roberts chipped the ball back into the box for Jake Buxton to nod down to Sammon again who miss hit his cross shot but it was accurate enough to find the far corner past Butland. The arguments used by the pundits that King was probably not getting to the ball does not wash I’m afraid. A foul is a foul and the correct decision should be made to prevent a team gaining an advantage that is not rightfully theirs. King could have closed down Gareth Roberts who just returned the ball back into our box. Roberts may have had to turn back instead thereby the danger is averted.
Missed chances
Derby could and should have put this game to bed in the first half with several squandered chances especially from Theo Robinson but having escaped with just a 1-0 deficit at the break Blues had enough chances to have won this match with Marlon King the main culprit. He wasn’t quick enough onto a ball when through against Adam Legzdins and the keeper got out of jail as the ball ricocheted off the striker wide. I can guarantee had that been Butland at the other end it would have gone in the net! Marlon took the penalty we were awarded coolly enough and was unlucky to see a partially blocked effort come back off the bar but he had a great chance to provide Lovenkrands with his second goal at 2-2 but instead took the shot on himself when not as well placed. This was a glorious chance to win the game and rued all the more when Derby scored their winning goal a couple of minutes later.
Lack of balance
We started off 4-4-2 with Wade Elliott supposedly occupying the left midfield berth. He kept turning inside and meandering across the pitch. Coutts and Brayfield were having the freedom of the park down that flank and Blues were very lucky to survive the onslaught in the first half. We were so much better when Hall and Lovenkrands came on in the second half for Burke and Elliott respectively as we went with three strikers as we chased the game. The substitution I wanted to see was Bouba Diop for Mullins? Diop has had his loan spell extended, he is said to be fit, Mullins was not breaking the play up well enough, he was wasteful when in possession and contributed little going forward. Sir Alf Ramsey had a principle which he applied to Nobby Stiles, his midfield enforcer which was “Nobby, when you get it, give it to Bobby” (Charlton) This was based on the premise that Charlton was a better player. When it comes to Mullins, this should apply the same with Ravel Morrison being the obvious recipient. In fact in Hayden Mullins’ case he could give the ball to ANYBODY as all our other players are better than him! I’m afraid that he failed in his primary job of breaking up play. When Derby scored their third goal Mullins kept backing away from the player with the ball applying no pressure. He was the nearest Blues players as a succession of short passes were played across the edge of our box before the killer ball was played. I cannot understand why Lee Clark perseveres with him when we have other options such as Gomis and Diop (I accept Fahey is not available to us at the present time)
Defending
Despite the bad decisions, the defence once again shipped three goals. Until this aspect of our play is addressed we are not winning football matches. We are not applying enough pressure on the ball when teams get close to the edge of our box. Jacobs has no business turning inside and unleashing the shot he did, Buxton gets his header to Sammon far too easily and Hughes is not challenged before giving Jacobs the pass which the latter delivers across our six yard box for Nathan Tyson to tap in; too easy! Davies played well but Caldwell didn’t match his partner’s performance. I lost count in the first half of the number of times he tried expansive diagonal passes to Burke only to give possession away needlessly.
Derby County
Nigel Clough is building a good team at Pride Park. They are much improved on last year and the 17 year old youngster, Will Hughes caught my eye; an excellent prospect! Connor Sammon was named man of the match with his two goals providing physical strength and movement up front. He led the line well. Buxton, Coutts, Bryson and Jacobs all had good games and provided lots of energy and vim to the Derby performance. They have a decent chance of making the play off scramble but it will depend on whether they can sustain this type of performance over the long haul and it may be a little too early for some of their younger players. Nevertheless, I liked the look of them but they have defensive frailties that Blues should have exploited in the second half; better teams than us will.
The Good; The game itself; it was an entertaining encounter given the atrocious weather conditions of heavy rain and wind. Blues were good in the second half and some of the play from Ravel Morrison and Robert Hall was a delight to watch at times.
The Bad: Our defending again. The offside decision in the first half and the poor decision to not award a free kick to Blues just before Derby’s second goal.
The Ugly: Another away game against another attack minded team at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday. The prospect of shipping more soft goals.
Derby County: Adam Legzdins 6, John Brayford 7, Richard Keogh 6, Jake Buxton 7, Gareth Roberts 6, Paul Coutts 7, Will Hughes 8 (Jeff Hendrick 90 + 4, N/A), Craig Bryson 7, Michael Jacobs 7 (Mark O’Brien 89, N/A), Theo Robinson 6 (Nathan Tyson 72, 7), Connor Sammon 8.
Subs not used: Frank Fielding, James O’Connor, Mason Bennett, Kieron Freeman
Birmingham City: Jack Butland 6, Jonathan Spector 6, Steven Caldwell 5, Curtis Davies 7, Paul Robinson 6, Chris Burke 5 (Robert Hall 60, 8), Hayden Mullins 5, Ravel Morrison 8, Wade Elliott 5 (Peter Lovenkrands, 68, 7) Nikola Zigic 7, Marlon King 6.
Subs not used: Colin Doyle, Pablo Ibanez, Papa Bouba Diop, Mitch Hancox, Reilly
Bookings: Spector
Goals: King (73 pen) Lovenkrands (82)
Referee: Nigel Miller (Durham) 5: Let down by his Assistant in the first half and let himself down with the King incident in the second. Once again, the officials cost Blues but that takes nothing away from Derby’s excellent showing. However, I felt Blues deserved a point out of this one but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Attendance: 21,505
Bazza KRO SOTV
Refreshing to read an unbiased review of a game from an opposition supporter. Well done.