View from the South – Birmingham City v Sheffield Wednesday 2023/4

The weekend started somewhat early for me in that I had cause to have to go and see my disabled cousin in Sutton Coldfield because there were one or two odd jobs that needed doing around the house. I therefore travelled up on Friday morning to Sutton Coldfield and sorted out the odd bits and pieces that my cousin Janet required. I kept her company for the rest of the day and I had another engagement in the evening in Stechford at the curry house called the Jolpai situated just opposite Stechford swimming baths. There, I met seven of my old school mates and we had a most convivial evening with good food a drink and good company. One or two of the lads present had, like me, come from a fair distance to be there. One of my friends that I remember well from school, Mick had travelled all the way up from Broadstairs in Kent where he was now living. I understand that he was combining his trip with a visit to his sister who lived more locally. We had met up at 8 o’clock in the evening and so it was past 11 before we broke up and said I’ll goodbyes. I then drove back to Baginton and stayed at the Dakota guesthouse overnight, unfortunately arriving a little bit too late to enjoy a nightcap with Chris.

I caught up with Chris and little Jack the following morning when we all met up for a very pleasant cooked breakfast at Chris’s place. It turned out that little Seb was playing for his team Rugby Borough against Warwick Juniors and so we headed off in the direction of Rugby Borough’s facilities which I have to say for a grassroots club was very impressive with numerous pitches available for youngsters including an all-weather pitch and a large building that apparently contained indoor facilities including the usual gym and an indoor pitch. The match was remarkably entertaining considering the age of the combatants who were nine and ten. Seb’s team ran out 10-1 winners but I have to say I did feel some sympathy Warwick Juniors as I did not feel that they deserved to be on the end of such a drubbing having played reasonably well. It was a very chilly morning and for that reason alone we did not hang about for the presentations such as player of the match etc and in any event event we needed to get away to get to St Andrew’s for the match.

The international break had given time for reflection and take stock of the situation Blues find themselves in. I am not going to get into the toxic arguments that appear to have broken out particularly on social media about the appointment of Wayne Rooney as manager. Those that are immediately calling for his head after a mere five games are living a pipe dream. The fact remains that Rooney has been given a three and a half year contract and in my opinion he is not going anywhere any time soon. Whether we like it or not the present regime is here to stay for the foreseeable future at least and I think that we need to get behind the team and the management and get on with it. That said, I detected a universal feeling that the game against bottom club Sheffield Wednesday was a “must win” and it was difficult not to agree but how many times have Blues faced teams like this at home in the past and gone on to make a complete pig’s breakfast of it? So it was, after a quick pint in the ground that we proceeded to our seats for kick off.

What I feared unfolded. The Owls came out on the front foot and it was clear that they fancied their chances against this Blues side. The nerves of the home support were not helped any by the fact that Ruddy following a routine back pass from Buchanan lingered on the ball far too long and allowed Mallick Wilkes to toe the ball off the keeper’s foot and chase it down in to the right wing area. Ruddy frantically got back onto his line in time to see a shot from Wilkes as he turned inside with his left foot pass his near post. Whilst I think the keeper had it covered it was a situation that was wholly avoidable and I have to say that I am not a fan of this passing around between two centre halves and the goalkeeper playing pretty triangles across the your own area. I am well aware that this is the modern way and the way that football is going to evolve in the future however, you have to have the skill levels to carry this off and I am not convinced that those are present in our squad.

The performance from Blues was wholly unconvincing and it became obvious that Sheffield Wednesday were bossing the midfield and Barry Bannan was particularly influential and received the disapproval of the home support expected for any ex-Villa player. Bannan played Windass in for the best chance of the half which the forward squandered only eight yards out right in front of goal. How he missed it is both a mystery and a relief but we were lucky to survive at 0-0 going towards the break. Blues best effort was early on when a rasping shot from a corner clearance curved just wide with Dawson, in goal for Wednesday, scrambling across to his left relieved to see the ball whistle wide. Otherwise Wednesday were on top throughout the half and I felt we were extremely fortunate not to be behind.

Blues looked to have survived when a clash between George Byers and Juninho Bacuna resulted in a free kick for Wednesday thirty yards out. To my mind Byers slid in on Bacuna who was on his feet but I’m still baffled why the Wednesday player got the award. Windass took the kick and whipped it over the wall. It struck Ruddy’s right hand upright and plopped down in the middle of the six yard box a mere three yards out. The oncoming George Byers had the simplest task of tapping home to put the visitors deservedly ahead with only a minute or so of the half left. At first, I thought that our defenders had been slow to react but having studied the footage and frozen framed it, it is clear that Byers follows up the kick a shade early and is offside at the moment Windass strikes the ball. We seem to be suffering from these type of decisions so far this season (Southampton and Ipswich games) However, within a couple of minutes Blues were level with a sumptuous volley from a half clearance from a corner. Bacuna again but this time his shot flashed past the unsighted Dawson with the keeper rooted to the spot. Luckily, Blues went to the break at 1-1.

Blues were a lot better in the second half and the home faithful thought that Siriki Dembele had put Blues ahead but his shot took the paint off the outside of the post to hit the side netting. Many in the ground thought it was in, including me! Our goalscorer, Bacuna was one of a raft of substitutions for both sides in the second half but on 79 minutes the much talked about Jordan James came onto the field in Bacuna’s place. Blues were now pressing for the win and it came as the newly introduced sub latched on to a cut back pass from Jay Stansfield to the penalty spot. James’ first time shot was shanked and saved by Dawson but the young Welsh international was first to the rebound and with a composed touch rounded the floored keeper and delivered the winning strike. Blues managed the last seven minutes plus the eventual eight added on well enough to run out winners for the first time since Wayne Rooney took charge.

I know that many feel that we scraped past the bottom side in the division and it’s hardly a great feat but I would say that firstly, you can only beat what’s put in front of you, secondly Sheffield Wednesday did not play like a team that has only won once and has only six points from their 17 games. They are in dire trouble of course because despite the fact that they played very well against Blues and could and should have been 2-0 or even 3-0 up at half time, they still lost the game. A much tougher challenge awaits on Wednesday night at Blackburn.

The Good: A win is a win so you have to say the result. Bacuna’s goal is a candidate for goal of the season and Jordan James should take a bow for a lovely composed finish in a very tight situation. I must also mention the fantastic support the away fans gave their team yesterday. They deserve better than what they are having to endure.

The Bad: The first half performance; it was very poor and Blues can count themselves lucky that the game wasn’t all over after 45 minutes. Play like that at Blackburn and it will be loss number eight this season for sure.

The Ugly: A tackle by Barry Bannan on Siriki Dembele just before the break for which the ex-Villa man was booked. It was reckless, late and out of control and some referees would undoubtedly have deemed the challenge a red card offence. He was lucky to stay on.

Birmingham City: John Ruddy 6, Ethan Laird 7 (Marc Roberts 88, N/A) Emanuel Aiwu 6, Dion Sanderson 6, Lee Buchanan 7 (Cody Drameh 78, 6) Krystian Bielik 7, Juninho Bacuna 7 (Jordan James 78, 7) Koji Miyoshi 7 (Romelle Donovan 88, N/A) Jay Stansfield 7, Oliver Burke 6 (Lukas Jutkiewicz 64, 6)

Subs not used: Neil Etheridge, Scott Hogan, Gary Gardner, Ivan Sunjic.

Goals: Bacuna 45+3, James 83.

Yellow cards: Dembele 15.

Sheffield Wednesday: Cameron Dawson 7, Dominic Iorfa 8, Michael Ihiekwe 6, Bambo Diaby 7, Akin Famewo 7, George Byers 7 (Fletcher 83, N/A) Will Vaulks 7, Anthony Musaba 6 (Djeidi Gassama 64, 6) Barry Bannan 7, Mallick Wilks 6 (Marvin Johnson 64, 6) Josh Windass 7 (Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri 83, N/A)

Subs not used: Liam Palmer, Di’Shon Bernard, Reece James, Devis Vasquez, Pierce Charles.

Goals: Byers 45.

Yellow cards: Windass 32, Wilks 37, Bannan 39, Musaba 61, Gassama 70.

Referee: Rebecca Welch: 6; In the first half, there were a number of fans around me that felt that Miss Welch was not exactly finding in our favour but I thought she had a pretty solid game. She booked Windass for diving and did not tolerate foul play going unpunished. I think she let Barry Bannan off lightly for was a truly awful tackle but if Wednesday had been reduced to 10 men the chances are we would probably have lost as they put all remaining outfielders in front of the ball and mugged us on the break. I’ve seen this official twice now and she is a decent referee in my opinion. Furthermore, I completely condemn the misogynist chants that she had to endure at the match yesterday.

Attendance: 20,941 (1,976 away fans)

KRO Bazza