View from the South – Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers – 13 February 2024

It seems absolutely ages since I had last been to a home game. Indeed it had been the last recorded report that I had managed to do was the 3rd of December when we played Rotherham at home. In fairness there had been a number of circumstances that had mitigated against me getting to a game most importantly that over the Christmas and New Year period I contracted Covid and was unwell for at least three weeks. We then had four away games on the bounce none of which I was able to get to and so all in all it is turned out that tonight was going to be the first time back in quite a while.

A lot has happened since, particularly the sacking of Wayne Rooney and the installing of Tony Mowbray as his replacement. I felt that the change could not come soon enough and have already seen enough evidence to suggest that improvement is on the way even if perhaps the results have not been all they could be. We still seem to show a defensive frailty which disturbs me especially those against Sheffield Wednesday where we literally gifted them two sloppy goals which allowed a poor side like them to gain all three points and frankly we have only ourselves to blame given the number of chances at the other and that we missed.

Nevertheless, it has to be said that at least we are making chances even though we’re not being clinical enough to take them. I agree with Tony Mowbray’s assessment that sooner or later we are going to score if we carry on making as many chances and it has always been my view that if you carry on as we have been doing recently somebody is going to be on the wrong side of a real pasting. It would be nice just for once to beat a team comfortably so that we could enjoy the last 20 minutes or so in the knowledge that the points are in the bag and it does seem such a long time since we were able to say that.

I read a piece about Tony Mowbray earlier today in which he stated that he is trying to get the standards improved not just on match day but in training. He mentioned the drill that we often see just before games of six versus two when the two players run around scampering after the ball in a space 10 metres square. The idea of course is for the two players to try and win the ball despite their numerical disadvantage and it is the aim of the six players with the ball to keep it. Tony Mowbray mentioned that the ball has been coughed up far too easily by the six players and little flicks and showboating of that type was all too common. It seems that he laid into some of the players and said that it was not good enough and I for one can only agree. It is true that over the last several seasons, we fans have had to endure nothing but low-level mediocrity from our team whatever the circumstances and it is clear that that sort of mindset has to be expunged and permanently so. Despite the results of the last three away games where we have failed to score a goal and lost all three I am still encouraged by the fact that we appear to be competing in games, making chances and looking threatening. However, it is clear that good performances not withstanding, we have to start scoring goals and winning games.

Will called up in the week and said that he was going to the Blackburn game and if I wanted a lift he would come and pick me up and take me there and back. I gladly accepted this offer and just after 3 o’clock in the afternoon we were on our way north to Birmingham with the intention of calling in at our normal curry house on Coventry Road for something to eat prior to the game. Fortified with some food we advanced towards Saint Andrew’s, parked up and made our way to the turnstiles. Despite what I said earlier, I wasn’t feeling particularly confident about the prospect facing Blackburn given that they had an excellent result at the weekend with a good 3-1 win against Stoke whereas we put in a performance frustrated by rank bad finishing at Sheffield Wednesday, a team that I feel we should be looking to take points off.

That is now all history and it was time to concentrate on the present. There were seven changes to the side with a welcome return for John Ruddy between the uprights, Marc Roberts was brought back in to the centre of defence at the expense of Kevin Long who dropped to the bench as did Lee Buchanan, Siriki Dembele and Ivan Sunjic. Scott Hogan missed out on the match day squad altogether. All this allowed for Koji Miyoshi, Tyler Roberts and Seung-ho Paik to make the starting line up. The much refreshed side started well with Blues on the front foot. An early free kick 25 yards out, the result of a foul on Tyler Roberts, was well saved by Pears in goal for Blackburn from Paik’s free kick. Not long after Blues had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring when a well disguised pass by Miyoshi split the Blackburn rearguard to find Tyler Roberts one on one with the keeper fifteen yards out. His touch and finish were precise but unfortunately the wrong side of the foot of the upright. Blues were looking threatening and really should have scored when an inswinging corner from the Family Stand side at the Gil Merrick end found captain, Marc Roberts with a free header which he decided to glance towards the far post. Sadly the upright won the battle as the ball brushed by it for a goal kick. Blackburn’s efforts for the half summed up to a single speculative effort from top scorer, Sammie Szmodics which was high, wide and not terribly handsome from twenty yards just before the break. So it was that it was that the score remained 0-0 in a game Blues could and should have been winning comfortably.

As rather expected, Blackburn came out with more of a spring in their step in the second half; no doubt having had a bit of fortune telling administered at the break by newly appointed manager, John Eustace, whom I’m sure I’m not alone in wishing well going forward. Szmodics tested Ruddy from range in the early period of the second half with a fierce shot from range that the Blues stopper parried away to safety. The little flurry from the visitors comprised of a number of corners and set pieces but fortunately their spell of pressure did not last long and Blues soon regained control. Unfortunately, the home side continued to spurn good chances. A well flighted free kick from Dozzell found Marc Roberts with a header from eight yards but he headed narrowly over the bar. Another head in hands moment occurred not long after when Tyler Roberts robbed a Blackburn defender and burrowed in on goal but from a tight angle he blazed over when a square pass to the isolated Dozzell standing alone in the six yard box would surely have resulted in a tap in. We were battering them 0-0!

I was beginning to seriously worry that we weren’t going to score and then get done near the end of the game by a breakaway from an undeserving Blackburn side. We’ve seen that scenario before haven’t we many times down the years? Fortunately on this occasion the gods of football smiled for once and with substitutes Dembele and Bacuna adding fresh impetus and drive, the winner came. Dembele fashioned a couple of half chances for himself but to no avail but it was Bacuna with those quick clever feet of his to beat his defender down the left flank before squaring across Blackburn’s packed box. The necessary touch was provided by Dozzell whose low shot found the bottom corner from close range. The usual roar of elation had a relieved ‘Thank Heavens for that!’ quality to it and with 13 minutes plus time added on to go, Blues had the lead their play richly deserved. They managed the game reasonably well although there was still one more heart-stopping moment in the last twenty seconds of overtime when a long throw in into our six yard box resulted in a flicked header on by substitute, Sigurdsson to fellow substitute Telalovic whose shot was saved at point blank range by Ruddy. A Blues shirt was on hand to clear and with that the final whistle. They made a meal of it, yes but the win was richly deserved.

The Good: The win, the three points and the overall performance.

The Bad: The finishing! Blues should have won this game at a canter.

The Ugly: The goal; scrappy in the end but who cares?

Birmingham City: John Ruddy 7, Ethan Laird 8 Cody Drameh 6, Marc Roberts 7, Krystian Bielik 6, Juninho Bacuna 6 Jordan James 6, Andre Dozzell 7, Kojo Miyoshi 7 (Siriki Dembele 64, 7) Paik Seung-Ho 8 (Juninho Bacuna 64, 7) Jay Stansfield 6, Tyler Roberts 6 (Keshi Anderson 82, N/A)

Subs not used: Neil Etheridge, Lee Buchanan, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Gary Gardner, Kevin Long, Ivan Sunjic.

Goals: Dozzell 77.

Yellow cards: Laird 62, Dembele 85.

Blackburn Rovers: Aynsley Pears 7, Dominic Hyam 6, Kyle McFadzean 6 (Arnor Sigurdsson 82, N/A) Ben Chrisene 6, Callum Brittain 6, Joe Rankin-Costell 5 (Jake Garrett 35, 6) Sondre Tronstad, Ryan Hedges 6 (Connor O’Riordan 70, 6) Tyrhys Dolan 6 (Andrew Moran 70, 6) Sammie Szmodics 5, Sam Gallagher 5 (Semir Telalovic 82, N/A)

Subs not used: Leopold Wahlstedt, Dilan Markanday, John Fleck, Yasin Ayari.

Goals: None.

Yellow cards: Garratt 47, Hyam 50, Tronstad 89.

Referee: Thomas Kirk 7; Overall Mr Kirk had a decent game and kept the game flowing. I did feel he was lenient on some of the Blackburn midfield who were struggling to cope with the fleet of foot Paik Seung-Ho and Miyoshi especially. Some of the fouls were just plain cynical and deserved earlier sanction than the 47th minute. That however, is my only criticism of the man in the middle’s performance.

Attendance: 18,117

As a postscript, Will tells me he has joined the West Sussex Blues Supporters Group. I’m going to investigate whether there is a similar organisation in Surrey or Hampshire. If not I will join him. I believe the club is in support of these initiatives and there is the possibility of getting hold of away tickets a little easier. If anyone has any information regarding this please feel free to comment.

Bazza KRO