View from the South – Birmingham City v Swansea City

Chris and I had talked of the possibility of having a posh day out in the Jasper Carrott Suite with our respective wives. Mrs Bazza who totally lacks any semblance of a football gene, scotched that idea early doors in the week and then I noticed that it was Chris’ wife, Gayle’s birthday and I didn’t want to intrude and suggested that he should spend time with her and I would think about whether to go or not. I had almost resolved to have a quiet day at home when Chris told me that Gayle and he were going out in the evening and she didn’t fancy the football package in addition and therefore it was football with the hoi-polloi as our usual wont; result! Game on! So it was up, washed, breakfasted, Welsh Terrier walked and onto the 10.31 from Blackwater to Reading and from there to Coventry to meet up with Chris. There was plenty of time for a couple of pints in the Royal George.

I was in no way confident of a positive result against a far better team in the form of Swansea but it didn’t matter because unlike certain Premier League managers from three miles across the city, I love the FA Cup and always have from since I was a kid. I loved us winning the League Cup three years ago but it would pale in comparison with the FA Cup were we ever to win that and I could go to my maker and look my Dad and Grandad in the eyes and say “yes we bloody did!” Mind you they would probably be there and know anyway. However, logic dictated it wasn’t going to be this season.

I got to Coventry at just after 12.20 and Chris needed to get changed before going to the game so we went back to his pub, The Oak at Baginton first for a pint there. We finally set off for St Andrews, had a couple in the Royal George and at twenty to three we thought we should head off to the ground until that is until we looked outside and there were hailstones coming down in torrents! We decided another pint and hope the storm would blow over was in order. The hail stopped but it continued raining regardless and we were pretty soaked by the time we got into the ground.

As I say I wasn’t confident of the result being anything else but a Swansea win given our defending last week against Yeovil. How were we going to fare against an immeasurably better side? Nevertheless, in a one off game you have always got a chance and football defies logic time and time again which is one of the many reasons why we love it so much. Swansea had been on a run of poor form of late and it showed in the fact that they played with an apparent lack of confidence at the start. It was the first opportunity for the Birmingham faithful to get a look at Albert Rusnak, the new loanee from Manchester City who threatened early on delivering a low dangerous cross that Ashley Williams was forced to dispatch for a corner. Blues were bright and forcing the tempo and took the lead deservedly through a Novak header on 14 minutes. Paul Caddis delivered an inswinging cross from the right, and Novak got a flicked touch with his head to beat Gerhard Tremmel, netting his fourth goal in six FA Cup appearances. Blues should have doubled their lead moments later as Tremmel who looked very suspect all afternoon spilled the ball to Rusnak but Williams denied the youngster with a goal-line clearance.

When Swansea did venture forward they wasted what opportunities they got. Pablo Hernandez blazed over when well placed and Jordi Amat then wasted a golden opportunity, shooting over at close range following a free-kick into the box which a colleague had headed goalwards. From where I was sitting the original header looked to be going in but Amat caught the ball on the half volley from what looked to be about four yards out and skied it into the Tilton; an incredible miss!

However, Blues went close again in time added on as Tremmel tipped Hancox’s dipping 25-yard strike over the bar. This was an excellent first half for Birmingham with a high tempo they had harried their more illustrious Premier League opponents into errors that made them look very ordinary indeed. Swansea will undoubtedly have been grateful that they had got to the break only 1-0 down.

Blues started the second half on the front foot again and nearly capitalised from a mistake from Dwight Tiendalli who played a sloppy pass inside his own box, forcing Ashley Williams to win a crucial challenge to prevent Shane Ferguson scoring. Wilfried Bony, a substitute introduced at half time then began to threaten with his extra pace and looked about to score just before the hour when only a brilliant tackle from Hancox saved a certain equaliser. The Ivory Coast international was causing all sorts of problems and soon after forced a good low save from Colin Doyle who for the first three quarters of the game had had little to do.

Sadly for Blues, the fact that Swansea were able to bring on a £12 million striker proved the difference in the end. Two opportunities had been seen off but when the third came, the big striker made no mistake as he equalised on the volley in the 67th minute from Roland Lamah’s cross. It had been coming and when it did it was a great finish. Blues were unbowed and tore into their opponents with a ‘what the hell, nothing to lose attitude’ and a wide open phase of the game ensued. Unfortunately Swansea looked increasingly dangerous on the break. Lamah broke away outpacing the Blues back four but Colin Doyle rushed out to smother at his feet. However, immediately after, Blues lost the ball high up the pitch and all three central midfielders were stranded, leaving Lamah to gallop through again. Packwood and Robinson were left to face the onrushing music and a deft square pass to Bony who in turn glided past Doyle, resulted in a lovely finish to turn the score around.

Blues never gave up and threw everything they could at Swansea. Tom Adeyemi and Peter Lovenkrands came on in an attempt to salvage the tie but it was not to be and Blues went down to defeat at St Andrews again. Lovenkrands did have a good chance right at the death after a lovely flowing move but couldn’t get the power or direction on his side-footed finish allowing Tremmel an easy save low down

Despite the ultimate result Blues played well and Swansea will be mightily relieved to have negotiated this tie successfully. There are big positives to take out of this game even though the score line went against us. The performance of young Will Packwood at centre-half was pleasing and he must have played himself into the line up for Tuesday. Both full backs were excellent and provided width and good service up to Novak who worked as hard as ever and deserved his well taken goal. The team looked much better without Nikola Zigic in the team as it ruled out the long ball option, forcing the midfield to play football and how much better it looked as a result! I was pleased with the performances of Rusnak and our own Reece Brown who did not look out of place in such exalted company. Olly Lee had a good game; I thought though he was guilty of giving up possession at times and he really needs to work on this if he is to progress because this is not the first time. It was good to see Tom Adeyemi back playing again and with Bartley fit for Tuesday’s game it’s not all doom and gloom. Robbo was solid and assured as ever and shouldn’t have been booked at the behest of protesting Swansea defenders when he went for a 50-50 challenge with Tremmel in the first half. It was the only unsavoury episode in the game and an example of players getting a fellow professional booked which is something the game in general could do without. Robinson now faces a two game suspension. As for Swansea, whilst they didn’t show their extra class until the final quarter of the game they had key players that made the difference. Bony of course with two fabulous finishes, Pozuelo caught the eye all afternoon with speedy runs when given space, Ashley Williams was excellent at the back for them and they have him to thank, with the off days being had by some of his colleagues. Roland Lamah made a huge difference exploiting our lack of pace and this told later on. I thought Tremmel in goal looked shaky and on another day Blues would have punished his indecisiveness, poor punching and clearance kicking.

 

The Good: The roast gammon in the catering area at the Gil Merrick end of the Kop! Excellent! Please, Birmingham City FC if you ever read anything of the drivel I write PLEASE let’s have more top quality food of this type; it makes so much difference to the overall match day experience.

The Bad: The way the Swansea defenders got Robinson booked. He was perfectly entitled to challenge for the ball and clashed with the keeper. There was no mal-intent and the way the Swansea defenders made such a meal of the incident influenced the referee who bottled it by booking Robinson and yet allowed clear cautionable decisions to go unpunished.

The Ugly: The weather just prior to the game.

 

Birmingham City: Colin Doyle 7, Paul Caddis 7, Will Packwood 7, Paul Robinson 7, Mitch Hancox 7, Chris Burke 7, Olly Lee 6 (Peter Lovenkrands 81, N/A) Albert Rusnak 7, Shane Ferguson 7 (Tom Adeyemi 74, 7) Reece Brown 8 Lee Novak 7.

Subs not used: Hayden Mullins, Brian Howard, Townsend, Demerai Gray, Callum Reilly.

Goals: Novak 14

Bookings: Robinson, Lee

 

Swansea City: Gerhard Tremmel 5, Dwight Tiendalli 6, Chico Flores 7, Ashley Williams 8, Neil Taylor 7, Leon Britton 6, Jordi Amat 7, Alejandro Pozuelo 8, Pablo Hernandez 5 (Wilfried Bony 45, 9), Roland Lamah 8, Alvaro Vazquez 6 (Wayne Routledge 64, 6).

Goals: Bony 67, 69

Bookings: None

 

Referee: Neil Swarbrick 6: The decision making was in the main fine but the booking of Robinson was a poor decision and there were a couple of incidents when he let Swansea players off the hook for clear bookable offences. Robinson was taken out in mid air by Bony late in the second half which at the very least was a caution. It is this sort of inconsistency that drives fans of all persuasions mad.

Attendance: 11,490

Bazza KRO SOTV