This is beginning to feel a bit like Groundhog day now. Only 2 games in but already it seems as if the players are hung over from last season. This game followed a similar pattern to most games last year, at home at least. We fairly start well, have chances, largely dominate possession but the opposition get a cheap goal and hold on comfortably for a relatively easy win. It seems as if the players are stuck in that rut too, and aren’t sure how to win a game and get out of it. Its still early days however and no need to push the panic button…..yet.
We were unchanged from Sunday. Surprising given that Clive Clarke was available and it meant continuing with several square pegs in round holes all over the pitch. But fair enough that they were given another chance and Clarke had only been here a day. Birmingham had a smattering of new singings in their side. Not world beaters and not household names but Steve Bruce has bought well over the summer. He’s managed to keep hold of most of his good players and those he did lose he got good money for. Muamba, Larsson and the impressive Bendtner are on loan from Arsenal. N’Gotty in defence, who was a free transfer from Bolton. Any of these would have been good singings for us but it shows how having no manager for so long cost us in getting the good players on offer.
We started brightly, with Lawrence having what seemed like a great chance in only the 2nd minute but he put his header wide when it seemed harder to miss. A couple of long range Murphy efforts followed shortly after but never troubled the keeper. The tempo was good, we were getting forward but when it came to that final ball we were always falling short. Lawrence frustrated on the left. A couple of times he got clear of his man to put crosses in but too often the defenders know he has to come inside so he’s easy to mark. What would make him more effective is if our left back made runs on the outside of him a la Mickey Gray but that’s not Danny Collins’ game, so often the move breaks down.
Birmingham broke a couple of times but never looked very threatening, then on the half hour Caldwell had to go off with a leg injury. This allowed Clarke to come on, slot in at left back and Collins to move inside. A blessing in disguise I thought as he may be able to support Lawrence better. How wrong I was. 5 minutes later, Birmingham broke, the ball came out to Johnson on the right, he ran past Clarke into the box and Clarke lunged in and brought him down. It was a definite penalty and a needless one really. He was running away from goal if anything and Clarke should have stayed on his feet. It was poor defending but I’ll put it down to nerves and give him the benefit of the doubt. Forsell stuck the penalty away easily.
Then came the moment that could have changed the game. Just before half time, Lawrence cut inside on the left and fired into the top corner. However the Linesman inexplicably ruled it out for offside. I’m still not sure why now having not seen it again. It certainly wasn’t against Lawrence so either someone (Murphy I think) got a touch in the middle or he was deemed to be in an active position and in the keepers eye line. Had that stood it would have given the game a totally different outlook. However half-time came with us 1 down.
The 2nd half started much like the first. We got forward, played at a decent tempo but never threatened their goal. A few long range efforts that went well wide were all we could muster. We largely dominated possession and were camped in their half for most of the half but it came to very little. Then they started to make defensive substitutions bringing on Dunn and Clemence to strengthen the midfield. This just closed the game out more and despite a couple of injury time free kicks on the edge of the area we never looked like scoring.
Elliott had a better game than at Coventry but too often had long balls played into him which he couldn’t win. Murphy had a good first half with nice touches and held the ball up well at times but faded in the 2nd half. Miller is out of position on the right and it shows, Delap was getting wider and further forward than him all game. Leadbitter was easily the best player for us. He tackles well, gets up and down. Is always amongst it and plays the right ball with clarity of thought. Birmingham had it too easy though, the 2 centre halves won almost everything and were never in bother. Birmingham weren’t great be any means, in fact pretty poor given they’ll be one of the teams to beat this year, but they did enough to win the game and that’s what counts.
As much as I don’t want to be too downcast too early its quite evident our team as a whole isn’t good enough. You can have as much good will towards the club and the want to succeed but without good players it means nothing. Quinns not daft though and he will realise this but he has what he has and must work with it until he can improve it. But improving it is the hard bit. It will have been hard to convince premiership players to join us a week ago. When they see the start we’ve had it’ll be even harder.
A word on the crowd. 26,600. Pretty poor to be honest. Considering everyone at the club has now left that people wanted to, i.e. Murray, then its pretty evident that no matter what Quinn says many aren’t coming back until they see results on the pitch. And the realism is that many won’t come back until we’re in the top 10 of the Premiership, whenever that may be. Its fair enough I suppose but we were getting similar crowds to this in the last season in the CCC so I think Quinn deserves a little bit more support from the fans.
So what next? Its difficult to call the 3rd game of the season a must win game but if we have any hopes of finishing in the 2 top this season then the likes of Plymouth have to be beaten, particularly at home. We’ve already given Birmingham 6 points on us and while there’s still a lot of games to go you feel if we don’t win on Saturday then the pressure will mount and it’ll start to have echoes of last season.
Man of the match – Grant Leadbitter
Paul Raine