Roy's View From... View From Birmingham

[CPB]

They came with a plan and it worked. We never got going. They were pretty physical snidey team actually which resulted in some of our challenges too.

We defended their goal poorly though. Should have got a head on that cross.

Didn't realise sharps chance at the end was actually half decent.

Need to up our performances though for Tues!!!

 

[Sheffsteel]

Great long ball team full of thugs
Good at what they do but it will only get you mid table in this division

I remember when opposition fans used to say that about Sheff Utd so I can’t be too hard on them.

We played OK but as expected, after an international break we don’t seem as focussed and tend to look tired and slightly disorganised,
We also had injuries with players out of position. Birmingham played as expected, they were very solid defending really well.

They made it really tough for us. Neither team created enough clear chances.
Think we were slightly the better side but a draw was just about a fair result.

Last season under Jokanovic we’d have conceded in the last minute and lost.
So I’ll take a point, which might prove vital.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Disagree. A less experienced ref might have sent McB and RND off

I thought the same….those incidents deserved more than yellow but weren’t bad enough for a red.
I expected yellow but on those 2 occasions it did enter my head that the ref might want to make a name for himself by dishing out a red.

 

[Sheffsteel]

They came with a plan and it worked. We never got going. They were pretty physical snidey team actually which resulted in some of our challenges too.

We defended their goal poorly though. Should have got a head on that cross.

Didn't realise sharps chance at the end was actually half decent.

Need to up our performances though for Tues!!!

He should have hit it first time or at least earlier but choose to set himself up better and get a little closer to goal.
However by then the keeper had come out and narrowed the angle.
Put it down to good goalkeeping rather than poor finishing.

 

[VM198]

Brum obviously pleased, but Blades should not be too downhearted.
I believe Brum are a better outfit than their league position says.
The little things that normally have been working for Blades didn't quite come off today. Tomorrow will different. Good to clear out the 'rustieness' ready for Tuesday evening.
If both teams continue as they played today, Blades should be odds on for promotion and Brum should be more than in the mix come seasons end.
Must be said though, Brum should get rid of the slow timing/cheating.
Game management majority of fans understand but Brum went beyond that, they are a better set up than to become a stain on British football.
Thank you, Roy.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Birmingham put in a very good away performance.
Firstly, they were solid. Berge, Ndiaye and McBurnie barely had a sniff. We were fortunate to find ourselves a goal up.
Secondly, they attacked with purpose. They had a few chances on the counter-attack where they came close to scoring, only some good last ditch defending prevented them.

In the second half, they looked sharper than us. I don't know how many of their lads are internationals but, unfortunately, pretty much all of our lads are and we looked very leggy. We often do after these breaks.

A draw was a fair result. The XG stats were about even (0.96 - 1.00, in their favour) and although we had a bit more of the ball we didn't use it well.
However, we're not going to win them all and PH seemed content with the result given the lack of preparation. So all in all, we take it and move on.
Also, great to have Bogle and Sharp back.
If the latter had got his shot off quicker, it was game over.
Bogle, lovely weighted pass through for Brewster (who also should have done better with the finish).

Causes for concern:
(1) No sign of the cavalry returning anytime soon to ease our injury crisis on the left-hand-side of the pitch.
(2) Signs of fatigue and a congested fixture list incoming.
(3) Whilst results have held up, our performances haven't been at our peak since August. We've looked a lot less fluid in possession.

 

[metalblade]

He should have hit it first time or at least earlier but choose to set himself up better and get a little closer to goal.
However by then the keeper had come out and narrowed the angle.
Put it down to good goalkeeping rather than poor finishing.

A Billy Sharp who is playing every game puts that chance away but still coming back from a long lay off put it down to being ring rusty and a decent save by the keeper.

 

[Eggy]

Reading that VF was about as boring as watching them not play football. Play offs?

 

[ForgeBlade]

Bitching and whinging about us being dirty (!!?) when Chong managed to prove his Man Utd credentials by hurting himself while diving, the odious little twat.

 

[N20 Blade]

Birmingham put in a very good away performance.
Firstly, they were solid. Berge, Ndiaye and McBurnie barely had a sniff. We were fortunate to find ourselves a goal up.
Secondly, they attacked with purpose. They had a few chances on the counter-attack where they came close to scoring, only some good last ditch defending prevented them.

In the second half, they looked sharper than us. I don't know how many of their lads are internationals but, unfortunately, pretty much all of our lads are and we looked very leggy. We often do after these breaks.

A draw was a fair result. The XG stats were about even (0.96 - 1.00, in their favour) and although we had a bit more of the ball we didn't use it well.
However, we're not going to win them all and PH seemed content with the result given the lack of preparation. So all in all, we take it and move on.
Also, great to have Bogle and Sharp back.
If the latter had got his shot off quicker, it was game over.
Bogle, lovely weighted pass through for Brewster (who also should have done better with the finish).

Causes for concern:
(1) No sign of the cavalry returning anytime soon to ease our injury crisis on the left-hand-side of the pitch.
(2) Signs of fatigue and a congested fixture list incoming.
(3) Whilst results have held up, our performances haven't been at our peak since August. We've looked a lot less fluid in possession.

As mentioned, Saturday was a blueprint (pardon the pun) for other teams to follow at the lane. Tuesday is a big game, my best mate is qpr and he says they're playing some good stuff and are a real threat, top two material even, and he's an objective so and so. Anything less than our top form and we'll lose or draw, and as you say when was the last time we really played at our fluent best, it's been a while.

 

[Sheffsteel]

As mentioned, Saturday was a blueprint (pardon the pun) for other teams to follow at the lane. Tuesday is a big game, my best mate is qpr and he says they're playing some good stuff and are a real threat, top two material even, and he's an objective so and so. Anything less than our top form and we'll lose or draw, and as you say when was the last time we really played at our fluent best, it's been a while.

Partially agree…..last season showed that when teams come packing their defensive trying to frustrate us we struggle.
Last season many teams seemed to come to BL with a target of 0-0 at half time, then they‘d show more ambition and have a go trying to beat us in the 2nd half.
Birmingham used the same tactics last season and it worked well, they frustrated us and eventually beat us.

My point is that most of the opposition Millwall, Blackburn and Reading came to our ground with the Birmingham blueprint.
Maybe Reading and Blackburn aren’t naturally defensive because they couldn’t defend as well as Birmingham.
Also I think the key is we scored early goals, then it blew apart their tactics and it was game over.
Also I think, unlike last season, we now have players who can score difficult chances or score from nothing.

So teams coming with the Birmingham keep it tight in the 1st half tactics is more risky this season compared to last season.

 

[Grumps]

After the international break United looked rusty (need 3in1)but a draw is better than loosing after an international break .So if they have been oiled up they should be back at their best Tuesday night. Score 3-1

 

[BushBlade]

As mentioned, Saturday was a blueprint (pardon the pun) for other teams to follow at the lane. Tuesday is a big game, my best mate is qpr and he says they're playing some good stuff and are a real threat, top two material even, and he's an objective so and so. Anything less than our top form and we'll lose or draw, and as you say when was the last time we really played at our fluent best, it's been a while.

I thought the appointment of Beale was quite brave. It just shows how having people running the club with contacts throughout the game can give you an advantage when it comes to replacing a manager.

 

[blade too long]

A fully up to speed Sharp may have buried that late chance
for him it was disappointing

we never looked like losing but barely looked confident of winning
watched real madrid struggle to a 1-1 scoreline at home v 10 men osasuna

so we still looked like real madrid