A poor performance brought Blues' recent home form to an end as they crashed to a 2-1 defeat to the hands of Bolton, who were helped by an abysmal performance from referee David Coote. He wasn't biased towards the visitors - just incompetent. It was a stream of inconsistent decisions, topped off with missing a stonewall penalty for Blues. As poor as the referee was, Blues cannot blame him entirely for their shortcomings. 2 key mistakes from the usually reliable Dan Burn and Darren Randolph respectively gave Blues a mountain to climb. Despite Zigic pulling a goal back with 15 minutes to go, Blues couldn't quite muster up a second goal.
Randolph - 5
Spector - 6
Burn - 5
Robbo - 6
Murphy - 6
Adeyemi - 7
Reilly - 6
Burke - 7 *MOTM*
Shinnie - 5
Lingard - 5
Green - 5
Zigic - 7
Novak - 4
Caddis - 6
Randolph - after I praised Clark for his signing of Randolph, he made a huge error which eventually did lead to a goal and a loss. Other than the mistake he didn't have a lot to do, as Bolton barely had a shot on target.
Spector - a solid performance from Spector who didn't do anything wrong really. His distribution near the end was disappointing but all in all a typical reliable performance from Spector defensively. Going forward he isn't the best and maybe Caddis might have been a better option at home, but Spector did his job.
Burn - a shaky first half performance cost Blues dear as Burn appeared to leave a long clearance, which Beckford raced on to before firing under Randolph. Burn did get better as the game went on but struggled aerially, which is unlike him. A poor performance from the usually reliable centre-back, that maybe isn't helped by the system. The lack of pace of our defensive pair doesn't help us defend at all, which isn't usually a problem in a 3 at the back system - saying that, we kept a clean sheet playing 4-2-3-1 against Millwall, so it definitely has it's perks against a slower frontline.
Robbo - wasn't helped by Burn but did his best defensively. He had a solid game but not quite the commanding performance that we have become accustomed to from the ex-Bolton defender. He'll have better games this season but he'll have worse games. A 6 of a performance if ever there was one.
Murphy - taken off near the end due to what looked like just fatigue, Murphy had a decent game. He put in the occasional good ball but he struggled going forward as we seemed to play without a left winger. Defensively, it's not news to most Blues fans that he isn't the best, which was highlighted at times today. A tough game but Murphy kept the ball well when needed, just couldn't find the extra gear we needed going forward.
Adeyemi - drove at the Bolton defence from midfield and was one of the most important players going forward. The thing I like most about him is he is never scared to receive the ball or take someone on. He won the ball back and got forward well, even though those around him weren't playing well necessarily.
Reilly - will become an important player for us in years to come if we can keep hold of him. He had another decent game, with some tough tackling and some wonderful passes. However, there are times when his inexperience shows, as some of his distribution was poor and he tried some over-ambitious passes at times. It's good that he has confidence, nevertheless he needs to reign it sometimes. He nearly scored a wonderful goal with his right foot in the first half also, which was brilliantly saved.
Burke - beat his defender so many times and grabbed an assist, which probably made him our man of the match. Burke found space on the right a lot, which is impressive as we were very one-sided, and beat his man nearly every time. Some beautiful crosses which we just couldn't get on the end of, or couldn't find the back of the net with, but this was not Burke's fault. A good performance from our best player.
Shinnie - was very very lacklustre. He struggled to get into the game and didn't affect it when he did. Won a few headers but didn't beat his man, or create any chances. He wasn't helped by Lingard's insistence on cutting inside, as this reduced his space so he was forced out wide, but Shinnie was poor.
Lingard - is not a left winger. Whilst he did score four on his first game from left wing, he is too narrow to be a proper winger. He has the attributes for it but he doesn't have the positioning. Playing him centrally might be a better option, where Shinnie is currently, or if you do want him out wide, in a 3-4-3 system which might work. He was quiet today as he couldn't find space and didn't get the service. When he did get the ball, he looked dangerous, but it didn't happen enough.
Green - didn't affect the game at all. Bolton played a deep line which restricted Green's ability to get in behind and it showed. He isn't a good player facing his own goal, which Bolton forced him to do. This restricted the space for other players around him. This isn't really his fault and is more of a tactics thing, but it wasn't a performance he will want to remember.
Zigic - changed the game when he came on. He grabbed a goal with a looping header and had a goalbound header blocked away. The service into the big man was poor but he did his best, even with the 'players over 6'5 don't get fouls' rule in effect. He was fouled consistently but when he does it back, it's an instant foul, which is incredibly infuriating. He was our second best player really, as he was the only other one who looked like doing anything.
Novak - waste of a shirt. I have stuck up for Clark before but if he cannot see that Novak is a poor footballer then he should not be a manager. He added nothing for us, even less than Shinnie. He's slow, weak, poor in the air, can't finish and is never in the right place. He had 40 minutes on the pitch but added absolutely nothing to the game.
Caddis - weird substitution to put him on, but he had little time to affect the game. As Murphy needed to go off, the obvious thing to do was put Ferguson on and go for it, but Clark put Caddis on. We shifted a centre-back to left back which ruined any threat we had down that side to compensate. Caddis linked with Burke but didn't really add much.
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Friday, 4 October 2013
Blues v Millwall - Match Ratings
Blues recorded a third consecutive home victory against Millwall, scoring a host of goals in the process. Not only did Blues score a very welcome four goals, they kept a rare clean sheet. This wasn't necessarily due to a solid defensive performance, but more down to Millwall's offensive impotence. Regardless, Blues did play well, here is my opinion on the performances of the players.
Randolph - 7
Spector - 8
Robbo - 7
Burn - 6.5
Murphy - 9 *MOTM*
Adeyemi - 8
Reilly - 8
Burke - 8
Shinnie - 7
Lionel Jesse - 7
Randolph - 7
Spector - 8
Robbo - 7
Burn - 6.5
Murphy - 9 *MOTM*
Adeyemi - 8
Reilly - 8
Burke - 8
Shinnie - 7
Lionel Jesse - 7
Green - 7
Randolph - Randolph had a quiet game, but he did what he had to do confidently and with minimal fuss. He was quick off his line but didn't really have any saves to make.
Spector - it seemed a strange decision to play Spector over Caddis, especially at home, but Spector repaid the faith shown in him by Clark. He dealt with the threat of Millwall's top scorer Woolford easily and was comfortable on the ball. A very composed and solid game from Spector.
Robbo - a typical Robinson performance. Strong in the challenge and commanded the defensive line. His pace was not an issue in the first half due to the lack of movement from Steve Morison, but in the second half it was slightly more of an issue. Still a solid performance from the defender.
Burn - Dan Burn had a strange game. He had a very calm first half, where he dealt with everything coolly, intercepting every ball and winning every header. In the second half however, he seemed a bit shaky. The half-time change that Millwall made seemed to throw him off, as he made a few mistakes in dangerous positions but, as Millwall were so poor they could not capitalise. All in all, a mixed performance from Burn, but we did keep a clean sheet.
Murphy - the last few weeks have really shown how much we missed Murphy. Defensively, he might not be brilliant, but going forward, he is probably the best left back in the league. He nearly scored earlier on than his first goal, but he planted his header straight into the arms of the 'keeper. The first goal however was a neat finish from a tight angle, which most strikers would have been happy with. Quite what Murphy was doing there is unclear, but fortunately he was and he opened the scoring. His second goal was a majestic free-kick from just outside the area on the right hand side. Other than that, Murphy had a decent game. He didn't put a foot wrong defensively and offered width when Lionel Jesse cut inside. A well deserved 9.
Adeyemi - what a signing he has been! Despite a shaky start to his Blues career he has proved to be a very dynamic midfielder with fantastic drive combined with strong tackling. He grabbed his second goal in as many games with a lovely chip over the keeper to top off a strong performance from the box-to-box midfielder. Him and Reilly could be a very important partnership in midfield this season.
Reilly - despite the lack of chances he had at the start of the season, Reilly has shown in the chances he has had why he should be in the team. Whilst Elliott may add more passing ability and a more creative presence, Reilly gives us energy and a tough tackling midfielder who can dominate midfield. His distribution is lacking at times, as it was on Tuesday, but he wins it back so often that this is not too much of an issue. In the first half on Tuesday, he was a contender for MOTM, as he was always in the right place - every second ball came to Reilly. In the second half Millwall responded and maybe got the better of our midfield for a spell, but Irish U21 international Reilly can be pleased with his performance.
Burke - Chris Burke terrorized his full-back all game, as he consistently found space and dribbled at the defender. However, he has a tendency to overrun the ball and only pass when absolutely necessary, which can be very frustrating. He did this a few times on Tuesday, but generally he did get his crosses in eventually. He beat the defender numerous times and put in some very good balls. It was a terrific performance from Burke and one that is almost commonplace for him now.
Shinnie - Shinnie had been forced out the team the last few weeks, as he struggles to fit into the 3-4-3 system, but Clark gave him a chance in a 4-2-3-1 formation off the striker. He had a part to play in the first three goals, supplying the cross for the first, winning the free-kick for the second and having the rebound from his shot turned in. The one problem with Shinniesta is his tendency to drift in and out of games. He often will go 5-10 minutes without touching the ball, but on Tuesday when he had the ball he did well. He was almost non-existent for a lot of the game though, barely getting involved, which is a shame.
Lionel Jesse - Lingard grabbed another goal to continue his bright start at Blues, but he could have had a hat-trick. After winning a contentious penalty, which appeared to have been outside of the box, Lingard took the penalty himself. Unfortunately, he saw his weak penalty saved, which could quite easily have dented his confidence. However, it takes a lot to ruin the confidence of a guy who scored 4 on his debut, as Lingard had a few more chances. He saw his goal-bound header blocked by a defender, but late on scored a header off an almost identical cross from Burke, this time finding the right-hand corner of the net to seal off the game.
Matt Green - Green is well liked by the fans and has started to become an increasingly important player. He may not be the biggest name, or the top goalscorer or even the most talented, but his pace, power and movement have been key to Blues' recent success. It's no coincidence that our run of goals have coincided with him playing. He was relatively quiet on Tuesday, but he created so much space for Burke and Lingard especially, by pulling defenders around and running into space. A good performance, even if he receives no glory from it.
Monday, 30 September 2013
Blues v Millwall - Preview
As Blues' fortunes appeared to be changing, after two very solid wins at home against Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea, they suffered a slightly disappointing away loss to Reading. Despite the fact that we were expected to lose against newly-relegated Reading, it did slightly halt the optimism that had started to grow around St. Andrews. Tomorrow's game at home to Millwall could recapture the upbeat spirit around the place, but it won't be easy.
Millwall had a poor start to the season and were bottom of the league until 3 back-to-back wins moved them up to 16th, 3 places above Blues. Millwall, not unlike Blues, have not been free-scoring and have struggled to grab goals, finding the net only 11 times in their 9 games in the league. Blues however have only scored 8 in their 9 games, but have scored another 9 in their 3 cup games. Millwall have been quite leaky defensively until recently, conceding 5 at home to Derby, so hopefully Blues can take advantage of their not-so water-tight defence.
So who are Millwall's dangermen? Top goalscorer Martyn Woolford has bagged three goals in all competitions for the Lions from out wide, which sounds impressive until you realise that Jesse Lingard got more than that in one game! Ex-Wolves forward Andy Keogh has so far scored just two goals this season, but the Irish international will be keen to add to that tally. Keogh is a hard working striker who can grab a goal or two and will keep the Blues defenders on the move. One thing we have in common is our skipper - both teams are captained by a Paul Robinson, playing at centre-back. Robinson and Shittu make up Millwall's defence which could be said to lack pace, which is a reoccurring theme with many Championship sides, including Blues'. This suggests that the pace of Green and Lingard could again be key in attack, so hopefully they are both match fit despite playing on Saturday.
Hopefully, Clark will continue to play the 3-4-3 system that has so far been successful in the games it has been used, but after Saturday's loss to Reading there is always the worry that Clark may chop and change the side and subsequently the formation. Making some personnel changes may be a good idea to freshen things up, especially after playing 3 games in 7 days, this being the 4th in 11 days. I would like to see Mitch Hancox given another chance at left wing-back, as well as maybe some other younger players such as Koby Arthur on the right wing. There is also the option of playing Nikola Zigic, which would make us a very different proposition, as well as giving Matt Green a well-deserved rest, but Zigic is unlikely to be entirely fit. However we line-up, tomorrow's game will be a test of the team against an in-form Millwall side and promises to be an interesting match.
Millwall had a poor start to the season and were bottom of the league until 3 back-to-back wins moved them up to 16th, 3 places above Blues. Millwall, not unlike Blues, have not been free-scoring and have struggled to grab goals, finding the net only 11 times in their 9 games in the league. Blues however have only scored 8 in their 9 games, but have scored another 9 in their 3 cup games. Millwall have been quite leaky defensively until recently, conceding 5 at home to Derby, so hopefully Blues can take advantage of their not-so water-tight defence.
So who are Millwall's dangermen? Top goalscorer Martyn Woolford has bagged three goals in all competitions for the Lions from out wide, which sounds impressive until you realise that Jesse Lingard got more than that in one game! Ex-Wolves forward Andy Keogh has so far scored just two goals this season, but the Irish international will be keen to add to that tally. Keogh is a hard working striker who can grab a goal or two and will keep the Blues defenders on the move. One thing we have in common is our skipper - both teams are captained by a Paul Robinson, playing at centre-back. Robinson and Shittu make up Millwall's defence which could be said to lack pace, which is a reoccurring theme with many Championship sides, including Blues'. This suggests that the pace of Green and Lingard could again be key in attack, so hopefully they are both match fit despite playing on Saturday.
Hopefully, Clark will continue to play the 3-4-3 system that has so far been successful in the games it has been used, but after Saturday's loss to Reading there is always the worry that Clark may chop and change the side and subsequently the formation. Making some personnel changes may be a good idea to freshen things up, especially after playing 3 games in 7 days, this being the 4th in 11 days. I would like to see Mitch Hancox given another chance at left wing-back, as well as maybe some other younger players such as Koby Arthur on the right wing. There is also the option of playing Nikola Zigic, which would make us a very different proposition, as well as giving Matt Green a well-deserved rest, but Zigic is unlikely to be entirely fit. However we line-up, tomorrow's game will be a test of the team against an in-form Millwall side and promises to be an interesting match.
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Home draw at Stoke.
After an incredibly impressive victory against Premier League outfit Swansea, who not one week ago went to Valencia and recorded a 3-0 win, Blues were drawn against another team who play a patient, pass and move style - Stoke City. Whilst the Swansea game was seen as a very difficult game, that we would struggle to get anything out of, a home draw to Stoke seems very winnable - so we will almost definitely lose. Many people are now predicting that Blues will get through to the sixth round, which would be a very remarkable achievement for Clark and his young side, but Blues tend to do better as an underdog.
On paper, Blues could quite easily achieve a comfortable win. Stoke haven't had the best start and have always struggled to score goals, but are generally very solid defensively. Blues recently have employed a 3-4-3 system, that means they are naturally attacking, so we may be able to grab a goal or two. The problem is defensively - we are generally unable to keep a clean sheet, but fortunately, Stoke aren't exactly free-flowing going forwards. They do have some Premier League quality players however going forward. Dan Burn will be a key figure at the heart of the defence, as he will be responsible for halting the aerial threat posed by the likes of Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones. The two centre-backs either side of them will have to mop up and cover the runs of the other forward, usually Jonathan Walters. This seems a reasonably solid defensive unit, but the real danger comes from the flanks. Marko Arnautovic has so far looked a superb acquisition for the Potters, with his tricky dribbling and intelligence causing problems for defenders. With him on one wing, and ex-Blue Jermaine Pennant on the other, Stoke could cause real problems if they get in behind the left and right midfielders, which is a real problem in a 3-4-3 system.
What can Blues offer to cause problems to their Premier League opponents? Blues have a huge striker themselves, in imposing striker Nikola Zigic, who is returning to fitness soon. Aerial bombardment might not be the best plan against a defence of Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross, so it would not surprise me to see the pace and movement of Matt Green upfront instead. Whether Jesse Lingard can play might be make or break - whilst Shane Ferguson is a terrific winger, crossing may be futile, so the inverted winger Lingard may be able to unlock Stoke's defence. As the left midfielder, either David Murphy or young full-back Mitch Hancox, overlaps, the left back will be forced to follow the run, which might leave Lingard one on one with Huth or Shawcross. To counter this, Stoke's wingers will have to drop to cover the runs, which could push Stoke back. As their wingers are so dangerous, this could be a massive plus for Blues. We can then push them high up the pitch with players like Tom Adeyemi, who pressured so effectively against Swansea and try and cause mistakes.
Whatever the result, Blues v Stoke promises to be an interesting game, to see how far we can go. Hopefully, the recent flourish of goals is not a one-off thing and we have finally found a system that suits the team. We might even go on a decent run - who knows?
On paper, Blues could quite easily achieve a comfortable win. Stoke haven't had the best start and have always struggled to score goals, but are generally very solid defensively. Blues recently have employed a 3-4-3 system, that means they are naturally attacking, so we may be able to grab a goal or two. The problem is defensively - we are generally unable to keep a clean sheet, but fortunately, Stoke aren't exactly free-flowing going forwards. They do have some Premier League quality players however going forward. Dan Burn will be a key figure at the heart of the defence, as he will be responsible for halting the aerial threat posed by the likes of Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones. The two centre-backs either side of them will have to mop up and cover the runs of the other forward, usually Jonathan Walters. This seems a reasonably solid defensive unit, but the real danger comes from the flanks. Marko Arnautovic has so far looked a superb acquisition for the Potters, with his tricky dribbling and intelligence causing problems for defenders. With him on one wing, and ex-Blue Jermaine Pennant on the other, Stoke could cause real problems if they get in behind the left and right midfielders, which is a real problem in a 3-4-3 system.
What can Blues offer to cause problems to their Premier League opponents? Blues have a huge striker themselves, in imposing striker Nikola Zigic, who is returning to fitness soon. Aerial bombardment might not be the best plan against a defence of Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross, so it would not surprise me to see the pace and movement of Matt Green upfront instead. Whether Jesse Lingard can play might be make or break - whilst Shane Ferguson is a terrific winger, crossing may be futile, so the inverted winger Lingard may be able to unlock Stoke's defence. As the left midfielder, either David Murphy or young full-back Mitch Hancox, overlaps, the left back will be forced to follow the run, which might leave Lingard one on one with Huth or Shawcross. To counter this, Stoke's wingers will have to drop to cover the runs, which could push Stoke back. As their wingers are so dangerous, this could be a massive plus for Blues. We can then push them high up the pitch with players like Tom Adeyemi, who pressured so effectively against Swansea and try and cause mistakes.
Whatever the result, Blues v Stoke promises to be an interesting game, to see how far we can go. Hopefully, the recent flourish of goals is not a one-off thing and we have finally found a system that suits the team. We might even go on a decent run - who knows?
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Jesse's Goals
It was a day that Jesse Lingard will never forget, as he bagged four goals on his debut for Blues against a hapless Sheffield Wednesday side, who stay just outside of the relegation zone on goal difference, after losing 4-1 in a bizarre game at St. Andrews.
It was a shaky opening to the game for Blues, who struggled to keep the ball early on. Playing the 3-4-3 system that was employed in the unfortunate loss at QPR, Clark's men struggled to get a foothold against a physical Wednesday side. It wasn't until 20 minutes in that Blues got a proper hold on the game. David Murphy, playing for the first time in 10 months, found Chris Burke with an exquisite pass. Burke drifted past Reda Johnson and fired off a left-foot shot that Kirkland palmed away, but only into the path of Lingard who found the roof of the net.
Shortly after, Blues put some real pressure on Wednesday's defence, which included ex-Blues defender Roger Johnson. Green ran on to a long ball that the defender failed to deal with but Kirkland was out quickly to deny him. He then headed away a corner which fell to on-loan attacker Lingard. He struck a powerful half-volley which skipped off the turf and forced a wonderful save from Chris Kirkland. Kirkland was helpless to stop Lingard 2 minutes later however, after he raced onto a pass from Wade Elliott. Through on goal with only the 'keeper to beat, he opened up his body before coolly slotting underneath the sprawling 'keeper.
Wednesday looked shaken - the pace of Green and Lingard along with the dribbling of Burke up top was causing problems. Under-fire boss Dave Jones tried to rectify this by bringing on Albanian giant Atdhe Nuhiu, but it was to no avail. . Not long after, Johnson played a pass into the feet of the unmarked Lingard, 25 yards out. He turned, and as no defenders closed him, he dribbled towards the edge of the box before drilling a powerful effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. Blues fans were in disbelief, as Lingard became an instant hero. Wednesday fans sat also in disbelief, at just how awful their side was playing. The introduction of Nuhiu had made them even worse, somehow, as he comically plodded around, without adding anything to the game. Luckily for him, but not Wednesday, Reda and Roger Johnson looked even worse. Roger Johnson nearly gifted a goal to the impressive Matt Green, as he passed him the ball whilst he was on the floor, but Green couldn't find the target.
After a chorus of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' from their own fans, Wednesday trudged out for the second half, but in all reality it didn't get much better. Just after the break Burke continued Reda Johnson's torrid afternoon, escaping his attention once again, before pulling the ball back to Lingard, who swept home from about 8 yards.
Wednesday were all but dead and buried, resorting to fouling and hoofball, whilst the Blues fans sang the name of their new hero. Credit where credit is due however - the Wednesday fans tried their best to enjoy themselves but their team gave them little to sing about until 5 minutes after the hour mark. Clark and Randolph will be disappointed to not keep a clean sheet, after a Kamil Zayatte glancing header found the back of the net. Wednesday rarely looked like scoring other than that though, as the game fizzled out. Nuhiu's only real contribution to the game was to gift Shane Ferguson with a great chance, but he sliced his shot wide of the near post.
Credit must go to Clark for spotting and bringing in Lingard on loan and playing a system that worked, but Wednesday were truly awful. Murphy was fantastic on his first game back and might be the player we've been missing. My final ratings:
Randolph - 6
Spector - 6
Bartley - 7
Burn - 7
Robbo - 7
Murphy - 9
Adeyemi - 8
Elliott - 6
Burke - 8
Green - 7
Lingard - 10
Lovenkrands - 5
Ferguson - 6
It was a shaky opening to the game for Blues, who struggled to keep the ball early on. Playing the 3-4-3 system that was employed in the unfortunate loss at QPR, Clark's men struggled to get a foothold against a physical Wednesday side. It wasn't until 20 minutes in that Blues got a proper hold on the game. David Murphy, playing for the first time in 10 months, found Chris Burke with an exquisite pass. Burke drifted past Reda Johnson and fired off a left-foot shot that Kirkland palmed away, but only into the path of Lingard who found the roof of the net.
Shortly after, Blues put some real pressure on Wednesday's defence, which included ex-Blues defender Roger Johnson. Green ran on to a long ball that the defender failed to deal with but Kirkland was out quickly to deny him. He then headed away a corner which fell to on-loan attacker Lingard. He struck a powerful half-volley which skipped off the turf and forced a wonderful save from Chris Kirkland. Kirkland was helpless to stop Lingard 2 minutes later however, after he raced onto a pass from Wade Elliott. Through on goal with only the 'keeper to beat, he opened up his body before coolly slotting underneath the sprawling 'keeper.
Wednesday looked shaken - the pace of Green and Lingard along with the dribbling of Burke up top was causing problems. Under-fire boss Dave Jones tried to rectify this by bringing on Albanian giant Atdhe Nuhiu, but it was to no avail. . Not long after, Johnson played a pass into the feet of the unmarked Lingard, 25 yards out. He turned, and as no defenders closed him, he dribbled towards the edge of the box before drilling a powerful effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. Blues fans were in disbelief, as Lingard became an instant hero. Wednesday fans sat also in disbelief, at just how awful their side was playing. The introduction of Nuhiu had made them even worse, somehow, as he comically plodded around, without adding anything to the game. Luckily for him, but not Wednesday, Reda and Roger Johnson looked even worse. Roger Johnson nearly gifted a goal to the impressive Matt Green, as he passed him the ball whilst he was on the floor, but Green couldn't find the target.
After a chorus of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' from their own fans, Wednesday trudged out for the second half, but in all reality it didn't get much better. Just after the break Burke continued Reda Johnson's torrid afternoon, escaping his attention once again, before pulling the ball back to Lingard, who swept home from about 8 yards.
Wednesday were all but dead and buried, resorting to fouling and hoofball, whilst the Blues fans sang the name of their new hero. Credit where credit is due however - the Wednesday fans tried their best to enjoy themselves but their team gave them little to sing about until 5 minutes after the hour mark. Clark and Randolph will be disappointed to not keep a clean sheet, after a Kamil Zayatte glancing header found the back of the net. Wednesday rarely looked like scoring other than that though, as the game fizzled out. Nuhiu's only real contribution to the game was to gift Shane Ferguson with a great chance, but he sliced his shot wide of the near post.
Credit must go to Clark for spotting and bringing in Lingard on loan and playing a system that worked, but Wednesday were truly awful. Murphy was fantastic on his first game back and might be the player we've been missing. My final ratings:
Randolph - 6
Spector - 6
Bartley - 7
Burn - 7
Robbo - 7
Murphy - 9
Adeyemi - 8
Elliott - 6
Burke - 8
Green - 7
Lingard - 10
Lovenkrands - 5
Ferguson - 6
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Blues vs Sheff Wed - Preview
After a disappointing defeat at the hands of Burnley, Lee Clark needs a win to try and relieve some of the pressure on his shoulders. Whilst it can be argued he is doing an impossible job, puzzling team selections and bizarre substitutions have left many Blues fans disillusioned. Blues are dangling perilously above the relegation zone on a meagre 4 points, but not without a lot of bad luck both in matches and the fixture list. Having played 3 teams that finished in the top 6, the incredibly wealthy QPR and high-flying Burnley in the first 7 games has made life difficult, especially with 2 key players having not played so far this season in dynamic full-back David Murphy and Serbian giant Nikola Zigic, with playmaker Scott Allan possibly facing a spell on the sidelines as well.
With this poor start to the season in mind, Saturday's clash with Sheffield Wednesday is a crucial game for everyone involved with the club. The 'R' word has been thrown around with fans but a win on Saturday could remove some of those doubts. The players need a win for their morale, Clark needs a win to get the fans onside (although it will take more than one win) and the club needs a win to improve the general feel around the club. However Sheffield Wednesday are not without their own problems, having not won in 6 games. They sit level with Blues on 4 points, but above on goal difference as they have scored 6 league goals, compared to Blues' feeble 4 goals.
Wednesday have had some problems defensively, however. In order to try and sort out the defensive issue, Dave Jones has brought in no other than ex-Blues defender Roger Johnson, who can expect a less than warm welcome from the Blues faithful. Only one player from Wednesday has scored more than one goal this season - Atdhe Nuhiu, a 6'6 striker who signed from Rapid Vienna in the summer. Wednesday aren't a team blessed with too many big name players, but have many who are accomplished Championship players. Blues will be hoping their experience of the league don't help them get the better of the side on Saturday.
Blues may actually struggle aerially, which won't happen too often this season, but Wednesday are a very tall team. The previously mentioned Nuhiu, 6'7, and Anthony Gardner, 6'5, could cause aerial problems for Blues. This means that the easiest way for a team to get at the defence would be to get behind the defence with pace. Matt Green could be the key, being the only fit striker with genuine pace. Scott Allan could have been very important, due to his creative ability, but after being forced off on Monday, it seems unlikely that he will play.
Whether Clark will go with a 4-3-3 system, or the previously preferred 3-5-2 or even the 3-4-3 system played at QPR is anyone's guess. What I do know, is that he needs to get it right. Saturday is, in my eyes, the first must-win game of the season.
With this poor start to the season in mind, Saturday's clash with Sheffield Wednesday is a crucial game for everyone involved with the club. The 'R' word has been thrown around with fans but a win on Saturday could remove some of those doubts. The players need a win for their morale, Clark needs a win to get the fans onside (although it will take more than one win) and the club needs a win to improve the general feel around the club. However Sheffield Wednesday are not without their own problems, having not won in 6 games. They sit level with Blues on 4 points, but above on goal difference as they have scored 6 league goals, compared to Blues' feeble 4 goals.
Wednesday have had some problems defensively, however. In order to try and sort out the defensive issue, Dave Jones has brought in no other than ex-Blues defender Roger Johnson, who can expect a less than warm welcome from the Blues faithful. Only one player from Wednesday has scored more than one goal this season - Atdhe Nuhiu, a 6'6 striker who signed from Rapid Vienna in the summer. Wednesday aren't a team blessed with too many big name players, but have many who are accomplished Championship players. Blues will be hoping their experience of the league don't help them get the better of the side on Saturday.
Blues may actually struggle aerially, which won't happen too often this season, but Wednesday are a very tall team. The previously mentioned Nuhiu, 6'7, and Anthony Gardner, 6'5, could cause aerial problems for Blues. This means that the easiest way for a team to get at the defence would be to get behind the defence with pace. Matt Green could be the key, being the only fit striker with genuine pace. Scott Allan could have been very important, due to his creative ability, but after being forced off on Monday, it seems unlikely that he will play.
Whether Clark will go with a 4-3-3 system, or the previously preferred 3-5-2 or even the 3-4-3 system played at QPR is anyone's guess. What I do know, is that he needs to get it right. Saturday is, in my eyes, the first must-win game of the season.
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Transfer Deadline Day (slightly sarcastic) Roundup
I'm not sure what was more surprising - Wenger signing a player for a lot of money, Wenger signing a player that isn't under 21 and French, or Blues spending any money whatsoever. Mesut Özil went from a world class midfielder to 'the best midfielder in the world' in the eyes of Arsenal fans, by signing for Arsenal in a deal worth £42million. A substantial amount for any club, but for Arsenal this deal is huge. They rarely spend so much on one player. This deal makes Turkish-born Özil the most expensive German player ever. However, Özil wasn't the most expensive transfer of the window, with a certain Gareth Bale moving for over £80million in the most expensive and least surprising transfer of all time.
Wayne Rooney eventually stayed at Manchester United, as they only made one signing in afro-wielding giant Marouane Fellaini, to add steel to United's otherwise powder-puff midfield. Moyes in the end overpaid for Fellaini, allowing his £23million release clause, that he himself put in, to run out before panicking and paying £27m for the Belgian midfielder.
In another extremely boring saga, with an equally boring resolution, Luis Suarez stayed at Liverpool. Despite telling the whole world he wanted to leave, Liverpool rejected the £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal, in one of the more bizarre moments of the transfer window. Liverpool brought in 3 players themselves; two centre-backs in Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori, with Victor Moses coming in on loan.
In fitting with their joga bonito pure football style, Aston Villa signed another huge striker. 6'3 Libor Kozak signed for £7m, bringing with him a prolific record. 10 goals in 58 appearances shows his worth. Speaking of pure football, Stoke signed a 6'4 winger to add much-needed height to their team. Marko Arnautovic, or Arrogantovic to some Bremen fans, signed for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £2m. A talented footballer with clear attitude problem, could be a clever move on Stoke's part, or could be a complete waste of £2m.
West Brom added two forward players to their team, in Benin attacking midfielder Stephane Sessegnon and the imposing figure of Victor Anichebe. Luckily for Sunderland, they quickly replaced Sessegnon's flair and creativity like for like, by bringing in prolific forward Fabio Borini on loan. Hull saw their last minute deal for Shane Long fall through, as Long realised that he really didn't want to live in Hull, (or because it didn't go through in time, not sure which one) leaving West Brom with another striker. They did however offload Peter Odemwingie to Cardiff for an undisclosed fee, in surprisingly mundane fashion.
Everton brought in dynamic midfielder Gareth Barry on loan, to replace the energy that Fellaini provided in the midfield. They also spent around £14m on James McCarthy, in possibly the most overpriced deal of the window. Finally, they brought in young striker Romelu Lukaku on loan, to fill the huge gap left by Anichebe.
In the most surprising deal of the window, Birmingham City actually spent some money on a real player. Paul Caddis comes in for £150k to fill the right back slot, as it seems Eardley is suffering from a lack of ability and will be out for the season.
That rounds up most of the important deals, of another transfer window.
Wayne Rooney eventually stayed at Manchester United, as they only made one signing in afro-wielding giant Marouane Fellaini, to add steel to United's otherwise powder-puff midfield. Moyes in the end overpaid for Fellaini, allowing his £23million release clause, that he himself put in, to run out before panicking and paying £27m for the Belgian midfielder.
In another extremely boring saga, with an equally boring resolution, Luis Suarez stayed at Liverpool. Despite telling the whole world he wanted to leave, Liverpool rejected the £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal, in one of the more bizarre moments of the transfer window. Liverpool brought in 3 players themselves; two centre-backs in Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori, with Victor Moses coming in on loan.
In fitting with their joga bonito pure football style, Aston Villa signed another huge striker. 6'3 Libor Kozak signed for £7m, bringing with him a prolific record. 10 goals in 58 appearances shows his worth. Speaking of pure football, Stoke signed a 6'4 winger to add much-needed height to their team. Marko Arnautovic, or Arrogantovic to some Bremen fans, signed for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £2m. A talented footballer with clear attitude problem, could be a clever move on Stoke's part, or could be a complete waste of £2m.
West Brom added two forward players to their team, in Benin attacking midfielder Stephane Sessegnon and the imposing figure of Victor Anichebe. Luckily for Sunderland, they quickly replaced Sessegnon's flair and creativity like for like, by bringing in prolific forward Fabio Borini on loan. Hull saw their last minute deal for Shane Long fall through, as Long realised that he really didn't want to live in Hull, (or because it didn't go through in time, not sure which one) leaving West Brom with another striker. They did however offload Peter Odemwingie to Cardiff for an undisclosed fee, in surprisingly mundane fashion.
Everton brought in dynamic midfielder Gareth Barry on loan, to replace the energy that Fellaini provided in the midfield. They also spent around £14m on James McCarthy, in possibly the most overpriced deal of the window. Finally, they brought in young striker Romelu Lukaku on loan, to fill the huge gap left by Anichebe.
In the most surprising deal of the window, Birmingham City actually spent some money on a real player. Paul Caddis comes in for £150k to fill the right back slot, as it seems Eardley is suffering from a lack of ability and will be out for the season.
That rounds up most of the important deals, of another transfer window.
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