It's wide open this league, Bolton, Wolves both losing and Blackburn only got a point, Birmingham is a tough place to go but from the reports I've read you should of won by a few.
We play them at Hillsborough on Tuesday night, last time Lee Clark was there it was a 4-4 thriller.
They have definitely got quality in their side. With the likes of Ambrose, Lovenkrands, King, Burke, Davies, Butland, Zigic etc they will more than likely be in the top 6.
We just outworked them yesterday and were hungrier for it.
They played 4-4-2 to 4-2-4 and looked disjointed. A lot of misplaced passes and a general lack of continuity.
Butland in goal was sound. Davis played well at right centre back on the cover and Burke looked a threat on the right, but the rest were average. The front two, King & Lovenkrands were easily contained, and the Central mids Mullins & Morrison were second best all afternoon. We were fitter, better organised and played the better football.
After Plan A had failed, they turned to Plan B late on - the 6ft 8ins Centre Forward Zigic, with Redmond also coming off the bench, and looked more effective as a team. I'd expect both of them to play in their next game. Stephen Carr was also missing at Right Back and we took advantage against his young replacement Packwood. We got a lot of crosses in from both sides, but weren't clinical enough. Birmingham struggled when we got the full backs forward on the overlap and they allowed us a lot of space on the flanks. Caldwell was also a weakness at left centre back and lost most of the high balls against our target man Kermorgant, but again we failed to take full advantage. Our central mids sat & played, where an attacking midfielder on third man runs beyond the CF would have caused problems. Our second striker never quite got on the end of things and Davis covered his partner very well.
Clark got his team selection & tactical approach wrong and had to rely on a Plan B to nick a point, whereas our manager got the pre-season preparation, team selection & tactics spot on. We should have seen the game out for all three points.
Cheers for that lads, looking forward to going to Hillsboro' now on Tuesday to watch The Wednesday!
Must admit though, with all the recent and surprising ongoings at your club behind the scenes I thought you would be in for a tough season but after seeing the clips on the TV you looked like you got robbed.
Think I fooled myself into beleving BCFC were a threat before we went up there.
I was expecting tough opposition backed by a loud home crowd.
What we got was a pretty average Championship side, who only looked dangerous when they went long to zigic, backed by half a dozen pikeys to our right. We should of finished them off to be honest. We created some decent chances.
Think I fooled myself into beleving BCFC were a threat before we went up there.
I was expecting tough opposition backed by a loud home crowd.
What we got was a pretty average Championship side, who only looked dangerous when they went long to zigic, backed by half a dozen pikeys to our right. We should of finished them off to be honest. We created some decent chances.
Once again, people are under-estimating how good we actually are. I am really confident that we can step it up and compete this season. Saturday's performance confirms that. I thought that we looked very strong throughout. We missed a couple of really good chances and should have been going home with the 3 points.
Think I fooled myself into beleving BCFC were a threat before we went up there.
I was expecting tough opposition backed by a loud home crowd.
What we got was a pretty average Championship side, who only looked dangerous when they went long to zigic, backed by half a dozen pikeys to our right. We should of finished them off to be honest. We created some decent chances.
Once again, people are under-estimating how good we actually are. I am really confident that we can step it up and compete this season. Saturday's performance confirms that. I thought that we looked very strong throughout. We missed a couple of really good chances and should have been going home with the 3 points.
You make a good and fair point Joe. I just feel we lack strength in depth compared to some other Championship clubs. Our first choice (or SCP's first choice) starting 11 and bench are more than capable of doing well at this level, I think after that we may struggle a little.
if you stop burke getting on the ball and wide you really stop alot of threat why we stopped them doing that and was resulted to playing threw the middle and pot shots ( until zigic came on) and it makes the easy to counter where they all came into the middle of the pitch
Birmingham are quite renowned for their fickle support - not that I'm knocking it, as it is not cheap to watch football there, esp after the European run they had last year.
But they can fill the place and create a noise like few others when they want to (as those there in 98 will verify), on the other hand they can struggle to pull the crowds and be as quiet as Fulham when they want too (as those on Sat will verify).
Comments
We got so many crosses in the box and controlled the midfield. Mullins was rubbish, Ravel Morrison looked ok.
We play them at Hillsborough on Tuesday night, last time Lee Clark was there it was a 4-4 thriller.
You should beat them.
We just outworked them yesterday and were hungrier for it.
King is a threat but easy to deal with
Butland in goal was sound. Davis played well at right centre back on the cover and Burke looked a threat on the right, but the rest were average. The front two, King & Lovenkrands were easily contained, and the Central mids Mullins & Morrison were second best all afternoon. We were fitter, better organised and played the better football.
After Plan A had failed, they turned to Plan B late on - the 6ft 8ins Centre Forward Zigic, with Redmond also coming off the bench, and looked more effective as a team. I'd expect both of them to play in their next game. Stephen Carr was also missing at Right Back and we took advantage against his young replacement Packwood. We got a lot of crosses in from both sides, but weren't clinical enough. Birmingham struggled when we got the full backs forward on the overlap and they allowed us a lot of space on the flanks.
Caldwell was also a weakness at left centre back and lost most of the high balls against our target man Kermorgant, but again we failed to take full advantage. Our central mids sat & played, where an attacking midfielder on third man runs beyond the CF would have caused problems. Our second striker never quite got on the end of things and Davis covered his partner very well.
Clark got his team selection & tactical approach wrong and had to rely on a Plan B to nick a point, whereas our manager got the pre-season preparation, team selection & tactics spot on. We should have seen the game out for all three points.
Must admit though, with all the recent and surprising ongoings at your club behind the scenes I thought you would be in for a tough season but after seeing the clips on the TV you looked like you got robbed.
Carr played the whole game or at least up until him and solly tangled In the 2nd half
Unless I was more pissed than I thought because he certainly looks and played like him
Carr played the whole game or at least up until him and solly tangled In the 2nd half
Unless I was more pissed than I thought because he certainly looks and played like him
Carr was definitely not playing. In fact the guy playing right back looked nothing like him!
looked like him loads
shocking turnout for a club their size.
I was expecting tough opposition backed by a loud home crowd.
What we got was a pretty average Championship side, who only looked dangerous when they went long to zigic, backed by half a dozen pikeys to our right. We should of finished them off to be honest. We created some decent chances.
Only 3,461 to go......................................
Scp had Clarke In the bag seemed to know exactly how to pitch up against him
The ball retention to frustrate them was bang on
Hope our CB's don't have a soft underbelly.
But they can fill the place and create a noise like few others when they want to (as those there in 98 will verify), on the other hand they can struggle to pull the crowds and be as quiet as Fulham when they want too (as those on Sat will verify).