Birmingham City vs West Brom - a positive approach
Article by Rick Lopez
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We would have been worried. A premier league team. No home wins in a year. Falling attendances. Just another game to turn up and watch your team lose. Lee Clark’s Birmingham City.
Now we’re optimistic. A premier league team, but: more home wins in the last three months than the year before that, 28,500 Bluenoses packed inside St Andrews- a sellout - the first since Blackpool 2012, and a team in good form. Gary Rowett’s Birmingham City.
This saturday, Blues face West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup fourth round in what will probably be the Rowett revolution’s biggest test so far. Albion, under new manager Tony Pulis, are having the kind of revival Blues are enjoying. Pulis has installed organisation at the back, a high workrate, higher fitness… sounds strangely familiar?
However, West Brom will themselves admit that the football they’ve been playing is typical Pulis - 4-4-2, direct, long ball. Ugly - but it gets results, which is exactly the approach West Brom need in the premier league.
With that in mind, Pulis is likely to rest key players for this tie, as although it is a local derby, premier league survival is where the money is.
With that in mind, I think the approach Blues need to play their strongest team and attack.
Just think of the roar from the crowd as Andy Shinnie turns a man, as Demarai Gray does some stepovers, charging towards goal, as Cotterill steps inside, ready to release a thunderbolt, as Donaldson holds up the ball and unleashes a defence splitting pass. Just think of the pure satisfaction that will adorn the eyes of every Blues fan as they see their side try to compete against premier league standard opposition.
Success is born out of hope. A lively display in this game can only be good for Birmingham City. Just think of the players morale if they know that they have lost, but by trying to win. If they can take the game to a Premier League side, then confidence would build, and a playoff promotion push would seem more realistic.
I’m under no illusions - Albion are a good side, and I don’t expect Blues to win. But if we go into this game and put out the strongest team, inside a packed stadium and play well - just maybe we could get a result.
Let’s hope the revolution prevails.
© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
Subscribe to the e-Football Podcast for FREE!
We would have been worried. A premier league team. No home wins in a year. Falling attendances. Just another game to turn up and watch your team lose. Lee Clark’s Birmingham City.
Now we’re optimistic. A premier league team, but: more home wins in the last three months than the year before that, 28,500 Bluenoses packed inside St Andrews- a sellout - the first since Blackpool 2012, and a team in good form. Gary Rowett’s Birmingham City.
This saturday, Blues face West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup fourth round in what will probably be the Rowett revolution’s biggest test so far. Albion, under new manager Tony Pulis, are having the kind of revival Blues are enjoying. Pulis has installed organisation at the back, a high workrate, higher fitness… sounds strangely familiar?
However, West Brom will themselves admit that the football they’ve been playing is typical Pulis - 4-4-2, direct, long ball. Ugly - but it gets results, which is exactly the approach West Brom need in the premier league.
With that in mind, Pulis is likely to rest key players for this tie, as although it is a local derby, premier league survival is where the money is.
With that in mind, I think the approach Blues need to play their strongest team and attack.
Just think of the roar from the crowd as Andy Shinnie turns a man, as Demarai Gray does some stepovers, charging towards goal, as Cotterill steps inside, ready to release a thunderbolt, as Donaldson holds up the ball and unleashes a defence splitting pass. Just think of the pure satisfaction that will adorn the eyes of every Blues fan as they see their side try to compete against premier league standard opposition.
Success is born out of hope. A lively display in this game can only be good for Birmingham City. Just think of the players morale if they know that they have lost, but by trying to win. If they can take the game to a Premier League side, then confidence would build, and a playoff promotion push would seem more realistic.
I’m under no illusions - Albion are a good side, and I don’t expect Blues to win. But if we go into this game and put out the strongest team, inside a packed stadium and play well - just maybe we could get a result.
Let’s hope the revolution prevails.
© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
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