Birmingham City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[nuninho]

I'll take that.  Fair result, both sides had chances.  Vitally important we didn't lose today and we didn't.  Delfounso's shot that hit the bar would have been goal of the decade if it had gone in.

Subs changed game for Villa.  Give Delfounso a run, put Gabby up top and we should scramble survival.

[ROBBO]

Shit some posters on this site should see a therapist, battling point using players that are not long for Villa.
Reinforced what we already know, Carew is finished and Petrov is nothing more than a bench warmer. At least Houllier has tackled the most urgent problem the midfield, that area is letting the defence and attack down. Clark tried his heart out but isn't a full back and Walker great going forward but iffy defending. Happy with the point get a couple more players in and we should be okay.

[Bad English]

We deserved a point. We didn't lose. I didn't even miss Ashley's snood.

[garyshawsknee]

We didn't lose. But one point isn't much good to us.

Thats patently not true.

This was a six pointer. Getting something was absolutely vital here. Can you imagine the mood that loosing would have caused at the club?

We need to start winning. Obviously it's better than losing, but we needed three points here. We're out of the relegation zone by a fanny hair. We've got games against both sets of Manc arseholes coming up. How's the table going to look then. I'm actually quite relieved as I expected a loss today, but am I worried about the pile of shit we're in? Yes, yes I am. Especially when he neutralise our main attacking threat by sticking him in midfield. 

The Blues have got the two Manchester teams in the next two games as well,not many teams get a result at the Sty,so a point aint too bad,weve gotta beat Wigan and Fulham coming up soon.

[a5tonv111a@yahoo.co.uk]

GH loves 451, which is a waste having someone like Gabby in the team......just don't see the point of Gabby being played on the left. He is right footed and he cant cross the ball...do the maths GH.

[Somniloquism]

We didn't lose. But one point isn't much good to us.

Thats patently not true.

This was a six pointer. Getting something was absolutely vital here. Can you imagine the mood that loosing would have caused at the club?

We need to start winning. Obviously it's better than losing, but we needed three points here. We're out of the relegation zone by a fanny hair. We've got games against both sets of Manc arseholes coming up. How's the table going to look then. I'm actually quite relieved as I expected a loss today, but am I worried about the pile of shit we're in? Yes, yes I am. Especially when he neutralise our main attacking threat by sticking him in midfield.

We did need a win but what we really needed was not to lose. If we fight but lose against the Manc clubs we then have a better possible run in with the new players coming in. The main issue is that these new players will need to hit the floor running like Walker.

[l_mckay]

pleased with a point after they scored so early in second half. we looked a lot better when the Fonz came on. Definatly need a proven goalscorer before the end of january.

[Bad English]

Shit some posters on this site should see a therapist

Mine told me to keep on posting here and I would be off the anti-depressants in a couple of years.

[Jimbo]

I think being happy with a point against this absolute rabble shows how far we've dropped. I'm not unhappy with the point, just aware that we should have got three, and badly needed three in our fight for survival. 

[brontebilly]

Thought Dunne in particular and Collins were back to near their best today. Though Birmingham are shocking up front though. Walker was good going forward but a good bit to learn defensively. Clark struggled early on but got on top of Bentley. Glad we didn't sign him, he overplays the ball constantly and is gutless in the extreme. In midfield Reo Coker tackled well but offers nothing with the ball. Still though Petrov should have been the one to make way. He can't start any more I feel when Makoun and Delph come back. Bring him on by all means but his legs are gone. Downing was as inoffensive as ever. Had a great chance to score. Albrighton had a decent game but as usual a quota of idiotic fouls. Gabby was hopeless. Carew not much better. Delfouneso was our best attacking player when he came on. Would have been a superb winner. I don't think Bannan is anywhere near up to it at this level I must say. All in all a point deserved. Some better individual performances but again a tactical shambles in truth.

For Birmingham, Carr and Johnson were good as always. Foster another overrated English keeper. Fahey was good in midfield but again the best player in the derby was Barry Ferguson. The best midfielder on view by a distance. Only cost them a million or so great value considering the 20m or so MON splurged on Reo Coker, Petrov and Sidwell. They will be down with us in the dogfight for sure. Absolutely nothing up front. Their two ex Villa players are pretty ordinary.

[goldenjimi]

Im suprised by all the negative comments.  I thought we played pretty well in patches for an away team, had plenty of chances and were unlucky not to win with hitting the bar so much.  The only thing to piss me off really was Gabby being wasted out wide for so long.
Its a good point and something to build on, Ash Young and hopefully Makoun to come in next week, Im feeling unusually postive after todays game!

[ozzjim]

We created the better chances, fought at their place as hard as them and were unlucky not to score a few today. All the  Houllier Haters were wanking silly second half hoping we would cave and he would go but the team fought, and scrapped, and got the goal.

Gabby wide left - was involved in all our best opportunities coming in late without being tracked, the logic of playing him there was there for all to see in the first 60 second, had he scored Houllier would have been a genius, and can't legislate for someone people are crying for not being up front shanking over from about 5 yards.

Collins instead of Cuellar - was a colossus, and got the goal, so he got that right too.


The centre of the park is our biggest issue, the striker issue will solve when the rest of the side is right. We will stay up, we are starting to fight. Wigan away a huge game now. Lets hope for another couple of bodies in before then.

Brad - 7 one big mistake and got away with it
Walker -7 great coming forward, couple of scary moments at the back. Will help us score goals
Clark - 6 - Took ages to get into the fight with Bentley, but second half was a good threat going forward and should have been given a pen for the one Johnson handled
Collins - 8 - shaky early days, but though he grew into it
Dunne - 7 - 2 mistakes that were giving away the ball, but overall thought he and Collins did really well, and put themselves in front of everything.
Albrighton - 7 - Slow to get into it, but crosses became more and more threatening and put the ball in for the goal
Downing - 6 - Wimp again coming through. Too often missing, and should have scored when Gabby and Fonz put him in
Reo Coker - 5 - Battled well and covered Clark really well first half for Clark, but got less and less effectinve to the point of being replaced by Bannan
Petrov - 2 - Wad he playing. Makoun should be straight in for him. Needs a wake up call, gone back to the Petrov of 2 seasons ago or so
Gabby - 6 - Did ok coming in from the left, but when pushed up gave up on things too easily. Need him fit, working hard and in form in the coming months.
Carew - 5 - Erm... not really impressed

Fonz - 7 - Did great and really unlucky not to score
Bannan - 5 - Just not protected enough to have the time on the ball to pick his passes. Also needs movement in front of him to be used effectively, and Gabby for me is too static too often.

[Sarunyu]

When we gonna start to control the ball?
Missing our attacking power. It disappear for so long.

[hawkeye]

My problem is the manager, there is enough fight and ability to put us in a mid table position but GH fucks the tactics and formmation up, this is not difficult, put your best players in thier best positions

You serious?

Let me know how playing the best players in the best positions is a problem

[CJ]

Initial thoughts/ramblings.......Gabby should have buried that chance early on but there again Zigic should have nicked it at the end.  In the pre-match thread I posted that I thought Carew would put in a decent performance. I was wrong.  Fonz did more in his short shift than Carew did all game - showed energy, commitment and a decent shot. Stan and Reo worked hard but without creating anything.  Bannan struggled.  Why does Houllier persist with Gabby wide left? Waste. Point probably a fair result and I'd have taken that before the game