Birmingham City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[citizenDJ]

Shows just how valuable Heskey has become for us, really -and just how essential it is to find a younger version of him!

[Eigentor]

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

This is probably what MON thought, as he largely played the same formation and same players week in, week out. Other managers, like Ferguson -- who, e. g., sometimes plays Rooney on the wing and Giggs both on the wing and in central midfield -- and Wenger -- who, e. g., Arshavin both up front and on the wing, seem to disagree. But what do they know?

[richard moore]

I can't agree that Carew and Reo-Coker were anything but dire but then that maybe just me as I have a natural antipathy towards the former and have never rated the latter, so perhaps that is it. I do readily admit to not having the time of day for either nowadays
 
I also thought Downing was very poor today - he has been quite good up to Christmas but suddenly seems to have reverted to the player of last season; poor decision-making, wimping out of anything vaguely physical and just not taking enough responsibility...

[TonyD]

On reflection a point in a derby game isn't all that bad.  We did show somw fight in the 2nd half.   Still utterley puzzled why Gabby is played out wide,  why it took so long to make the subs and why Petrov remained on the pitch.

What did we learn from today.. Petrov and Carew shouldn't play for us again.

[saunders_heroes]

We showed tons of bottle today.

[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

Its not but normally I'd expect Friedel to be keeper not striker, Clarke is our only viable left back, Walker  plays as a right back Collins, Dunne cb's, Petrov, Coker, Bannan, Albrighton midfield, Gabby, Carew, Fonz, up front, the ref normally ref's.

Gabby was playing on the wing and Downing in the centre, both were ineffective, did you see the game?

[sfx412]

That's three away games since the debacle at Man City and three better performances. If we're going to play that formation I think unless he plays Gab up front there's no point in having him on the pitch. Clearly not a winger and looked lost for large periods. Some real positives though and I hope this mean we're slowly getting there.

I doubt any other 'striker' we have could have so effectively covered so much of the pitch which is what he was asked to do. If you want to find fault look no further than Carew.

[Greg N'Ash]

Carew was awful i thought. at one stage it looked like he was using some sort of magnetic ball repeller

[citizenDJ]

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

Its not but normally I'd expect Friedel to be keeper not striker, Clarke is our only viable left back, Walker  plays as a right back Collins, Dunne cb's, Petrov, Coker, Bannan, Albrighton midfield, Gabby, Carew, Fonz, up front, the ref normally ref's.

Gabby was playing on the wing and Downing in the centre, both were ineffective, did you see the game?

I agree about Downing, to a point, but Gabby did a good job out on the wing, I thought.

[eastie]

Heskey , young and makoun to come in plus a left back , maybe Adam and a striker would see a better balance in the side and a stronger spine- I think we will have a decent run of results now and a point away is always useful, it's the home games we need to win amd if we start doing that we will soon move up the league.

[lovejoy]

Much more positive than a few weeks ago. Just need a striker. Come on Randy let's go for Benzema!

[JUAN PABLO]

A good point today , I do hate watching this game as we seem to make it hard work..  Like someone said started well and should have easily been 2 up and finished strongly ...  we did hit the bar 3 times legally and Gabby and Downing have to put those chances away...

Hopefully I wont see Carew again , there was a simple lay off he should have done which would have gave Walker a fantastic chance, he couldnt even be bothered to do that right, that is Carew all over , please replace Houlier...  Petrov was rubbish , I didnt realise he was playing.  NRC was alot better but we still need better than him. I thought the defence was alot better today and I really like KW , other than the one clanger he made. The young lads all worked really hard .

We were missing 2 important players today for us and we have Jean II to come in , we need a striker badly , Maybe another CM and a LB and Downing please stop being a wuss..  you were poor too....

[hawkeye]

funny we looked a better team when Gabby played in the centre

[Holtenderinthesky]

I read a stat a few weeks back that said we have hit the woodwork more times than any other team in the league.  Well we can add another 4 times to that stat.  Had half of the those gone in over the season we'd be in the top half and yet we would have played no differently.  Funny old game.  And thank fuck we didn't lose. 

[citizenDJ]

funny we looked a better team when Gabby played in the centre

I'd put that more down to the impact of Delfouneso, to be honest, but that's opinions and all that!