Birmingham City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Legion]

Agreed.

[Mattwall]

Capacity of 30,079 and attendance of 22,800 even though they were giving away tickets away when they spent over 30 quid in club shop. We sold our allocation of 1500 and a further 250 and if council and police hadn't stepped in we would have sold our 3000 usual allocation

[Irish villain]

Look at the seats in the shot when Collins celebrated his goal.

I couldn't believe all the empty seats, it looked like some sort of boycott had been arranged. That stand was empty (apart from the away section).

[lovejoy]

After what happened in the Carling Cup QF, out of interest was there any flash points before or after the game?

[olaftab]

I didn't see any bother other than the smoke bomb let off by them in the ground as as the Police in riot gear came out.

[Mattwall]

It was tear gas they let off

[frank]

I expect this has been said in the previous pages, but I was really unimpressed by Carew today. Under the circumstances, with Heskey not available and the likelihood that it was going to be a physical game, I thought it was right for Carew to be given his chance, but he was poor in every area of his game. He can no longer produce the short bursts of pace that used to be very effective, his lay-offs were unproductive and his first touch clumsy, and he rarely won the ball in the air, which used to be one of his strengths. I can't see that there's any point in playing him against Man City, when Heskey will still be suspended. I imagine that we'll play Gabby and Ashley up front. I'm still not convinced by Delfouneso, but we looked sharper today when he came on and I wonder whether he can be accommodated against City, perhaps with Young replacing Downing.

[DeKuip]

Please let it be the last time I see John Carew in claret n blue (unless it's for West Ham). How often did we give them possession just by launching high balls from deep - hoped we seen the last of that crap when MON went. Looked much better when we put a couple of footballers on later in the game.

Two things that made me smile... several coppers laying into a nose afterwards for wearing his scarf too high around his neck! I mean, can you blame him for wanting to hide that face.

And p14 of the programme a team of players who have played for both clubs... In goal Peter Enckelman, Villa 1999-2004, Blues 2002-03.  Very good.
And good to see that ugly little shite Robert Hopkins didn't make the eleven!

[WikiVilla]

Think we need to give Fonzy a run of 5 or 6 games to find out if he's going to make it at this level or go to WBA

[Dave Cooper please]

I don't know if to be happy or sad. Great we didn't loose but if we lost he would of been sacked

This might earn me a reprimand from the mods, but you really are a miserable twat aren't you?

[Legion]

I don't know if to be happy or sad. Great we didn't loose but if we lost he would of been sacked

This might earn me a reprimand from the mods, but you really are a miserable twat aren't you?

Nah. Yep.

[django]

Positives were walker, Collins and Dunne, delfonso, albrighton.

Main problems were gabbys role/positioning and downing/ reo cookers anonymity. Reo in particular was a passenger for 70 minutes. Petrov doesn't do a great deal, an average premiership midfielder, reo Coker is a few levels less than that on this evidence.

I didn't think Carew was too bad but our strikers are so far from the goal it's no wonder we don't score enough. Feel like the shape of the team is wrong if were carrying so many passengers. Feel a lot more confident after getting a point, you really understand the term six pointer when down at this end don't you?

[darren woolley]

I'm just glad we didn't lose, i thought the defence looked better today and to hit the bar 4 times just goes to show how unlucky we are i also thought Downing should have put is chance away when Gabby played him in, we do need a striker ASAP.

[gervilla]

I thought Carew was hillarious. Whats with his jumping up in the air attempting to head a ball that was nowhere near his head. He did it several times when the ball was about 10 feet above him. Maybe he thought it would look like he was making an effort. Pathetic display from him. Goodbye John and thanks for the displays when u did give a shit.

[Ads]

Also to add, don't know about anyone else but absolutely no bother leaving the ground. First time I've ever been and not had any trouble (think it's my fifth trip).

Just walked along side the noses, was joking with a couple of 'em on the way into town (they probably didn't realise I was Villa tbf).

Much better atmosphere and enjoyable day because of it.

That's because with such a small crowd the police can do a man to man marking job.

They were jumping up and down shouting come on as the road split's, but it was all handbags.