Birmingham City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Clampy]

A game typical of so many derbies over the years, plenty of commitment but little composure, that is difficult to draw many conclusions. What do have now though is bunch of players up for the fight, too often in recent years we have buckled in that type of game.Only the most short sighted would try to draw any exp wider conclusions.

Eh?

We haven't lost to this lot since I was a young man?

Unless you're referring to buckling in the Wolves game? In which case it's not "recent years", but recent weeks.

My wider conclusion would be that we're not yet capable of winning many of the big games, especially away.

If he set us up more positively and focused on our attributes in the big away games we'd win more of them. He's too bothered about the opposition like at Wolves. We showed them far too much respect and we didn't get near them all game and gave them nothing to worry about defensively.

Think they may have been a bit worried defensively on both occasions when their crossbar was rattled, when Terry's header missed by 2 inches and also when Kodija's header was tipped over by their keeper, all in the second half. But apart from that......

I think Quinton was worrying if we were singing loud enough to notice.

[saunders_heroes]

I thought for the first 20 minutes we controlled the game. Okay they came back into it then but to say we were terrible first half is a bit OTT.

[Flamingo Lane]

Genuine question here to anyone else who was there today, why was our support so poor do you think? It was the same there last season aswell. Very little passion or noise during the game both seasons. Some trying to get songs going and a few were joining in but most just stood there. We sang more today after the game than during it. I just don't understand why you would go to Small Heath away and just stand there, especially when there's thousands of others who would go and sing their heart out.

Is it because of Bruce and the football we play? Is it because of nerves during the game? Is it because a lot of those first 2000 fans are obviously the most loyal but not necessarily the most vocal? A combination of the three?

Perhaps because it's not everyone's 'thing' at a football game, to sing and chant.  It's never been mine, really.

[saunders_heroes]

The Villa fans did their bit today. God knows what QuintonVilla is on about.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

Genuine question here to anyone else who was there today, why was our support so poor do you think? It was the same there last season aswell. Very little passion or noise during the game both seasons. Some trying to get songs going and a few were joining in but most just stood there. We sang more today after the game than during it. I just don't understand why you would go to Small Heath away and just stand there, especially when there's thousands of others who would go and sing their heart out.

Is it because of Bruce and the football we play? Is it because of nerves during the game? Is it because a lot of those first 2000 fans are obviously the most loyal but not necessarily the most vocal? A combination of the three?

Some people don't sing. They shout, they clap, they cheer, they just don't like singing. Why does that make their support 'poor'? By all accounts (including the police's, apparently) our supporters were great today. Not everyone's definition of support is 'constant singing'. Have you ever thought of joining a choir?

[Risso]

According to an away fan on Twitter, the Villa fans were held back for over an hour at The Sty by the police. I’ve always wondered about the legality of this. Sounds like a form of custody to me, and while I’m sure the argument is that it’s in the fans’ best interests, can they actually legally insist on you staying behind? What if you’ve got a plane to catch, or kids to pick up? What would happen if yoy insisted on leaving?

[Chris Smith]

A game typical of so many derbies over the years, plenty of commitment but little composure, that is difficult to draw many conclusions. What do have now though is bunch of players up for the fight, too often in recent years we have buckled in that type of game.Only the most short sighted would try to draw any exp wider conclusions.

Eh?

We haven't lost to this lot since I was a young man?

Unless you're referring to buckling in the Wolves game? In which case it's not "recent years", but recent weeks.

My wider conclusion would be that we're not yet capable of winning many of the big games, especially away.

I am not referring to games against them but games were teams try to press us and stop us playing, for the last few years Villa have allowed them to bully us.

[andrew08]

Genuine question here to anyone else who was there today, why was our support so poor do you think? It was the same there last season aswell. Very little passion or noise during the game both seasons. Some trying to get songs going and a few were joining in but most just stood there. We sang more today after the game than during it. I just don't understand why you would go to Small Heath away and just stand there, especially when there's thousands of others who would go and sing their heart out.

Is it because of Bruce and the football we play? Is it because of nerves during the game? Is it because a lot of those first 2000 fans are obviously the most loyal but not necessarily the most vocal? A combination of the three?

I think you make a good point. The biggest overriding issue with this games for us is the fear of defeat and it over rides everything. It stifles the normal enjoyment of a game. B’Lose hope for a win but expect a defeat or an honourable draw and that has been a fact for the 50 years of my life in all but a few seasons in the early 70’s. It’s a nervy day when you know that, a fluky conceded goal, could mean that people who never normally speak to could ring you out of blue just to say ‘KRO’ at 3 in the morning.  It’s an irritating bloody game that we should just win and move on. Preston will be back to normal.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

I thought for the first 20 minutes we controlled the game. Okay they came back into it then but to say we were terrible first half is a bit OTT.

I thought the same about the first 15-20 mins. I thought the control ended when Blues finally put in a couple of big tackles. Our players seemed to lose control of it after this. Whether they were worried of being taken out so got rid of it quicker, I don't know.

[QuintonVilla]

Genuine question here to anyone else who was there today, why was our support so poor do you think? It was the same there last season aswell. Very little passion or noise during the game both seasons. Some trying to get songs going and a few were joining in but most just stood there. We sang more today after the game than during it. I just don't understand why you would go to Small Heath away and just stand there, especially when there's thousands of others who would go and sing their heart out.

Is it because of Bruce and the football we play? Is it because of nerves during the game? Is it because a lot of those first 2000 fans are obviously the most loyal but not necessarily the most vocal? A combination of the three?

I think you make a good point. The biggest overriding issue with this games for us is the fear of defeat and it over rides everything. It stifles the normal enjoyment of a game. B’Lose hope for a win but expect a defeat or an honourable draw and that has been a fact for the 50 years of my life in all but a few seasons in the early 70’s. It’s a nervy day when you know that, a fluky conceded goal, could mean that people who never normally speak to could ring you out of blue just to say ‘KRO’ at 3 in the morning.  It’s an irritating bloody game that we should just win and move on. Preston will be back to normal.

It's right that we expect to go there and win deep down and can just about accept a draw. If they drew 0-0 at our gaff it would be a 'moral victory' for them and their fans would party like it's 2002.

[QuintonVilla]

A game typical of so many derbies over the years, plenty of commitment but little composure, that is difficult to draw many conclusions. What do have now though is bunch of players up for the fight, too often in recent years we have buckled in that type of game.Only the most short sighted would try to draw any exp wider conclusions.

Eh?

We haven't lost to this lot since I was a young man?

Unless you're referring to buckling in the Wolves game? In which case it's not "recent years", but recent weeks.

My wider conclusion would be that we're not yet capable of winning many of the big games, especially away.

If he set us up more positively and focused on our attributes in the big away games we'd win more of them. He's too bothered about the opposition like at Wolves. We showed them far too much respect and we didn't get near them all game and gave them nothing to worry about defensively.

Think they may have been a bit worried defensively on both occasions when their crossbar was rattled, when Terry's header missed by 2 inches and also when Kodija's header was tipped over by their keeper, all in the second half. But apart from that......

Sorry I meant the Wolves game. They could commit as many bodies forward as they liked as we offered nothing going forward. Today when we actually did attack we looked like we could nick it. Davis if you're being critical you say he has to score that, for me he should have placed it. Kodjia is obviously our best player but he frustrates the living daylights out of me. He does not pass the ball, his hold up play is poor and he gets too involved in trying to wrestle the defender rather than concentrating on the ball.

[saunders_heroes]

According to an away fan on Twitter, the Villa fans were held back for over an hour at The Sty by the police. I’ve always wondered about the legality of this. Sounds like a form of custody to me, and while I’m sure the argument is that it’s in the fans’ best interests, can they actually legally insist on you staying behind? What if you’ve got a plane to catch, or kids to pick up? What would happen if yoy insisted on leaving?

The police apologised on Twitter this evening claiming the held back the Villa fans due to the behaviour of 200 - 300 Noses at the match. Obviously waiting for them outside I’m guessing.
Scum of the earth.

[QuintonVilla]

According to an away fan on Twitter, the Villa fans were held back for over an hour at The Sty by the police. I’ve always wondered about the legality of this. Sounds like a form of custody to me, and while I’m sure the argument is that it’s in the fans’ best interests, can they actually legally insist on you staying behind? What if you’ve got a plane to catch, or kids to pick up? What would happen if yoy insisted on leaving?

The police apologised on Twitter this evening claiming the held back the Villa fans due to the behaviour of 200 - 300 Noses at the match. Obviously waiting for them outside I’m guessing.
Scum of the earth.

It just shows they have nothing else in their sad little lives and they hate us more than they care about their own club. I could never imagine hanging around for a couple of hours to shout things at Small Heath fans behind the police. They'll claim it as a result that they 'waited for the Vile' and picked off a few innocent stragglers walking home later on.

Still peddling the same shit that town is theirs and Birmingham is blue aswell despite getting just 22,000 home fans for their biggest game. We get 30k+ against Fulham.

[Damo70]

There is too much after match negativity for me. We performed okay (no more and no less) and got an away point against a team scrapping for points and who will have been wound up to beat us more than any other we will face this season. I think we will now go on to beat Preston as I reckon they were over achieving for a while and in recent games seem to be struggling to maintain those standards.

Have they still got their plastic pitch?

[MONCABA]

There is too much after match negativity for me. We performed okay (no more and no less) and got an away point against a team scrapping for points and who will have been wound up to beat us more than any other we will face this season. I think we will now go on to beat Preston as I reckon they were over achieving for a while and in recent games seem to be struggling to maintain those standards.

Have they still got their plastic pitch?

Absolutely this.