Battle of the Blues

Last night’s FA Cup replay between Birmingham City and Chelsea was perhaps overshadowed by the sacking of Andre-Villas Boas prior to the game, and as such not as much focus was put on the match itself. After a toughly contested battle at the Bridge in which the Championship side stood toe to toe with the Premier League elite for the whole of the ninety minutes, the Blues from Birmingham had every right to be confident going into yesterday evening’s fixture. But in the battle of the Blues it was the London contingent who came out smiling.

An injury-hit Birmingham fielded a weakened team from their weekend’s draw against Derby County. Midfielder Guirane N’Daw was drafted in at left back, whilst out and out striker Adam Rooney played in more of a winger’s role. Chelsea again fielded a team fit to grace the Premier League, just like they had at Stamford Bridge where the teams drew 1-1, with Petr Cech, Fernando Torres, Saloman Kalou and Gary Cahill just some of the big name players in the starting line-up.

But once the game kicked off it was a different story. Again, Blues were Chelsea’s equals: frustrating the away side and playing the better football in the opening periods of the game. Nikola Zigic’s sublime flick of the ball set up Wade Elliott early on, but the midfielder was unable to take advantage of some outstanding play. Chelsea’s defence were put on red alert soon after, with Zigic again getting in on the act; this time setting up Nathan Redmond who, on his eighteenth birthday, was dispossessed before he could unleash a shot on goal.

After some half-chances for Chelsea that were coped with well by the Blues defence, the forty minute mark saw the home side come inches from getting their noses in front. Jordon Mutch’s free kick met the head of Curtis Davies, who’s header was flicked goal wards by Zigic. The ball looked to be heading for the roof of the net until Cech pulled off a fingertip save to deny the Serbian. The tables then turned, this time with Chelsea having a brilliant chance to break the deadlock, but Torres shot horribly wide and was suitably jeered by the Tilton for his simply awful effort.

Roberto Di Matteo’s half time team talk certainly worked wonders as Chelsea came out of the blocks second half with intent to wrap the game up early on. They had break through not long after, with Juan Mata finally getting the better of Colin Doyle and putting his side in front.

Minutes later and they had their second, this time Raul Meireles firing an unstoppable shot past Doyle who had no hope. Blues looked like they were going to be on the wrong end of a big score-line, and it got worse when N’Daw’s trip on Torres gave Chelsea a spot kick. But Doyle was the shot stopping hero again, foiling Mata like he had at the Bridge and giving Blues hope that they may get something out of the game.

With time left Blues produced attack after attack. Hughton threw caution to the wind and opted for three at the back, in the hope that his side would get back into the game. Their best chance of the game fell to Mutch as substitute Chris Burke fed him a perfect ball but, one on one with the keeper, Mutch fired agonizingly over the goal.

And two nil it finished, but Blues can admire their courageous efforts against one of the Premier League’s top teams. All focus is now solely on promotion, with the chase heading to relegation strugglers Coventry City on Saturday. Blues, although in the top six, may find themselves outside of it come match-day with Brighton and Cardiff due to play each other later on this evening.

"Birmingham, from the Championship, did their club proud"

The mid-week game between promotion pushers Birmingham City and Hull City was well-matched, toughly fought and, ultimately, it came down to two great defences not letting much past them. A point is a point, and it was time to turn attentions elsewhere: to the FA Cup tie at Chelsea.

If there is ever a good time to play a team like Chelsea, it’s now: a certain air of mutiny is about the Bridge, with manager Andre Villas-Boas certainly not a fans’ favourite. Yet, compare them to high-flying Blues; a team who are all pulling in the same direction and a manager who has a strong relationship with the fans, yesterday’s cup tie turned into a battle of spirit and guile: and if anyone came out on top of the 1-1 draw, it was Birmingham City.

Backed by a loud following, it was the away side who surprisingly drew first blood in the tie. Although Chelsea had the majority of possession, which was to be expected, Blues saw the counter attack as a weapon in their arsenal and their second corner of the game, thanks to some lacklustre defending from the London Blues, meant David Murphy fired his side into the lead with a well-struck shot.

The home fans were stunned; the away fans, all 3,000 of them, quite the opposite. Still in delirium and after celebrations that were as loud and as chaotic as scenes from a few months ago in Brugge, Blues shot themselves in the foot just two minutes later when Wade Elliott gave away a penalty.

Colin Doyle, who was dropped in 2007 after a poor game at Stamford Bridge, was completely in the zone. He resembled Joe Hart as he shouted at his players and waved his arms about, using distraction tactics to warn off Juan Mata. And it worked. Mata’s well struck penalty was equaled by the right hand of Doyle who pushed the shot on to the post before it was eventually cleared, much to the delight of the Birmingham fans to the left of that goal who celebrated the save as if it were another goal for their own team.

A resilient Blues held off the Chelsea possession and pressure, and played some brilliant football their selves at times. Morgaro Gomis in midfield particularly impressed, breaking up play and brilliantly slotting into a midfield that he doesn’t often get into as if he played there every week. It is a testament to manager Chris Hughton that his players can so easily do this; he can utilize squad rotation and make it effective, which is why our Europa league campaign and our continuing FA Cup run this season have been so successful.

An extremely agitated Chelsea began to get restless as the game wore on, with fans growing ever impatient with manager AVB. But, the first time Chelsea actually got the ball on the wing and sent in an inch perfect cross, was the first time Chelsea looked like beating Doyle – and they did. Daniel Sturridge rose and curled in a beautiful header, beating the Ireland shot stopper and relieving some of the pressure off the shoulders of his manager.

After some nervy final moments and a late Nathan Redmond chance that he should have done better with, the full time whistle was blown and was met with boos from the home fans but, in the corner of the Shed End, a magnificent noise erupted as the travelling Bluenoses reveled in a fantastic performance by their weakened Championship side against a Chelsea team fit to grace the Premier League. Blues fans saluted first players and then manager, serenading the latter who has now lead Blues on a fourteen match unbeaten run and made sure their name is in the pot for the FA Cup quarter final draw for the third season in a row.

Although we now have an extremely congested fixture list, which will become almost unmanageable if we beat Chelsea and have to play a quarter final tie and have another match postponed, no one is going to say no to a replay against one of the Premier League’s top teams in England’s greatest cup competition.