Clawing our way to safety

Well we know how to do it the hard way don't we? Before the game, a point would have been a great result for Wolves, but after the game and under the circumstances, it was Alex McLeish who was left smiling after another battling performance by Blues.

In front of a near sell-out crowd the game began at a pace, and it wasn't long until the deadlock was broken under frustrating and at the time controversial circumstances. An awkward ball was played back to Ben Foster whose poor clearance was capitalised on by Stephen Ward, who charged into the box as a determined Foster rushed out of his goal with eyes on the ball. Foster slid in, clawing the ball away from Ward but simultaneously bringing down the player and the referee Kevin Friend – whom certainly didn’t make any friends in Birmingham today – pointed straight to the penalty spot, dishing out a yellow card to the Blues keeper in the process.

As Foster walked back to his goal shaking his head, protests were ignored by the referee from several Blues players, and Steven Fletcher stepped up to the spot as the Blues fans behind the goal sung the name of their goalkeeper in an attempt to put off the Wolves striker. Cameron Jerome pointed to Foster’s left and unfortunately Foster dove that way and Fletcher slotted a soft penalty into the other side of the net to give Wolves a priceless lead in the Midlands Derby after just over five minutes of play.

As the match went on the atmosphere grew incredibly hostile, and you could sense the game would not finish 11 v 11 as players began to get heated and challenges aplenty were flying in, with players squaring up to each other on the pitch, one of which saw Craig Gardner receive a yellow card - Kevin Friend’s inconsistency adding to the frustration of the Blues faithful.

The first big chance for Blues came in the fifteenth minute when they were awarded a free kick in a good position. Larsson stepped up and hit a wonderful shot which he agonizingly saw crash back off the woodwork.

With Larsson sensing a goal he capitalised on the second mistake made by the opposition in two straight home games, when Michael Mancienne was caught in the headlights and Super Seb picked up the ball and fired a brilliantly fierce shot past Hennessey in the Wolves goal to equalise.

The whole ground was now rocking and the already quiet Wolves fans sensed a home victory, and it seemed that way until just two minutes later when Gardner was given a second yellow for an alleged dive. I haven’t seen the replay so I can’t comment but those who have said it was a dive, and if that is the case then it was a stupid thing for him to do, especially being within shooting distance too.

Kevin Phillips was then sacrificed for Jean Beausejour – who had a great game - and Blues reverted to a 4-4-1 formation with Cameron Jerome – who also did a fantastic job and looked completely shattered by the end, like they all did – playing as the lone striker, and Blues faced the next 60 minutes with 10 men, after it looked like they would go on to win it.

The second half was as nerve-wracking as anything, but Wolves didn’t pose any major threat which I’m sure their fans will be annoyed it – I would be. I don’t normally critise players on here (yes, even Villa players) but I will make an exception for Karl Henry, who got nice and dirty and very unsporting. Unfortunately Mr. Friend only saw this once and brandished Henry a yellow card for his troubles. In fact, the man in the middle didn't see much this lunch time, with a blatent a hand in the face of Jean Beausejour being the one that stands out.

Never the less, Wolves really should have taken advantage of the ten man Birmingham, but fortunately for us they were very poor today, and had Craig Gardner not pretended to be playing for Barcelona we would have won that game, as even before the equaliser we seemed to be in the ascendancy.

We now have a four point gap between us and the bottom three, and a seven point gap between bottom of the table West Ham. With the fixtures that the teams below us have to play left, you would think we were safe, but you never know with this league. As long as we battle as we did today – and not make any more silly mistakes – we will once again be dining at the top table with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal for a third consecutive season.

Full Time: Birmingham City 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Battle of the Champions...

I had a dream a few weeks ago. It was 0-0 at The Bridge, approaching full time, when Blues got a corner. Larsson took it from the right and Roger Johnson rose majestically (as majestically as old-fashioned centre halves can) and connected with the ball, beating his marker and sending a bullet header past Petr Cech. He ran off in celebration and Blues clung on to do the double over Chelsea, and Johnson got a goal against the club he supported as a boy.

So before the game yesterday I put a bet on Roger Johnson as the last goalscorer at 40/1 to see if my dream would come true.

Well on three minutes it wasn't looking exactly like my dream as we went 1-0 behind courtesy of Malouda; after a brilliant pass from Terry found Ferreira and as equally good a cross from him made the finish for Malouda easy. As memories of the 5-0 defeat at Old Trafford came flooding back it seemed like it would be a very long night for Blues and the 700 odd fans who had travelled down to watch them. But surprisingly for some, Blues received a bit of a wake up call and kept quite a lot of possession of the ball, but unfortunately not taking their chances. Jerome was looking especially lively as he has done in the past few games, this time having to play on his own in a 451 formation. At least we dispelled the myth for some that we weren't a passing side (ahem, Mr. Hleb).


After 26 minutes there was another set back as Kalou, who wasn't closed down quick enough, fired Chelsea into a 2-0 lead. It seemed a long way back from here for the battling Blues now.

Early on in the second half Roger Johnson had a chance to make my £123 dream come true but his header from a corner went just wide. Sensing a reply from Blues, the home side were in search of a third to completely kill the game off, and thanks to Florent Malouda some questionable defending, (why was no one marking Malouda and why was Ridgewell behind him and ducking when Malouda rose for the header?!) the current Premier League and FA Cup Champions put the game firmly beyond the reach of the Carling Cup holders.

A consolation goal for the away side came in the form of a penalty. Substitute Matt Derbyshire made a run into the box but was tackled by Luiz, and a penalty was awarded (our second in the Premier League this season, - I feel spoiled!!) Gardner and Larsson had a bit of a lovers tiff about who took it, whilst I was waiting for Roger Johnson to come storming into the penalty area, give 'the Jiranek stare of death' at the squabbling pair and take the penalty himself. Alas, it wasn't to be; Larsson won the battle, scored quite possibly the best penalty you will see this season - powerful and into the top corner - and gave Gardner a little hug.


Going down after three minutes at Chelsea and losing 3-1 is nothing to be ashamed of at all, and for what it's worth I thought the team did well. The goals conceded could have been avoided, but with a make-shift defence you could argue and say it could have been worse. At least it wasn't a must win game!

If the game taught me anything, it's that you should never bet because of something you dreamt about: that's three pounds I will never see again. Could have been worse; I could have bet a tenner!

Full Time: Chelsea 3-1 Birmingham City

Safety almost secured

Blues moved one more step closer towards Premier League survival this afternoon after clinching a 2-0 win over a Sunderland side who continue their bad run of form. McLeish named an unchanged side meaning those who had battled against Blackburn and Bolton regained their place yet again, and deservedly so.

In front of a near enough sell out crowd the home side began the game brightly, with Jerome again looking incredibly lively in the first few minutes as he has done the previous two games. And he nearly got the opening goal when he was put clean through but his shot was saved by Sunderland keeper Mignolet.

Sunderland then began to get into the game and had more of the possession but failed to create. They almost got a break though when, on the edge of his box, Barry Ferguson uncharacteristically lost the ball but Ben Foster and Roger Johnson were both on hand to spare his blushes; the former making a great dive to scoop the ball away from the feet of a Sunderland player, and the latter making a goal line clearance when it looked inevitable that the away side would take the lead.

It was a nervy period for Blues and the crowd were getting anxious as the ball kept making its way back to Foster, but that was exactly what led to the first Blues goal: Foster cleared it high up field with one of his massive kicks; Jerome flicked the ball on superbly and Larsson ran on. Confusion between Mignolet and Bardsley allowed Larsson to sneak a foot in on the end of the box and the ball rolled into the back of the net - 1-0 to Blues and just the boost we needed.


The second half saw immediate Sunderland pressure but some very un-clinical finishing; some super Ben Foster saves and some last ditch defending saw that Blues maintained their one goal lead. Phillips, who struggled to get into the game, was substituted and Hleb filled the gap, and just five minutes later he provided the pass that set p the second goal. After some neat passing by Blues the ball fell to the feet of Hleb, who instead of running on found Gardner free on the edge of a box. Craig picked up the ball and hit hard with his left foot, which bounced in front of their Sunderland keeper and into the back of the net to give Blues a two-goal lead.


By then, you could tell it was Blues who would run out winners, and they saw the final fifteen minutes of the game out seemingly comfortably. Man of the match Larsson, on his 100th Premier League appearance, left the field to a standing ovation and a few chants of "sign him up" rang from the Tilton as the game came to a close.

It's not often we're the most clinical team, but today proved that goals win games and no matter how much possession you have or how many shots you have, it takes goals to win games and fortunately Blues were able to score two of them today.

Three points in the right direction, two goals scored and a clean sheet which will have done wonders for the back four and England's number one in goal. Well done Blues, another win should surely do it now!

Full Time: Birmingham City 2-0 Sunderland

Back to back wins!

It wasn't exactly the most inspiring performance, but true to the battling Blues spirit, we kept on going and clinched an important goal and a great win right at the death. At this point in the season, it doesn't matter how the wins come - just that they keep on coming.

It's always going to be hard when you play Stoke. They're a physical team which consists of hardly any players below 6ft, but as much as people moan about their style of play, it works for them. It's certainly not pretty, but I guess you could say it's effective, and this made for a pretty poor game of football.

Blues lined up 4-4-2 looking for a second win on the bounce after last weeks gritty away win at West Ham, and débutante Obafemi Martins partnered Zigic up front. Martins was pretty quiet throughout the first half, although the touches he did make were superb, with some neat little back heals that came off every time. Getting into great positions he looks a promising striker and a good option for us, although he is muscled off the ball quite easily - but you couldn't tell whether he was going down easily or if it was Stoke being Stoke.

Another player who impressed throughout the game was Seb Larsson. He's not exactly been people's favourite the past few weeks, but today he was on another level. He went for everything, chased balls that looked like a lost cause and won the ball, did some great running down the wing and all in all he was brilliant. If I was wearing a hat I would be taking it off for him right now.


Neither team created too much and it was a poor game. Mark Halsey seemed to follow the trend as he too had a bad game, which arguably made a poor game even worse by his questionable officiating. Amongst other decisions that didn't go our way, the stand out one has to be Huth's handball in the second half, which everyone in the ground seemed to see except Halsey and his linesmen.

However, there is no use just bemoaning the referee. Blues just couldn't play their way today - no thanks to Stoke - despite a good attacking formation made up of the best players we have fit at the moment. We weren't awful though; no way. We coped well with Stoke's long-throw and hooooooof tactics but we just simply couldn't get hold of the ball, and when we did, silly errors or misplaced passes were our downfall.

Games like today's need inspiring substitutions, or substitutions that will give you a different outlet: step up Cameron Jerome. He did great when he came on for Martins and hopefully silenced a few of his haters. Like Larsson, he must of had his Weetabix before the game as he was chasing everything down and winning balls as soon as he came on, and played a big part in the last minute winner as well.


With only a couple of minutes left on the clock, Blues won a free kick just over the half way line which Barry Ferguson stepped up to take. Stoke were all expecting him to lump it into the area for the likes of Zigic, Johnson and Jerome, but Bentley made a cheeky little run down the wing which not many anticipated, and ran on for a shot at goal which was saved by Begovic. Jerome did brilliantly to get the ball away from the grasp of the Stoke goalkeeper and chipped it, only for it to be desperately clawed by Begovic into the path of Zigic who had the easy task of guiding it into the net in front of him.

The resilient defending and never say die attitude really helped Blues today. It wasn't the best game to watch and it certainly won't be remembered this time next year, but it was an important win and a massive three points that saw us go 14th on the table, level on points with Villa and Blackpool - and just above them too with out good goal difference.

Full Time: Birmingham City 1-0 Stoke City

Not the prettiest, but we don't care

Right now none of us care how the points come. It'd be nice to secure them in a superb attacking fashion, but we're in a relegation battle; not a Europa League push. Right now, a goal is a goal and a win is a win - however they may come - and today was a very big win indeed.

In a real relegation 6 pointer after Wolves and Wigan winning yesterday, the aim of today was simple for both teams: win. Both teams therefore started quite edgy and nervous, neither side willing to sacrifice too many men going forward in fear of being cut open at the back, but at the same time neither wanted to play too defensive, so both managers opted for a strong 4-4-2 formation.

It was West Ham who enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half, which was the be expected from a Blues point of view. However both teams had their fair share of chances, with Victor Obinna looking lively yet again for the Hammers and Bentley working his magic down the wing, but neither really got any clear cut chances for their side. The home side had the better of the chances, but great defensive work for Blues yet again, especially from Roger Johnson (are you watching Fabio?) kept the away side level going into half time, after West Ham had edged the first forty-five.


With inspiring second half performances from the last few games, Blues were looking to do the same again in the second half of this game, and started fairly brightly. It was still an end to end encounter though, and both teams were desperately trying to find an opening.

Seeing more of the game now, Blues came close with Zigic heading just wide at the far post, and that was enough for McLeish to decide to change things. He took off Jerome - who still looks less than match fit - and brought on Sebastian Larsson. And that proved to be the tuning moment of the game. The Swede looked incredibly lively when he came on, and moments after the inspired substitution came the break through. Blues were awarded to free-kicks in succession, and the second proved to be the most costly for West ham, as the substitute Larsson whipped in a brilliant ball which was headed in from a couple of yards out by Zigic for Birmingham to take the lead.


The crowed grew anxious and it was a nervy last 20 minutes for both teams; Blues not wanting to squander their lead, and West ham not wanting to concede another. The home side threw plenty at Blues in the closing stages, with ineffective strike pair Piquionne and Keane coming off to be replaced by goal-poacher Carlton Cole and new boy Demba Ba, they were aching for an equaliser. And Ba almost made an instant impact, hitting the post after the ball had gone loose in the area.


But Blues stood strong and managed to hold on to an important victory, which took them out of the relegation zone. It wasn't the prettiest of games, it was a real nervous encounter between two teams desperate for points. But Blues showed character and prevailed, and got the much needed three points with only their second away win of the season.

p next we have three winnable home games against Stoke, Newcastle and manager-less West Brom, and sandwiched between those games are the FA Cup game and the small matter of a Carling Cup final to contend with. But pack St. Andrews out, get behind the boys because we can really push on and stay up now. Keep Right On!

Full Time: West Ham United 0-1 Birmingham City

Observations

There's one thing you don't want to do when you go to Old Trafford, and that's concede inside the first five minutes. Unfortunately for Blues, we did just that, and that's when you know the next 90 minutes will be even more of an uphill struggle than you expected.

It may have been a different story had we not conceded so early. Yes, we still would have lost. I don't think many teams go to United expecting it to be easy or to get all three points, you can hope, but the reality is it probably isn't going to happen. But conceding so early on gave United the rest of the game to score even more, which of course they did. Two nil, then three nil before half time. And couple more after to take the grand total up to five before they decided they didn't want any more.

But enough about the cockneys, lets talk about Blues. The team with passion, fight drive, desire... that has gone missing this season. We knew it would be hard, we knew we'd be in a relegation battle, but were it not for the fact we were in a Carlin Cup semi final and on the verge of Wembley, I think many a Bluenose would be searching for the rope. No, I'm joking. We've been through all this shite before and we knew we'd have to go through it again. It's part and parcel of being a Bluenose and we wouldn't have it any other way... although once in a while it'd be nice to have a little change.


Now, onto what I actually wanted to talk about in this rather lengthy blog post. Just a few observations from the match. So, number one: we miss Scott Dann. I think everyone knew we'd miss him, but not how much we would. Although Johnson has a gob on him, Dann comands the back line throuhout the game and that's what we miss. In the past two games the defence sometimes look worried, confused and un-organised. Also, Scott Dann's replacement. We have a perfectly good experienced centre back on the bench in Jiranek who we brought in as cover should one of our centre backs get injured. Yet we're using Ridgewell instead, who is much better at left back than he is a centre back, even though by trade he's a centre back. And we're playing Murphy on the left who is a good left back but not as good as Ridgewell. This might confuse you, but I know what I'm getting at: play Jiranek in the centre. We bought him for this.

Next observation; Hleb. He is a fantastic player and some of the football he plays makes me want to shed tears of joy. However; what we need right now is players who will fight for absolutely everything; track back whenever needed; and run like someone has just shoved a rocket up their arse to help out a team mate. Hleb doesn't do that. Hleb will give everything going forward, but tracking back, his body language seems to say 'my job is to attack, someone else can do the defending job.' He is without doubt a brilliant player, but in a relegation battle he might not be someone we need. Just a thought.

Staying on the subject of classy midfielders, lets talk about David Bentley. He's great, isn't he? It's such a shame he's cup tied because we could do with him on Wednesday. His speed, skill and trickery; along with his excellent crossing and distance-shooting is just what we need. A bit of creativity to get us our of trouble. Something different. He offers you all of this and I just want to thank Spurs for letting us have him on loan! Brilliant.


Observation number three: I thought Jordon Mutch had a good début today. It must have been tough for him being thrown in at the deep end and being handed the task of keeping world class players at bay, but credit to him he did well, and he is a player we need to keep hold of because he will be big.

This Larsson fiasco is getting a bit silly now, isn't it? Revelations in the paper coming out that he was told he could go, told he had to stay, told this, that and the other, and it's all quite confusing and makes my head hurt. What is clear though, is that he doesn't want to be here any more. You saw that when he came on. He was okay, he will still work for us when we play him, but he won't put that heart in that he did before. He doesn't love us any more and a lot of the fans don't like him either. I'm not sure what's gone on, but I think we should let it die down now, because he's probably going to be here until the end of the season.

Although we lost 5-0, it doesn't really feel like it. I think if I had been lsitening or watching at home it would have been more painful, but when you're actually at the game it doesn't feel quite as bad. The Blues fans were excellent today. Humorous as ever and in full voice, it made me proud to be a bluenose. And 5-0 down, I looked around Old Trafford and it made me think how happy I am to support Blues instead of a team like United. Sure, we don't win everything, well, anything. We're in a relgatation battle. We'll never win the Premier League. But shit me, I have so much fun supporting this team. At 5-0 up, United fans were leaving. Leaving!! Christ, we're winning 2-0 and the whole ground stays to applaud the players off the pitch. 5-0, fuck me, we'd be partying all night long. I guess that's why I like supporting a smaller club.

And we certainly know how to have a laugh. The Norwich chants were brilliant, as was the look on the United fans' faces when we were cheering corners and singing "we're gonna win the league" - I wouldn't swap that for anything. This is what it's like to be City, and I for one absolutely love this club.

So, forget this game. It was coming, we all knew it, but the 1,800 blues there yesterday: we all had fun, didn't we? And this is to all blues fans now: we're all looking forward to Wednesday, aren't we? Forget losing 5-0 to a great team (who I haven't really praised throughout this - United were brilliant yesterday. Period.) Lets look forward to Wednesday. We're 90 minutes from Wembley, lets do this.

Full Time: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City

Half time

It could have been worse. I mean it really, really could have been worse. It could have been all over in the first half with the amount of possession and chances West Ham had, and considering how poor we played and how little we created, we were lucky to go in at half time only 1-0 down.

It wasn't a tragic first half performance, not at all, but not one you'd expect in the first leg of a Carling Cup semi-final. We played 4-5-1 which was frustrating but understandable. McLeish likes to contain and then go for it, which I do understand but then again on the flip side of things maybe we should have just gone for it and went 4-4-2 with Jerome and Derbyshire starting; with Jerome's pace and Derbyshire's knack for finding the back of the net, surely we couldn't have gone wrong?

In the past our defence has been rock solid. Last season a lot of teams struggled to get past out back five, but this season it's not been as good. The first goal we conceded highlighted this. The ball should have been cleared, Ridgewell probably should have been alert, and maybe Foster shouldn't have been beaten at his near post.


But there's no use dwelling on what could have been. In the second half Blues gave us the performance we'd all paid our money to travel down to London to see. God only knows what Alex said to them in the dressing room at half time but it certainly worked; we came out a different team and really took it to West Ham.

Blues started the half incredibly brightly and Larsson, who seems to be staying at Blues now, had a great game down the right with Carr and they both ran West Ham ragged. Hleb also had a good game, dancing through the defence whenever he pleased but my only criticism of him is that sometimes he tries to do too much. Other than that, he honestly is a joy to watch.

With free kicks, corners and crosses and most of all possession all in favour of Blues, it really was only a matter of time before the equaliser came. I cannot tell you how much relief and elation was felt amongst the travelling Blues fans at that header from Ridgewell all but broke the back of the net, and for the next 15 minutes the noise coming from the away end was terrific. It was brilliant to be part of it.


We really should have clinched a winner, especially after Obinna was sent off, but yet again our lack of clinical finishing was what let us down. That, and poor defending - which was what led to both the goals... and of course that blunder by Foster which we don't want to mention.

In a perfect world we would have grabbed an equaliser with the amount of chances we had after West Ham, pretty undeservedly, went ahead again. But it wasn't to be, and now we have to win at St. Andrews to stand a chance of getting to Wembley. It can be done, of course it can: we have a brilliant home record and West Ham have a pretty shambolic away record. It won't be easy, but then again, when is it ever easy supporting Blues?

Full Time: West Ham 2-1 Birmingham City

The City Is Ours

That took a while didn't it? Too long if you ask me. I'd almost forgot what it felt like to beat them, but I was sliftly reminded just how good it feels. Even the day after; the gloating, the smile on your face, the holding your head high, the banter with the Villa fans and the look on their faces as they realise there's nothing they can say back to you. We did it.

A full St. Andrews witnessed a, not brilliant, but definitely resilient Blues performance last night. It was a great game and definitely a great way to show everyone what Midlands football is all about (minus the scenes at the end of the match, but we'll come to that mini rant later).

The first goal in any derby game is always crucial, and luckily enough we got it through a great Seb Larsson penalty - low, hard, sent the keeper the wrong way and most importantly found the back of the net. 1-0 Blues, absolutely brilliant. The place went mental, the crowd erupted and the noise was deafening.


Some time later we scored a second, only to be denied by the 'interfering with play rule.' This is one thing the FA need to clarify. It's such a fancy rule no one knows what's going on any more: in my opinion it should be changed to if you're offside, you're offside. That way no one gets confused and teams aren't helped or hindered by decisions.

In a quick change of events, Villa equalised through a man whose name does not deserve a place on my blog and I will not give him it either. There's not many people I could say I hate, in fact there's only two things: Aston Villa and that man.

I wouldn't say we were the best team in the game: for large parts of the game I was convinced Villa were going to win it. I was preparing myself for another heartbreak; for another let down; for another miserable trek back home in the snow. But this time it was our time. It was our night and it was our turn to show people how we do it. And we did.


In the derbies last season, it was Villa who killed our dreams. It was Villa who scored in the closing minutes of the game to deny us any chance of a comeback; but this time the tables were turned. Jerome fed a ball in the air to Zigic who, challenged, looped the ball over Friedel who couldn't save it. Zigic: relieved, Blues: ecstatic, Villa: crushed. The fatal blow had been dealt by the team who had had to endure all the taunts over the years, and that's why the victory wasn't just a victory: it was such a sweet, sweet moment that no one will forget in a hurry.

I am extremely proud of what Blues did, and I find it unfortunate that a minority marred it for the majority. I do not in any way condone the Blues fans that ran over to the Villa fans to taunt them and sing at them: but I do understand why. It's hard to put a fan of another club in the shoes of a Blues fan, but if you ask us kindly enough we'll all tell you how they Villa fans have made us feel over the years, and how much they've mocked us. It was our turn. Maybe the fans didn't go about it in the right way, but they were blinded by the fact we'd just beat our local rivals for the first time in years.


Now onto the more serious stuff: the flares. I find it amusing how the media labelled Birmingham as the flare throwiers and the chair chuckers. I watched the scenes unfold, and I watched the first flarwes being thron by Villa fans (who later admitted it was them who brought them - case closed) and I watched them rip up seats and throw them. Not that i condone Blues throwing them back - both fans are as bad as each other in my opinion - but I'm fed up of the media blaming it all on Birmingham because of our past.

Also what I found hilarious and not even wroth defending, was the fact we were blamed for not getting the World Cup in 2018. Brilliant. That is class. Us Blues and Villa fans have been making jokes all day about it - because it really is brilliant, isn't it? Lets ignore everything else wrong with the country and pinpoint one incident that happened the night before the announcement, when a lot of people had already confided to the fact Russia were probably going to win it. Genius. The Midlands derby? The perfect scapegoat.

I don't want it to mar what was a great victory, but the facts need to be said and the people on England need to move on with their lives. The most important thing to come from yesterday was the fact we beat our local rivals and we're now two games from Wembley, and for me, that's the only thing that matters right now.

Full Time: Birmingham City 2-1 Aston Villa

A point in London

Who would have thunked it. It's not that we always play bad against London teams, it's that we never get rewarded. Time and time again we play London teams and come back to Birmingham empty handed, but today we finally picked up a point in the Big Smoke, and on the first half performance and the second half defending it was a deserved one at that.

It took us just 19 minutes to break the deadlock; against the run of play too. Alexander Hleb showed his real class for probably the first time this season, and broke from the half way line on a solo-run and unselfishly fed the ball to Seb Larsson who expertly found the back of the net. I have not yet seen this goal but apparently Hleb's run was absolutely magnificent.


The goal really stunned the home fans, and Blues went marginally on top then for the rest of the first half. Ben Foster and his defence were superb and their positioning was excellent as ever; Roger Johnson and Scott Dann, who have been talked up big time for England call-ups this week, dealing with everything in the air that came their way - surely just another reason to add to the list of why Fabio should take notice of them. Blues dealt with the onslaught of Fulham attacks well, and fought back with a few attacks of our own, none of which came to any avail. With Zigic dropped to the bench to make way for Hleb, Cameron Jerome was having to lead the line on his own, and didn't get too many sniffs of a goal himself as the game went on.

The second half started just as the first half with Fulham the brighter team. The two teams are relatively easily matched on paper, but with Fulham's good home form at Craven Cottage - disregarding last weeks heavy loss against Man City - and the fact that they were 1-0 down, they had an incentive to play better in the season half and to go on to find the equaliser: which they eventually found in the 53rd minute.


Blues failed to clear a Fulham corner and Clint Dempsey was there to put it into the back of the net to make it 1-1. It got a little worse for the away side some time after too, as Hleb, who had just hit his form and got back to full fitness, picked up an injury that led him to be stretchered off the pitch. Zigic filled the gap Hleb left and Blues went 4-4-2, but it was very much backs against the wall stuff as Fulham continued a barrage of attacks. It didn't go all Fulham's way in the second half though, as we still had a handful of attacks, with a penalty claim being turned down by referee Howard Webb after Jerome was brought down, and the corner following that being hit against the crossbar by Scott Dann.

Blues kept their heads though and defended till the death. - something which we have just come to take as normality with Blues. They coped with everything Fulham threw at them, and went on to pick up a well deserved point to move them up to 14th in the table - one place above their bitter rivals from 'up the road'.

A point in London? Well, it's more than we got in all our games down there last season!

Full Time: Fulham 1-1 Birmingham City

Birmingham City 1-0 Chelsea. I can't say it enough.

It's taken thirty years, but Birmingham City have finally managed to beat Chelsea. How? I will tell you how...

Ben Foster
I said it yesterday: Joe Hart had one of his best games in a Blues shirt against Chelsea last season; he really was brilliant. But Ben Foster today absolutely outshone him by a fair few hundred miles. You have to be alert when playing Chelsea, and he was totally on the ball all game, making so many saves I think we all lost count. He was outstanding. If Blues made a DVD of his saves from today's game I'm sure we'd all buy it. Someone buy the lad a pint and Blues, give him a bonus.



The Defence
Chelsea absolutely threw everything into the box, but we were happy to sit there and defend, to take a quote from Chris Kamara, like beavers. Nothing was getting past them today. Nothing. Even injuries and knocsk wouldn't keep Roger Johnson from running back onto the pitch to win yet another header and keep a clean sheet and all three points. All four of them were outstanding, and I can't fault a single one of them, nor can I thank them enough for how much passion they put into their game.



Determination
If I said Blues were the better team today, I'd be lying. But I am 100% telling the truth when I say they were the more determined team. They got their goal, and then they were determined to not concede for the rest of the match. It was magnificent to see every single one of those players give their all today. I haven't got a bad thing to say about any one, and I'm sure I speak for every Bluenose when I say that we are all beaming with pride at not only the performance, but the manner in which we played the game.



Larsson > Jerome > Bowyer > Goal
Obviously, the defining moment of the first half. Larsson gets the ball; whips it fiercley and expertly to the head of Jerome who knocks it down brilliantly into what seemed like an open space. Fair enough, I thought; great ball in, great knock down, just unlucky no one was there to pick it up. And then Lee Bowyer pops up out of no where and slots it beyond Petr Cech. It was unreal. It was amazing. And it was, not necessarily deserved, but it felt bloody brilliant all the same.



The 'Never Say Die' Attitude
We showed it numerous times last season, espeically throughout our unbeatable run of games; but this season, sometimes it seems to go missing slightly. But it's always there somewhere. Today, it was out in full force. None of those players wanted to lose, and all of them were prepared to put their bodies on the line for the cause. It was excellent. Foster and the defence dealt with everything expertly; the midfield kept everything ticking over - Fahey really seems to be growing in confidence now, Larsson runs and runs and will work for you all day long which is key in games against teams with Chelsea's calibre, and it was great to see Ferguson and Bowyer back in the middle together again. Jerome and Zigic ran the line brilliantly. Jerome, like always, ran his socks off; and Zigic had a great game too - he seems to be finding his feet well in the Premier League now: it's taken time, but I think he's finally there.



And that was it. Chelsea, credit to them, played well. They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us and we simply dealt with it. it was a real team performance and every single one of those Blues players can hold their heads high knowing they did themselves, and the rest of Birmingham, proud today. Our last two games have been Manchester City away and Chelsea at home and we've picked up four points. Tell me: who thought, looking at those fixtures beforehand, that we'd get that many points out of these games?! Because I certainly didn't. I was looking for a point, maybe two, but we got four. We got four points out of two of the best sides in the division.

Normally when sides win games like this, they say 'I still can't believe it' but you know what? I can believe it. Because we defending like soldiers today, and we deserved to get something out of thios game, and the fact that it's three points is fantastic. I'm a very proud Bluenose right now.

Full Time: Birmingham City 1-0 Chelsea

The Kings of Comebacks

Contrary to what Match Of The Day lead you to believe, it wasn't actually West Ham Versus no one for the first 60 minutes. Although at times it did feel like that. It's true, we didn't get in the game until late on, but we were actually playing in the first half. Just what we were playing at though, I'm not too sure.

The performances in our last three games have been great. At Arsenal we were strong, and can take pride in the fact we almost got a point from there. Against Blackpool we were brilliant, the new formation worked and like Holloway said, we stopped Blackpool from playing their game. At Villa we were resilient, we played with passion and very almost clinched a victory. Today, against West Ham, we were poor. Nothing seemed to work; even what should have been the most talented play on the pitch in Alex Hleb, didn't work. We lacked not only lustre, but pretty much everything else.

We seem to fall into the trap sometimes of starting quite brightly, and then letting the opposition get more into the game. When we do that, like we did today, the other team become more confident. And then we get driven more and more out of the game, until the game is flipped on it's head and we're no longer in control. We pass the ball about brilliantly at times, and you can see the class and the skill is still there amongst the players, but the end product, that final bit of magic; it just isn't there sometimes. And after playing so well in the games prior to this match, you wonder why.


There were two things that happened in the first half: the first was the sprinkles coming on in the first when West Ham were on the attack - only at Blues! - it was comical and gave the crowd something to smile about at least! The second was that the Hammers nearly took the lead - and most of the crowd thought the ball had gone in the back of the net - but Ben Foster managed to tip the ball onto the post, which rolled across the goal-line to Scott Dann who booted it out of play. Chants of 'England's number one' rung out around the ground from the home support, and rightly so.

It was a game of few chances for Blues, and so West Ham deservedly took the lead just after half time. It came through a quick move that split the defence and allowed Frederic Piquionne (remember him?) to slide the ball past Ben Foster, who could do nothing but stand there and watch the ball go past him.

It got even worse for Blues exactly 10 minutes later, when a similar move saw Behrami find the back of the net after being set up by Carlton Cole - who had a good game himself.

McLeish decided to change things around, and bought on Beausejour and Gardner in place of Fahey and Hleb, and Blues began the comeback. Larsson's cross found the head of Zigic, who nodded it down into the path of Jerome, who from a yard or two out calmly hit the ball into the back of the net. Game on.


Blues seemed to wake up then, and again despite what the BBC want you to think, Blues had several chances to make it 2-2, with Beausejour amongst others being denied. Blues found the equaliser in the end though: Larsson's free-kick was parried by Rob Green, into the path of Ridgewell who firmly slotted the ball home and ran away in celebration.


Blues almost went on to win the game with Jerome being denied, but with the way the game went, the home side were more than happy to get a point, but we all know the performance needs to be stepped up for the next game. However, a special mention goes to Stephen Carr - someone who was retired a few years ago - and seemed like the only player who cared throughout the whole game. Super Captain Carr: man of the match. And deservedly so.

Full Time: Birmingham City 2-2 West Ham

That's more like it

A much more spirited Blues performance and a much better crowd saw Birmingham come out winners today against a lively Blackpool side – scoring two and even keeping a clean sheet, setting the players up nicely for their next league game: the derby with those up the road.

Playing Blackpool, you know what to expect: a team that will come at you; a team full of little battlers; and a manager with his heart on his sleeve. But, you don't know how they're going to play. That's the thing. It's like us last season – no one knew our style of play, so it took teams a while to figure us out, and figure out how to beat us. It's like that this season with Blackpool, and combine that with the amount of passion and drive Ian Holloway forces upon his players, they have been a tough test for many teams already this season – just asked Liverpool.

As it was, Blues played brilliantly today. Every single one of them. Ben Foster is improving every game, much like Joe Hart did under goalkeeping coach Dave Watson. The back four were as solid as... a very solid thing. As always. How Roger Johnson, at 27, is still yet to be called up to England is a mystery. Liam Ridgewell played great again as well, with a goal on the score sheet and a great performance to his name too. Him and Stephen Carr, well, I've not seen them play so far up the pitch all season.

It wasn't so much 4-4-2, well, that was the intentional formation. But the tactics we played meant that Ferguson – who had his best game so far this season for Blues – played just behind the midfield and did his brilliant job of sweeping the loose balls up. Fahey played a more central role, and had a good few chances and a much better game than his previous few. Seb Larsson and Alex Hleb also had good games, with Hleb, like Fahey, having one of his better games in a Blues shirt – until he went off injured, that is.

Moan about him as much as you like, but one thing you cannot fault Garry O'Connor for is his work rate. Call him fat, call him whatever, but he will run for you all day long; he will win headers all day long; he will make runs and chase down the ball. All. Day. Long. And he had a good game today, I was willing him to score Blues' third just to shut the haters and the moaners up.

Zigic seems to have found his feet in the Premier League, and with another goal today it proves he can cut it in this league. He's now playing with confidence, winning balls in the air and picking out good passes. He's not the fastest of players, but he'll get into the right positions for you, and him and O'Connor seem like a good partnership.

The difference between this game and our last home game against Everton, was confidence. The Arsenal game, although we lost, seemed to have given these players a bit of a boost. The 20 yard passes are now being pulled off. The balls across the park are actually reaching the players. The neat one-touch football we played last season is being introduced back into our game. And the crowd can see this too. The atmosphere today was great; the fans got behind every single player,. And it gave the Blues team even more drive and confidence to go on and score more and create more.

Last season we lost to Arsenal in October, won our next home game with Ridgewell being first goalscorer and went on that amazing unbeaten run. This season we lost to Arsenal... in October... won our next home game... with Ridgewell being first on the score sheet. I'm not saying we will replicate what we did last year, but if that's not a coincidence, I don't know what is.

Full Time: Birmingham City 2-0 Blackpool

A game of two halves

The clique I hate the most in football and one that I swore I'd never use unless I had to... well, after today’s game I think it's safe to say: I had to use it. Because that is exactly what it was.

Due to lack of good streams (resulting in my computer getting a virus, may I add… thanks football) I had to listen to the game on the radio, but fron what I could make out, it didn’t sound good at all.

The first half was great by Blues, especially the first half an hour or so. Totally bossing the game we took the lead after a brilliant Seb Larsson freekick was tapped in on the volley by Jerome for his first goal of the campaign.

Up to half tine, Blues were calm on the ball and didn’t let up under pressure even after West Brom piled it on the Blues net just before the first 45 were up.

But then, it all seemed to change. Apparently Blues forgot that a game consists of 90 minutes, and not just 45. Apparently no one forgot to tell Scott Dann and Roger Johnson what ‘defending’ meant, as they had their worst game in a Blues shirt – which, when it’s your centre backs having a bad game, you know you’re in for a tough time.

Baggies equalised soon into the half and from then on it was all one-way traffic. The cool, casual and calm on the ball Blues we’d seen in the first half seemed to totally implode; resulting in the home side getting a further two goals which I’d prefer not to talk about as it would mean reliving the whole afternoon: something which I’d rather not do, if it’s all the same to you.

It’s not the end of the world, but it does mean we need to work extra hard to get the points out of our up and coming home games against an Everton team seemingly spiraling out of control and a Wigan team who are, well, Wigan.

On a day that the news broke that Alex McLeish had signed a new contract and that Sammy Yu had resigned from his position at the club, it has been a day of total mixed emotions, and one we are all going to have to pick ourselves up fron, and make sure doesn’t happen again. Amen to that.

Full Time: West Bromwich Albion 3-1 Birmingham City