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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 26 2010, 07:50 AM (193 Views) | |
| Willie | Mar 26 2010, 07:50 AM Post #1 |
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Willie
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http://blogs.birminghammail.net/birmingham...nd-is-near.html The end is near By Colin Tattum on Mar 25, 10 07:02 PM There may well be a little bit of that end of term feel to Blues at present. The finishing line is in sight and the race, at least the one Blues were in, to stay afloat in the Premier League, was won a distance ago. Subconsciously that, and the disappointment of the head-scratching poor second-half against Portsmouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals, could be having an affect on results. Yet, on the other hand, you recall the second-half performance at Sunderland and I can't ever remember Blues, as a Premier League side, giving a decent opponent such a pummelling as they did in that 45 minutes, on their turf. At Blackburn Rovers, it was one of those kind of 'nothing' games that we have seen before. Blues played the football, had the possession, but lacked the edge and creativity to go on and win. A couple of slack moments and - bang! - Blackburn, who were no particular great shakes, had their goals. I don't wholly buy into the fact that Blues are fatigued and tiring. They are, after all, trained up to last the course of a season and the management have been careful in the work load they have put on the players in order that sharpness doesn't desert them. It's been quite right that a settle side has, more or less, been selected. The odd tweak here and there, yes, but not swingeing changes from one game to the next. To me, it's still quite incredible that Blues have got through with basically just Cameron Jerome, Christian Benitez and Kevin Phillips as their bona fide strikers since September. Blues are not the first and won't be the last side to taper off as a season that has surpassed most expectations comes to a slow close. The Steve Bruce class of 2003-04 went from sixth place with eight matches to go to finish 10th. They won none of those remaining fixtures. And for all the areas where we know Blues can improve, it takes two to tango. The opposition have started to take more notice, and give more respect to Blues. Sunderland and Blackburn both made a point of pressing Blues quickly and trying to get at, and down the sides of, Roger Johnson and Scott Dann. That has become a target area. At Fulham, Roy Hodgson admitted that he asked Zoltan Gera, who played just behind Bobby Zamora, to 'sit' on Barry Ferguson and dilute his influence. Blackburn asked the same thing of David Dunn when they didn't have the ball. Alex McLeish, whilst having to keep the players trucking on, is planning for next season as well. His fear is that Blues don't suffer the second season syndrome. For them not to endure such a fate, squad enhancement is naturally vital. Blues cannot expect the team to stay injury-free for 12 Premier League matches in a row again. Are Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer and Stephen Carr going to replicate their sterling work next year? The rookie centre-halves, fuelled by a determination to make their mark on the big stage, will be more experienced, but so will strikers be more knowing. If Blues are not as sound a defensive unit next season, then where are the goals coming from to off-set that? Then there are the glut of out of contract players, many of whom will be waving goodbye, and loans for Benitez, Joe Hart and Teemu Tainio. McLeish has slipped out some interesting nuggets about finances in recent weeks. From my understanding money is available, a significant pot that a Blues manager has never had at his disposal before. But it's not £40 million for transfer fees alone. That oft-quoted figure was jumped upon amid all the enthusiastic excitement of Carson Yeung's opening few weeks and the accompanying loose and naive talk. But why some think that Blues are now not going to spend, I don't quite understand; what sense would that make, not least to Yeung? He is here for the long haul and this summer is an important one for his regime because it shapes the tone for the summers to come. Tell the manager he has no dough and then you have an army of non-believers and non-attenders for starters. Never mind the 1.3 billion potential Blues fans in China ( well . . . ). The pre-season tour to China and Hong Kong is potentially the most important two week trip Blues will ever undertake, too. Yeung will want to project the right image of a go-ahead club on the rise. Blues won't be crazy in the transfer market - I doubt if any club will - but everyone knows players of a certain quality must come in even if only, as McLeish said the other week, so that they can 'keep up with the Jones's'. This week Blues have also been finalising season ticket prices and I hear there will be some innovative ideas and that the directors understand fans cannot be milked for money. Designs of new Xtep kit have been looked at for approval to be put to a fans' vote. The end of season awards dinner has been revamped and is now a black tie affair as Blues look to do things differently, and with a little more style. |
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| Migster | Mar 26 2010, 07:58 AM Post #2 |
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Bob Latchford
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Hmmm, not quite so happy after reading that. I think that it's important that we get a good signing in fairly early when the transfer window opens. When does it open for that matter? |
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| lowdham bluenose | Mar 26 2010, 08:06 AM Post #3 |
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Joe Bradford
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It's open now if we fancy a Pompey player. I do believe June 1st is the official date but clubs can do the deals before that date but it gets formalised on or afte June 1st. As for the blog, a very good piece. He is totally right about others sussing us out and adjusting their play/tactics accordingly. We need to have the ability to be able to change our own play/tactics during a game. Nob on observation regarding how the opposition are playing Johnson and Dann. |
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| vivienne04 | Mar 26 2010, 03:45 PM Post #4 |
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Geoff Horsfield
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:applause: And we need the type of player to be able to do that. At the moment like many clubs we have to sub to effect that kind of change. We need a player with the ability to alter speeds and counter threats that develop during a match. I know they aren't popular but Gerrad and Lampard can do that. Becks was a past master at changing his team's approach during a half. And obviously Ronaldo. I'm hoping that once Michel gets upto speed his technical skills will come to the fore and give us that option of change within a game. |
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