Sebba done good

Although not blessed with great pace, he scampers up and down the touchline for all his worth and the style of his crossing - the swerve and body shape on delivery - reminds you of David Beckham in his prime.

Then there's the free-kicks: Larsson can get the ball up and over a wall with aplomb, or whip it across, as David James found out when he mugged him on the side he should have been protecting.

He recently recalled his days as a boy in Sweden enjoying kickabouts with his brother in their garden.

"He always wanted to play one-on-ones but I always wanted him to go in goal and I would shoot and take free-kicks and stuff," he said.

You hear talk of players positioning the ball at free-kicks so that they strike it on the valve. Apparently it produces more power and/or spin.

Larsson's view: "I have heard that, but the only thing I do is put it with the Nike sign straight ahead," he said with a smile. (A new sponsorship deal coming up, Seb . . . ).

Larsson still strives to improve his game, and if you ever see his ineffective attempts at tackling you will realise that it's not his forte.

He will, however, commit himself to the team - his work rate is tremendous - help his full-back and be a nuisance defensively.

He is among the leading contenders for Blues player-of-the-season award, and rightly so.

Having done his bit last season in the Championship - who will forever forget that dramatic solo goal in the promotion clincher against Sheffield Wednesday? - he is coming of age in the top-flight.

And Larsson is a thoroughly decent bloke. He's always pleasant, has time to chat and happily engage in PR activities and functions for the club.

One of the biggest compliments you can pay him is that the man he was brought in to replace, Jermaine Pennant, has not been missed.