Notes on Swansea
Roberto Martinez was gracious in his praise of Blues before the game
"They do not have a weakness and, if you could choose, you'd only want to play them once a season rather than twice," said the Swansea boss.
Probably a bit too generous (Blues have weaknesses all right) but he perhaps does - and doesn't - want to play them again.
Does because for 25 minutes the Swansea pulled Blues apart and should have been out of sight.
Doesn't because - well, you know Blues - having been knocked down, they scramble up again and get better and stronger to take the game.
It was a harsh lesson of Championship life for Swans at the Liberty Stadium last night.
Alex McLeish started with a 4-5-1, reasonably enough. It worked very well at Bristol City and for spells at Cardiff City.
And considering Swansea's strength is their midfield, and Blues have been over-run in that department on occasions this season, there was logic to it.
However, it doesn't help when you start as if you're still in the warm-up. From the kick-off, Lee Carsley had a ball downfield blocked, Swansea worked possession nicely and caught Blues on their heels - 1-0 after 84 seconds.
Gorka Pintado should have had a hat-trick as the speed, slick passing and clever rotation of Swansea's players left Blues chasing shadows.
Blues do struggle against eager, quick sides who move the ball and themselves well. Get it down the sides or over the top, especially when Blues aren't with it, and all of a sudden they go all wobbly and ragged.
One thing about McLeish, he doesn't stand transfixed in the headlights. The 4-5-1 was scrapped, 4-4-2 employed in the 26th minute.
"We went with the five-man midfield and the plan was burst with the terrible start we had," rued McLeish.
"We conceded possession right away, at kick-off, there were another couple of stray passes and they scored. So Plan A was kind of knackered and we changed it very quickly."
James McFadden went up front alongside Marcus Bent and Sebastian Larsson wide right.
Injury to Ferrie Bodde, Swansea's highly accomplished schemer, affected the home side and Blues came back into it via Bent's powerful back post header from Nicky Hunt's curving cross, after Quincy delivered a defence-splitting pass.
Three minutes into first-half stoppage-time, Swansea got their noses in front again when Angel Rangel - possibly the best-named footballer in the league - ripped past Franck Queudrue in a straight sprint (when he's left exposed like that, there's trouble) and attempted to pull the ball back for the supporting players.
Unfortunately, Liam Ridgewell tried to cut out the cross but it struck his heel and ricocheted through his legs, succeeded in wrong-footing Maik Taylor.
Hunt looked as if he had cleared it off the line, but the linesman - right in front of the Swansea's noisy boys - couldn't get his flag up quick enough. Ridgewell didn't mean it, by the way, in case anyone was wondering . . .
Another half-time interval, another series of raised and stirring voices, McLeish's and players', apparently.
"We were 2-1 down, I said we're not out of it, there's one goal in it," revealed McLeish. "There's goals in this game - those were my words at half- time - and I was hoping there would be goals for us.
"We were much better second-half. We got tighter, we passed it better, we didn't surrender possession as much and we gradually came back into the game.
"We had made life difficult for ourselves by conceding and early goal, sloppy passing and giving them too much space.
"The substitutions worked for us. Kemy Agustien's impetus helped, Kevin Phillips of course."
Blues were much more purposeful, bullying and got up the pitch quicker.
Quincy, who had been hit and miss, was replaced in the 65th minute and clearly had the hump. It was big call by McLeish, considering the talk surrounding his use the past couple of weeks. Phillips entered the fray.
Agustien for Mehdi Nafti was sound, as he dovetailed with Carlsey better and his first instinct was to take the ball and attack.
Swansea were again affected by injury, the impressive, busy midfielder Leon Britton going off because of a jarred back, and Blues - who came close to equalising twice before the changes - continued to pile the pressure on.
Then it came - Phillips time.
McFadden's lovely cross was deftly cushioned in with his head (74), then Phillips bashed a 25-yarder past Dimi Konstantopoulos without hesitation (79).
He came close to a hat-trick, too, Larsson's cross just eluding him.
"He is unbelievable - that's the word to describe him," said McLeish. Too right. Not many people can come on, pick up the pace of a game, and, more importantly, slot the first two chances they are given, combining the instinctive knack to be in the right place and sureness of execution. Pintado will have taken note.
It was another potentially pivotal victory for Blues, delighting the 705 hardcore away following, many of whom arrived late because of a crash near Port Talbot on the M4.
It wasn't a perfect start by any stretch of the imagination as, again, the opposition were 'up' for Blues, started bursting with energy and drive, and put them on the back foot.
Yet Blues have returned to doing what they do well - getting results - and in the Championship it's more about substance than
style.
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Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum’s view of what’s going on at Birmingham City FC.
Tatts....
It seems to me that the tactics within the English game are still stuck in the 1980's and earlier - not moving forward one inch since the instigation of Howard Wilkinson's Academy!
It is no surprise to me that the top four Teams in the Premiership all have a strong foreign managerial and coaching influence; even Manure have struggled by their standards since Queiros left!
Also we have an England Team managed and coached by an Italian and in the same breath (I can't believe I am saying this-lol) an up and coming Team like Swansea impressing everyone and managed by the Spaniard Roberto Martinez....
Big Mac needs to start looking behind him as well as on the pitch....
Football has changed and is in constant flux....
Roy Aitken ain't cutting it and in my opinion never has!
And as an intelligent student of the game Big Mac knows the problem - he just needs now to come up with the solution!
BB, what nonsense blaming a coach when it is the manager who picks the team, buys the players and chooses the tactics. We have needed a new centre half and midfield player since Alex joined the club. He keeps insisting he only wants better than what he has. Well he must really rate Jaidi, Ridgewell and Taylor as he has been here a year now and can't find a better centre half !!!
(How many clean sheets in away games since McLeish took over ?)
Teams have sussed us now, we are too slow (old) in too many areas. Oh to get in some younger players to compliment what we have
I'm sick of people having a go at Roy Aitken - unless you regularly pop down to Wast Hills to watch training then you have no right to comment on Aitken as a coach.
Infact Andy Watson is McLeish's principal right-hand man but do we ever hear anyone having a go at him? Is the fact that Aitken used to work at that claret and blue-coloured place up the road anything to do with all this unfair, and unfounded, critiscm?
All of you Bluenoses need to stop moaning and take a step back to look at where your club is and what your realistic aims are!!
Bluerinse
It is one thing identifying who you want it is another convincing them to come and that Birmingham is their future-ask Gary Cahill which was supposed to be a done deal!
And Tatts knows there have been many more players who have been identified and who cannot be mentioned in consideration of confidentiality and relationships with BCFC personnel!
The Manager does pick the Team and decides on the tactics (with the contribution of his coaching staff)....
But you will have seen the difference in Blues between Mark Bowen and Eric Black's approach....
Who decided on those tactics?
Brucie was held ultimately responsible but he didn't coach them....
You are saying that the Coach has no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for the contribution they are supposed to make to the success of the Team....
To use your word - that is nonsense!
Managers manage....
They are given resources and have to optimise the effect of those resources....
Or are you expecting Big Mac to be directly responsible for the training and physiotherapy at the Club too?
Big Mac has employed experts in their fields to deliver what he requires....
eg Paul Montgomery who is Head of Player Recruitment and Chief Scout....
That doesn't mean he does their job as well....
If they don't deliver then it is Big Mac's responsibility to replace them or accept inferior delivery....
If he accepts less than he demands then that's when the Manager's job is on the line and Karren, DG and DS step in!
Bluebird, the manager is the one in charge. He delegates, he decides. End of.
You seem to be the only one who thinks it is okay to single out one coach. Sometimes some people are not happy unless they are moaning
bluebird talks nonsense. did he ever watch british fooyball in the eighties ? we had some wonderfull british footballers winning european cups and doing well in world cups etc. it was better footy than you see now on motd with roon steveG ronnie and the drog falling over 4 ninety mins playing a dreary passing game instead of running with the ball. oh for the days of norman hunter and dave mackay ! only one reason we have foreign players - when they first started coming THEY WERE CHEAP. english players priced themselves out of the market and now the paying public are cheated every week. think bluebird ought to go down to stan drews more often.
I notice bluebird didn't argue against my point - mug!