Hey big spender (not)

Alex McLeish isn't going to be the big spender in January.

That much was reiterated in his most recent media conference, ahead of the Ipswich Town Boxing Day game.

McLeish would like the facility to splash the cash - as would any manager - but it's highly unlikely.

The deal for Jordi Lopez has been thrown into doubt because of concern over his medical.

That's the kind of route he is going to go down in January: loans or those available on a short term basis who won't break the bank and might just help out.

Central midfield and centre-half are the main requirements and Bobo Balde has come back into the reckoning.

Sure, it would be preferable to spend £5 million - £10 million on a finished article to bolster the defence. But that's not going to happen.

Balde would be a quick fix and McLeish - as regular readers here and of the Birmingham Mail know - has designs to do his big pieces of business in the summer when more funds should be available - assuming Blues win promotion.

Here's what McLeish said: "The way we work here is that if I see somebody I feel can enhance the first eleven, I will knock on the board's door and they will see what we can do about that.

"We don't say 'there's a 20 million war chest for you'. It's more 'see, what you think, if there's anything there we will do our utmost to help you'. That's the relationship we have."

As for numbers: "There's one or two positions I think where we could be better.

"But until I see people who really stick out within our budgets, then I don't think we're going to do anything."

Not anything per se, but anything much.

The loss to Reading was a huge blow, and may act as a wake-up call. Yet it also showed up problems that have been there all season.

Namely sides who get the ball forward early down the channels and run Blues to have them facing their own goal pull them out of kilter.

Southampton, Norwich City and Nottingham Forest (at the end) to name but three, did it, but can't finish. That's why Blues were able to come away unscathed.

One of the depressing things for me was that until the first goal it was even, then Reading got a huge surge of confidence to go on and continue to attack. Blues just didn't respond and seemed inhibited, until a late rally.

The contrast in the mobility of the teams was great and Reading have players who can quickly go beyond the front men and swarm into the box. Habitually Blues just don't do that, too often they are formulaic and play obvious football.

It's not that Blues, when they are in mood, cannot impose themselves. With a bit of luck, for example, they would have won comfortably at Wolves. And they have admirable, doughty qualities which, when it comes to the business end of the season and it's about bottle, should be beneficial.

McLeish, believe me, is well aware of the limitations of his team and is trying to address them. It's a slow process, granted, and it's important to note that his positive comments of support should not be simply interpreted as blind faith, or denial.

He is from the school of management where you protect your team publicly, even if it's to your own detriment and you give them what for in-house.

Ipswich will present Blues with similar sort of problems, as will Swansea. Both have movement and energy. And two games in three days doesn't help an elder statesman team like Blues.

But now's not the occasion for revolt. Two years ago Blues went eight points clear at the top of the Championship on Boxing Day. By Easter they were four point adrift of the automatic places. In May they were promoted, only two or three missed chances on the final day costing them the title itself.

There is still a long old way to go yet.

Finally from me, here's to wishing you all a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Enjoy.