All change
Could there be something stirring down St Andrew's way on Saturday?
Possibly.
It's unlikely to be Howard Webb popping up at the back stick in the last minute to head the winner by way of apology, or another 'can you smell burning?' moment (hopefully).
No. Maybe it's a bit dramatic to call it the beginning of the next Alex McLeish era, but there should be a definite shift in emphasis when Cardiff City roll into town.
For a few weeks now, since the Reading defeat, Big Eck has been peppering his conversations with words like 'dynamic', 'flair', 'speed', 'energy', 'legs' and - wait for it - 'goals'.
The manager's original approach to the Championship, bringing in the more battle-hardened and experienced players, has worked up to a point.
Now McLeish has tweaked a major tweak and added qualities that should see the side go on the front foot and attack more, with proper width and pace, and get bodies into the penalty area.
The midfield could be completely revamped, with just Lee Carsley surviving, and not even Sebastian Larsson sure of a place.
Watching Reading see off Watford last Friday, all their goals came from crosses into the box. They don't mess about in that respect; Blues have done - but maybe not any more.
If players like Scott Sinclair, Hameur Bouazza, Lee Bowyer and Keith Fahey - plus Robin Shroot, who made an encouraging debut - can bring verve, mobility and an 'attack first, defend later' mentality, we could see Blues turn into a Reading for the remaining chunk of the season.
Speaking to both Cameron Jerome and Marcus Bent, they are encouraged that McLeish has taken steps to throw off the shackles.
Kevin Phillips must be licking his lips. Get the ball into the areas where the strikers want it - regularly - swarm men into the last third and create space by moving and supporting . . . it all makes sense.
With the quality that Blues do have, if they can perform at a better tempo, higher up the pitch and ask questions of the opposition, then why shouldn't they start making it easier on themselves - and us - by scoring two, three, four goals?
Sure, it could backfire and it may well take some time for the new approach to take hold, and the new players to bed down. And McLeish, don't forget, is a pragmatist, he won't go all Barry Fry week in, week out.
But it will make a refreshing change, surely, to see a team buzzing about, going forward, instead of sideways, backwards and dropping deeper to grind it out.
On another issue, The Birmingham Mail's first live interactive blog during the Blues - Wolves match was declared a success.
So much so that we plan to continue the service at selected games throughout the season.
Thanks to all those who took part.
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Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum’s view of what’s going on at Birmingham City FC.
Why does it take over half a season to learn that this slow,waddling, one dimensional football will not work?
many fans have given up on him, and many are at a tipping point.
It won't take much for the crowd to turn on him.
The football is just uninspiring and boring.
Fingles - should be fickles :)
Seriously, we're third in the league which suggests it's not actually true that 'slow waddling' football didn't work! Yes, it's true that we should be playing better, but isn't that why McLeish has admitted as much, and said he'll do something about it, and bought in players who (we'll have to wait and see for real) on paper WILL do something about it?
Uninspiring and boring football that gets us promoted is something I'm willing to put up with, entertainment a la Norwich or Charlton, I'm not. There have been some boring displays, but it's not all that bad. The problem is the EXPECTATION. Sure, the Board have hyped things so far, and our Prem adventures whetted our appetites, but we're Birmingham City. Joys and Sorrows. Do we truly expect European football year in, year out? No. It'd be nice, though, and that's where our dreams have carried us away! Fans are too demanding now. We've all started panicking because it seems Wolves and Reading may take the top two places, and yet they may, but how anyone can start suggesting McLeish should go because we're 'only' third really must think Coppell and McCarthy are awful managers with no financial backing! Facts are all fans are at their 'tipping point' these days. Footballers' wages are such that clubs are charging more than ever for fans to see them play, so we all want more for our cash! That's understandable, but it was the mentality that success should be achieved NOW that got rid of Ranieri and Mourinho at Chelsea. Now, because Man U beat Chelsea 3-0, they want Scolari out too! Fans are never happy these days. So many wanted Bruce out, yet are now saying McLeish is worse than Bruce. Should we have kept him then? If we had, the same fans wouldn't have been happy! I'm more than happy to see how the January signings work out. I'm also a fan that was saddened to see us lose against Wolves the other night. I got cold, and irritated with Bent and Quashie, but I also loved Shroot's play, and the committment of Jerome. I am also impressed with McLeish's honesty, he has never denied the shortcomings of HIS team, and is openly making moves (seemingly fully backed by the Board) to sort it out. Keep Right On, and start whingeing if we drop out of the top six, not the top two!
Russ
Russ, yes,of course you are right what you say about results.But you have to admit we have been out played in most games.
The point is what would the Swansea coach(or Doncaster,Blackpool at al) do with the squad we have, which on papaer are far better than the players he has?
It has got to the point where we,as a family of ST holders,question if we want to go anymore, as the football is so boring and poor. Fed up of us being outplayed.For me, that is after 50 years of attending.
McLeish has brought in players, and although not the wjole squad is his, he,and his coaches, set the style of play.
We do not play as a team. We have strikers,midfield and defenders, and they are compartmentalised.
I am prepared to wait a bit longer before a letter goes off to the Board, but for all of their efforts to get the club going again, the on pitch displays are undermining it.
It's about results. You can't be outplayed in every game if you're challenging for automatic promotion. Fair play to Eck for admitting the way he went at first hasn't worked and he's doing something about it. If we start losing 4-3 will people be happy tho? Eck can only get players in who the board are happy to have within the budget. Imagine if they let him had £15 million to spend on the centre half and centre mid we need. Wolves have been built up over three years with no pressure and have had loads of luck this season. Same as Reading, no expectation on them, nobody cares, nobody moans
From what I've seen of them, Wolves play better football than Blues and are top of the table. It's not all down to luck. Just good management. But, barring Bowyer, I think Big Eck has made some good signings so far this month and, added to the quality he has already, is clearly trying to improve things (and 3rd isn't exactly a crisis is it?!) so perhaps the criticism should be held off until at least the end of the season!
I don't think Sullivan's comments last season about Blues getting £3 million for Bruce and then getting a better manager in McCleish helped at all. Now some fans are looking at Wigan and thinking, we should be there (well, perhaps not 7th but comfortable in the Prem at least). Such a ridiculous and unhelpful thing to say...and adding more pressure on the team this year.
Interesting that one of the 10 point plan is for a proffessional PR person to speak for the clib.
Messers Gold and Sullivan have made some really crass statements over the years.Far too remote from the fans with no understanding of what fans want or think.
Sorry Tatts but I didn't see much change on saturday, much the same rubbish that we saw against Swansea and Reading. Yes OK there were a couple of plus points in Bowyer and Fahey but these were far outweighed by the negatives. Why can't Blues do the simple things like pass five yards to a blue shirt, what was Maik Taylor doing kicking out of play from goal kicks. The side had no shape or balance, what chance did Bowyer and Carsley have in midfield against Cardiff's three. We were too slow in getting the ball to the wings and we kept pumping high balls to our smallest player. I could go on and on about Blues failings. What was McLeish doing dropping Queudrue for Murphy, he had an awful game.
Please can you get AM to answer some of these questions because from his post match interview on Blues World he did not seem to recognise how poorly the team played and seemed very complacent. He must have heard the 'what a load of rubbish' chant before we scored. There are a very great number of worried Blues fans out there, many of whom are calling for AM to go. One win in five matches is not promotion form. Let's have some answers.
Colin, in answer to your first question - the answer is no. Nothing is stirring. Same old hoofball as it's been all season.
I wonder whether at half time when Taylor had kicked the ball in to touch from a goal kick 6 out of 10 times and the other 4 had aimed at 5ft-nothing Kevin Philips who had unsurprisingly lost out to their 9ft-5 centre half, did anyone in the changing room say "Hang on a minute lads, this isn't working is it - lets try something else".
What on earth do Mcleish, Aitken and co do at half time? "Right fellas, that hasn't worked for 45 minutes - lets try it again for another 45"?
If I hadn't wasted my money on a season ticket this year and therefore have to go down, I certainly wouldn't be going out of choice. I am, for the first time in my 13 years as a season ticket holder, bored of watching Blues - and believe me, it hurst to say it.
Russ Hunt??