Decisions, decisions
The guessing game has started.
Who does Alex McLeish pick for the second bite of the cherry at Reading?
It's (again) win or bust, and there are important decisions to get right in the forward areas.
Before we get onto that, a quick point from the Preston North End game and the decision making in the wake of Lee Bowyer's sending-off.
Why didn't Eck shut it down and send on Lee Carsley with Blues 1-0 up? He's taken flak for it, and from this reporter too.
So I asked him and, in fairness, unlike some managers who bristle at the slightest hint of criticism, he answered.
"For clarity's sake, he was going on and it was something we had considered," said McLeish.
"We were having a look at the pattern of the game first and, unfortunately, Paul McKenna scored his 'worldie'. The timing was out, and when it was 1-1 we obviously had to change tactics to try and get another goal, which we almost did."
There were eight minutes between the red cards for Bowyer and Lee Williamson and McKenna's goal.
Both teams went 4-3-2 and the management team asked that one of the forwards dropped into midfield to help, to track back, once possession had been lost.
Said McLeish: "You can't beat yourself up about it, because you'll never know it that decision would have won us it. You'll always wonder.
"Don't get me wrong, I have beat myself up about that one as well.
"The game did become a bit open and, as they say, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
"Most decisions we have got right this season.
"We understand that people might only remember other ones, but that's the fickleness of football, I am not going to criticise or argue about that. That's the nature of football.
"Maybe, maybe no. If we had lost a goal in that way, 4-4-1, people would have said 'he's gone so negative; 10 against 10 is the same as 11 against 11'.
"The 4-4-1, we will always wonder. And apparently that was McKenna's first shot at goal all season.
"These are the fine lines. 'Why did you not stick Lee Carsley on?', 'why did Cameron Jerome not score?', 'why did Radhi Jaidi go rashly at the free-kick, because Reading would be out of it now?'
"We could have had a penalty, a push in the back on Cameron by Sean St Ledger. You saw the Sheffield United one we had against us; that was worse. Fine lines."
The fine lines are even finer now as we prepare for the Madejski Stadium showdown.
McLeish has to try and find the right balance for his team. They can't be too safe, they can't be too open.
Blues certainly want their best finisher and goalscorer on the pitch for the maximum amount of time, so that means Kevin Phillips is sure to start.
Garry O'Connor hasn't rekindled his form of earlier in the season since returning from injury, so that is possibly where at least one change comes.
Personally, with Bowyer suspended, I'd shove Keith Fahey inside and put James McFadden on the flank. The Damien Johnson and Carsley combo in the centre is a little too samey, and Blues need as much creativity as they can muster for me.
McLeish and his staff also have to second guess Reading. They know their tactics will revolve around trying to get players moving down the sides of the centre-halves, who are hardly blessed with lightning quick pace on the turn.
Defensive positioning, in midfield as well as at the back, is going to be another big factor.
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Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum’s view of what’s going on at Birmingham City FC.
If i was one of the playing staff at Blues now i'd take enough motivation from Kitson opening his big mouth saying the Blues would choke on sunday. perhaps a mention to the lads from big eck on match day will see Kitson eating his words! KRO
The headline mentioned choke whereas I don't think the actually quotes did ?
Great to hear AM's views and credit to him for being open.
He has been a reactive rather than proactive manager for my liking too often though.
Carsley on for an already tired O'Connor would only have helped Johnson and Fahey with the threat of McFadden and Jerome still going forward.
Fortunately we are still in pole position for Sunday.
Big game calls for your big players to step up to the fore
Agree with Scoobers. One thing Eck does is take notice of what people say and is big enough to explain his thinking in a non patronising manner. Cheers Tatts for providing the info and asking him. I don't think he's been that bad tactically this season he's been let down by players who haven't performed more so and injuries to the wrong people at the wrong time. Preston was one of those games for me hopefully we will get some luck at Reading.
Tatts, whats the situation with Larson. If he`s out, then it must be Faddy on the right, Carsley & Jonty centre mid, Philips & Jerome up front
KRO
He choked, now he's admitting he choked. For "We were having a look at the pattern of the game" read we didn't know what to do so we did nothing. Unforgivable in such a big game.
As for the piece about Phillips starting, we started Saturday with our top two scorers on the bench. Don't rule out a start for Costly such is the state of our management team.
Cant believe comments like the last one, but then again. He didn't 'choke' it was circumstances of no one running with McKenna and Taylor rooted to the spot, Jerome's miss etc McLeish has won us more games than he's lost with his subs and selections. Tell you one thing, when he goes driven out by fans and a jumpy board you watch what happens we will start to do a Charlton. Next bloke who comes in hasn't a prayer with Blues fans the way they are