Derby blues
The days tick by but the pain doesn't subside much.
Derby games do that to you. And judging from the expressions on the Blues players after Sunday's defeat by Villa, it had cut them to the core as well.
Don't think for a moment that Blues personnel didn't want this one. From the moment that determined James McFadden tackle crashed into Nigel Reo-Coker in the opening minutes you could see it.
Villa, though, have now won the last five fixtures, and three in a row at St Andrew's.
The gap between the sides is getting bigger when you account for the spending.
Martin O'Neill has been able to lavish more than £100 million in his time on players. He fielded three debutants in a £25 million defence.
Yet you would not have guessed that Blues were the supposed poor relations for the most part at St Andrew's.
Defensively they were excellent considering the handicaps, and in midfield Villa were made to look ordinary. How Martin Keown came to the conclusion that Stiliyan Petrov was 'pulling the strings' in his analysis on Match of the Day Two, heaven knows.
I got the impression that Villa were actually quite surprised by Blues keeness to pass and move, and the slick way they did so at times. They probably expected the Brummie Bashers on parade, an up and at 'em kind of scrap.
And afterwards, a couple of O'Neill's men paid a backhanded compliment by telling a Blues rival that if they had put together the kind of approach work Blues did, they believed they would have scored three or four goals.
Where Blues fell down was the marking at the fateful free-kick that presented Gabriel Agbonlahor with the winner.
And there were one or two decisions by Alex McLeish that didn't come off.
McLeish had originally intended to start a 4-4-2 with Christian Benitez. That was in the immediate aftermath of the Spurs game.
The plan was changed over the days as Benitez travelled to South American on international duty, Blues full-backs went down or stayed injured, and after further analysis of Villa's strength and power of their central midfield.
So it was 4-5-1 and I don't think that was so much the issue with most people.
James McFadden getting injured didn't help as he was growing as an influence.
But to play Lee Carsley, who came on, and Barry Ferguson in the same team, when the onus is on you at home, doesn't dovetail smoothly enough. Perhaps Gary McSheffrey, offering the balance and width on the left, would have been more suited to maintaining the balance.
Trevor Francis, commenting in the Sky Sports studio, said Benitez should have come on at the break. For me, when Villa made their switch to 4-4-2 by introducing John Carew in the 71st minute that was the perfect opportunity, to go like for like.
Instead, eight minutes later, Garry O'Connor was withdrawn, Benitez sent into the fray and had to plough away alone.
By now support was not as dynamic and Villa's defence was too comfortable. A more traditional twin spearhead could have given Blues fresh impetus and not left holes to exploit in midfield as Villa had adopted a more orthodox four in the centre.
Writing and pontificating with hindsight it is much easier, of course. And had Villa not got their break from the free-kick, we perhaps wouldn't be making such an issue of the tactical nuances.
McLeish has often been caught between a rock and a hard place, like Steve Bruce was before him. He was again on Sunday.
He can be too cautious at times, yet when he has made significant alterations in selection or on the hoof and they have come off, it's hardly remembered.
Having got to know him well enough, he's not from the school of chaos theory, nor a gambler. Decisions he takes are thought out and done with a method, for the right reasons.
Bruce also got stick, remember, for the old 'one off the front' and supposedly being tactically inflexible.
Managing Blues in the Premier League, you have to weigh up what's at your disposal and what the opposition could do to you it seems.
Oh for Blues to have had an Achille Emana or a Tuncay to provide them with some attacking thrust from deeper positions into the final third, whatever the formation.
And had McLeish been able to enjoy such luxury of splashing out the kind of £12 million fees O'Neill tends to drop here and there when he fancies, which should bring you the better quality of player, then he would be more confident in having a pop at sides like Villa and Spurs head on rather than seeking to ensure a tight affair and that the game hasn't gone away from you before you've even got a foothold.
Blues haven't got these sort of players peppered throughout the team and the squad. That's an ambition for the next window under new owners.
The derby wasn't a massacre, like last time. Blues were undermanned and makeshift in some departments, and deserved more for what they did, and for their endeavour.
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Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum’s view of what’s going on at Birmingham City FC.
The day after a Derby day defeat is always a difficult one to deal with but lets put it all in perspective. This year Micheal Jackson has died, millions are out of work and our soldiers keep getting blown up in Afghanistan. But to top it all the news that Gold wants to stay on after the takeover is the humdinger that us Blues fans really can't take the moment. Losing to V**** is nothing in comparison.
You dare to compare the loss of a football match to the loss of life or even unemployment??? You are despicable and your comment should be removed immediately!
Tatts, a very fair analysis. An opportunity missed for Blues I think, if only Big Eck had been a little bolder in the last 20 minutes. Up to the goal Villa had hardly any chances and they only got the two late chances because Blues were pushing for the equaliser. Overall I thought the team put in a great performance so I am not as down hearted as many of our fans seem to be. Three massive games coming up and then we may have a better idea of how Blues will fare this season.
F.A.O Bluebird
Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.
Fine and fair analysis. Some fans have got carried away blaming Eck. The truth is that we made a very expensive, arrogant bunch of posers look average and should have won and it was bad marking that gifted Vile the win. Young dived for the free kick as well and Hart was fouled in the penalty area at the end. Eck can only do so much with the resources he has had. Yeung has got to get the money out in January for three world class players (not like the donkeys O'Neill signs for £10m!)
I still think he's wasting McFadden on the left wing, need to get him closer to the goal so his skill and ability can do some real damage, him and Benitez would be a real handful.
I wonder how we'll adapt if he's out injured now? McSheffry in on left? or more likely Fahey and Carsley into the centre for some more defensive midfield.
Have to say I much prefer the style of play this season though, and Johnson looks awesome in defence, him and Quedrue best partnership since Upson and Cunningham
Tatts, What are BCFC going to do about all the loutish behaviour outside the ground that I witnessed ? Yobbo's breaking pop bottles and throwing them at each other, housebricks flying through the air ? the police hardly made any arrests (14 i think) why are thes louts not banned ? If the club are trying to attract families they must do this as a first step.
Phill that's a society problem not Blues. Every club have their louts. Villa fans were a disgrace as well. But is that Villa's fault? The Police wash their hands of it all the time. You can't ban fans unless they are identified. In the stadium that's easy than the streets outside if the police don't care.
DaveM. I hear what you say and partially agree with you, but why not ban the troublemakers from the different grounds ? I mean, as a citizen I deserve to be able to walk down Cattel Rd in peace, not dodging louts with bricks and hiding behind bus shelters. One lame-brain emptied McDonalds bin onto the floor, took out a glass bottle, smashed it and threw it at the villa fans. Are there no cameras outside of the ground ? something must be done surely.
must agree with you tatts,a fair reflection on the game as usual,we have to break the negative mode in a game sometime there is only so many games you need to try and hold out for the draw,and this was not one of them, when they switched to 4-4-2 we should have followed suit