Play-off heartache won’t detract from Birmingham’s efforts

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Birmingham City’s quest for promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking came to a disappointing end when they were knocked out of the play-offs by Blackpool.

Despite pulling the aggregate score back from 3-0 down to trailing 3-2 with 20 minutes remaining, the Blues were unable to get the goal needed to take the tie into extra-time as Iain Holloway’s men progressed to Wembley to take on West Ham next Saturday.

However, Birmingham’s fightback was a prime example of the character and the determination to defy the odds that they have developed under manager Chris Hughton over the past 12 months.

When City were relegated on the final day of last season, it began a summer of turmoil that would see major changes from top to bottom of the club.

Owner Carson Yeung was arrested in his native Hong Kong following allegations of money laundering, and with his assets being the subject of a criminal investigation – on top of the huge loss of revenue after falling out of the Premier League – it inevitably lead to asset-stripping at St. Andrews.

Key players in their Carling Cup triumph departed, with the likes of Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Cameron Jerome, Craig Gardner, Barry Ferguson and Ben Foster all moving on to pastures new.

It was too much for manager Alex McLeish, who decided to resign from his position. To make matters worse for Blues supporters, the Scot would eventually take charge of fiercest rivals Aston Villa.

Hughton was appointed as McLeish’s replacement, left with the task of stabilising the club following a traumatic few months and having to work with a threadbare squad preparing for life in the Championship.    

Why do teams suffer from Carling Cup hangovers?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Liverpool’s recent slump continued at the weekend when they suffered one of the shock defeats of the Premier League season, going down 2-1 to strugglers Wigan at Anfield.

That loss to the Latics made it five defeats in six league matches for Kenny Dalglish’s side, and all but ending any hopes that they had of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

The Reds have secured European football for next campaign following their Carling Cup triumph last month, which gave them a place in the Europa League – but their recent setbacks have coincided with their Wembley win over Cardiff City on penalties.

Four of those five losses have followed winning their first silverware in six years, and it has left many Liverpool fans wondering what the main issue is regarding their sudden downturn in fortunes.

But recent history shows that they are not the only side to suffer such a hangover after winning the League Cup as recent winners have also struggled to carry that momentum into the business end of the league season.    

Can McLeish win over Villa faithful?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

In a week where the managers have come under the microscope, there is one man in particular that has faced a big task in winning over his supporters.

Alex McLeish has struggled to win over Aston Villa fans since his move across the second city from fierce rivals Birmingham in the summer.

When his appointment was announced in June, the concern for the Villa faithful didn’t seem to be that he used to manage Birmingham, but that he managed to get them relegated twice in four years.

While a statistic like that could have made him a martyr at Villa Park, his arrival saw an increased scrutiny on the tactics he deploys and the style of football his teams adopt.  

What is your favourite rivalry?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

We’re all set for the last weekend of Premier League action before the international break, and there are some intriguing match-ups before the two-week interval.

Today’s early kick-off sees Liverpool travel to Everton for the Merseyside derby, and tomorrow Tottenham take on Arsenal at White Hart Lane in the battle to see who is the current king of North London.

These two matches epitomise the fierce and passionate rivalry that exists for many clubs in English football, and for supporters of the four clubs, these particular games always mean that little bit more.

But which one stands out above them all, not only domestically but also considering some of the famous rivalries from around the world?

Liverpool and Everton always contest passionate and physical encounters, with this fixture usually throwing up the odd sending off or two.

With both clubs having a rich history and not much to separate them in current circumstances, it has made the contests in recent years even more difficult to call.

For Arsenal and Spurs it is a similar situation; following years of Gunners’ dominance under Arsene Wenger, the gap has closed considerably.

This fixture also lives up to expectations – who can forget Arsenal’s 5-4 win at White Hart Lane in 2005, and Spurs salvaging a dramatic 4-4 draw at the Emirates back in 2008?

These are not the only great rivalries in English football; there is a rivalry in Manchester that is getting more contentious by the week.

After decades of superiority, Manchester United have always seemingly had the upper hand over Manchester City. Even when City last won the title back in 1968, United went on to win the European Cup in the same season.

However, with City re-emerging as a major force, these two will not only be fighting to be the kings of Manchester, but most probably the kings of England too.

The second city derby is another fascinating spectacle with Aston Villa and Birmingham providing plenty of talking points, especially in recent years.

How about incidents such as THAT goal that Peter Enckelman conceded at St. Andrews in 2002? Or Dion Dublin’s headbutt on Robbie Savage in the same season?

While the two sides will have their rivalry uncontested this campaign, the controversial decision by Villa to appoint Blues manager Alex McLeish as their new boss in the summer will have ensured it will not be forgotten in the forseeable future.

Then there is the derby between two different cities but is a rivalry that is intense as any other; when Sunderland and Newcastle face one another it always generates an incredible atmosphere between two of the most passionate sets of supporters around.

There are many rivalries that will catch the attention of neutrals and make the players realise just what the club means to the fans.

Both Nottingham Forest and Derby enjoyed great success under the legendary Brian Clough, but this doesn’t stop them enthralling fans in passionate Midland derbies.

West Ham and Milwall’s disdain from one another originated from the docks, but it now firmly exists on the pitch.

While in League One, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United may have gone through difficult times, but the passion within the Steel City derby.

Swansea City and Cardiff City may have been separated by the Swans’ promotion to the top flight in May, but their battle to be the best in Wales has made it one of the biggest hate-hate relationships in Britain.

Talking of Britain, can any of those mentioned contest with the Old Firm, where the hatred between Celtic and Rangers is fuelled not only by football and city loyalties, but also religion?

On a global scale, there are few bigger than the El Classico; not only are Real Madrid and Barcelona two of the biggest clubs on the planet, but it’s difficult to find any side better than those currently on show at the Bernabeu and Nou Camp. 

The great thing is that everyone has a rivalry that although may not get the same attention as some, it doesn’t take away what it means to those involved.

From Fenerbache v Galatassaray to Brighton v Crystal Palace; River Plate v Boca Juniors to Luton v Watford. Each rivalry may get different levels of attention, but it doesn’t make them any less special.

Without it, football just wouldn’t be the same.

So what do you think? What is your favourite rivalry in football? What are your best memories of rivalries that involve your clubs? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

Can Kean get Blackburn’s season going?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Blackburn Rovers travel to Fulham this afternoon knowing they have to overcome a difficult start to the season.

Steve Kean‘s side have suffered three straight defeats and find themselves rooted within the bottom three, albeit early days.

Home defeats to Wolves and Everton as well as a loss at Aston Villa have only gone to strengthen many people’s predictions of a season of struggle awaiting fans at Ewood Park.

It has led to questions marks being raised about whether or not Kean is up to the task of taking the Lancashire club forward.

The 43 year-old Scot acquired the job following the controversial sacking of Sam Allardyce, and there were links drawn from the fact that Kean had the same management as the club’s new owners Venky’s.

An Indian business that specialise in poultry may lead to humorous digs from outsiders, but the group, spearheaded by Chairwoman Anuradha Desai, have big aims for the club.

They have made it clear they envisage Champions League football being achieved over the next few years, despite a lack of huge investment into the playing staff that is usually required for such a thing.

However, it means that Kean needs to get the team and their season up and running, and before the end of the transfer window he managed to bring in two players that can make a big difference.

With all the furore and chaos that engulfed transfer deadline day, Rovers’ signing of Birmingham City defender Scott Dann seemed to have escaped the attentions of many observers.

But the 24 year-old centre-half is a very good player, and his importance in Birmingham’s side alongside Roger Johnson was underlined when he missed the second half of the season through injury and Alex McLeish‘s team relegated on the final day.

Dann’s arrival strenghtens a centre-back department that already contains the likes of Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba, so there shouldn’t be too many problems defensively.

The big issue is goals, which is the reason why they have secured the services of Yakubu on a season-long loan deal from Everton.

The Nigerian forward is the epitome of frustration; on his day he can cause nightmares for defences with his power, deceptive pace and a real eye for goal.

However, he can also go missing in action and criticism of his game has seen fans accuse him of laziness and not being fully committed to the cause.

But if Kean can get the best out of him, then Yakubu has the goals in him to fire Rovers away from a potential relegation battle.

Which is going to be crucial not only to Rovers, but also to the future of Kean himself.

So what do you think? Can Kean overcome a difficult start to the season and get Blackburn’s season going? Or do the club’s owners need to make another change to their managerial staff? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Summer review part two: Managers & owners bad as each other

Alex McLeish took an unorthodox approach to resigning as Birmingham manager

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Despite the season finishing a couple of weeks ago and no major international tournament to fill the void on the pitch, there has still been plenty of drama taking place off of it.

The managerial merry go-round has rarely been as busy as the past fortnight. Three current Premier League clubs have changed or are in the process of changing their manager, while two relegated sides have had to deal with issues within their hotseat.

Fulham lost their second choice manager and replaced him with their first choice.

Mark Hughes walked out of Craven Cottage citing the reason as being too ambitious as the reason for his departure.

Former Tottenham boss Martin Jol was appointed just 12 months after Mohammed Al Fayed missed out on getting him to take charge following Roy Hodgson’s exit to Liverpool.

After dropping out of the Premier League following finishing bottom of the table, West Ham got rid of the uninspiring Avram Grant and appointed Sam Allardyce to help them try and get back in the big time.

Meanwhile, Alex McLeish took the more modern approach to inform his bosses that he didn’t fancy doing another stint in the Championship when he resigned from his job at Birmingham City – via e-mail.

This has naturally enraged the Blues board, with acting chairman Peter Pannu refusing to accept the Scot’s resignation, and what makes it even worse is that he is now the favourite to take the vacant position at bitter rivals Aston Villa.

In fact, Villa have created enough managerial discussion to last all summer. Owner Randy Lerner sensibly decided that having Gerard Houllier return following another heart condition wasn’t a risk worth taking, for the Frenchman if not the club.

Since then there have been a host of names being linked with the job at Villa Park, which has either failed due to loyalty to another club (Roberto Martinez) or loyalty to the fans (the veto on interviewing the now-Nottingham Forest manager Steve McLaren.)

We haven’t even got onto Chelsea yet, and after the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti owner Roman Abramovich is seemingly playing the waiting game for Guus Hiddink to leave Turkey/get sacked by Turkey for a failing Euro 2012 campaign. Whatever comes first.

Through all of these sagas, we have our fair share of victims and egotists. Hughes has taken the plunge of leaving a secure job and seemingly failed, while the way McLeish has quit St Andrews is nothing short of insensitive.

However, if you undertake the consideration of putting sympathy in the company of the owners, then bear in mind the findings of a recent survey on Premier League managers.

It discovered that the average life of a top-flight boss is just two years, with many chairman and club boards quick to draw the gun on someone they don’t think is up to the task.

Fulham chairman Al Fayed was reportedly on the brink of sacking Hughes halfway through the season before an impressive away win at Stoke gave the Welshman enough time to build for a top-eight finish.

The problem is that managers and owners are as bad as one another.

The loyalty shown by Martinez to remain with Wigan with the Villa job at his feet was a rare sign of a quality that has disappeared in the modern game.

Managers feel they have to get the best out of what is becoming a short shelf life, while owners have to put financial security provided by Premier League football ahead of allowing a boss to get through a bad period – just ask Roberto Di Matteo.

Unfortunately, they will be quick to point the blame at one another when things go wrong before noting their own faults.

It’s a game of cat and mouse that can undermine the development of a club, and once again the fans that have to deal with the mess that’s created.

Their loyalty is something that can never disappear.

So what do you think? Are managers just as bad as owners when it comes to letting supporters down? Or do bosses have to develop a selfish side to maintain a long career? Let us know your thoughts.

What next for Birmingham City?

McLeish has suffered his second relegation as Birmingham manager

By Laurie Fitzgerald

After a thrilling final day that was billed as “Survival Sunday,” it was Birmingham City that joined Blackpool and West Ham United in being relegated from the Premier League.

Alex McLeish‘s side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane after a last-minute winner from Roman Pavlyuchenko.

That result, coupled with Wigan’s 1-0 win away at Stoke, meant that it was a third relegation in six seasons for the Blues.

Out of the trio of sides dropping into the Championship, it must be particularly perplexing for Birmingham fans to find themselves in this situation.

It was less than three months ago that the club experienced the ecstasy in beating Arsenal 2-1 in the Carling Cup final at Wembley, culminating in their first major silverware in 48 years.

That win also guaranteed European football at St. Andrew’s, but it will be in the second tier of English football – not seen since Millwall in 2004.

Ever since that famous day in February, Birmingham have seen their form slump in the league, with just two wins recorded in their last 12 games.

That run also saw just one point picked up in their final six matches, their last victory coming at home to Sunderland in mid-April.

One of the biggest reasons for their fall from grace are the injuries that the Blues have had to overcome.

The likes of Cameron Jerome, Nikola Zigic and Lee Bowyer have had spells on the sidelines, meaning that goals have been difficult to come by.

With just 37 goals all season, they are the lowest scorers in the Premier League and their profligacy in front of goal has proven costly.

Just how costly remains to be seen, with an estimated loss of between £30-50 million from television revenue in dropping from the top-flight.

However, the biggest turning point may have come in an innocuous moment in their Carling-Cup first-leg semi-final at West Ham back in January.

Scott Dann, who formed a crucial partnership at the heart of Birmingham’s defence, went off with a hamstring injury.

The damage was so severe that the former Coventry centre-back needed an operation, ruling him out for the rest of the campaign.

Since then, McLeish has tried different partners alongside Johnson, with Liam Ridgewell, Martin Jiranek and Curtis Davies all having a go at filling the void of 23 year-old Dann.

But 32 goals conceded in 17 league games tells it’s own story. They simply haven’t had the same defensive authority without Dann alongside Johnson.

Birmingham found goals were in short supply last season. But their brilliance at the back meant that they recorded many narrow wins, resulting in a ninth place finish.

Unfortunately, the dreaded second season syndrome has struck for City, and once again they plan for life back in the Championship.

It remains to be seen whether McLeish will be there to try and guide the club back to the Premier League like he did in 2009.

Blues owner Carson Yeung will look at what changes need to be made, but he knows that in McLeish he has a manager that has experience of getting this team out of the division.

There is also the issue of retaining the likes of Johnson, Dann, Ben Foster and Craig Gardener, who have played a big part in their success the past couple of years.

Whatever the squad looks like come August, the fans now hope the club make an instant return following relegation for a third time in a row.

So what do you think? What are the main reasons for Birmingham’s relegation? Will McLeish be there to try and take the Blues straight back up next season? Let us know your thoughts.

Who will stay in the Premier League?

Will Ian Holloway be smiling come 6pm this evening?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Tomorrow sees the climax to what has been an enthralling 2010/11 Premier League season.

Fans up and down the country have witnessed one of the most hard-fought campaigns since the inception of the league in 1992.

Going into the final day much has already been decided, with Manchester United winning their 19th title, becoming the most successful domestic team in the history of English football.

The top four has already been declared with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City making up the English representatives in next season’s Champions League.

There is still the issue of who will grab the final Europa League spot between Tottenham and Liverpool.

However, there is no doubt what end of the league the biggest drama will come from this afternoon.

Five teams are separated by just one point at the foot of the table, as we await which two teams will join West Ham in relegation to the Championship.

Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Blackpool and Wigan Athletic will be fighting for their top-flight lives today.

With four games deciding the fate of those involved, there are set to be plenty of twists and turns over a frantic couple of hours.

Shouts from the stands looks at those trying to avoid the Premier League trap door at the final hurdle:

Blackburn – 40pts, Goal difference -14: Rovers go into the final day knowing they are the best-placed of those still in danger.

Steve Kean’s men travel to Wolves where three points will ensure their status as a Premier League club next season.

Not only do they have more points than most of their rivals, but they also have a far superior goal difference which could prove crucial.

The players have stepped up to the task in recent wins, with crucial draws at West Ham and at home to Manchester United, as well as a priceless 1-0 win over local rivals Bolton.

Those five points have put them in the driving seat, but Kean and his men will know that a huge test awaits them at Molineux.

Key Player: Christopher Samba – the giant centre-half has lived up to his stature in the run-in, constantly putting his body on the line and delivering some towering displays.

Samba produced one of the best defensive performances of the season against West Ham a fortnight ago, and another game like that today will go a long way to keeping Rovers up.

Wolves – 40pts, -19: Mick McCarthy‘s side face fellow strugglers Blackburn with destiny in their own hands.

They sit in 16th place knowing that a win against Rovers will guarantee survival whatever happens elsewhere.

If they perform anything like how they have in the last few games, then the supporters will have nothing to worry about.

Seven points in their last three games, including back-t0-back wins over West Brom and Sunderland, have dragged Wolves out of the bottom three.

One more big effort will surely secure their third consecutive season in the Premier League for the first time.

Key Player: Jamie O’Hara – The on-loan Spurs midfielder has revitalised a Wolves side that was in desperate need of inspiration at the turn of the year.

The 24 year-old has delivered some outstanding performances in the heart of the side to help push the Midlands club to the brink of safety.

If Wolves do go on to stay up, it will surely be only a matter of time before the club try and tie up a permanent deal for O’Hara.

Birmingham City – 39 pts, -20: If there is one team that can be deemed more vulnerable than the others at the wrong end of the table it’s the Blues.

Just one point from their last five games means Alex McLeish‘s side only sit outside the relegation zone by a better goal difference of just one goal.

Last week’s 2-0 defeat at home to Fulham showed how the players are struggling to cope with the pressure.

Their final game sees them travel to White Hart Lane to take on a Spurs side that have lost just once at home all season.

But Birmingham know that with tough away trips for Blackpool and Wigan, a point may just be enough to survive.

Key Player: Ben Foster – The former Manchester United goalkeeper has come of age since making his move to St Andrews last summer.

The 28 year-old has produced a string of fine displays to have filled the hole left by Joe Hart in the Birmingham goal.

With a difficult final game in store, it seems likely that Foster will be called upon during the course of the 90 minutes at the Lane.

The former England stopper (temporarily at least) could be the difference between City staying up or going down.

Blackpool – 39pts, -21: When you need a result to stay in the top-flight, the last fixture you want is at Old Trafford.

However, it would be a fairytale way of securing a survival that only dreams are made of.

Nobody gave Blackpool a chance of survival at the start of the season, but Ian Holloway has inspired his troops to go into the final day with a fighting chance.

Those battling qualities have been demonstrated in their last two games with an impressive draw at Spurs followed by a thrilling 4-3 win over Bolton at Bloomfield Road.

With Manchester United set to field a weakened team on the eve of their Champions League final, the Seasider’s chances are greatly improved.

Key Player: DJ Campbell – Man United have scored in every home game this season, so it’s likely Blackpool will have to score to get a positive result.

Thankfully, in Campbell they have one of the top-scoring English strikers in the Premier League this season.

Only Darren Bent has scored more than Campbell’s 13 goals in the league, and his efforts in front of goal have given the team a chance of survival.

The 29 year-old grabbed a brace in last week’s win over Bolton, and is set to play a big part once again this afternoon.

Wigan – 39 pts, -22: At 5pm last Sunday, Wigan were in serious danger of ending their six-year stay in the Premier League.

Two goals behind at home to West Ham, it looked like Roberto Martinez was going to be planning for life in the Championship.

But the Latics were given a reprieve thanks to a wonderful comeback inspired by winger Charles N’Zogbia.

The Frenchman’s two goals helped give Wigan a 3-2 win that relegated the Hammers and give Martinez and his players the chance to fight another day.

A tough trip to the Britannia awaits them as they take on a Stoke side still reeling from their agonising FA Cup Final defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

Wigan will feel confident with the knowledge that although their two closest rivals also have away games, it is to teams higher than Tony Pulis’ side.

Key Player: Charles N’Zogbia – Who else? The 24 year-old winger has almost single-handedly kept the Latics survival hopes alive.

Having scored four goals in his last three games that have given Wigan five points, N’Zogbia will be relied on to reproduce his recent magic once again at the Britannia today.

So what do you think? How will the final day of the season pan out? Who will avoid the drop and who will fall into the Championship? Let us know your thoughts.

Carling Cup final preview: Birmingham City

This Sunday sees the first domestic cup final of the season as Birmingham City take on Arsenal at Wembley. Shouts From The Stands will preview both teams in preparation for the final. Tomorrow, Tony Alvarez will focus on the Gunners, but today Laurie Fitzgerald will look at the Blues’ chances of silverware this weekend.

 

Will Alex McLeish secure his first silverware as Birmingham boss on Sunday?

Birmingham City will go into this weekend’s Carling Cup final knowing that they have a chance of winning their first major domestic trophy in 48 years.

That League Cup success in 1963 may not have been witnessed by many Birmingham fans today, but although they go into Sunday’s game with Arsenal as overwhelming underdogs, there is no reason for them not to believe that a win is possible.

Manager Alex McLeish will know better than anyone that Arsenal will create chances at some point. But Ben Foster has gone a long way to fulfilling his huge potential. The 27 year-old has kept seven clean sheets this season, and he has experience of this sort of occasion.

Foster produced a man-of-the-match performance for Manchester United when they beat Tottenham in the 2009 final on penalties, and another big effort from the England goalkeeper and it will go a long way to helping City win.

Of course, how busy Foster will be depends on the defence in front of him. Centre-half Scott Dann was always going to be a massive loss when he was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.

But Martin Jiranek has come in to partner Roger Johnson in the heart of the defence and performed well, and with Liam Ridgewell and captain Stephen Carr using their experience, the Blues have managed to maintain a settled defence.

However, there are concerns about the fitness of Jiranek and Ridgewell going into the game, with thigh and calf injuries respectively.

With these fitness doubts in defence, it means more pressure is placed on the shoulders of Johnson.

The former Cardiff City centre-half has demonstrated in his two years in the top flight that he is an outstanding defender, time and producing towering performances that has made him one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

He will have a huge test to restrain Robin Van Persie, who will be fired up after being given the captain’s armband for the Gunners in the absence of Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal have scored 17 goals in the Premier League & Champions League, 11 of which has come from the Dutchman. He is Arsenal’s biggest threat, and Johnson has to find a way of preventing Van Persie having enough of the ball to do damage.

So much control of Arsenal’s possession is going to come through the midfield duo of Jack Wilshere and Alex Song. But any team will be boosted by the absence of Fabregas.

It’s not just his ability to maintain possession, but the way he is able to pick out a defence-splitting pass in the blink of an eye.

Barry Ferguson and Craig Gardner will know that if they do not let the Arsenal midfield settle, they can start to frustrate them.

Ferguson is an excellent ball-winner, and his ability to break up the opposition’s attack will make it more difficult for Arsene Wenger’s side to build momentum.

With David Bentley cup-tied, and doubts about the fitness of former Gunner Alexander Hleb, Sebastien Larsson looks set to continue at the right of midfield and Lee Bowyer set to come into the starting XI.

While there isn’t a lot of width in this quartet, it is a midfield that performed so consistently last season, hassling the opposition and breaking down play before hitting them on the counter-attack, and up against a side like Arsenal, this can work in Birmingham’s favour.

A big difference is the striking options that McLeish has available to him. Obafemi Martins has blistering pace that can really hurt the likes of Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci, and having the Nigerian alongside Cameron Jerome, a combination of pace and strength should not be underestimated.

Then there is Nikola Zigic. The 6ft 8in Serbian striker has been worked on by his team-mates and management since joining from Valencia to help toughen him up and use his enormous presence to his advantage.

It’s starting to work. Winners against West Ham and Stoke this month were achieved by Zigic by using his presence to get in amongst the opposition’s defence, making it difficult to defend with any aerial crosses.

Arsenal are fallible from set-pieces and for a side that doesn’t have many weaknesses this is something that McLeish will look to exploit. Zigic may not start, but bringing him on for the last 20-30 minutes could make the difference.

Birmingham will know that only their best will give them a chance of prevailing on Sunday afternoon. But they shouldn’t forget that their best is capable of securing one of the club’s greatest achievements.

So what do you think? Birmingham fans, how do you feel going into the final? What areas are going to give you the best chance of beating Arsenal? Where would a win on Sunday rank in the club’s history? Let us know your thoughts.

Can Birmingham cope without Dann?

By Tony Alvarez

Birmingham have been handed the worse possible news in that their star centre back Scott Dann will be out for the rest of the season following surgery on his hamstring which he damaged in Birmingham’s Carling cup semi final against West Ham.

To compound the misery a Dann less Birmingham were hammered away to Manchester United with their usual water tight defence conceding five.

Birmingham have often fielded the same back five for the most part of this season consisting of Steven Carr, Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Liam Ridgewell and Ben Foster behind them, even last season their backline was much the same although Joe Hart was the man between the sticks.

In the early stages of Dann’s lay off Liam Ridgewell has moved into centre back the position he used to play in at Villa and David Murphy has taken the left back slot.

However Birmingham have been a side that have prided themselves on being miserly at the back and picking up points although they don’t score too many goals.

But the early signs show that without Dann and a back line that has very seldom played together show that this defence may no longer be as hard to breach .

Although this article could be a bit harsh considering it was away at Old Trafford where they conceded five, something that could happen to any team if United are on a good day.

But and at the moment it’s a big but, should Birmingham lose their defence record with the loss of Dann it could also signal the end of their time in the Premiership.

With the club lying in 17^th place in the division just one point outside the relegation zone these are dangerous times for the Midlands club.

They may have been fortunate in that the loss of Dann came during the transfer window, of course they would not of wanted to lose a star player but at least at the moment they have a chance to replace him with a signing or a loan deal.

However should the potential problem not be sorted and the goals start flying in and the problem of scoring isn’t rectified then Birmingham will do well to avoid relegation.

What do you think? Is Scott Dann as big a loss as I make out? Will Birmingham get relegated should they start shipping goals? Would you replace him if you were in charge? Who would you bring in as cover for him? Let us know your thoughts.

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