Championship - Birmingham City FC vs Ipswich Town Preview & Matchday Thread

[Charnwood]

As Ian Westlake said in the preview everything that drives this team goes through Morsy & Luongo. If those two have a bad game especially on the same day that’s us f*cked. All credit to Rooney after three straight defeats, he’s certainly done his homework. It looks like McKenba has some work of his own to do at half time.

Yes Rooney has outwitted KM

There’s still a long way to go and plenty of time to turn this round. We’ve done it before and have already had a couple of good chances to be level. This game is far from over but their striker Stansfield is a massive danger.

[AzzurroMark]

Ah but can Birmingham keep this intensive high press going? Sounds to me (as well as the stats) that we are getting a foothold in the game now!

Lol I’m
Not getting that feeling right now I’ll admit

I'm only going on stats which have our possession up at 59% now. Indeed not everything, but certainly more encouraging. Also we've had 4 shots, granted only 1 on target, but that's still 4 more that we had after the first 25ish minutes!

[Andym]

Don’t know what you all think, but opponents seem to be do much quicker than us .

Not watching today but I think there are two types of town performance; slow and ponderous or quick movement. The latter of far more effective, but in fairness it’s down to the opposition - given space we move quickly. If not we can be painfully slow playing our possession game.

[Bluemike]

We did improve and Broadhead should have scored but all in all we were second best, nothing going forward from Davis and Clarke which is normally our strong point, Morsy and Luongo have been poor and I'd have Taylor on for second half, I also think we need to see Harness and Ladapo cus there's been zilch from Chaplin, Broadhead and Hirst which is partly down to the Midfield but when they have had the chance to do something it's been wasted every time. I think there could be a case for bringing Jackson on for Hutchinson too as his final ball hasn't cut it.

Birmingham have played well and got the high press spot on, hence our Midfield Two looking poor. Stansfield apart they aren't overly hurting us and the goal was fortunate how it fell for them but we need to massively improve to get anything today, I'd take a point all day long today.

[arana peligrosa]

it's disappointing to learn we're not only losing but seem not to be playing like we can. This has happened to us plenty times, we face an opposition who haven't won for many games and lo and behold they're ahead or hell forbid they go on to win and we get defeated by the same situation. After the cup exit, was really hoping for more.

That's a strong team we got out, more so than the Fulham game but for some reason we don't seem to be playing to our potential. We can't afford to drop points, Leicester losing last night provided a very good opportunity. We can overtake them in time ahead with a win today and the game in hand with it. More effort needed second period. We have the players and manager to do it, just needs that certain spark from somewhere to swing it round.

[Charnwood]

Basically they’ve completely stopped Morsy & Luongo from playing their normal game which means our engine isn’t functioning. To be honest they’ve closed us down pretty much all over the pitch but the question is can they do it for another 45 mins.
They’ve also played wide on both sides of the pitch which draws our players wide and creates more space for themselves in the middle of the pitch.

[Charnwood]

I’m just hoping McKenna and his team have spotted a way to change this to our advantage. I expect to see a significant improvement in the second half and maybe some fresh legs fairly early on.

[Bluemike]

Davis has got forward more this half already.

[Bluemike]

Game over, OG Burgess

[ashfordblue]

bring on Tuanzebe, Humpries, Harness, Jackson, & Taylor give Brumm something else to think about

[hallamblue]

Yes it came off Burgess who was running back towards our goal but WTF was Woolfie doing JOGGING backwards into space in the area FFS. THIS is what I hate about him, he marks thin air… and do f**king CASUAL!!!

[Charnwood]

Well that’s definitely f*cked it !
Who’d believe we be turned over easy by such a struggling side too.

[Bluemike]

Hirst constantly offside !

[Charnwood]

Can’t really blame the keeper for either goals.

[hallamblue]

We’re clueless

[Charnwood]

I don’t see us not scoring either but two may well be beyond us. In fact I don't remember conceding two away so far this season ?

[Bluemike]

Hladky saved it from being 3

[Bluemike]

Change it ffs this isn't working

[Ricco]

Had a bad feeling about this match, Ipswich just haven't been singing at their best and Birmingham never to be underestimated at theirs and wanting to turn around their form.

I think we need to buckle in for a bit of a ride over winter, we've not had a good winter for a long time. The pitches are getting softer, even with all the fake grass in them these days, they will still take sharpness from the players through the winter and it's a bit of a leveler and a big advantage for the more physical sides.

[Charnwood]

Change it ffs this isn't working

I’m amazed he’s not changed it sooner but to be fair I can’t believe how well Birmingham have played which must have taken us by surprise.

[Andym]

I don’t see us not scoring either but two may well be beyond us. In fact I don't remember conceding two away so far this season ?

I think we had only conceded 2 away all season before today.

[Denny61]

This is a wake up call..mckenna has to change tactics in games...change variations. Even if it takes the Mccarthys hoofball..teams now know if they press us.it will put us off our passing game..this is now will we find out what type of manager have we got and how to deal with it..

[Bluemike]

Who is the bloody commentator that keeps saying we aren't out of this ? Total knob

[hallamblue]

Do you know what, I’d rather have Donacian in st RB than bloody Clark!

Not sure why’ve are persisting with this pedestrian pace of walking football Either

[AzzurroMark]

You know, we're not out of this yet! (Puts tin hat on and flak jacket)

[Charnwood]

This is a wake up call..mckenna has to change tactics in games...change variations. Even if it takes the Mccarthys hoofball..teams now know if they press us.it will put us off our passing game..this is now will we find out what type of manager have we got and how to deal with it..

McKenna changes formations and tactics regularly in almost every game or has this eluded you. This is one of the reasons we are where we are. What he doesn’t change too often is his way of playing out from the back but that’s the way we usually create so much space to work in by drawing the opposition out of position.

Reality is we’re not good enough to win every game but teams that do rarely exist, not even Manchester City.

[hallamblue]

I want to shove that camera up that cameraman’s arse the amount of times he focuses on their bloody bench …. Always when we have the ball .

[Bluemike]

How did Chaplin not score there

[Bluemike]

Changes at last

[hallamblue]

Scarlett on …. Why bother