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

[Frosty]

Birmingham City v Ipswich Town



Saturday 4th November 2023 – 15:00


St Andrews








Pre-Match Thoughts - Bluemike



Coming out of Portman Road Tuesday evening was such a weird feeling, nothing to do with the team selection or the borefest that followed, it wasn't even the fact we rolled over and showed little interest, for me it was the fact that I had completely forgotten what it feels like to have lost, I had a real problem processing it, it just doesn't happen to this team and on that basis it was completely alien to me.

For what it is worth I honestly feel the game was lost before a ball was kicked, Eleven changes from the team that took to the field against Plymouth Argyle shows the level of disregard the club and in particular Kieran McKenna had for the game, and to be honest who can blame them such is the league position we currently find ourselves in, Championship games have to take priority and I One Hundred percent get that, there is just a small part of me that feels could we not have at least competed a little bit more than we did, after all the last Fifteen minutes suggested with a stronger team we would have had a very good chance of taking another average Premier league scalp.

There really wasn't too many positives for the 28k fans present to take from the evenings events, Axel Tuanzebe looked ok at times, nothing more nothing less but he needs time, the rest of them showed that it is very hard to throw Eleven players together and expect anything more than what we got which had me bored to death if I am honest. I did like the look yet again of Elken Baggott when he came on, not just the goal but his defending, passing and general awareness is very impressive and surely it won't be too long before he is knocking on the first team door. There were a few other players who showed us why they are not currently in the starting Eleven on a regular basis but again One or Two changes and they may have looked decent but Eleven gives you little hope. I also thought Freddie Ladapo still looked a bit below full fitness so in that sense maybe the run out will have done him some good.

The other big plus from defeat is the fact highlighted by someone earlier in that the next round would have been at our busiest and dare I say it most crucial time of the season with games coming thick and fast, none more so than the derby game at Portman Road which has to take priority, no doubt the management will have taken all these factors into consideration when planning for the cup tie, and of course the risk of key players getting injured just doesn't bare thinking about so all in all I think with hindsight McKenna got it right and if we go to St Andrews and win then Tuesday's effort will be long forgotten by everyone.

A trip to Birmingham City looks appealing right now, talk about self destructing, just were the powers that be thinking ? John Eustace had City playing some good stuff and right up there with the leading pack, talk among their fans was of a good season at last and hope was once more returning, then in the blink of an eye change is made, Eustace goes on his way and Wayne Rooney rocks up to take over, I just don't get it and what follows is Three straight defeats and the team dropping down the table at a rate of knots, in fact it is true to say they are going down quicker than One of Rooney's whores.

Of course this run of poor form and results will be halted at some point and that makes them a bit of a dangerous Animal, they will be hell bent on addressing the slide as soon as possible and with us flying they will see us as a bit of a scalp so in that sense we need to be very aware of the threat they possess, add to that St Andrews has never really been a happy hunting ground for us in recent times so we need the real Ipswich Town to turn up here, hopefully the One from before the International as in the games against Bristol City & Plymouth Argyle we definitely lacked a little something, yes we won them both but at times rode our luck, I want to see the dominant Town return with a vengeance, the Town that was going to the Ninety Eighth minute and still looking fresh unlike our opponents, if we can get that back we should be fine.

Away from home we have been very tight defensively with only Two goals conceded and Four clean sheets already racked up, for me Jay Stansfield looks their brightest player and he leads the scoring with Four to his name already, he certainly has an edge to him too and puts it about a bit, Birmingham do find goals hard to come by and so far they have hit the next Sixteen times so if Town have their scoring boots on a couple could well seal the deal.

With Leicester City hosting Leeds Utd Friday evening it gives us a great opportunity to improve our situation, should Leeds lose and we win the gap would be twelve with the game in hand at Rotherham to come Tuesday evening, that would just be insane, even a draw would be good as that would also bring Leicester back into touching distance for us, but the main thing is we do our bit and worry about ourselves, everyone else should be worrying about us and maybe just maybe they may start to realise a little bit more respect should be afforded to us. A tight game but I see Town nicking it by the odd goal in Three. ""f*ck the Cup cus we're going up"" ""f*ck the Cup cus we're going up"" COYB'S


The Opposition – Birmingham City - Honours



League

Second Division / First Division / The Championship
Champions: 1892–93, 1920–21, 1947–48, 1954–55
Runners-up: 1893–94, 1900–01, 1902–03, 1971–72, 1984–85, 2006–07, 2008–09
Play-off winners: 2001–02

Third Division / Second Division
Champions: 1994–95
Runners-up: 1991–92

Cups

FA Cup
Runners-up: 1930–31, 1955–56

Football League Cup
Winners: 1962–63, 2010–11
Runners-up: 2000–01

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Runners-up: 1958–60, 1960–61

Associate Members' Cup / Football League Trophy
Winners: 1990–91, 1994–95

Birmingham Senior Cup
Winners: 1905

Football League South (wartime)
Champions: 1945–46


The Manager – Wayne Rooney








League Table as at 02.11.2023





Form Guide




Birmingham City




3 Oct Birmingham City 4 - 1 Huddersfield

6 Oct Birmingham City 3 - 1 West Brom

21 Oct Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Birmingham City

25 Oct Birmingham City 0 - 2 Hull City

28 Oct Southampton 3 - 1 Birmingham City




Ipswich Town




30 Sep Huddersfield 1 - 1 Ipswich Town

3 Oct Ipswich Town 3 - 0 Hull City

7 Oct Ipswich Town 4 - 2 Preston

25 Oct Bristol City 0 - 1 Ipswich Town

28 Oct Ipswich Town 3 - 2 Plymouth





Head to Head










Match referee – Leigh Doughty








BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 IPSWICH TOWN 2

[Cabanas Blue]

I'm going for a 1-3 Win for Town but can Rooney lose his first 4 games in charge ? I just hope so.

[marko69]

Loving the “dropping” analogy.

I voted draw above. Apologies. I too am thinking like Cannabis Blue, can they lose 4 in a row? Hmmm. Voted draw in the prediction League and Team M69 is lower table……. So —->> ITFC win.

But, 1-1 draw in Brum.


Caption:

Rooney: “This football shirt is horrendous by the way.”
Ref: “Lower it, Wayne. Lets see yer rotund belly you fat bstd!”

[Cabanas Blue]

Someone on the other site is saying we have illness in the camp, just hope it's not true ‍

[shabba]

Hladky, Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (C), Luongo, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst

[Andym]

Someone on the other site is saying we have illness in the camp, just hope it's not true ‍

Williams is ill apparently.

[Cabanas Blue]

No Williams or Edmondson, Clarke needs to step up we know how much he loves the club but improvement is needed.

[Charnwood]

It’s a strong line up but we’ll definitely miss Brandon Williams who’s been massive for us in recent games.

[Charnwood]

I’ve not watched Town TV pre match chat before but have watched some today and been so impressed with the pre match analysis especially from Ian Westlake which was so interesting and gave a great understanding of why we’re doing so well and why teams find us so difficult to play against. Kieran McKenna really is a genius, if only we can keep him our club really can go places.

[AzzurroMark]

1-0 and that's my prediction down the pan! Going to be one of those afternoons? Home fans will be more than buoyed by this!

[Bluemike]

That goal was coming, a bit fortunate but we haven't started yet, big test now but not feeling good tbh.
As I thought Stansfield the danger man.

[AzzurroMark]

Relying on EADT and BBC updates, sounds like we haven't even got out of the blocks yet and are fortunate not to have already picked up a booking or two!

[Bluemike]

Morsy is having a mare, given the ball away twice in really dangerous positions, we've seen zero from Broadhead, Chaplin and Hirst

[mendipblue]

We getting out fought out played. Hutchinson and Clarke on the right are a weakness. We need to start winning some 2nd balls

[hallamblue]

We are getting caught time and time again in that second phase of bring the ball out of defence … where they close us down quickly for a second time. Not really on our game atm

[Andym]

Relying on EADT and BBC updates, sounds like we haven't even got out of the blocks yet and are fortunate not to have already picked up a booking or two!

Likewise. Nearly paid to watch on my phone but with my eyesight it would be a waste of money
Sounds like we are really struggling.

[AzzurroMark]

Relying on EADT and BBC updates, sounds like we haven't even got out of the blocks yet and are fortunate not to have already picked up a booking or two!

Likewise. Nearly paid to watch on my phone but with my eyesight it would be a waste of money
Sounds like we are really struggling.

Indeed, stats say with quarter of the game gone that we've not had a shot, let alone one on target!

[Bluemike]

Jesus Broadhead should have scored from our only real effort but already a point today would be massive cus we are second best in every department so far.

[hallamblue]

How the hell is that CB not getting done for fouling Hirst ?

[hallamblue]

I think the time we had a review of how we build up our attacks . Opponents have our current way sussed now.

[Bluemike]

Luongo having a poor game

[hallamblue]

They’re all having a poor game. Our tactics have been sussed . We can barely get it over the half way line. We need to change what we’re doing . They’re allowing us that 1st phase coming out of defence but closing down the second phase snd looking to mop up the longer pass forward at that point.

[Bluemike]

They are but some have been woeful

[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.

[Bluemike]

Chaplin unlucky, nearly level

[Bluemike]

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

[Bluemike]

Morsy f**king hopeless today

[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!

[hallamblue]

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

[hallamblue]

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