[tommcneill]

Am I missing something here?

Everyone keeps saying it’s awful??

I don’t think it’s that bad at all. Half decent game for a local derby.

Few players not at the races granted but I’m not getting this is a ‘poor performance’ at all.

Townsend superb
Clarke, glad he’s back!
Molumby impressive

Grants goal just went in and that was superb. Great goal. The 10 mins before the goal I could see him getting more involved, involved in more incidents.

With this side when it doesn’t click your going to get 1-0 score lines

When it does click you will get 3 and 4-0 score lines. And you will get regularity with those scores aswell

Molumby reminds me of a Gary O’Neil type player. But I liked what I saw today from him.

[tommcneill]

Game just ended.

Still not getting it 

Blues came to spoil and hit us on the break. They had a few chances but apart from a 10 min spell in the 2nd half we were well in control of the game

[chipperclark]

Am I missing something here?

Everyone keeps saying it’s awful??

I don’t think it’s that bad at all. Half decent game for a local derby.

Few players not at the races granted but I’m not getting this is a ‘poor performance’ at all.

Townsend superb
Clarke, glad he’s back!
Molumby impressive

Grants goal just went in and that was superb. Great goal. The 10 mins before the goal I could see him getting more involved, involved in more incidents.

With this side when it doesn’t click your going to get 1-0 score lines

When it does click you will get 3 and 4-0 score lines. And you will get regularity with those scores aswell

Molumby reminds me of a Gary O’Neil type player. But I liked what I saw today from him.

agree a tough derby and 1 goal settled it . Really like the look of Molumby, could be a great asset

[LiamTheBaggie]

Wow! The negativity is staggering.

I’ve been out so not seen the game, but what I do see is a home win over a well-coached team after a dreadful performance at Stoke.

And a team that’s at least top of the league overnight.

God only knows what people would be saying if we were near the bottom of the table. It could easily be the case - look at Stoke a couple of years ago after spending £££s.

We’re not a great side. We will have to scrap to stay in contention this season. And winning games like this will be a big part of the story.

I can’t believe you’re criticising others for an opinion on a game you haven’t watched !!

[LiamTheBaggie]

It’s a win - another three points - but cow me, that was an awful game of football.

We were poor and Blues were worse. The fact this division is full of garbage will masquerade our performances

The other positive I took from that is that if we play like that every week we’ll have a lot more 3pm kick offs.

[TheBaggieMan]

Am I missing something here?

Everyone keeps saying it’s awful??

I don’t think it’s that bad at all. Half decent game for a local derby.

Few players not at the races granted but I’m not getting this is a ‘poor performance’ at all.

Townsend superb
Clarke, glad he’s back!
Molumby impressive

Grants goal just went in and that was superb. Great goal. The 10 mins before the goal I could see him getting more involved, involved in more incidents.

With this side when it doesn’t click your going to get 1-0 score lines

When it does click you will get 3 and 4-0 score lines. And you will get regularity with those scores aswell

Molumby reminds me of a Gary O’Neil type player. But I liked what I saw today from him.

Sorry Tom but you are missing something - you’ve  missed seeing a very poor performance of ‘hoofball’ like the large majority saw on here.

Yes, there were a couple of bright spots - Townsend’s contribution, Grant’s goal, Molumby’s substitute appearance but that was about it.

95% dismal performance all round and as for Hugill, well, I’d rather have HRK or Diagne than this excuse for a footballer. Contributed absolutely nothing.

[Adder]

Great finish for the goal from Grant who was good second half (nobody is going to get everything right in Ismael's system).
We have no pattern of play. Mowatt probably not fully fit at the start. We were better down the left with Clarke, Townsend and Grant.
Generally though a mess of a game.

[Oldbury24]

The majority of these players played decent football under Bilic at this level , yes its a derby but for a team thats come down from the PL 80 mins of Tonight was very poor footballing wise with a huge lack of coolness on the ball .
Frankly we are creating a lot of our own problems , the link from midfield to the front three was missing again Tonight .
Haven't seen anybody say about wonderful football just maybe a bit more actual football .

We had a wonderful few months under Slav playing some really good football.   But at the heart of that was a certain little Brazilian and an in form and fully fit Grady.   We also saw the emergence of Ferguson who was brilliant in that short period.   

Post Christmas it wasn't quite so good was it? and don't forget Blues outplayed us at their place and we were rescued by Austin's only real contribution of note.  You may have forgotten the return game at the Hawthorns post lockdown? It was AWFUL, utterly frustrating and without entertainment ending 0-0.

We have played some exhilarating football under Val, we have fought out scrappy points as well.  At the moment we are disjointed and struggling with our form but winning more than we lose (once).  Whilst we are winning games style is irrelevant.  Personally, I really hate playing well and losing.

[Dexy]

We had a wonderful few months under Slav playing some really good football.   But at the heart of that was a certain little Brazilian and an in form and fully fit Grady.   We also saw the emergence of Ferguson who was brilliant in that short period.   

Post Christmas it wasn't quite so good was it? and don't forget Blues outplayed us at their place and we were rescued by Austin's only real contribution of note.  You may have forgotten the return game at the Hawthorns post lockdown? It was AWFUL, utterly frustrating and without entertainment ending 0-0.

We have played some exhilarating football under Val, we have fought out scrappy points as well.  At the moment we are disjointed and struggling with our form but winning more than we lose (once).  Whilst we are winning games style is irrelevant.  Personally, I really hate playing well and losing.

You are correct those performances did tail off at  Xmas but I'd sooner watch that than aimless hoofing , no wonder the front three are on scraps lately .
These players can play decent football , I despair as our CB's launch another ball forward to nobody .
I feel like its building houses on sand , much like Pulis its points over performances and that never lasts long .
I've not seen anything exciting yet from Val , we've bullied a few teams granted .
I have huge respect for this level but its poor this season , most clubs are cash strapped while we kept the likes of Townsend . We should be better on the ball and control games to get Grant , Robinson and the likes in the game.

[wbastrollers]

Blues have been on a poor run. Bowyer recently commented they've struggled with general shape and game plans due to the nature of Championship fixtures and a lack of training time. If they're not organised after an international break they never will be.
I'm expecting a tough game against an organised side capable of springing a few traps. It's how we respond to those traps that will decide the outcome of a possible war of attrition. What I'm not expecting is an open and wildly entertaining encounter.

At the same time I'm hoping the crowd show a bit more patience than has been the case at times this season. Three points are what matters most for me tonight. I'm not a football purist but if we can bang a few in then great. At the same time I'd be happy with a one nil to get the points ball rolling again.

COYB  .

[wbastrollers]

I was quite impressed with this post before the game - I had similar thoughts at the time. However, I didn’t post because I didn’t want to believe what I was thinking. I desperately wanted us to win this derby - especially following our first loss this season against Stoke - there would have been total meltdown on these boards.
      Lo and behold the result was more or less exactly what Dan predicted.
He got it right because he had the foresight to put himself in Lee Bowyer position on how to approach this game. Actually, it wasn’t that difficult he only had to study the Millwall, Derby and Preston games using these games as a blue print and most important he had the time to execute his plan on the training pitch.
Adding as Dan correctly predicted a few traps!
However, the Swansea game this week will be a totally different proposition!

Oh, the traps, well, leaving 2 strikers on the halfway line at set pieces, forcing Val to cover these 2 and leaving a yawning gap between our 2 defenders and the  body of the team in and around the penalty area - any loose ball could then be hoofed for the 2 attackers to run onto. This play nearly cost us on 2 occasions.

[ttree30]

I can’t believe you’re criticising others for an opinion on a game you haven’t watched !!

I think you miss my point.

25 of them.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Vote now

[tommcneill]

Sorry Tom but you are missing something - you’ve  missed seeing a very poor performance of ‘hoofball’ like the large majority saw on here.

Yes, there were a couple of bright spots - Townsend’s contribution, Grant’s goal, Molumby’s substitute appearance but that was about it.

95% dismal performance all round and as for Hugill, well, I’d rather have HRK or Diagne than this excuse for a footballer. Contributed absolutely nothing.

Can’t agree at all I’m afraid.

I don’t think that performance is as bad as being made out in the slightest

[kc56wba]

It was a scrappy game no doubt about it but we won, which to me is the most important thing. Rather be in the top 2 after a scrappy couple of games than be mid table after playing pretty football and getting beat.

[hardtobeat]

Poor game , good result is the simplistic view. Considering we weren’t very good I never thought we were going to lose and SJ had probably his easiest night of the season .Blues came with little or no ambition and parked a Colmore Row of buses.
We were better after the withdrawal of Robinson and Mowatt which given the sacred cow status they are given by many may be seen as strange but IMO is true. Whilst Townsend was MoM his and Clarke’s seeming reluctance to play simple balls to Grant for the first hour the more so considering he was against a wingback that was much happier going forward than defending as was seen when we did bother to give him chance to run one on one in the latter stages. Whilst Hughill is a marmite of a player there is no doubt that when he appears from the bench he does seem to up the tempo of the whole team which suits the way we play. I’ve said before I don’t get the love in with Robinson his first touch is poor and his inability to hold the ball disqualify him from the central role indeed there were times last night when he seemed to get rid of the ball with no purpose rather than take a tack lead possibly win a free kick
Molumby showed the reasons he was signed and it was by far his best showing for us as of yet.
Overall I tend to think we are too quick to blame our M/F and not the forwards for our lack of creativity. So many times last night we had the ball centrally and nobody made themselves available for a pass resulting in the player on the ball being crowded out .

[iwastherein68]

Conor without a doubt

[LiamTheBaggie]

Best player on the pitch - Conor Townsend.

[gazberg]

Townsend easily

[skyclad99]

Townsend easily, but honourable mention for Clarke who was a solid presence in defence

[gazberg]

Townsend and Clarke on the left are a very useful pairing at this level

[baggiemart]

Great result but a very poor performance.  Up until the goal there was only one team that looked like scoring and that wasn't us !!

Just shows you how poor this league is if we keep putting in poor performances and still end up being in the top two.

[Atomic]

I'm fed up of people saying how bad this league is, it's the sixth or seventh best in Europe. It might not be the most technical or the best on the eye at times but the standard of players is very high. You only have to look at how comfortable our players look at international level. Except when you get to the finals stages of international tournaments the Championship is a step up from the majority of international football.

[gazberg]

It is a rubbish league though, outside of the top teams there are few shining lights, definitely poor overall.

Not as good as it was a few years back and will continue to decline until clubs recover from covid.

[Atomic]

It is a rubbish league though, outside of the top teams there are few shining lights, definitely poor overall.

Not as good as it was a few years back and will continue to decline until clubs recover from covid.

It is probably a bit weaker this season due mainly to Covid but overall its still a good standard. Our youngsters still can't break through.