Birmingham City - West Brom Albion: Match Thread

[Josh1873]

What does YTS mean?

I've missed the last two games due to being away, sounds like we've played well and there's reason to be positive at our prospects of survival.

Youth Training Scheme

I don't understand this!

[Shabby Russian]

Last night was similar to a lot of the season.

A dogged competitive performance, which led to a very close game in which the result was still in doubt till the final whistle...the same as the vast majority of our games this season.

We have not won our fair share of these close games because of failings that have been evident for the last two seasons.

We find it difficult to score goals.
We struggle to change games positively from the subs bench.
We tend to struggle towards the end of games.
We have a catastrophic defensive error in us, that loses us points, think Charlton, Ipswich, Hull, Swansea, Southampton, Derby away. Even last night there was one..the Diakite header back to the keeper...luckily we got away with it last night.


As long as we keep our heads(no madcap in season chang,e of formations), play with the determination we showed last night and don't pick up any more significant injuries, I'm confident we will comfortably avoid relegation.

But let's not get into the business of arguing that we currently have a squad capable of promotion or that an improvement in "in game management" will make things hunky dory. Because there is no way in game management can stop players from making mistakes such as dropping an easy cross at a strikers feet or needlessly handling in the area or blazing over the bar from 2 yards out...because those are the kind of errors that are costing us points.

[TartanRug]

Last night was similar to a lot of the season.

A dogged competitive performance, which led to a very close game in which the result was still in doubt till the final whistle...the same as the vast majority of our games this season.

We have not won our fair share of these close games because of failings that have been evident for the last two seasons.

We find it difficult to score goals.
We struggle to change games positively from the subs bench.
We tend to struggle towards the end of games.
We have a catastrophic defensive error in us, that loses us points, think Charlton, Ipswich, Hull, Swansea, Southampton, Derby away. Even last night there was one..the Diakite header back to the keeper...luckily we got away with it last night.


As long as we keep our heads(no madcap in season chang,e of formations), play with the determination we showed last night and don't pick up any more significant injuries, I'm confident we will comfortably avoid relegation.

But let's not get into the business of arguing that we currently have a squad capable of promotion or that an improvement in "in game management" will make things hunky dory. Because there is no way in game management can stop players from making mistakes such as dropping an easy cross at a strikers feet or needlessly handling in the area or blazing over the bar from 2 yards out...because those are the kind of errors that are costing us points.

Are people saying we've currently got a squad capable of promotion? I think, if we can stay up this season, it's going to be the season after next before we can seriously challenge the top 6 and that's if we get recruitment right. That's ok with me as long as there's steady improvement.

[Johnny akes]

Most of our problems stem from the squad’s lack of quality in depth, virtually every sub we make weakens us which means we have to keep our better players on the pitch for longer: fatigue=concentration lapses=mistakes. Blues on the other hand were able to make changes which actually made them stronger, which (I’m guessing here) is probably the case for many of the teams in the top half. Whatever division we find ourselves in next season, our rebuild is going to take a lot longer than one or two transfer windows.

[HawkingsHalfpint]

Depth is just one problem. There are so many more.

Corberan managed to get a sweet tune out of the same midfield pairing, no one else has quite got them to tick yet. Successive managers have tickled but never solved the strikers problem. In wide areas we looked OK but with a semi-fit Jed and crocked Grant we now don’t, and the loss of three influential players minutes before the curtain call never made any team better. As I’ve said elsewhere, Ramsay is atoning for the sins of many a manger led by a now (thankfully departed) Donkey In Chief Kommandant. It’s a mountain to climb for him, but at least last night showed we still just about have the minerals. Blues threw everything at that last night.

[ElbowGrease73]

Most of our problems stem from the squad’s lack of quality in depth, virtually every sub we make weakens us which means we have to keep our better players on the pitch for longer: fatigue=concentration lapses=mistakes. Blues on the other hand were able to make changes which actually made them stronger, which (I’m guessing here) is probably the case for many of the teams in the top half. Whatever division we find ourselves in next season, our rebuild is going to take a lot longer than one or two transfer windows.

It's no surprise that Blues ended the game much stronger, as they had far better options off the bench than we did.

The biggest challenge is the lack of attacking options. This is the area that needs addressing most urgently in the close season, whichever division we find ourselves in.

[WorcsWBA]

What does YTS mean?

I've missed the last two games due to being away, sounds like we've played well and there's reason to be positive at our prospects of survival.

Youth Training Scheme

I don't understand this!

It was a government scheme for school-leavers some years back. He's having a dig at Eric Ramsay. 

It was a great, battling performance last night. Hopefully now he's got the defence organised (although we could do without them going down like ninepins), Eric can spend some time on making us more of an attacking threat, both in open play and from set pieces (which we know he excelled at when he was at Minnesota).

[1952]

Green shoots of optimism breaking out. Long may it continent.

[tHEgLASSdOORS]

It was the Tories paying people £29.50 for a weeks work and getting them off the UB40/JSA numbers

[AnelkasBeard]

Most of our problems stem from the squad’s lack of quality in depth, virtually every sub we make weakens us which means we have to keep our better players on the pitch for longer: fatigue=concentration lapses=mistakes. Blues on the other hand were able to make changes which actually made them stronger, which (I’m guessing here) is probably the case for many of the teams in the top half. Whatever division we find ourselves in next season, our rebuild is going to take a lot longer than one or two transfer windows.

It's no surprise that Blues ended the game much stronger, as they had far better options off the bench than we did.

The biggest challenge is the lack of attacking options. This is the area that needs addressing most urgently in the close season, whichever division we find ourselves in.

Not least because about 4 of them are out of contract. So we'll need to make changes by necessity.

I see this as a good thing, because it will free up wages and force the teams hand. I wouldn't mind keeping Grant and Jed on reduced deals, but Maja and sadly Dike need to be out of here.