Birmingham City 1, Bolton 2: Colin Tattum's big match verdict

Sep 28 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

IF ONLY it were as simple as 4-4-2 rather than 4-5-1.

It was not so much formations that undid Blues for a second successive home game as lack of care, concentration, tempo and execution.

And to give Bolton their due, they may be relatively ordinary but they were strong, organised and effective in making it tough for Blues, especially with the advantage of an early goal to cherish.

But, at home, Blues fans – and this was the biggest St Andrew’s crowd in 18 months – want the team to have more abandon and use a twin spearhead.

The case to start with Garry O’Connor and Christian Benitez, who have formed a decent partnership, was a strong one. Instead, surprisingly, only Chucho began, with Lee Bowyer asked to get up to provide the primary support.

The fans chanted ‘4-4-2, 4-4-2’, a little in the first half, then louder in the second.

They see caution and intransigence in Alex McLeish – why, Barry Fry would have sent three wingers on by the 25th minute – yet the manager believes to win the midfield battle is crucial, and to do that with the personnel available Blues need to have numbers, especially against a Bolton. Then you can open it up, is his reasoning.

It makes sense, sure, and Blues did have the better of it in terms of goal scares when set out that way – Keith Fahey struck the crossbar, Jussi Jaaskelainen made a good save from a deflected Barry Ferguson header.