Coventry City 1 Birmingham City 0: Colin Tattum's big match verdict

Feb 23 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

YOU can call the Championship what you like – an even competition, an average competition, an absorbing competition.

For Blues and their followers, it seems to be nothing but torture – and they’re still second in the table.

Something remains not right, not catastrophically wrong, yet neither smooth nor easy going.

Rival teams are not exactly tearing it up either. Problems are not exclusive to Blues.

But with their squad, their standing, their experience and the greater expectation on them than others – like it or lump it, it goes with the territory – they should not be losing in the manner they did at the Ricoh Arena.

And it followed a familiar pattern – Blues started the game apologetically, with a whimper almost, and found themselves a goal behind.

The winning goal, as it turned out, after just 59 seconds.

In trying to recover, they didn’t muster much and always found it difficult to counteract a highly motivated opponent who worked hard, out-hustled them and never allowed them to gain a stranglehold and do what they wanted.

The final delivery, whether it was a cross or pass, or a shot, was lacking and Coventry packed more of a punch.

Coventry and too many teams have led Blues a merry dance in too many games this season.

Blues have often made it hard for themselves and failed to live up to their reputation as the big fish.

Almost 4,250 fans made the short journey and left at boiling point.

Alex McLeish came under fire, and the dissatisfaction stoked by various frustrations this season, and the past couple in all reality, is unhealthy and won’t help the club achieve anything, let alone the optimism and unity that you need to move forward properly.

McLeish, as the manager, carries the can ultimately.

Blues just can’t seem to raise themselves well enough for games that matter, or deliver in them. It’s a recurring theme.

But there is a collective responsibility, down from the boardroom to the dressing room as well. There should be introspection by all.

It’s a joke that Blues have left themselves without a recognised right-back.

And if a centre-half has been needed for a while now, and the evidence was there at the Ricoh, then where is he? Explanations and/or excuses won’t wash any more.