Birmingham City 0, Stoke City 0: Colin Tattum's big match verdict

Aug 24 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

OF COURSE we all know it’s not quite like watching Brazil when Stoke City come to town.

In fact, it was more like a return to the Championship fare as the ball arrowed into Blues’ penalty area from Rory Delap’s elastic arms and an assortment of various crosses and set-plays.

That’s not to damn Stoke and their approach. It may have a limited shelf life in the top flight, but they are as rugged and as difficult an opponent as you would want to meet in this kind of mood.

It has been an age since I’ve seen a visiting team work so ferociously hard for so long to close space, get into the right areas defensively and basically never let up in their belief in what serves them well.

It was a tough test for Blues, and the requirements contrasted to what they’ve faced already on their return to the Premier League.

Missing Cameron Jerome and Gregory Vignal, as well as others, you got the feeling that Stoke sensed Blues were there for the taking.

You know, one of those ‘must-win’ games against the kind of teams expected to be there or thereabouts around you come Judgment Day.

Well, putting aside the fact that goals remain hard to come by, Blues emerged from this very physically demanding examination showing more fibre than a vat full of bran flakes.

Stephen Carr, asked to lessen the burden on Stuart Parnaby by playing out of position at left-back, was immense. Scurrying, tackling, bumping, barging, leaping; he was not about to concede an inch.

Franck Queudrue, who most of us had basically bid ‘adieu’ to as a Premier League performer, was again inspiring as the team talisman. And another near-flawless and determinedly efficient display of the centre-half’s art by Roger Johnson should not go without mention either.

Two years ago, Blues would probably have buckled against this sort of relentless opposition, never mind whether Stoke were or were not lacking in real quality.