Birmingham City: Aston Villa taught us a harsh lesson - McLeish

Sep 15 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

“That was disappointing because Villa never gave us any free headers in their box.

‘‘That’s the difference and we will keep drumming it into the players that you can’t get bullied in the box at these kind of situations.

“Going back to Spurs a couple of weeks ago, we had possession and rushed to take a throw-in in the last seconds when the game was done and we’d got a slice of the cake.

“Stephen Carr stumbled on the ball and, okay, that was unfortunate and can happen to anyone but we should have taken our time and put the throw down the line.”

Blues have scored only twice in five league games but McLeish said more would come.

“They have to. From the start of the season we have made chances and I would be worrying if we hadn’t been making chances,” he added.

“In terms of the mentality, the drive, the determination, the will, commitment – all these words, I could give you a hundred meaning the same thing – they have been tremendous, but I have not been disappointed with the quality as well.

“It is just those important moments, the lapses in concentration and decision-making.”