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

Nov 23 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

YOU can imagine Roger Johnson in that famous scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail as the Black Knight, guarding the bridge and refusing to budge despite having both arms chopped off by King Arthur.

“It’s just a flesh wound,’’ he (John Cleese) insists, accusing King Arthur of being a “chicken” for not wanting to fight on.

He’s of the old breed of centre-half, is Johnson, Blues’ Black Knight.

With 11 minutes left and Blues having to protect their lead against an increasingly urgent and desperate Fulham side, Johnson was signalled to the bench. His number was held up, his mobility was not right because of a bash to the leg.

Johnson trudged over to the dugouts then did his own “just a flesh wound” routine – he decided he wasn’t coming off after all.

Lee Carsley put his tracksuit back on again, Alex McLeish held his arms out wide open. Boss over-ruled, substitution scrubbed.

Probably, deep down, Big Eck saw a bit of his old stubborn, craggy self as a player in Johnson and welcomed such pluck.

So Johnson carried on getting stuck into tackles, leaping for headers and putting himself on the line, alongside his impressively disciplined and determined team-mates, to ensure Blues saw the game out and clinched an important victory on an awfully wet and windy afternoon.

It’s not the first time, either, that Johnson has showed a high resistance to pain for the cause. He was stretchered off after taking the full force of a shot and then a follow-through knee to the chest and windpipe against Manchester City, but popped back up after a few minutes to resume hostilities in the thick of it.

As all was well that ended well, Johnson was vindicated. He knows his own body and had he felt he was putting Blues at risk – even though he did hobble about somewhat – he would not have continued.

But undeniably he has that warrior mentality, like a Tony Adams, the sort that marks him down as a future Blues captain.

Every team needs one of these galvanising types, especially at centre-half, and the eventual £5 million Blues will end up paying Cardiff City for him increasingly looks like money well spent.

The clean sheet earned was Blues’ fifth of the season – they only managed three all told last time in the Premier League – and only leaders Chelsea are currently meaner.

And on a day like Saturday, it was all about such endeavour to beat the opponents and make light of and adapt to the conditions.

The best move of the match brought the goal, delicately taken by Lee Bowyer, who timed his run beyond the defence perfectly to nudge James McFadden’s pass beyond Mark Schwarzer.

That was in the 16th minute of a first half that was evenly balanced. The slippery surface made it difficult for players to check their momentum and keep possession for considered periods.

After the interval, Fulham perked up and enjoyed a lot of the ball, but never did they really penetrate or pick their way through Blues at will. They reminded you of Tony Mowbray’s Albion – all pass, pamper, but no pain. Blues hardly threatened yet this was all about the result in the circumstances.