ALEX McLeish insists Birmingham City must get back to their harrying, high-tempo style over the next seven weeks – and not “wimp” out of the Premiership.
Much of Blues’ success under McLeish has been built on a strategy of getting in opponents’ faces, particularly at St Andrew’s. Of not letting them settle and generally being an unpleasant, difficult team to play against.
Against Bolton today, and in the remaining eight games of the relegation battle, that’s exactly what McLeish wants his side to be.
“We have to get back to what we do best and that is the harrying and hassling, getting the tempo high and pressing the opposition,” the manager said.
“If one or two of us are not doing that, then we are not the team I am used to seeing.
“I’d like to think we have a style of play that, when we use it, has been proved effective many times in the past, as in the cup games against West Ham and Arsenal.
“We need to get back to keeping clean sheets at St Andrew’s with the dogged resistance, the high tempo and the warriors I’ve seen at St. Andrew’s over the last two years. We don’t want to fail by being wimps.
“People say that to get over the finishing line is about five per cent technical improvement and 95 per cent mental strength and I would agree with that.
‘‘It’s that word confidence – if only we had a recipe for confidence. Experience will be key and we have experienced guys who have got the bottle to handle pressure situations.
‘‘If I am backing anyone to be in there leading things, it will be guys like Ferguson, Bowyer, Carr and Johnson. And we will be looking for match-winners. Game-breakers. People who can make a difference.”
Much will also depend upon the formation chosen by the manager in the remaining matches.
While stopping the opposition playing is one thing – one very important thing – you always have to score goals yourself, something Blues have clearly not done enough this season with just 28, the lowest in the Premiership, from 29 games and a paltry 14 from 15 at St Andrew’s.
Will McLeish be tempted to again deploy David Bentley in the role just off the main striker in which he made his name?
“We tried him there in the Everton game and he lasted only seven minutes and went off with a groin injury,” the manager said.
“Then we did it again towards the end of the Wigan game and it didn’t quite work out for us.
“We have considered that but it means you have to then play with one up and if you go 4-4-2 there is then a big dilemma in the midfielder with Fahey, Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Larsson, Bentley, Beausejour, all vying for four places.”
