[Archived] Birmingham City At Home

[chaddyrovers]

Any changes to the side for anyone?

I would make only 1 change

Watt in for Grimes.

Stick with diamond shape midfield formation

[LewisF]

Steele

Marshall Ward Hanley Spurr

Lenihan

Bennett Evans

Gomez

Watt Graham

Think Duffy should be put on the bench for the pen. So should Gomez as he had a shocker but you can't really afford too knowing that if he has a good game he could be the match winner

2-0 Rovers (Graham, Ward)

[Amo]

I don't think Lambert will hang Duffy out to dry. He'll give him the chance to make amends.

[kiithwarrior]

Still don't understand how that's a Pen and ours weren't. So for me Duffy should play.

Another good home performance and result.

2-1 Rovers.

[LewisF]

Kiithwarrior, in regards to your claim about the penalties, absolutely spot on. Theirs was no worse than ours at the end. Defies belief

[tomphil]

Another tough game and I expect fatigue may play a part in this after the adrenalin of Saturday. Won't be a classic, post dingle games never seem to be these days.

Rovers 1 Brum 1

[Ribble Rover]

I see an easy win, 3-0.

[Dunnfc]

I'd play

Steeley

Marshy Duffy Hanley Spurry

E. Benny Hopey Lenny/Corry Conway

Browny Danny

[Tom]

Looked decent against Hull recently Donaldson is clumsy but capable of causing issues.

Close game I just hope we start positively.

[Mercer]

Brum will be tough, very tough.

Rowett has done a fantastic job there and they badly need a win to try and get back into top 6.

Think deciding factor will be the extra two days' rest Brum have had since defeating Hull last Thursday.

Would take a point but think we will lose this one by the odd goal.

[TheWeasel]

"Birmingham haven't kept a clean sheet at Blackburn in 56 league attempts" should be a doddle then...

Lenihan is going to have a huge task on his hands as he'll probably be on Jon Toral all game, he could really cause us some problems if he's allowed time and space on the ball. Donaldson is a big lump and a major handful on his day but the kind of striker Duffy and Hanley seem to prosper against.

Gonna say 2-1 Rovers

[trueblue]

Looked decent against Hull recently Donaldson is clumsy but capable of causing issues.

Close game I just hope we sorry positively.

You been on the sauce Tom ?

[sharpysharps]

need to restore that 11 point gap from the bottom 3. I think we will bounce back with a 2-1 win. Gomez and Graham.

Steele

Spurr

Hanley

Duffy

Marshall

Akpan

Lenihan

Bennett

Gomez

Watt

Graham

Gomez had a bit of a stinker at the weekend but he is definitely a luxury player. He will have those games but he will also win us a few and show his class.

[ABBEY]

Drop Duffy !!!!

[JBiz]

Drop Duffy !!!!

Why?

[ABBEY]

Because he's pants .

[JBiz]

Because he's pants .

Could you offer some reasoning for this? That could offer more to this discussion.

[AllRoverAsia]

The suggestions to drop Duffy are way off the mark. He is a dominant defensive aerial CB which is a major plus in the Championship. His long ball hoofball must be on PL instruction which Im ok with.

The penalty, which was a penalty, was down to a Dingle blind-siding Duffy. He was committed to the clearance way before Boyd arrived. If Duffy can up his game in the oppo box he would be immense.

EDIT: from a previous Duffy critic.

[rigger]

The suggestions to drop Duffy are way off the mark. He is a dominant defensive aerial CB which is a major plus in the Championship. His long ball hoofball must be on PL instruction which Im ok with.

The penalty, which was a penalty, was down to a Dingle blind-siding Duffy. He was committed to the clearance way before Boyd arrived. If Duffy can up his game in the oppo box he would be immense.

EDIT: from a previous Duffy critic.

I think it was more of a tired sloppy reaction, he was waiting for the ball to come to him, rather than him going to the ball.

[AllRoverAsia]

I think it was more of a tired sloppy reaction, he was waiting for the ball to come to him, rather than him going to the ball.

I watched in live on TV and on replay and also a few times on highlights. I think he just didn't see Boyd who after all just stuck a foot in to gain the foul. He looked to me to be committed to a clearance to Row Z Inbred Town and Boyd bested him. It happens. He's a defensive CB so don't expect him to think to much.

[arbitro]

Duffy (along with Hanley) has improved greatly under Lambert and whilst he is nowhere near the finished article he is at last showing that he can become a really good player. I can't understand how people can want him dropping for basically one error in Saturdays game. In the games leading up to Saturday he has been really good but people only want to focus on some negatives. I am delighted that our manager doesn't think like that.

I think it was more of a tired sloppy reaction, he was waiting for the ball to come to him, rather than him going to the ball.

Boyd came on his blind side. Duffy should have shown more awareness.

[ABBEY]

Could you offer some reasoning for this? That could offer more to this discussion.

as opposed to a one word argument of "why?"

aside from costing us the game on Saturday ...he cant distribute tball, he has a jelly heading skill and he makes big mistakes every game.

[rigger]

I watched in live on TV and on replay and also a few times on highlights. I think he just didn't see Boyd who after all just stuck a foot in to gain the foul. He looked to me to be committed to a clearance to Row Z Inbred Town and Boyd bested him. It happens. He's a defensive CB so don't expect him to think to much.

Obviously he didn't see Boyd, but if you are going to just clear your lines in that sort of situation, the player should attack the ball, not stand and wait for it to come to him. We shall have to agree to disagree on his culpability.

But I must stress that I would expect any player whatever their position, to be able to think, if only about football.

[JBiz]

as opposed to a one word argument of "why?"

aside from costing us the game on Saturday ...he cant distribute tball, he has a jelly heading skill and he makes big mistakes every game.

You said drop Duffy, I ask for a reason and it takes 3 posts to get anything to discuss.

I echo the other statements, he's got better this season and despite still being inconsistent- it makes more sense to perservere rather than stick the older short term lads in IMO.

I doubt burnley fans want ward dropping for pretty much the exact mistake - yet unpunished. His heading at times is bonkers but it's an area he's improving in.

I see quite a lot of promise in Duffy, as I said at the beginning of the season it would make sense to keep them playing together to develop an understanding and hopefully breed some consistency. They both have the raw materials, I think Duffy has a better touch than Hanley. Speaking of Hanley, another who many would've dropped or binned off, and IMO he's turned into a real fearsome leader.

Despite referring to Duffy as "biscuit tin head" on several occasions, I still find it bizarre to suggest the priority for tonight should be to drop him. I trust PLs choices and I can guarantee he will be looking at a much bigger picture.

[Mike Graham]

Unfortunately missing this due to illness. I hope it is on Radio Lancs.