Birmingham (h) Review

Random star performer

Given what has gone before, the most pleasing aspect of this win was no one individual shone out, head and shoulders above his teammates. Instead this was very much a collective performance, the success of which lay in everyone giving their all for the greater good. A solid shape was maintained, runners were tracked and heads were put in places where it’s risky for heads to be.

That said, there were individuals among the group whose contributions are worthy of mention. Chief among them was Tom Trybull, who allied technical tidiness with a positional maturity, which belied it being his Championship debut. A very positive start.

Alongside Trybull, the Norwegian steel of Alex Tettey shielded the back four with reassuring solidity. That solidity was matched by the back 4. Klose and Zimmerman shut every Birmingham attack down at source, while Stieperman was a noticeable upgrade on James Husband at left back.

Moment of the match

This was a performance short on memorable and inspirational flashes of brilliance, built instead on doing the dirty stuff well. City were solid if not spectacular, but there were moments of genuine quality, including two delicate slide-rule, defence-splitting passes; one from Vrancic another from James Maddison, which deserved more than the corners they ultimately won.

Referee watch

Here are some words nobody expected to ever write, or read; Simon Hooper had a very good game. I feel dirty writing it, but there we are. Challenges that deserved bookings received them and when the situation warranted it, Hooper did well to take the sting out of a game which at times threatened to boil over.

Biggest positive to take

The capitulation at Millwall is gone and it appears that lessons have been learned. It cannot be repeated often enough that the Farkelife Webberlution will take time to bear fruit. There will be off-days, but it is essential when they come lessons are learned. This win and the manner in which it was achieved, suggests they are being.

Weekend whinge

Unlike that Millwall horror-show there was little to bemoan here. It would be nitpicking to note that had we been more clinical with the half-chances we created during the second-half there would have been no nerves of an undeserved equaliser, so I won’t say it.

Atmosphere rating

Developing. There were some excellent moments, including a hair-raising On The Ball City which felt like it flowed down from all sides of Carrow Road, as we entered the final throes and the visitors’ last-gasp aerial bombardment finally came. A new song for Nelson Oliveira alongside the growing Farkelife and Angus Gunn tribute highlights a growing connection between the Barclay and the players. Bring on Burton under the lights.

Summary

This was a jacket potato and beans Tuesday-night-tea rather than a fine-dining kind of win. It won’t live long in the memory, but it has provided nourishment and fuelled the development of this project into the coming weeks. A second win in 4 days over Burton Tuesday night would be an excellent dessert. A double-chocolate and peanut brownie type affair.