Tigers too fierce for tepid Blues

Andy Munro on Blues’ 3-0 defeat at Hull City.

At the moment it seems to be one step forward and two steps back as Pep tries to turn us from the Brummie Bashers into the Blue Barca. It was also disturbing news to hear that the aging but influential Paco Herrera is leaving for personal reasons and unlikely to return – let’s hope it’s not a sign that the Spanish footballing Armada are leaving as the going gets tough.

In fairness to Pep, he is missing his two first choice central defenders and at the start of the season the board also failed to invest enough to buy the pacey forward we desperately need. However, the extra concern is whether the manager is just too nice to read the riot act after two inexcusably lukewarm performances against QPR and Hull City.

It seems that we are now being seen as an easy touch with no fire in our belly. That’s a worry and when we have a makeshift defence there has to be a holding midfielder to protect them, but at the same time a winger to cross the ball into Jutkiewicz. Jude Bellingham could be that man but in the meantime, surely he has to play down the middle to support the Juke leaving Maghoma as the winger of choice to balance a midfield of Bellingham, Crowley and Sunjic.

Bajrami seems to be doing okay in the circumstances but due to his inexperience, he always has a mistake in him. I might also be tempted to take Truman out of the firing line and give the much maligned Camp a go, not least to conserve the youngster’s confidence.

I do feel a bit sorry for Pep given our injuries but we are not exceptional in that regard and other teams seem to manage. Certainly, we need to get something from Blackburn with Leeds around the corner and the worry is that many of the teams at the bottom have started to garner some points.