Blues lose again. Andy Munro shakes his head.
This appalling run (Fulham apart) seems to be never ending and one wonders whether the gypsies have returned with a vengeance. Yet again, we came out of the starting blocks like a three legged tortoise and were made to pay accordingly. The fact that our second half metamorphosis, ultimately unsuccessful however, was due to a switch in tactics was a worry. Surely, if we play with two out and out overlapping wing backs then we need to start rather than finish with 3-5-2. Is there an element of the Italian equivalent of “You don’t know what you’re doing“?
Listening to Zola on Radio West Midlands was like listening to a stereotypical Italian son who badly needed his Mama and a comforting plate of pasta. Yet, despite the unseemly sacking of Gary Rowett, we all want Zola to succeed because we all love to watch attractive football after years of footballing famine. Most Bluenoses are resigned to this season being one of mid-table consolidation but in the background we can start to hear the relegation trapdoor creaking..a real worry if we keep losing. It’s no use playing like Barcelona (or should that now be Paris St Germain?) and then getting results like Newport County. Criticism has to be slightly tempered in that bringing back Frei and starting Che Adams would have been a popular choice for many but the balance between a patched up central defence, two wingbacks and the midfield in the front just does not seem to work.
Next up is a real ‘big ‘un’ against QPR who also suffered from the opposite of the new manager bounce. Yet, Ollie would have been many people’s choice as a replacement for Rowett, which shows how unpredictable football can be. Let’s hope for the best but the problem is that you can’t buy confidence, as Villa are also finding out.
Finally, here’s an excerpt from Marketing Birmingham’s relocation blurb aimed at attracting businesses to the city…”Within 20 minutes from the Alexander Stadium you can proceed to Aston Villa’s ground to that of their cross-city rivals Birmingham City. Both teams crave a return to the Premier League – the race is on.” I can hear a voice in a strong Mancunian accent, in the background, clearly saying “You’re having a laugh”.
