Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-12 16:41
Lawro: Birmingham will draw with Everton
BBC footbal pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted that Birmingham City will draw against Everton.
He told BBC Sport Online: “Both teams are on good runs at the moment. They are next to each other in the league, with Birmingham eighth and Everton ninth, which adds extra importance to the game. I think this will be tight. [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-12 14:57
McLeish laughs off trio exit report
Alex McLeish has laughed off reports that West Ham want to sign three Birmingham players.
Press reports had claimed that former club owners David Sullivan and David Gold want to sign Liam Ridgewell, Sebastian Larsson and Christian Benitez in the summer.
McLeish said: “I’m not annoyed. It’s good fun, all part of the banter.
“I’m not surprised by [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-12 14:26
Watto’s Preview: Birmingham City vs Everton
This match has that ‘big’ feel about it, which I’m sure the Everton fans, players and management are also aware. Everton are on a magnificent run and only have the cup defeat by Blues since the New Year blemishing a record which has seen their manager receiving the Manager of the month for February. David [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-11 15:41
Parnaby suffers injury blow
Birmingham’s Stuart Parnaby could be facing another spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
Parnaby picked up the injury in the 2-1 win against Portsmouth on Tuesday night.
Alex McLeish said: “I’m really gutted for Stuart. He’s felt as good as he has the whole season this past couple of weeks.
“He’s had problems with his back [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-10 15:56
Birmingham Player Ratings vs Pompey
Hart (7) Great save at the end
Parnaby (7) Good return but injured again
Johnson (7) Good game spoilt by goal by Kanu.
Dann (8) Back to his cultured best
Ridgewell (8) Looks like a proper full back.
Gardner (7) Full of energy brought new dimension
Michel (9) * Sped up Blues passing with great effect.
Ferguson [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-10 15:26
Watto’s Report: Portsmouth 1-2 Birmingham City
Blues were nothing short of sensational in this Fratton Park re-run as they overcame the Pompey enthusiasm and the loss of the Captain Carr, and fellow 30 plus legs of Bowyer and Phillips.
In came Chucho, Gardner and the eagerly awaited Michel plus the long term injury victim Parnaby. The Spaniard was sensational and brought the [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-10 12:57
McLeish: Benitez is looking dangerous
Alex McLeish praised Christian Benitez after he helped Birmingham to victory at Portsmouth.
The striker was a constant threat to the Pompey defence and set up Cameron Jerome for both of his goals. Benitez nearly got on the scoresheet when he rounded David James, only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle from Hermann Hreidarsson.
He said: [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-09 13:27
Gardner and Michel to start against Portsmouth?
Alex McLeish has hinted that he could be set to make changes to his Birmingham City side.
The Blues face Portsmouth again this evening, with Michel and Craig Gardner said to be handed starting berths in midfield.
McLeish told the Birmingham Mail: “There’s maybe a bit of tiredness and it is understandable after such a long spell [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-08 16:56
Watto’s Preview: Portsmouth vs Birmingham City
If the blind incompetent linesman from Saturday has done anything for Blues it may just be the sympathy that Pompey enjoyed, will move in Blues direction for the ‘replay’ at Fratton on Tuesday night. While we can’t expect linesmen’s incorrect decisions to start going in our favour and winning us games (like some teams) we [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-07 01:41
Birmingham City Player Ratings vs Portsmouth
Hart (6) Not happy with first goal
Carr (6) He and Larsson were like strangers
Johnson (6) Poor effort for second goal
Dann (5) Unsure and at fault with first goal
Ridgewell (7) * Should have buried disallowed goal.
Larsson (5) Poor in play and restarts
Bowyer (6) Looked the most creative
Ferguson (5) Not at his best by a [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-06 23:11
Watto’s Report: Portsmouth 2-0 Birmingham City
Well the media have still got their story. ITV especially, who have dismissed Blues all season have no Man U, Liverpool or Arsenal to drool over and so the Pompey story is manna from heaven. I can assure you that all the 3000 Blues’ fans at Fratton Park today were wanting and hoping for Blues [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-06 15:41
THE TEAMS: Portsmouth vs Birmingham City
Birmingham boss name the same side that beat Wigan last week for the FA Cup clash against Portsmouth.
Portsmouth: James, Finnan, Ben-Haim, Hreidarsson, Belhadj, Brown, Wilson, O’Hara, Webber, Piquionne, Utaka.
Subs: Ashdown, Mullins, Diop, Owusu-Abeyie, Dindane, Kanu, Basinas.
Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, Fahey, McFadden, Jerome.
Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Phillips, Benitez, Michel, Parnaby, Gardner.
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-05 17:11
Watto’s Preview: Portsmouth vs Birmingham City
Incredibly the number of Blues fans to witness the team’s Cup run will reach around 25,000 when the final whistle blows at Fratton Park. That relates to about 10,000 different people having attended and should Blues win through to Wembley there will be 50,000 who claim to have seen every game. Would Blues then deserve [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-05 14:11
Lawro: Birmingham City will lose to Portsmouth
BBC football pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted that Birmingham City will lose at Portsmouth.
He told BBC Sport Online: “From the Portsmouth point of view, there’s no pressure at all. If they can get through this tie, it’ll be more money for the club, and a lot of them are in the shop window, playing to [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-04 19:11
McLeish: We want to keep Joe Hart
Alex McLeish is still hoping to keep Joe Hart at Birmingham for another season.
The keeper, currently on loan at St Andrews from Manchester City was tipped to feature for England in last night’s friendly against Egypt, but West Ham’s Robert Green played the full 90 minutes.
McLeish said: “It is up to Fabio Capello. Joe will [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-04 18:41
England footballing legends express their pride
With less than 100 days to go before the World Cup starts, football fans are starting to get hungry - and Mars are offering one fan to be their offical reporter at England’s pre South Africa training camp.
Despite the fact they are genuine football legends, the interviewing and visual style that has have adopted represents [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-03 20:26
Slovenian starlets spend time at Blues
Slovenian youngsters Rok Sirk and Miha Blazic have been on trial with Birmingham.
The pair, both 16 are currently contracted to Slovenian champions Maribor and have also represented their country at Under-17 level.
“For Rok, this is a great opportunity,” Sirk’s manager, Nusret Jashari told Nogomania.
“It is hard to say anything at this moment but I can [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-03 17:56
Go-Concierge answers World Cup travel woes
With less than 100 days until the start of the World Cup in South Africa, many people will be thinking seriously about their plans for the football tournament. Despite massive investment in the country’s infrastructure, there are still concerns about South Africa’s ability to transport the 3 million fans while they’re there.
The country’s lack of [...]
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-03-02 17:26
Ridgewell escapes FA action
Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell won’t face FA action over his challenge on James McCarthy.
A Football Association spokesman said: “The FA are to take no action against Liam Ridgewell because the referee saw the incident and dealt with the situation at the time.”
Birmingham City Bluesnet
2010-02-28 01:56
Watto’s Report: Birmingham City 1-0 Wigan Athletic
3 points is three points and as I said in my preview this was a tricky fixture full of Banana skin possibilities therefore we will take the 40 points we have and move on. If there is anything to take from this performance it was the resilience and determination that was Blues trade mark has [...]