Match Thread Birmingham City - Coventry City Match Thread - Sunday 4th Jan (20 Viewers)

[JohnWH]

Turn up and play confidently, clean passes, and with sharp crosses, bag a couple goals for the win. I've not liked the mood 'round here this week. Perk up lads.

 

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[wingy]

Turn up and play confidently, clean passes, and with sharp crosses, bag a couple goals for the win. I've not liked the mood 'round here this week. Perk up lads.

Have you seen the pitch lately, I watched something recently and it was a pretty site for the opposition?

 

[Covkid1968#]

Also worth noting if anybody is driving over

Be very careful where you leave your car - It is rife at the minute in that particular area of Birmingham for cars parked whilst the football is on to be stripped of their parts by local scruffs

It's a hot topic amongst Blues fans at the minute as it seems to be happening nearly every week and the police seem to have zero interest in doing more than the bare minimum to stamp it out

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2025-12-31/football-fan-parked-near-stadium-returns-to-find-car-stripped-by-thieves

Yes I come out of work in that area and thief’s are openly doing it in broad daylight. They don’t

 

[Paxman II]

Well I expect a much more 'normal' starting 11. So with that in mind, we turn our form back on and win comfortably. We are very familiar with this ground too! It's a home from home some might say...

 

[Boicey]

Pressures all on them for this one, prob their managers last game if they lose, early goal and back to how we should be playing, 3-1

We have a lot of pressure on this one. The difference between a win and a loss to our confidence in the next 3 or 4 is massive.

 

[quinn1971]

not really, this was probably the last game in a really tough run of games from November, get this one out of the way, get a rest with the FA cup and hopefully it’ll be a stronger looking squad from the leicester game, there’s no pressure on us yet, that’ll come about end of march

 

[Boicey]

not really, this was probably the last game in a really tough run of games from November, get this one out of the way, get a rest with the FA cup and hopefully it’ll be a stronger looking squad from the leicester game, there’s no pressure on us yet, that’ll come about end of march

We must inhabit different universes. The pressure is there right now. And it should be tbh.
Let's hope the fans don't turn too nasty too quickly. This team needs confidence and support because when heads drop it falls to pieces.

 

[Tommo1993]

Said it ages ago, the pressure will be there as long as we’re top, 1 point or 10 points clear.

 

[Gibbo]

They are good at home, rubbish away. In the last month we have been upper-mid table quality. Close game 1-0 either way. Fear the worst.

Even with JDS back I'd go three at the back

Rushworth

Thomas - Kitching - whoever Frank fancies

MVE Grimes, Torp, Rudoni JDS

Simms & EMC

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Back to the usual formation now players have been rested. Plus we could choose to give most of these players two weeks without a game if we play a weakened side in the Cup.

Saka can be a bit hit and miss away from home, but hopefully he'll have a good game. If Simms doesn't start ahead of Wright then Lampard isn't picking players on what they're showing on the pitch. Good to have JD back too. If Torp is still out Eccles to deputise, though I'd be tempted to try Eccles in the advanced position and Rudoni drop to the 8.

Hope we go back to pressing and the players show the confidence to pass or run forward with the ball more quickly than they have recently. I think this has been the biggest difference in our recent results compared to earlier in the season.

Can see it being another nervy, close game. I think we should win but we need to show the belief to go out there and do it.

 

[quinn1971]

We must inhabit different universes. The pressure is there right now. And it should be tbh.
Let's hope the fans don't turn too nasty too quickly. This team needs confidence and support because when heads drop it falls to pieces.

looks like it, the only pressure being put on them at the minute is from the fans,it’s the massive over reaction from some fans who expect us just to turn up and we’ll win, and why is it going to turn nasty ? If it does that’s not the players fault, they’re giving everything

 

[lord_garrincha]

Yes I come out of work in that area and thief’s are openly doing it in broad daylight. They don’t

Bloody hell... They're stealing the ends of sentences now!!!

 

[ptr]

Rushworth
MVE Hughes Kitching Dasilva
Grimes Torp
Casteldine
Abada Piroe Esse

Chuck them straight in Frank.

Leave Ferguson, Elliot and George on the mech for now.

 

[oneofourown]

I know this is usually used as an insult, but I think they will really see this as their cup final. They will be up for it. We need to be also.

I live in Digbeth and many of my neighbours and friends are blue-noses and I can honestly say they don't give a shoot about us, they are like Wrexham and completely dillusional one minute and suicidal the next. They are really pished off with their manager and quietly want us to win to push the board to fire him. As for the team Stansfield will start or be on the bench but like Ipswich and Charlton they will try to man mark Grimes, but nothing special is being done because of us.

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Won’t be registered in time for Sunday I don’t think.

 

[Boicey]

looks like it, the only pressure being put on them at the minute is from the fans,it’s the massive over reaction from some fans who expect us just to turn up and we’ll win, and why is it going to turn nasty ? If it does that’s not the players fault, they’re giving everything

We are trying to finish top 2, it's not that daft to expect us to beat a bottom 5 team is it? Or at least outplay them.
Well it might turn nasty because this is our chance to get promoted after 25 years. Any perception players aren't 100% committed and at their best increasingly won't go down well.

It's just the start of building pressure so they better get used to it and show what they're made of.

 

[quinn1971]

We are trying to finish top 2, it's not that daft to expect us to beat a bottom 5 team is it? Or at least outplay them.
Well it might turn nasty because this is our chance to get promoted after 25 years. Any perception players aren't 100% committed and at their best increasingly won't go down well.

It's just the start of building pressure so they better get used to it and show what they're made of.

Agree with all of that but you’ve got to be realistic, we weren’t outplaying anyone with that team against Charlton, and you’ve said it yourself, the only pressure being put on them is from us, they’ll be a lot more pressure than this, every player is 100% committed just some aren’t good enough to come in and keep the quality the Same, aim of the season was promotion and we’ll do it if that means autos or play offs, just stick with them, and it’s not just the players that need to step up, our atmosphere needs to change and quick,

 

[wingy]

Ellis said in his post match that he at least is excited for it.That we'll find out on Sunday?

 

[shmmeee]

We are trying to finish top 2, it's not that daft to expect us to beat a bottom 5 team is it? Or at least outplay them.
Well it might turn nasty because this is our chance to get promoted after 25 years. Any perception players aren't 100% committed and at their best increasingly won't go down well.

It's just the start of building pressure so they better get used to it and show what they're made of.

I mean the players might argue if they weren’t conmitted and at their best we wouldn’t have the best chance of being promoted in 25 years.

 

[baldy]

I live in Digbeth and many of my neighbours and friends are blue-noses and I can honestly say they don't give a shoot about us, they are like Wrexham and completely dillusional one minute and suicidal the next. They are really pished off with their manager and quietly want us to win to push the board to fire him. As for the team Stansfield will start or be on the bench but like Ipswich and Charlton they will try to man mark Grimes, but nothing special is being done because of us.

So Blues fans deep down want us to win? Okayyyy

 

[Sick Boy]

Well I expect a much more 'normal' starting 11. So with that in mind, we turn our form back on and win comfortably. We are very familiar with this ground too! It's a home from home some might say...

How many of the squad played there? It’s completely irrelevant these days.

 

[Macca]

Get it done, get a point (hopefully) and get a rest.

 

[Otis]

Get it done, get a point (hopefully) and get a rest.

I am hoping for all 3 points, but get the feeling we may well have to settle for a draw.

With Hull playing Watford and Middlesbrough playing Southampton, a draw might not be a bad thing at all.

Ipswich are away at Portsmouth and I just have this sneaky feeling that Pompey may well get something from that game.

Anyway, derby games can often be hard to predict, as a lot of it can end up being about blood and thunder and passion, rather than quality.

 

[wingy]

I am hoping for all 3 points, but get the feeling we may well have to settle for a draw.

With Hull playing Watford and Middlesbrough playing Southampton, a draw might not be a bad thing at all.

Ipswich are away at Portsmouth and I just have this sneaky feeling that Pompey may well get something from that game.

Anyway, derby games can often be hard to predict, as a lot of it can end up being about blood and thunder and passion, rather than quality.

Are they I thought they had 2 home games.Ipswich that is?

 

[Hobo]

We must inhabit different universes. The pressure is there right now. And it should be tbh.
Let's hope the fans don't turn too nasty too quickly. This team needs confidence and support because when heads drop it falls to pieces.

Like all football teams. Football is a confidence game. The fine margins of too much or too little is like having a sick carburetor on an engine.

 

[CCFC96]

Rushworth

MvE Thomas Kitching JDS

Eccles Grimes

Sakamoto Rudoni EMC

Simms

0-2 Simms and Rudoni

Davies on the brink of the sack, blues bottom of the form table, players arguing with fans after games. If we score early I think this one will be comfortable.

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Rushworth

MvE Thomas Kitching JDS

Eccles Grimes

Sakamoto Rudoni EMC

Simms

0-2 Simms and Rudoni

Davies on the brink of the sack, blues bottom of the form table, players arguing with fans after games. If we score early I think this one will be comfortable.

That’s a decent team. JDS is so important to how we play. He’s had a decent rest so we need him to help the team now.

 

[StrettoBoy]

They are good at home, rubbish away. In the last month we have been upper-mid table quality. Close game 1-0 either way. Fear the worst.

We haven’t been upper-mid table. We are 16th in the form table over the last 7 rounds of matches.

I also fear the worst, although I think it could go either way.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We haven’t been upper-mid table. We are 16th in the form table over the last 7 rounds of matches.

I also fear the worst, although I think it could go either way.

They are bottom of the same form table following an easier run of games and without illness ripping through the squad.

 

[StrettoBoy]

They are bottom of the same form table following an easier run of games and without illness ripping through the squad.

True but they haven’t been too bad at home.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

True but they haven’t been too bad at home.

No wins there in the last 3.

 

[StrettoBoy]

No wins there in the last 3.

We haven’t had an away win in our last 4.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We haven’t had an away win in our last 4.

Always got a pessimistic rebuttal eh

 

[wingy]

No wins there in the last 3.

What home wins?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

What home wins?

Yep. He’s right, before that they were very strong there and for a tired side like ours this is still a tough fixture, but it’s a relatively good time to go there.

Derby recently went there and came away with a point after playing with 10 men for an hour, for example.