Birmingham preview / line up / subs time!

So in eight days we begin season 248812949181 stuck in this ridiculous league. Will we ever get out of it? Probably not this season either way if I'm being realistic....

I think we've added quite well this summer however are probably lacking a little quality at this time of writing. Hopefully I can edit this and we have two more through the door for Brum. The Charlton game will reveal a little more so maybe an odd time of writing this however it's 8.19am, my mrs has gone to " boot camp " - sod that for a morning so I'm thinking all things ITFC right now.

Birmingham are a hard side to predict and you'd imagine under Redknapp they will have all sorts coming in probably through to very late in the day. A good manager but not a character I like, he wouldn't have gone there without a budget to achieve.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/birmingham-city/transfers/verein/337/saison_id/2017 - good site this for all clubs wheeling and dealing. They seem to be adding quite well. If you think it's hard to predict where we'll finish, I'd say they could come anywhere from 5-20 themselves!

I actually think it's a good time to play them however and fancy us to win this. 2-0 town I'll say, perhaps stupidly but sod it.

As it stands, not saying this would be my 11 but I think this is the likely 11 Mick will pick for the opener-

Bart

Spence / Chambo / Webster / Knudsen

Rowe / Skuse / Downes / Celina

McGoldrick / Garner

I cannot see him having such a raw left of Kenlock and Celina to start with though love to be proved wrong. I feel Rowe will get the nod over Ward. Sears will also have to do with final 30.

Subs - Gerken / Smith / Kenlock / Sears / Ward / Bishop / Dozzell ( or something along them lines, perhaps a different sub or two )

That would leave Adeyemi / Huws to come back into the 18 when fit. Assume they've not yet played enough footy this summer. Nydam could potentially be in the 18 too as he was supposedly very impressive last time out and could have played his way in.

What do you all think Mick will do/ how happy are you with where we're at? I honestly don't think the first 11 is too bad at all and could be competitive. CM still looks an issue to me. Don't mind Skuse but he needs to be more attacking and we need to be more progressive in the middle. Trouble is with the wingers... not sure how attacking we'll be through the middle. Still, no Bru and Douglas which are both big plus points for me.

When Huws / Adeyemi are fit it'll be interesting how that affects Downes/ Bishop/ Dozza and Nydam. It's evident the academy has a decent batch - sadly they all seem the same position! Blanchfield and McDonnell get yourselves out on loan boys - far too good to be playing U23 for another year. Doesn't seem likely either of you will make a career here but you clearly are good enough for L1 + L2 so get into it!

COYB

 

Can't see Downes getting ahead of Ward Dozzell or Bishop to be honest

 

Ward won't playing central in a 4-4-2. Bishop and Dozzell both very short on matchtime/ fitness so I think Downes will get the nod as things stand. We'll see. Know more after the Charlton game I suppose. Anyone going?

 

I'd personally go for:

Bart

Iorfa / Chambers / Webster / Kenlock

Ward / Skuse / Dozzell / Celina

Sears / Garner

On another note, Charlton thrashed us 6-1 in the pre season friendly, and by all accounts we were massively disappointing. I'm aware we are missing a few big players, but that is a horrible result and performance to end pre-season on. Although it's only pre-season, this result should raise eyebrows and highlight some of the deficiencies we have as a squad. Anyone tipping us for play offs this season must be off their rocker!

Our starting line-up for Charlton, if anyone is interested, was:

Bialkowski

Spence (Iorfa 46), Chambers (Webster 46), Smith, Knudsen (Kenlock 74)

Ward, Skuse (Nydam 74), Downes, Rowe (Dozzell 46)

Sears, Garner (Folami 76).

 

Honestly dont give a **** and it will stay like that til Mick the Prick has gone.

 

2-2 draw, ****e football and the fans agitated already is my prediction.

 

Forgot my score prediction, I'll go for a 1-1 draw, starts brightly but will fade pretty quickly.

 

Town 1-3 Brum

 

0-4

 

Don't give us that Spanish, of course you give a ****. You bleed the blue stuff like us all!

 

Yeah but i am rapidly losing interest and that is the truth! Second half of last season i couldnt be bothered to even listen to commentary and just checked on result at 5pm, never felt like that before and i find myself ecen less interested this season.

 

I was getting that way too Spanish, it wasn't bothering me that I was missing a match because of work. Didn't check out many highlights either once I knew the result.

 

Oh I know the feeling regarding the second half of last season. I didn't see the highlights of any game bar the Newcastle one - the first season since 98/99 I think when I haven't watched the highlights of our game a day or two after. It was grim, and frankly I'm happy I'm in Australia and didn't have to endure it. In the UK as part of the South West supporters club, I guarantee I'd have been dragged along to several away days with me mate Dave ( love an Ali G reference, however his name actually is Dave )

Lets hope this season starts on a positive foot!

Brum H
Luton A ( I couldn't give a toss about this )
Barnsley A
Millwall A
Brentford H

After the Charlton fiasco, if we don't get a few points on the board from an on paper potentially good start, we could be in a right mess this season.

I'll try and keep the glass half full as usual though, and give it 10 games until the table is properly forming. COYB.

 

Given the illness epidemic within the club we may even see Bru given a squad number and get some game time.. In fact I'd recommend anyone going to watch to take their boots and shin pads just in case. As things stand today I'll guess this line-up:

Bart
Spence | Chambers | Smith | Knudsen
Ward | Skuse | Dozzell | Rowe
Sears | Garner

Subs: Gerken, Iorfa, Webster, Kenlock Downes, McKendry, McG

And I suspect we'll huff and puff and play some decent stuff but be daft in posession and gift a goal or two.. 2-2 draw

 

I think Mick will swap Dozza with Downes as Dozza hasn't had much of a pre season / Downes is more defensive and apparently has had a good one. McGoldrick in for for Sears I'd imagine Mick will prefer too. Hoping Celina can start.... think he could be key.

That said, may be a new wide lad from Huddersfield on his way....

 

With a full strength team, this is the line up I'd like to see. And also provides me with a chance to flaunt this website I stumbled across. Essentially, get rid of Knudsen, Chambers, Smith, Skuse, Sears, and McGoldrick. Might be too harsh on the strikers, but they didn't score much last season. For me, Kenlock, Spence, Iorfa, Adeyemi, Dozzell, and Garner should be our preferred alternatives. And ditch 4-4-2, it's old and doesn't fare well against 4-2-3-1, which most teams play with nowadays, including Charlton in the recent thrashing.

 

I know it's not the most reliable source but according to twtd, this is going to be the starting line up. Looks a bit lightweight to me but we'll see. We're joint top at the moment

 

There is no chance in hell McGoldrick will be behind Sears in the line up. Dozza hasn't remotely had a full pre season - I think Downes will be in the line up to offer more steal and allow two wingers / two stringers to play. SADLY Webster isn't fit so Tommy GRRR Smith will be lining up.

Bart
Spence / Smith GRRR Chambo / Knudsen GRRRRRRRRRR I want Kenlock.........
Rowe / Skuse / Downes / Ward ( gotta assume Celina won't be fit enough from the off sadly )
McGoldrick / Garner

Sears / Dozza + Celina to come on. Which is three decent pacy attacking subs in my book.

 

0-0 half time, who would've thought that.
And Andre off injured, hope not too serious.

 

Good start to the season. 1-0 as a result a dozen times or more this season for the Boys, will keep Mick happy....