Birmingham vs Leeds match thread

They've won their last five games, but I see us being up for this one after the way our last game ended and maybe snatching it 1-0. Forssell to score it late at his old stomping ground.

COME ON LEEDS!

 

A run like that has to end soon, we have a habit of ending runs like that.

 

do we?

I reckon we can win this game but i see us conceding. I reckon it'll be 2-1 to us, McCormack to get on the scoreboard along with a goal from Howson to end his goal drought.

Snoddy to come in for Vayrynen as i think we missed his creativity against peterborough. So hopefully he's fit.

 

Even if Snoddy isn't fit, we have Lloyd Sam. I hope Sam gets a start, he deserves it because he's incredible. Be nice to have that talent and pace screaming down the wing.

 

yea definitely, i'd prefer sam starting to Vayrynen. I see Vayrynen as a CM not a wide player

 

I see him as ****ing useless. Sam is quality.

 

Were you at Peterborough Marko? I wasn't, but I'm slightly baffled that you think Vayrynen's "****ing useless" after such a short amount of playing time unless he had an absolute stinker at London Road which I'm unaware of. He just looks unfit and a bit rusty to me.

 

I suppose I haven't seen that much of him but he just looks completely disconnected from the team and incapable of doing much. He was crap when he came on vs coventry.

 

The guy is supposed to be rated incredibly highly. I dunno whether he just hasnt turned it on yet

 

Well he looked disconnected and unwilling to get forward against coventry - unwillingness to get forward was what cost us.

 

He's still got to gel into the team yet, give him time. I agree that he looked uninterested against Coventry, but it takes a while to get to know your role in a new team and play it effectively. He also might not be 100% fit yet.

I think he could be a very important player for us if we need to revert to a five-man midfield at any point. Seems he can be used in a variety of midfield positions too which comes in handy. But yeah, judging by his early performances, he shouldn't be starting at St Andrews on Wednesday night. My preferred team would be:

McCormack - Keogh

Pugh - Howson - Clayton - Snodgrass

White - Lees - O'Dea - Connolly

Rachubka​

 

Lloyd Sam has proven once again that he fits into our term superbly and works well with our system. Since the loss of Gradel we've looked a little lacking in width, and our width was a big part of our attacking threat last season. Putting Sam in there gives us that width back. It's nice that Danny Pugh is showing goalscoring ability, may go some way to replacing Gradels prolific record.

 

I dont think he will be starting but to fair to the lad, he has been played out of position a lot. He isnt a wide man and even at times he has played upfront

 

sam wont be playing though if snoddy is fit. Pugh has done more than enough to keep him out and snoddy is by far our most creative player

 

I'm not sure of the extent of his injury. A mate of mine was drinking with him on friday night and said he mentioned it.

 

The problem with Sam is his fitness. On several occasions, his former teammates have said how lazy he is in training, and while they might have been bringing it up lightheartedly for a routine question in Four Four Two magazine's interviews, they look like they have a point. The only times he's played 90 minutes for us were the Bradford game this season a few games at the very beginning of last. If we can get him running round like a mad ****er in the Max Gradel mould, that's a player I'd be starting. At the moment, he's a supersub along with Nunez in my eyes.

Sam does have good technique in passing, shooting and dribbling, you're right, but he needs some dedication along with that. I imagine he's being kept out of the team because he's unfit. Charlton fans complained of the same problem, even when he was banging them in. Anyway, I don't think the attack's something that needs tinkering with at the moment regardless of Sam's fitness or lack thereof. Goals, once again, aren't the issue and I think Pugh is doing a better job defensively than Sam would, so that's another reason he should be kept on the bench.

 

I was talking about Sam on the right. I don't think Sam should replace Pugh, Pugh is doing brilliantly I just think he's more of a left mid than a winger. He doesn't surge forward or attack full backs, but what he does do is shore up the left side defensively. Him and White work well together, he provides a platform for White to do what he does best - White IS a natural winger.

 

Ah, my misunderstanding with the Pugh thing.

Snoddy should be back fit on Wednesday since his injury was only a back spasm. I'd be surprised if that kept him out for longer than a week, judging by a bit of quick Google research. Obviously he should walk into the team with the amount of goals he's set up this season. I guess if he's out, we might as well use Sam and Nunez in his place.

 

This is the start of 5 tough games.

 

I'm going to predict we'll get at least 9 points from the next 5 games.