Play With Pride

31 Dec 2021 | 8 comments

Birmingham City

v

Queens Park Rangers

In Off The Post

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Second half of the Championship season now starts with QPR at home this Sunday.  Twenty three games to play and masses of points to be won. And, just as importantly, I suggest our squad start playing with pride.

When Lee Bowyer arrived to scrape us off the floor in that amazing heroic relegation battle last season, his players performed with astonishing pride. Where has that gone so far this season is my question? Twenty seven points at this halfway stage are decent but without being overly good. Injuries and suspensions have hindered Bowyer big time of course, and sympathy has been lavished on him by most supporters.

However, a new half season is beginning to start and with players returning from lay-offs, plus possible additions in the January window, this should set the tone for a steady points return. Limited resources and limited abilities on the playing front any true Blues follower can accept, but recent inept performances bar very few exceptions is not going down well. Playing with pride needs a recall. Experienced campaigners who excelled during the ‘Bowyer Bounce’ last season need a mental refresh and shown a video of games such as Rotherham and Derby away to remind themselves of just what do-or-die is all about.

Should anyone need an example of what is consistently needed in terms of commitment and performance during a Championship season, without luxury riches and by a group of workmanlike players, look no further than Millwall. Not nice I know to have to flag up this London club, but they are my example at this current stage of the very least we should aspire to be within the Championship.

What better way to start off the next twenty three games than to entertain QPR on Sunday. We will have had a couple of weeks rest and recuperation, albeit affected by periods of self isolation for some no doubt, whereas our opponents have been slogging away with almost zero rest. St. Andrew’s welcomes the new year and, hopefully, the bucketloads of pride and passion that our players will display.

Mitchell Bray

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8 Comments

  1. Smithy

    QPR must be on their knees. 3 games over Xmas and only four subs. available last night at Bristol city. Surely we can raise enough enthusiasm with Deeney, Juke, Hogan and Aneke. Have to reach that 30 points mark by Sunday night

  2. Very Tired And Weary

    Unfortunately whilst your post highlights where the squad should start at kick starting the 2nd half of the season, I think the whole empathy of the club from top to bottom doesn’t fill me with confidence that the players have any desire to pull themselves together to regenerate that wow factor that was evident in the last couple of months at the end of last season.
    The continual cycle of replacing mediocre players with either the same,or in some instances poorer quality,leaves a stagnant approach to wearing the shirt with pride and a genuine desire to grind out a result at all costs has been replaced with a careless attitude that is very apparent from some players out there on the pitch or to be perfectly frank not up to anywhere near championship standard.
    I fear that Lee Bowyer is reaching the point of a ‘whats the use’ persona and will simply walk away if he isn’t given the tools in January’s transfer window to bring in an improved quality of players to the club to enable some sort of progression and to demonstrate a more bull-dog attitude to actually wanting to win games.

  3. Walter Brian Taylor

    We all know who manages Milwall and that is the difference between GR and LB. The latter seemed to be of the same persona as the former but has ultimately failed and surely will join the list of exes sooner rather than later. He has somehow lost communication with players who seem to get chosen week after week irrespective of their performance and let themselves and the fans down. The stand out player in recent games has been Riley who has not been infected by the apathy virus which seemingly most if not all of the senior players are afflicted. LB is sadly not the answer – another round peg in a square hole.

  4. Mitchell

    Mitch Roberts leaving is a clear indication which way our club is heading.

    • BrushStrokes

      Just as I thought it couldn’t get any worse down at the Crumbling St.Andrews for poor player sanctuary we now find these village idiots are even now binning tomorrows future players that could only give us supporters a glimmer of hope. For Gods sake sell : Dean, Sunjic, Sanchez, Cosgrove, Gardner, Pederson, Trueman and offload Castillo back to Chelsea. This would free up around £100k pw and allow them to bring in replacements that maybe, just maybe of slightly better ‘quality”? This coupled with the fact we will be looking for yet another Manager come end of this month bears such a lovely year ahead for our decrepit club!

  5. james mcgrogan

    to very tired and weary,walter bryan taylor,mitchell,brush strokes lend me your ears I come to hail Ceaser not bury him.When your down think of the good times with blues for there have been many.When you sit in your seat today close your eyes let yourself travel into your memory,feel Birmingham City and its fans hold you up out of your desperation.One reason for being a blues fan we all have the same belief in each other so what if we loose or get relegated we are SPECIAL never forget that.Happy new year to all the special blue noses KRO.

  6. Mitchell Bray

    Post match comment. For the first time in a long time I thought we looked a bit sad and rudderless. Something has changed recently and it will be vital that dealings in this window do not weaken us any more. Youngsters Hall and James must not be relied upon to turn things around. Target now must be to get that point per game. 18th spot as we now are surely has to be the warning shot for all involved at the club.

  7. Sausage n Egg

    Thought we looked like we used too over the last few seasons.. no threat up front …poor in possession like the ball is a hot spud.. passing terrible. We have No urgency until we go a goal down…I would have thought that at least some of these things should have improved by now ,after all they are basics…. Surprised the easy ride that the upstairs goons are getting as well even the fans seem to have given up!! Our fans of old would never have stood for this and it was why no one liked coming to St Andrews…now we are a soft touch and a 3 pointer for even the most average of teams.

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