This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
It’s starting to become too much of a pattern at this stage for it to be ignored.
Speaking after Birmingham’s defeat versus Leeds, Pep Clotet said that there were a number of positives to take from the game.
They stood in terms of their attacking play, saying that although they didn’t get the result they went to Elland Road for, they created chances (16 shots, 4 on target) and carried on with the same positive attitude that saw them get the dramatic victory against Middlesbrough.
However, there are still issues to be sorted out when it comes to their defensive capabilities.
Birmingham are sort of in a false position this season. As we have discussed previously on FFC, they haven’t got the results that perhaps they deserve and part of that comes down to the number of mistakes that are starting to creep into their game.
Predominantly it has been Lee Camp in goal acting as the last line of defence that has caused the issues, and it was a mistake that cost them against Leeds on Saturday.
Maxime Colin failed to read Jude Bellingham’s pass properly and allowed Jack Harrison the chance to capitalise and slip in Kalvin Phillips to score.
Camp could also have done better with his efforts to stop Phillips’ shot, but he’s not totally to blame on this occasion.
If things like this were happening once a month, or in games that they were winning comfortably, it wouldn’t be such a big deal. Yet, the fact that these errors are costing them points by the shedload, and have all come in a recent run of games should really set alarm bells ringing around St Andrew’s.
Whilst Birmingham may not have had the highest of expectations placed upon them at the start of the season – with some believing that they were ready-made for relegation – that doesn’t excuse them from just being able to bumble through the season letting points slip through their fingers.
So long as they end up a point above the relegation zone, everything will be OK is seemingly the vibe. That cannot be the case though.
This is where Clotet’s managerial nous is really going to be put to the test.
Whilst some of these errors may be mental, it’s up to him to implement a style of play that doesn’t allow these sorts of things to happen. If it’s through a change in strategy, or perhaps more drastically, a change in personnel, then so be it.
But the longer these things continue to happen, and the more points they drop, the closer he’s going to find himself to the unemployment line, especially if they find themselves scrapping for a place in the division.
