Watto’s Report: Birmingham City 2-1 Wolves
Match Center, Match Reports, News | admin | February 7, 2010 at 7:04 pm
The Grand Ol’ Poacher is back. Kevin Philips rose from the treatment table via the bench at St Andrews, cast aside the Zimmer frame and pension book and broke the Wolves hearts with two goals of sublime simplicity. They were chances that only top class goal scorers make look easy. These were Jimmy Greaves like or reminiscent of Denis Law and definitely 100% Kevin Phillips.
Blues , for a change started well and pressured Wolves from the off and almost went ahead on two minutes when a Barry Ferguson trade mark pass found Bowyer who had drifted into a crowded box. The Londoner was unable to get much power and his shot was turned away for a corner. That started a series of corners which saw Wolves under pressure. Jerome should have opened the scoring when Ridgewell rose at the far post to head across goal. With the goal gaping he headed the ball straight at Mancienne on the line.
Another corner dropped at the feet of Dann whose volley should have found the net but went inches wide. Jerome was set free on the left again by the imperious Ferguson. The striker cut in but struck Hahnemann to force another corner. Larsson fired in an impressive 30 yard volley but Blues lack of finishing was becoming a worry.
Wolves could have gone in front when a poor header fell nicely to Doyle who volleyed into the arms of Hart. It was Doyle, who was lively throughout who benefitted from a stroke of fortune. Another poor clearance by Blues fell to David Jones. He fired in a cross which was going nowhere until it struck Johnson and veered onto the post. The Irishman Doyle was on the spot to fire home the rebound.
The second half began with Blues in disarray and was frankly looking anything but winners. Wolves it has to be said looked as though they were likely winners and were going to add to their lead.
Mcleish sent on Phillips for Benitez who left the arena on a stretcher, then Craig Gardner for Larsson and finally Fahey for Mcfadden. Three refuges from Aston who amazingly combined to create the first goal. A neat cross from Fahey found Gardner on the far post; he headed into the box where Phillips finished in style. Blues and Super Kev were not finished as five minutes later Carr’s cross found Kev who neatly chested the ball and volleyed home. Sheer genius!
Frankly this would have been an embarrassment to lose to this Wolves side who battled well and will be gutted with the nature of this defeat. By the end of the game they had used 5 centre halves and two full backs as wingers. With relegation no longer a threat it would be easy for Blues to go into second gear. Fortunately today Blues had a man who’s last Premiership game is not far off whatever happens to Blues. Kevin Phillips is sure to make the most of every minute he has on the field,
Blues: Joe Hart, Stephen Carr, Liam Ridgewell, Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Seb Larsson (Craig Gardner 68), Lee Bowyer, Barry Ferguson, James McFadden (Keith Fahey 74), Cameron Jerome, Christian Benitez (Kevin Phillips 63)
Subs (not used): Maik Taylor, Michel, Jake Jervis, Gregory Vignal.
Goals: Phillips (80, 85)
Bookings: Hart, Johnson, Dann, Ferguson, Bowyer
Wolves: Marcus Hahnemann, Jody Craddock, Karl Henry, Stephen Ward, David Jones (Adlene Guedioura 68), Christophe Berra, Matthew Jarvis (Andrew Surman 89), Ronald Zubar, Michael Mancienne, Kevin Doyle, Kevin Foley (Sylvan Ebanks-Blake 89).
Subs (not used): Wayne Hennessey, George Elokobi, Sam Vokes, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia.
Goal: Doyle (42)
Bookings: Mancienne, Jones,Henry
Referee: L Probert (Wiltshire) Too many cards but a good game otherwise.
Attendance: 24,165
By Alan Watton
What is your view on this story? Have your say below - You DON'T need to register in order to post your comment
Tweet This
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
Loading ...
what an absolute legend kevin phillips is – he scored as many as benitez has done in 5 minutes. i do rate benitez though, but he could learn something from phillips – he is so alert in the box, his movement is unbelievable for a 36 year old.
gardner impressed me too, very econommical with the ball – delivered one superb cross jerome almost scored from. its time we either dropped mcfadden or moved him up the pitch to accomodate gardner – larrsson could probably do a job on the left – jerome would be a useful impact player.
what a garbage ref missed blatant foul on bowyer who was closing down free kick taker in 1st half
missed push on riggers in box 2nd half
missed another blatant foul as bowyer broke to join attack as
jerome caught them asleep
books wolves no8 (zubar)for a foul then he and fergie tussle yet he booked fergie but did not showed another yellow to their no8 cause he bottled a sending off
and i have heard wolves should have had a pen for hand ball
then booked 8 players on both sides yet only 3 were deserved
made no allowance for it being a derby match, not up to the job
First look at this website and instantly disliked it.
"The Grand Ol’ Poacher is back. Kevin Philips rose from the treatment table via the bench at St Andrews, cast aside the Zimmer frame and pension book and broke the Wolves hearts with two goals of sublime simplicity. They were chances that only top class goal scorers make look easy. These were Jimmy Greaves like or reminiscent of Denis Law and definitely 100% Kevin Phillips."
That paragraph makes you sound like a Grade A tool and someone who's trying to hard to be clever in a desperate bid to make up for your lack of footballing knowledge which paragraph 2 proves:
"Blues, for a change started well".
…..and that for me made my decision easy not to read of the rest of this trash. I suggest you take a look at Joys & Sorrows and how they write their blog they mights be dicks like you but at the moment your alienating yourself.
Sorry to hear of your sense of humour bypass and that you missed the start of the game. This is the best reaction I've had since Karren Brady banned me from the offical programme notes. That was when I said that all you had to do when in goal against the Blues was fetch the ball and take goal kicks. Trevor Francis phoned me and told me he though I was right! (Blues won 4-0 the following week)
I do read Joys and sorrows it's very good. I try to be a bit different or else what is the point?
As for my football knowledge I don't use that to write this I try to entertain and inform rather than educate but you seem to grasped that
Regards Watto.
what a bizarre rant from Mark Thomas. who, apart from american teenagers with an axe to grind, uses the phrase 'grade a tool'? i thought it was pretty well-written report – some ironic use of hyperbole; apart from a few cliches which are difficult to avoid when writing about football, it's a decent report.
Pedro
appreciation much appreciated