Watto’s Report: Sunderland 3-1 Birmingham City

My Preview suggested that the Mackems had used up a great deal of their luck last week against Man City while in his pre-match comment Steve Bruce suggested that Blues would be hard to break down.  Both were way off line as Blues shipped two goals even quicker than last Saturday against Everton. Luck is a concept which has no basis in reality and Sunderland’s points gained against the two Cities was complements of the visitor’s incompetence.

Goal one after five minutes saw Ridgewell lose possession on the edge of the host box and the ball was returned down field where Johnson managed to get in a saving tackle to prevent a goal but the ball rebounded to Bent unmarked on the six yard box. The England striker scored a tap in.

5 minutes later Blues were opened up again and Bent sent Dann this way and that before firing past Hart. Bent has been a beneficiary of some Blues’ charity in the past and one has to ask the question why Bruce didn’t buy him for us when he had the chance.

Hart then pulled off two blinding saves the second of which was truly sensational as Richardson’s shot looked goal bond and game ending.

Blues did finally wake up and spent the next hour of the game battering the home side who barely ventured outside their own defensive third. Fahey twice fired in drives which Gordon turned aside. Chucho’s header looked goal bound until Gordon turned it onto the cross bar. Jerome, a striker who Bruce did buy for us failed to hit the target from five yards as he got to a Ridgewell cross.

Jerome was put clear down the right after the break but Gordon blocked the shot. Jerome had the better of things as Ferguson set him up beautifully on the left and Gordon was beaten at last. That was after an hour and Blues spent the next 28 minutes battering the home defence only to be kept at bay by the amazing Gordon. Chucho, Gardener, Carr, and Phillips were all denied when the chances should have been converted while Phillips saw a goal bound effort deflected wide. To add to this Dann, Bowyer and Mcfadden all missed from corners within 5 yards of goal when it appeared easier to score.

To add insult to injury as the carnage ensued in the Sunderland box they broke once more. Dann appeared to have rescued the situation but gave the ball back to Bent who crossed to Campbell to net.

This was an entertaining game of football and Blues probably played the best football of the season on a slick pitch drenched by the continuous downpour. If this exciting season is not going to descend into damp squid territory then a return to basics is required.

Mackems: Craig Gordon; Alan Hutton; Michael Turner (c ); John Mensah (Phil Bardsley 72); Anton Ferdinand; Fraizer Campbell; David Meyler; Kieran Richardson; Steed Malbranque (Lee Cattermole 80); Darren Bent; Benjani (Jordan Henderson 72)

Subs not used: Trevor Carson; Bolo Zenden; Paulo Da Silva; Matthew Kilgallon;

Blues: Joe Hart; Stephen Carr (c ); Scott Dann; Roger Johnson; Liam Ridgewell; Craig Gardner; Michel (Lee Bowyer 72); Keith Fahey (James McFadden 59); Barry Ferguson; Cameron Jerome; Chucho (Kevin Phillips 59)

Subs not used: Maik Taylor; Gregory Vignal; Stuart Parnaby; Sebastian Larsson;

Bookings: Gardner

Ref P Walton (Northampton) Not bad

Attendance: 37,962

By Alan Watton

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