Tag Archives: AFC Bournemouth

Bournemouth

I usually comment on a game after it has been played but today I’m writing the first paragraph before the game. I want to describe my feelings before it starts. As a Birmingham City fan I have learned to cope with defeats. But the 0-8 defeat by Bournemouth was one that left a deep scar. The worst bit was that a large part of the crowd gave up and left before the end. Today there won’t be a crowd of Blues fans to walk out early but we could still lose. And I’ve realized that what I want to see is a better performance that will help to heal some of the hurt I felt back then. According to the 11v11 website we have played 19 games against Bournemouth and have won 3, drawn 4 and lost 12. So I am not really expecting us to win today.

Today’s game ended in a loss for Blues but we lost by one goal not by eight. And we played better with Hogan scoring two goals. And, to me, it felt as though we had a chance of getting another goal right up to the final whistle. It wasn’t to be but it was so much better than that game in October 2014.

Hope

I hope that Birmingham can play well and get a result on Saturday but I wish we were not playing Bournemouth. The last time we played a League game against them at St Andrew’s was on October 25, 2014, and it was the nightmare game that we lost 0-8. Unlike many others, I stayed until the end of that game and it left a mental scar that will probably remain as long as I live.

I can imagine bouncing back and getting a win against almost any other team but when I think of Bournemouth, I just remember watching my team trudging off the pitch, completely dejected and defeated.

I do expect us to perform better in tomorrow’s game. The team is in a better state than it was in 2014. Back then, Lee Clark had left, Gary Rowett hadn’t arrived and there were two caretakers in charge: Richard Beale and Malcolm Crosby. Now we have an experienced head coach, Aitor Karanka. Whether we win, draw or lose I don’t expect our team to collapse as it did in October 2014.

Losing

Losing never feels good but losing to Bournemouth in the cup didn’t feel as bad as losing to Reading. The cup game wasn’t a bad game. Cohen Bramall looked good on his debut; Isaac Vassell and Wes Harding also played well. I was disappointed but not depressed by the result. Continue reading →

Ready for Bournemouth?

AFC Bournemouth is not the team I would have chosen to play in the cup. The last time Birmingham City played them in a FA Cup game, in January 2016, we lost. Continue reading →

Much better

I enjoyed watching Birmingham City play Bournemouth in the FA Cup. Both sets of players played as though they wanted to win and it felt like a proper cup game. There was a good atmosphere, created by the enthusiastic support from both sets of fans. Though I think the Bournemouth fan who took his shirt off may have supported too enthusiastically and regretted it later. Continue reading →

A team game

After the game on Monday, Colin Tattum expressed his opinion of fans who blamed Robinson for the loss, he Tweeted, “Yes Blues should have done better, but as a team, in regard the goals. To see such vitriol aimed at one individual and blame laid at his feet is incredibly poor and unbecoming. Sure, football about opinions. That’s mine. I was there. Team wins together, loses together. Continue reading →

What can we do?

Before I add to the torrent of comment in reaction to Birmingham City’s 0-8 loss on Saturday, I’d like to remind readers that this is a personal blog. The opinions expressed are mine alone and don’t represent the views of any organisations to which I belong. Continue reading →

Breaking records

The defeat on Saturday left me doubting that Birmingham City will get another win at St Andrew’s this season. We have only 3 more home games to improve on the current total of 2 and I think that would be a record for fewest home wins in a season. Continue reading →

Long long road

Thoughts on football, books, and life in general